New Page 2

HIST 3840: Ancient History Elizabeth Dachowski

Spring 2012: 615-963-5507

Tu-Th 11:20-12:45 edachowski@tnstate.edu

219 Crouch Hall Office hours: Tu-Th 9-11 and 1:-2:30; F 1:30-4:30

413-D Crouch Hall

REQUIRED TEXTS

Ralph W. Mathison. Ancient Mediterranean Civilizations. ISBN 978-0-19-537838-2

Paul Halsall, ed. Ancient History Sourcebook (www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/asbook.html).

Other on-line resources as noted in the schedule of readings.

OTHER RESOURCES

JSTOR (electronic database of periodical articles available through TSU Library)

Ebsco Host (electronic database of periodical articles available through TSU library)

Oxford Reference Books Online Premium

COURSE DESCRIPTION

"An examination of ancient civilizations, including Egyptian, Roman, Hellenic, and Hellenistic cultures. Materials in this course include archaeological evidence, philosophical writings, and political institutions" (from Tennessee State University, Undergraduate Catalogue 2011-2013, p. 118).

Note that there are no prerequisites for this course other than admission to the upper division. In addition to History majors, this course may count towards requirements for those pursuing an Interdisciplinary Studies degree with a specialization in Social Studies and students looking for upper-level electives. Other interested students are welcome in the course as well.

COURSE PURPOSE AND GOALS

Liberal Arts Goals (as outlined in the "Philosophy of General Education," Tennessee State University, Undergraduate Catalogue, 2011-2013, pp. 50-51):

*Liberal learning (study of the social sciences and humanities)

*Literacy (through reading and writing assignments)

*A tough-minded rationality (through problems brought up in lectures, readings, and discussions)

*Historical Consciousness (through study of a remote time in history)

*An appreciation for cultural diversity (through study of the cultural diverse region bordering the Mediterranean Sea)

*Intellectual integrity (through original research and writing and fair presentation of evidence)

*Values (through consideration of how individuals made difficult choices throughout history)

History Goals (from the Student Learning Outcomes for History, Tennessee State University, Undergraduate Catalogue, 2011-2013, pp. 109-110). Students should be able to:

*recognize the characteristic features of history as an academic discipline;

* evaluate claims about the past critically with sensitivity to the importance of historical and cultural contexts;

*conduct thorough historical research with recourse to both primary and secondary sources;

*advance original historical arguments in well-written essays with appropriate citation of sources;

*identify the major periods of the human past and recognize alternative approaches to periodization;

*compare patterns of continuity and change in the history of world civilizations;

*explain major themes and events in the history of North America and the United States; and

*explore the differences and relationships between political, social, economic, and cultural history.

Basic Skills:

* Reading comprehension (through assigned readings)

* Writing (through papers and essay exams)

* Note-taking (from readings and lectures)

* Evaluating sources of information (lectures, papers, and class discussions)

*Locating sources of information (through papers)

* Geographical knowledge (exams, readings, and lectures)

LEARNING COMPETENCIES

This course will give students competencies relating both to the specific factual and analytical content of Ancient History as well as general skills necessary for the study of history and basic reading and writing skills. Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

*identify the major geographical features of the Mediterranean and the civilizations which occupied these regions (discussions, exams, and papers)

*describe the chronological framework for cultural, political, economic, and social developments in the Ancient Mediterranean (exams and papers)

*identify and define the major people, events, technologies, governmental changes, and political ideas of the Ancient Mediterranean (exams and discussions)

*list major historical events, actors, cultural developments, economic changes, new technologies, and social trends in the Ancient Mediterranean (exams and papers)

*identify and distinguish between different types of historical evidence, including primary sources, secondary sources, and derivative surveys (through pre-writing assignments and papers)

*correctly use the most important reference tools and search engines in the field of Ancient History (pre-writing assignments and papers)

*read and evaluate different historical interpretations (papers, pre-writing assignments, and discussions)

*formulate a coherent argument based on primary and secondary sources and historically valid reasoning (pre-writing assignments and papers)

*describe the processes of historical change through "cause and effect" arguments (exams, papers, and discussions)

*identify, describe, and evaluate historical arguments in textbooks and scholarly works (papers and discussions)

*write coherent definitions, explanations, and descriptions of historical phenomena (papers and exams)

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

The purpose of class meetings is to discuss primary source documents, supplement the information provided in the readings, answer questions about the material, discuss the importance and meaning of historical events, and give information on assignments and examinations. In order to benefit fully from the class, you must complete the assigned readings before coming to class. Classroom activities will include lectures, discussions, and opportunities for you to ask questions about course material. I will plan these activities on the assumption that you have read the material. I will hold you responsible for everything that happens in class--whether you are there or not; this includes lecture notes, points brought up in discussion, handouts, announcements, tests, and (if necessary) changes in schedule. If you cannot make class for any reason, get the notes from someone who takes good notes, and come to my office to go over anything that you do not understand.

Grading will be as follows:

Midterm Exam 15%

Final Exam 20%

Participation 10%

Pre-writing assignments 15%

Primary source analysis 15%

Research Paper 25%

100%

You will receive detailed instructions for assignments and a study guide for each exam separately.

Grades will be calculated on a 100-point scale, in which 90-100=A, 80-89=B, etc. The lowest passing grade is 60 out of 100. In the case of borderline grades, I will take into account attendance and improvement, but this will only make a difference if you are right on the border between two grades. Examinations, in-class discussion, and written assignments will be structured to develop and measure students’ mastery of the learning competencies listed above. Students must demonstrate thorough understanding of historical analytical principles and factual knowledge, as well as competence in reading comprehension and written English, to earn an A on an assignment or test. Students showing good but partial mastery of these skills may expect a grade of B or C. Students demonstrating poor ability in these skills will receive a grade of D. Failure to demonstrate a grasp of the material will result in a grade of F. Points will be awarded for each test or assignment based on the grading scale indicated at the beginning of this paragraph. Students must complete all assignments for the course. Failure to do so will result of a grade of zero on the assignment and a consequent lowering of the student’s average in the course.

Attendance and participation will depend on active participation. Students should be prepared to volunteer questions, answers, and comments in class, and should not be surprised if called upon to answer specific questions at the instructor’s discretion. Although quizzes on readings will not be a regular part of the course, I will give quizzes without prior notice if it becomes apparent that students are not keeping up with the material.

Written assignments include a book review, an analysis of a primary source document on ancient history, and a final paper on ancient history. You may rewrite any paper for a higher grade. Paper rewrites will be due one week from the date papers are handed back (whether you are there or not). No paper rewrites will be accepted after the final examination date. Pre-writing assignments are worth 10% of the final grade. Note that the written assignments make up 50% of the final grade, so they should be taken seriously.

Grade of X: Tennessee State University requires instructors to award a grade of "X" for students who have not been attending class regularly ("excessive absences" is the official term). Once this grade has been awarded, it is almost impossible to change it. Guidelines offered by the administration suggest that in a course that meets twice a week, three unexcused absences will be considered excessive. Note that if you have officially approved excuses but do not alert me in a timely manner, I will assume that the absences are not excused. Barring other information, I look at attendance, completion of assignments by deadline, and presence at the midterm exam. Note that the "X" grade "carries the same weight as ‘‘F’’" (TSU, Undergraduate Catalog 2005-2007, p. 30), so you should withdraw if you cannot attend regularly.

Grade of I: A grade of "incomplete" will be awarded only under extraordinary circumstances (e.g. hospitalization) and only with prior agreement on what needs to be made up and by what date. You must have completed substantially more than 50% of the course in order to receive a grade of "incomplete."

Attendance Policy: TSU regulations require regular attendance in class. Although there is no specific percentage of the grade assigned to attendance, the instructor will take roll daily. Students with excessive unexcused absences will risk a grade of "X" (see below). Students who have legitimate reasons for missing class (health, military service, official University activities, etc.) must let the instructor know as soon as possible, preferably before missing class. Students are responsible for finding out for everything that happens in class, whether they are there or not. This includes lecture notes, announcements regarding tests and assignments, and returned papers.

Deadlines and missed classes: I will penalize unexcused late papers 3% per day (excluding weekends and holidays) up to a maximum of 21% (e.g. a grade of 82 would become a grade of 79 after one day but could fall as low as 61 if handed in 2 weeks late). If late penalties make a passing assignment a failing one, I will award more credit than if nothing had been submitted (i.e. zero) but less than a grade of D_ (60). I reserve the right not to accept assignments more than one week late, depending on the circumstances. Make requests for extensions before the due date. Let me know immediately if you must miss a deadline or an exam. If you hand in a paper after the rewrite deadline, you forfeit the chance to rewrite the paper for a higher grade.

Academic Honesty: In general, students need to complete their own work fairly, and not try to devalue the work of others, either through taking unfair advantage or through sabotaging someone else's work. Penalties include failure of the assignment or failure of the course, in accordance with University policies. Consult the student handbook for penalties for cheating. The following are especially relevant to this course:

1. No copying other students' work on tests or assignments.

2. No exact copying from ANY work (books, newspapers, web sites, etc.) without quotation marks (" "). This includes even very short quotations. When in doubt, use quotation marks.

3. No summarizing from ANY source without proper citation of your source (footnotes, endnotes, or parenthetical references).

4. No notes or books during in-class exams (unless specifically permitted by the instructor).

5. No attempting to discover examination questions in advance.

Classroom etiquette: The purpose of classroom etiquette is to avoid disrupting class or distracting the teacher or other students. The following are potentially disruptive and should be avoided: tardiness, leaving early (especially if you have to cross in front of the teacher), talking while the teacher or other students are addressing the whole class, reading or doing work for another class while class is in session, delivering assignments or private messages to the teacher while class is going on (wait for class to end or leave the message in the mailbox in the departmental office), use of cell phones (turn off phones before class; if you must be accessible every second of the day, please set the phone on vibrate and sit near the door).

Accommodation for Students with Disabilities: The Department of History, Geography, and Political Science, in conjunction with the Office of Disables Student Services, makes reasonable accommodations for qualified students with appropriately documented disabilities. If you need an accommodation, please contact TSU’s Disabled Student Services Office at 963-7400 (phone) or 963-7440 (TDD), preferably within the first two weeks of the semester or at least a week before the assignment on which you need accommodation.

Assignment Schedule

Primary Source and Quotation/Citation Homework January 24

Database Assignment January 26

Article Review February 9

Primary Source Analysis: February 23 (Rewrite, March 13)

Thesis Statement March 29

Outline and Sample Paragraphs (optional) April 5

Research Paper: April 12 (Rewrite, April 26)