This course is a survey of major developments in Western society from approximately 3200 BC to 1700 AD. Material will be presented through common readings, lectures, frequent and extensive classroom discussions, and film. The following books are available at the South Campus bookstore:

McKay, Hill, Butler, A History of Western Society, Vol. 1, 5th ed.
Chodorow, The Other Side of Western Civilization, Vol. 1, 4th ed.
Perry, Peden, Von Laue, Sources of the Western Tradition, Vol. 1, 3rd ed.

The Chodorow book also will be on reserve at the O'Leary Library, but the other two will not (the library does not own them, though I am trying to persuade them to buy them). You should come to class each Tuesday prepared to discuss the week's assignments (e.g., read McKay, Chs. 2-3 before coming to class on Tuesday, 24 January). For classroom discussion to be successful, it is very important that you keep up with the reading schedule outlined below.

Your final grade in this course will be calculated as follows:

Week of 17 January: Introduction, The Ancient Near East
    Reading:
    McKay, Chapter 1

Week of 24 January: Archaic and Classical Greece
    Reading:
    McKay, Chapters 2-3
    NOTE: On 25 January, class will meet in the O'Leary Library Media Center to view a film, Barefoot in Athens.

Week of 31 January: Classical Greece
    Reading:
    Perry, Chapter 3

Week of 7 February: The Hellenistic World
    Reading:
    McKay, Chapter 4,
    Chodorow, Part I
    NOTE: On 8 February, class will meet in the Media Center to view a film, Alexander the Great/the Hellenistic Age

Week of 14 February: The Roman Republic
    Reading:
    McKay, Chapter 5
    Perry, pp. 114-131
    NOTE: On 15 February, class will meet in the Media Center to view a film, The Rise of Rome/The Roman Empire

Week of 21 February: The Early Roman Empire
    Reading:
    McKay, Chapter 6
    Perry, Chapter 5

Week of 28 February: Christianity, the Late Roman Empire
    Reading:
    McKay, Chapter 7
    Chodorow, Part 2

1 March: FIRST EXAM

Week of 7 March: Early Middle Ages
    Reading:
    McKay, Chapters 8 and 9
    NOTE: On 8 March, class will meet in the Media Center to view a film, David Macauley's Castle

Week of 21 March: The High Middle Ages
    Reading:
    McKay, Chapter 10
    Chodorow, Part 3

Week of 28 March: Medieval Culture
    Reading:
    McKay, Chapter 11
    Perry, pp. 246-289

Week of 4 April: Late Medieval Period
    Reading:
    McKay, Chapter 12
    Chodorow, Part 4

5 April: SECOND EXAM

Week of 11 April: The Renaissance
    Reading:
    McKay, Chapter 13

Week of 18 April: The Renaissance
    Reading:
    Chodorow, Part 5
    Perry, pp. 302-315

Week of 25 April: The Reformation
    Reading:
    McKay, Chapter 14
    Perry, pp. 324-346

Week of 2 May: European Expansion
    Reading:
    McKay, Chapter 15

Week of 9 May: The Enlightenment
    Reading:
    Perry, Chapter 13

The Final Examination will be administered per the University schedule and will cover material presented since the second exam.