Rise and Fall of Early Empires
HI 211
Winter 2009
Dr. Erika Lauren Lindgren 314 Luther Hall
erika.lindgren@wartburg.edu 352-8201 http://faculty.wartburg.edu/lindgrene
Office Hours: M F 9:05-10:05, T 1:30-2:30 and by appointment
Course Description
This course is a comparative study of pre-modern empires, focusing primarily on non-western civilizations.
Course Goals: By the end of the term you should be able to:
1. Express a broad understanding of how early empires developed, maintained, and lost control. This is the “Big Picture.”
2. Show knowledge of the key historical figures, events and institutions that shaped these empires.
3. Read, discuss, and write about the sources [written and artistic] of our knowledge of early empires, as well as modern scholarship on the topic.
4. Understand how historians and art historians practice their craft.
5. Uncover some of the links between our current society and that of the past.
6. Have some fun!
The course satisfies the Diversity Across the Curriculum requirement. This course is also Interconnected with Humanities/Fine Arts, and is linked specifically with the disciplines of Art and Architecture.
Required Texts
Karen Farrington, Historical Atlas of Empires (Mercury, 2004)
Richard C. Foltz, Religions of the Silk Road (St. Martin’s Griffin, 1999)
Grant Hardy and Anne Behnke Kinney, The Establishment of the Han Empire and Imperial China (Greenwood, 2005)
David Morgan, The Mongols (2nd ed. Blackwell, 2007)
Other readings on reserve and online.
Website: http://faculty.wartburg.edu/lindgrene contains copies of the syllabus and assignments.
Assignments
Readings- You are responsible for the readings assigned in this syllabus. On the day that they are assigned you should complete them before class. Always bring the day’s reading to class. Taking notes on what you read, on your computer, in a notebook, or in the margins of the text, will assist you in summarizing and remembering the major points of the texts. Despite its ease, highlighting is rarely helpful
Reading quizzes- At the professor’s discretion, reading quizzes will be given at the beginning of class. These can not be made up.
Exams- There are 4 exams in this class. The format will vary.
Reflective essay- The essay will ask you to compare your culture with ones that we have been studying.
Final Project- Each student will complete a short final project that they will discuss with the rest of the class. More information forthcoming.
Late work will not be accepted unless prior arrangement has been made with the professor.
Participation- All students are expected to contribute to the discussion of class readings and lectures. This participation may be in the form of questions, answers to the questions posed by the professor or other students, group work and discussion, and active participation in class activities.
Attendance- Attendance is required. You are responsible for all material covered in the classes you miss. If you miss more than 10% of the class meetings, your final course grade will be docked. Missing class also means you can not contribute to your participation in class. Please note that attendance is not the same as participation.
Grading and Attendance Policy- out of 1000 points
Participation 200
Exam 1 100
Exam 2 100
Exam 3 150
Exam 4 150
Reflective essay 100
Final Project 100
Reading quizzes 100
Special Needs:
The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) provides protection from illegal discrimination for qualified individuals with disabilities. Students requesting instructional accommodations due to disabilities must arrange for such accommodations by contacting Pathways Associate for Testing and Advising Carla Coates. She can be reached at the Pathways Center, 314 Vogel Library, Wartburg College, Waverly, IA 50677, 352-8230, <Carla.coates@wartburg.edu>. Presenting documentation of a student’s disability early (before the beginning of classes) is helpful and often necessary to secure needed materials in a timely way. Accommodations should be requested PRIOR to affected assignment due dates. For more detailed information, please see http://www.wartburg.edu/pathways/testing/AccomodationProcessStudents.pdf
Honor Code/Plagiarism
Plagiarism is the representation of the work or ideas of others as your own. Plagiarism can result from failing to cite a source, giving sufficient credit to the original authors, closely paraphrasing without attribution, and direct copying. The Academic Policies Committee of Student Senate and the Honor Council have asked faculty to remind students that they have a “…responsibility to promote academic honesty by opposing cheating and plagiarism and reporting dishonest work”. All forms of plagiarism and cheating will result in severe academic penalties. ALL WORK YOU TURN IN MUST BE YOUR OWN.
By attending Wartburg College, students are demonstrating their dedication to the Honor Code. The Honor Code reminds students of their responsibility to promote academic honesty by opposing cheating and plagiarism and reporting dishonest work. This is a reminder of your obligation to the Honor Code (from the policy developed by students and overseen by the Student Senate, the Honor Council, and the Academic Ombudsperson).
Classroom policies:
2. Please turn off all cell phones, pagers, beepers, and noisy watches. No texting in class.
3. You may only record my classes with my permission.
4. If you know you must leave early, let me know before class and sit near the door.
5. Limit exiting and reentering the classroom during the class period. It is disruptive to your fellow students and distracting to the professor.
6. Make sure you put your name on everything you turn in!
7. Follow the directions on all assignments! It will save headaches and heartaches.
8. I have nothing against food and drink in the classroom. Just make sure it is not too messy, smelly, or noisy- NO chips!! AND PICK UP AFTER YOURSELF!
Schedule of classes: When texts are listed for a class session, students should arrive having already read and reflected on this material. Assignments are listed on the dates they are due.
Week 1 Some Very Early Empires
M 1/5 Introduction: Defining Terms
W 1/7 Mesopotamia
Read: Farrington, 6-15, Handout
F 1/9 New Kingdom Egypt
Read: Farrington, 16-21
Week 2 The Ancient Near East after the Bronze Age
M 1/12 Background
Read: Farrington, 22-25
W 1/14 Persia
Read: Farrington, 26-31
F 1/16 The Greek view
Read: TBA
Week 3 Alexander the Great and the Aftermath
M 1/19 Alexander
Read: Farrington, 32-35
W 1/21 Rome and the Return of Persia
Read: Farrington, 36-45
F 1/23 Exam 1 moved
Week 4 The Silk Road
M 1/26 Exam 1
W 1/28 Religion and Trade
Read: Foltz, chapters 1 and 2
F 1/30 Buddhism
Read: Foltz, chapter 3
Week 5 The Silk Road and India
M 2/2 Christianity
Read: Foltz, chapter 4
W 2/4 Islam
Read: Farrington, 66-71; Foltz, chapter 5
F 2/6 More Religion on the Silk Road
Read: Foltz, chapter 6 and 7
Week 6 China
M 2/9 Mauryan India
Read: Farrington, 52-55, Edicts of Ashoka
W 2/11 Gupta India
Read: TBA
F 2/13 Exam 2 Buddhism slide 1 Buddhism Slide 2 Study Guide
Week 7 China
M 2/16 Early China: Shang and Zhou
Read: TBA
W 2/18 Warring States Period and Chinese Philosophy
Read: The Analects and Hardy, “A Note on Transliteration. . . “
F 2/20 Qin China
Read: Hardy, chapter 1; Farrington, 47-51
Week 8 China
M 2/23 Han China
Read: Hardy, chapter 2
W 2/25 Han China
Read: Hardy, chapter 3
F 2/27 No Class
Week 9 Winter Term Break
Week 10 Medieval China
M 3/9 Han China
Read: Hardy, chapter 4
W 3/11 Han China
Read: Hardy, chapter 5 and Ban Zhao "Lessons for a Woman"
F 3/13 Han and Tang China
Read: Farrington, 56-59
Week 11 The Mongols
M 3/16 Tang and Song China
W 3/18 Exam 3
F 3/20 Background of the Mongols
Read: Morgan, Introduction, chapter 1
Week 12 The Mongols
M 3/23 Founding the Mongol Empire
Read: Morgan, chapters 2 and 3
W 3/25 Mongol Government
Read: Morgan, chapter 4
F 3/27 Mongols in China
Read: Morgan, chapter 5
Week 13 Other Empires
M 3/30 Mongols in the West
Read: Morgan, chapter 6 and 7
W 4/1 Aftermath of the Mongol Empire
Read: Morgan, chapter 8 and 9
F 4/3 Exam 4
Week 14 Other Empires
M 4/6 North African Empires Reflective essay due
Read: Farrington, 62-65, 102-105
W 4/8 Sub-Saharan Empires
Read: Ibn Battuta
F 4/10 Easter Break
Final projects due at finals period.
The finals period assigned for this class is 8-10 am on Wednesday April 15.
The professor reserves the right to make changes to syllabus, and will notify students when she does so.
Grading standards for essays and papers Dr. Lindgren
An “A” essay is excellent in nearly all respects. An “A” essay:
-is well-argued and well-organized, with a clear thesis.
-is well-developed, with content that is original, specific, interesting, appropriate, and convincing.
-has logical transitions that contribute to a fluent style of writing.
-has varied and sophisticated sentence structure.
-has few, if any, mechanical, grammatical, spelling, or diction errors (less than 3).
-demonstrates command of a mature, unpretentious diction.
-uses the sources extremely well.
A “B” essay shares most characteristics of an “A” essay, but:
-may have some minor lapses in organization and development.
-may contain some sentence structures that are awkward or ineffective.
-may have minor mechanical, grammatical, or diction problems.
-may be less distinguished in its use of language.
-may not use the sources as well.
A “C” essay is competent, but compared to a “B” essay it:
-may have a weaker thesis and less effective development.
-may contain some lapses in organization.
-may have poor or awkward transitions.
-may have less varied sentence structures that tend toward monotony.
-may have more mechanical, grammatical, and diction problems.
-is likely to be less distinguished in its handling of the topic.
A “D” essay is likely to:
-present a thesis too vague or too obvious to be developed.
-display major organization problems.
-lack adequate support for its thesis.
-have confusing or non-existent transitions.
-have ungrammatical or poorly constructed sentences.
-demonstrate problems with spelling, punctuation, diction, or syntax that impede understanding.
-not cite sources.
-be sloppy.
An “F” essay is seriously flawed. It is likely to:
-have no clear thesis or central topic.
-display random organization.
-lack adequate support or specific development.
-include irrelevant details.
-fail to fulfill the assignment or be unfairly brief.
-contain major or repeated errors in diction, syntax, grammar, punctuation, or spelling.
Adapted from Carol Engelhardt, Ph.D.