I hope you all had a chance to pick up your textbooks already; if not, they are in the office at the Wallace Homestead Building with your name labeled on them. You will also need the book by Jared Diamond, Guns, Germs and Steel. To begin, please register for this site. Once that has been completed, please answer these questions in your first post:
1. Why did you decide to take this course?
2. What is your favorite part about studying history?
3. What is the best book you have read in the last 6 months?
Please respond soon and make sure your username is your real name so we can all identify each other.
Read the WHAP introduction under the class title on the right of this page. Next, your summer reading assignment is also posted–please note due dates and expectations. Enjoy the readings!
on Jun 22nd, 2009 at 12:57 pm
1. I decided to take this course because I enjoy the aspect of advancement/change over time and I also enjoy the expansive history of the world.
2. My favorite part of studying history is looking at the change through history and why it happened the way it did.
3. “The Great Gatsby” or “Hamlet”.
on Jun 30th, 2009 at 9:12 am
1. I decided to take this course because I wanted to earn more college credit in history before I graduate.
2. My favorite part of studying history is determining patterns that emerge between otherwise very distinct cultures and civilizations.
3. Probably “Galapagos” by Kurt Vonnegut
on Jul 1st, 2009 at 3:25 pm
1. I’ve wanted to take this course since freshman year. Briefly: I learn history to understand culture, and I do that because life without culture would be mind-numbingly boring.
2. I like studying anything that illuminates human nature. Then I apply it and use it to over-analyze people.
3. I haven’t liked most of the books I’ve read recently. “The Devil in the White City” was great, though.
on Jul 11th, 2009 at 10:59 am
I don’t know where else to post this…
Assignment #1:
1. A civilization must possess a sense of establishment in their government, economy, technology, or communication. Civilizations may not have every attribute, but they must have most to survive as a large society.
2. The western ideology of civilization is a society with every attribute being advanced. A civilization needs advanced government and technology and large cities. The western model focuses on ethnocentrism to judge whether a society is a civilization or not.
3. The non-western model focuses on separate advancements. Some societies may have advanced politics and government, but no established religion. Others may have the ability to discover and create, but do not have advanced technology.
4. The differences of these two models is that the western idea of civilization must display a form of advancement in all attributes of the society. The non-western model focuses on certain and specific points in a society’s achievement.
5. The issues with using civilizations as the grouping principle is that some other societies have achieved great aspects of survival that have contributed to World History, such as nomadic groups. Nomadic groups were very creative in technology and trade and had a strong defense system.
on Jul 22nd, 2009 at 11:07 am
Assignment #1.
Sorry about the late (and long) reply.
a. A civilization, at a basic level, must have division of labor, a standardized system that enables things to travel (e.g., language, roads), a relatively stable form of government, and resources that will be reliable throughout a long span of time.
b. and c. and d.
Typically a western model of civilization involves some form of Christianity, a centralized government, ‘advanced’ technology, possession of large territories, a powerful standing army, and recently a consideration for individual rights. But there are two things to consider. The first is that these are not unique to western civilization. China values territory and military might as well. The second is that these aren’t things that a civilization “must possess to flourish.” Western and non-western societies don’t differ at a fundamental level. They have the same needs – of course they do, because those needs are basic and human. Differences between the two models only show up in the more complex developments of civilization, like society and politics and religion. For instance, India has Hinduism, Poland has Catholicism. But again, these aren’t needs. They aren’t necessary to civilization. They’re just differences. And at this level, the categories ‘western’ and ‘non-western’ are too simple, because, among other reasons, western countries don’t have a single form of politics, and non-western countries don’t have a single religion.
To summarize, there is no fundamental difference. The differences occur at a level where the terms ‘western’ and ‘non-western’ do not suffice.
e. The word civilization indicates, to many people, a separation between the primitive and the advanced. It mandates hierarchy. Its definition often includes the word ‘complex’, and this combined with its positive connotation suggests that a more complicated society is better. It also is a subjective word defined using subjective words, which means that people can manipulate to apply whatever they want and thereby use it as a tool to exclude or include other cultures.
on Aug 20th, 2009 at 6:00 pm
1. I decided to take this course because I thought it would be interesting. I also wanted to earn college credit before graduating.
2. I think the progression of mankind is interesting to look at.
3. “Mountains Beyond Mountains”
on Aug 23rd, 2009 at 2:37 pm
Assignment #1
Sorry for my late response I was on vacation.
a. To flourish a civilization must have a sense of leadership or government as well as a way to communicate to keep their form of government strong. A civilization must also have a common set of beliefs, religion is the most common for this. Resources to provide shelter, food, and clothing in order to function to its fullest potential is another important part of civilization.
b. The western model of civilization must possess the means of government and communication as well, only in a more progressive state. Christianity is the common ground for western society and influenced laws to govern the people that make up society. The resources have to be within grasp for the cities to thrive.
c. The western model of civilization as well as the non-western models of civilization both need a form of government, common ground, and resources. All civilizations need these elements to thrive, let alone thrive. The role of Christianity differed in the non-western model because it did not have as large of impact on laws.
d. The differences between these two models is the western model focuses on advancing all of these aspects of civilization. The non-western model focuses on advancing one of these aspects as to thrive in one area of expertise.
e. The problem with using “civilization” as a defining term is the definition. People studying world history may lose sight of the very meaning of the word, making it hard use as an organizing principle.