HIST H109 (C392)                                                                              Prof. Michael Snodgrass

Fall 2003                                                                                              Office: Ca 503S    278-7761

Cavanaugh 219                                                                                    Office hours: M,W 11-12

MW 1:00-2:15                                                                         E-mail: misnodgr@iupui.edu

 

 

 

                     PERSPECTIVES ON THE WORLD SINCE 1800

 

Course description and objectives:

This introductory course on modern world history examines the major political, economic, technological, and cultural developments that shaped our contemporary world over the past two centuries.  It offers an historical background to what is today known as globalization.  Among the key issues and trends that we study are the causes, nature and consequences of imperialism; the rise and fall of communism and fascism; the development of an integrated world economic system; and the struggles for self-determination, democracy, and social equality that punctuated the history of the 1800s and 1900s.  Our geographic focus will be less on individual countries and more on global regions like Latin America, Sub-Sahara Africa, and East Asia. 

 

Perspectives on the World introduces students to the common features and key distinctions between the histories and cultures of world regions.  Consistent with IUPUI’s Principles of Undergraduate Learning (see http://www.iupui.edu/~history/principlesundergradlearning.htm), this course is also designed to develop student skills of critical and comparative analysis, improve writing proficiency, and enhance one’s capacity to organize and express his or her thoughts.  Students will sharpen these skills through a variety of assignments: analyzing historical documents, writing short papers, engaging in classroom discussions, and preparing for quizzes and examinations.

 

This syllabus, class announcements, lecture outlines, assignments, and grades will be posted to Oncourse (go to https://oncourse.iupui.edu/).  Students unfamiliar with the Oncourse system may find a “Getting Help” guide at the website or see the professor for assistance.

 

Required readings:

1) Bentley and Ziegler, Traditions and Encounters: A Global Perspective on the Past (2nd ed.)

2) Ngugi Wa Thiong’o, The River Between (l965)

3) Primo Levi, Survival in Auschwitz: The Nazi Assault on Humanity (l958)

4) Louis Fischer, Gandhi: His Life and Message for the World (l954)

5) Online documents (listed below in course schedule) are accessible through

            a) the website addresses listed on this syllabus or

            b) direct links via the syllabus posted to the Oncourse system or

c) direct links via this course’s syllabus posted at the History Department website: http://www.iupui.edu/~history/fall2003/fall2003.htm

 

(* Students are advised to print all online documents immediately to avoid difficulties accessing them on the evening before reading assignments are due.)

 

Course requirements and grading (based upon 1,000 total points):

Two non-comprehensive exams = 500 points

Two 3-4 page essays = 400 points (* students may select any 2 of 3 possible essays listed in the course schedule; separate guidelines will be provided for each assignment)

Three quizzes = 75 points

One map assignment = 25 points

 

Final grade scores: A (1,000-930),  A- (929-900), B+ (899-880), B (879-830), B- (829-800), C+ (799-780), C (779-730), C- (729-700), D (699-600), F (599 or less).

 

Remember...

* Persistent absenteeism results in lower grades.  Students must make prior arrangements with the professor if extraordinary circumstances cause them to miss one of the two exams or three quizzes.  Otherwise no makeups will be given except in documented cases of emergencies. 

 

* It is expected that all students will 1) read,  2) think critically about, and 3) arrive to class prepared to discuss assigned readings.  Preparation is the key to effective participation.  Students must not only read the assigned material.  They must do so actively by a) taking notes and b) preparing comments, critiques, or questions that the readings provoke.  Passively outlining the text is not an effective means of critical reading and thought. 

 

* All late assignments will be penalized as follows: 1/3 grade for assignments not turned in on due date (B to B-), one full grade for first week late (B to C), two full grades thereafter (B to D).

 

* Be sure to save all papers on your hard drive and a diskette and retain all copies of quizzes and exams until final grades are posted. 

 

* Plagiarism and cheating will be punished in accordance with university policy, as outlined in the Indiana University Academic Handbook (p.123) and the IUPUI Campus Bulletin, 2000-2002 (p.36).  The following is from the School of Liberal Arts official statement on plagiarism:

 

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“Plagiarism is the use of the work of others without properly crediting the actual source of the ideas, words, sentences, paragraphs, entire articles, music or pictures.  Using other students’ work (with or without their permission) is still plagiarism if you don’t indicate who initially did the work.  Plagiarism, a form of cheating, is a serious offense and will be severely punished.  When an instructor suspects plagiarism, he/she will inform the student of the charge; the student has the right to respond to the allegations.  Students whose work appears to be plagiarized may be asked to produce earlier drafts of work or all the books/articles used in a paper or speech.  Students should, for this reason and as a protection in cases of lost papers, retain rough drafts, notes, computer files and other work products for three weeks after the end of each semester.  The penalties for plagiarism include reprimands, being failed for a particular take-home exam, paper, project or the entire course, disciplinary probation, or dismissal.  Faculty, after consulting with their chair and/or the School of Liberal Arts Dean of Students must notify students in writing of their decision.  Students have the right to appeal such decisions by submitting petitions to the Academic Affairs Committee.  Petitions can be obtained in CA 401.  For further information, see ‘Code of Student Ethics,’ available in CA 401.” 


 

                                                       COURSE SCHEDULE

 

Aug. 20            Introduction to modern world history

 

 

                                               I. THE AGE OF REVOLUTION

 

Aug. 25            The French Revolution

                        Readings: Traditions and Encounters, 802-20, 830-36

 

Aug. 27            Revolution in the Americas

                        Readings: Traditions and Encounters, 820-30

                       

 

Map Assignment due today

 

Sep. 1              * LABOR DAY *

 

Sep. 3              The Industrial Revolution

                        Readings: Traditions and Encounters, 841-59, 863-68

 

Sep. 8              Class Struggle and Socialist Movements

                        Readings: Traditions and Encounters, 860-62

                       

            Online document:

Excerpts from Karl Marx, The Communist Manifesto (read chapters I: Bourgeois and Proletarians and II: Proletarians and Communists): http://www.usd.edu/~dpryce/world2/manifesto.htm

 

Sep. 10            Latin America and the Legacies of Colonialism

                        Readings: Traditions and Encounters, 871-884

 

            Online documents:

1) Account of Mexican plantations (‘haciendas’) and their powerful landowners (‘hacendados’): http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1923hacienda.html

 

            2) First-hand account of Mexican dictator Porfirio Diaz:

                        http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1909diaz1.html

 

            3) Mexican opposition leader Francisco Madero calls for revolution:

                        http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1910potosi.html

 

 

Quiz #1

 

 

Sep. 15            Immigration to the Americas

                        Readings: Traditions and Encounters, 884-900

                       

 

 

                                                    II. THE AGE OF EMPIRE

 

Sep. 17            Nationalism and the New Imperialism

                        Readings: Traditions and Encounters, 933-51

 

Sep. 22            East Asia and Challenges from the West

                        Readings: Traditions and Encounters, 903-29

           

Sep. 24            The Scramble for Africa

 

            Online documents:

            1) French Prime Minister Jules Ferry justifies a policy of imperialism:

                        http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1884ferry.html

 

            2) English colonial governor justifies Britain’s colonization of Egypt:

                        http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1908cromer.html

           

3) An Irishman, E.D. Morel, condemns European imperialism in Africa:             http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1903blackburden.html

 

 

 

Sep. 29            The Economics of Empire

                        Readings: Traditions and Encounters, 951-62

                       

            Online documents:

1) Hoosier Senator Beveridge advocates a US policy of imperialism:

                        http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1898beveridge.html

 

2) Domestic opposition to US foreign policy from the Anti-imperialist League:

                        http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1899antiimp.html

 

Quiz #2

 

Oct. 1              * NO CLASS *

 

Oct. 6              Colonialism as a ‘Civilizing Mission’

                        Readings: Ngugi, The River Between

 

Essay #1 due in class today

 

Oct. 8              Imperial Rivalries and the First World War

                        Readings: Traditions and Encounters, 971-1000

 

Oct. 13            The Russian Revolution

Readings: Traditions and Encounters, 1010-19

                       

Online documents:

1) Vladimir Lenin’s theory of revolution from “What is to be Done?” (1902):

            http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1902lenin.html

 

2) Excerpts from constitution of the Soviet Union (l9l7):

            http://www.dur.ac.uk/~dml0www/decright.html

 

3) USSR’s economic policy outlined in Josef Stalin’s Five-Year Plan (l928):

            http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1928stalin.html

 

 

Oct. 15            Examination #1

 

Oct. 20            Nationalism and Imperialism in East Asia

                        Readings: Traditions and Encounters, 1028-34

                       

Oct. 22            Fascism in Europe

                        Readings: Traditions and Encounters, 1020-26

                       

            Online documents:

1) Italian fascist leader and prime minister Benito Mussolini, “What is Fascism?” (1932):  http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/mussolini-fascism.html

 

2) Joseph Goebbels, Nazi government’s Minister of People’s Enlightenment and Propaganda:  http://www.calvin.edu/academic/cas/gpa/wille.htm

 

3) Anti-Semitic propaganda from popular German magazine Der Stürmer (‘The Attacker’): http://www.calvin.edu/academic/cas/gpa/sturm28.htm

 

 

Oct. 27            The Holocaust

                        Readings: Primo Levi, Survival in Auschwitz

                                    See also Traditions and Encounters, 1056-58

                       

Essay #2 due in class today

 

Oct. 29            The Second World War and Its Aftermath

                        Readings: Traditions and Encounters, 1037-60, 1107-10

         III. STRUGGLES FOR INDEPENDENCE, DEMOCRACY AND EQUALITY

 

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Nov. 3             Revolution and Communism in China

                        Readings: Traditions and Encounters, 1085-87, 1117-19

 

Nov. 5             The Cold War: Origins and Consequences

                        Readings: Traditions and Encounters, 1060-85

 

Nov. 10           Anti-colonialism and Independence in India

                        Readings: Louis Fischer, Gandhi: His Life and Message for the World

 

Essay #3 due in class today              

 

Nov. 12           Anti-colonialism and Independence in Africa

                        Readings: Traditions and Encounters, 1110-17, 1129-32

 

            Online documents:

            1) All-Africa People’s Conference denounces European colonialism (l958):

                        http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1958-aapc-res1.html

 

            2) United Nations declaration on rights of self-determination (l960):

                        http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1960-un-colonialism.html

 

            3) Kwame Nkrumah speaks on the future of independent Africa (l96l):

                        http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1961nkrumah.html

Quiz #3

 

Nov. 17           Nationalism and Social Justice in Latin America

                        Readings: Traditions and Encounters, 1124-29

                       

Nov. 19           The Cold War in Latin America

 

Nov. 24           The End of the Cold War

                        Readings: Traditions and Encounters, 1087-96

 

Nov. 26           * THANKSGIVING BREAK *       

 

Dec. 1              Oil and Revolution in the Middle East

                        Readings: Traditions and Encounters, 1120-24

                       

Dec. 3              Documentary Screening: “Beyond the Veil”

 

Dec. 8              The 21st Century: The Age of Globalization or the Clash of Civilizations?

                        Readings: Traditions and Encounters, 1135-68

 

Dec. 15            Examination #2 (1:00-3:00)