History 100: Western Thought to 1600
University of Massachusetts Amherst, Fall 2007

Lecture: MW 1:25-2:15 (#37662)
Discussion: F 9:05- 9:55 Herter Hall 108 (#47482)
F 10:10-11:00 Herter Hall 108 (# 47483)
F 12:20-11:10 Bartlett 202 (#47484)

Professor: Anna Taylor
Office: Herter Hall 621
Phone: 545-6764 (although email is better)
Office Hours: MW 2:30-3:30
and by appointment

T.A.: Paul Gard
Office: Herter Hall 716
Phone: 545-6787
Office Hours: MW 12-1
and by appointment

Course Description and Goals:
This course will introduce you to developments in the intellectual, cultural and religious traditions of the west from the Ancient world to the Protestant Reformation. Some themes which we will examine across the cultures studied will include the relationship of individuals to their families and political communities, the relationship of the human to the divine, and notions of heroism and individualism. Rather than examining all the major historical developments up until 1600, you will be reading and discussing certain important writers’ contributions to western thought. We will consider major works in their historical contexts and also consider their influence on western thought until the present by examining their interpretation in novels, film and other media. You will learn how to read various kinds of primary (ancient and medieval) sources critically in their context in order to understand the beliefs and perspectives of people from earlier cultures. You will also work on developing and structuring arguments and supporting your points with source evidence.

My expectations of you:
o Attendance, preparation and participation: To pass this class, you must attend the lectures and discussion sections. Attendance in discussion section is mandatory. Each student is required to come to discussion prepared to talk about the assigned reading. When I have assigned reading from an online source, please print it out and bring it with you to lecture and especially discussion section. Pop quizzes in lecture and discussion section will test that you are doing the reading. On occasion, we will schedule film viewings (with discussion afterwards) outside of class time. If you are unable to attend, I will ask you to watch the film on your own and submit a short (2pp.) paper.

• Honesty and Courtesy: In order to be a member of this community, I ask that you treat your fellow students and your teachers with integrity and respect. Therefore I will not tolerate academic dishonesty or rude behavior.
o If I catch you cheating, you will fail the course. Cheating includes, but is not limited to, copying another’s work, bringing prohibited notes into a test, and helping another student cheat. Please familiarize yourself with the university’s policies on academic dishonesty in the Academic Regulations booklet.
o Please do not chat with your neighbors, IM, read the newspaper, snore, or otherwise participate in non-class activities during lecture or discussion. Such behavior is distracting and disrespectful to all of us and much more obvious than you think. Please turn off cell phones before coming to class.

In return, you can expect courtesy and consideration from your T.A. and I. We will work to accommodate your questions, needs, interests and concerns.

Email
: Please give your name and “History 100” in the subject line of the email. During the semester, I will respond to emails with 24 hours on weekdays.

Office hours: Come to office hours if you are having any difficulties with the class material, would like to discuss it more, or would just like to come and introduce yourself. If you cannot make office hours, please contact us and we can make an appointment for another time.

Missed classes, make-up exams and other accommodations: If you need to take a make-up exam or quiz because of a medical problem, a religious holiday, or official university business, you need to provide your T.A. with appropriate documentation. Make-up exams will only be administered for documented reasons and will be given at your T.A.’s discretion.

If you are an athlete or musician who will miss class due to university sponsored and approved events, please inform your T.A. via email of the dates before the end of the add/drop period. If you will miss class for religious holidays please follow the same procedure.
I will not give extra credit projects in place of missed assessment.
If you have a documented disability requiring accommodations please bring us documentation before the end of the add/drop period so we can make arrangements.

Grading:
o Grade breakdown:
• Attendance and discussion section participation: 20%
• 3 exams: 70 % (20, 25 and 25% respectively)
• Pop quizzes on the reading (given in lectures and discussions) and short writing assignments given throughout the semester: 10%

o I do not intend to curve grades. 95% is an A, 90 is an A-, 87 is a B+, 85 a B, etc.
o If you feel that you have received a lower grade than you deserve on a particular piece of assessment, you may request a regrade. I ask that you wait 24 hours after receiving the assessment back before coming to speak to us about the grade and that you read the comments written on it. You may go to your T.A.’s office prepared to support your argument for a better grade with specific evidence from your reading or you may submit your request for consideration in written form, explaining why you deserve a better grade. Please see your T.A. first and then come to talk to me. If you have concerns about a grade please address them within 2 weeks of receiving the assessment, not at the end of the semester. If you request a regrade, the T.A. reserves the right to lower your grade.

Books for the Course: The following books are available at Amherst books (8 Main St, 256-1547) and are on reserve in the library. All the books are required except for Roberts, which is recommended. Some of the library copies are different translations or editions. If you already own a different translation of any of the primary sources, you may use it instead of buying a second copy.

• J. M. Roberts. The Penguin History of Europe. Penguin. 1998. ISBN 0140265619 (this book provides useful historical background to the texts we are reading, but will not feature on pop quizzes – the readings are highly recommended as background to western European history).
• The Epic of Gilgamesh, trans. N.K. Sandars. Penguin. 1972. ISBN 014044100X
• Homer, Iliad. trans. Robert Fagles. Penguin. 1998. ISBN 0140275363
• Aeschylus, Oresteia. trans. Robert Fagles. Penguin. 1984. ISBN 0140443339.
• Euripides. The Bacchae. trans. Paul Woodruff. ISBN 08722203921
• Apuleius. The Golden Ass. trans. E.J. Kenney. Penguin. 1999. ISBN 0140435900
• Peter Abelard, The Letters of Abelard and Heloise. ed. and trans. Michael Clanchy, and Betty Radice. Penguin. 2004. ISBN 0140448993.



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