SYLLABUS : HWC
101A Spring
2006
Silk and
Spices: East/West Encounters from
the Ancient to the Early Modern World
Click
Here to go directly to Unit I readings
Click Here to go directly to Unit II
readings
Click Here to go directly to Unit III
readings
Click Here to go directly to Unit IV readings
Jacqueline M. Moore
Carol
Daeley
121 Sherman Hall
122
Office Hours: MF 12-1pm; W
3pm;
Office
Hours:TTH 3-5,
T
1-3pm and by appt
and
by appt.
Office Tel. #: 813-2262,
(voice mail)
Office
Tel #: 813-2356 (voice mail)
email:
jmoore@austincollege.edu
email:
cdaeley@austincollege.edu
Required Texts
The Scents of
Spice : The History of a Temptation, Jack Turner, 2004
Life Along the
The Travels of Marco Polo, 1299. Penguin ed.(Ronald Latham, trans.) 1958
The
Lusíads, Luíz Vaz de Camões, 1272.
Additional
Course Contents
How do we define "the West" as a concept? Is there a clear distinction between western and nonwestern culture? If so, when and where did it begin? Today we talk of "globalization" as a modern phenomenon brought about by Western technological advances such as the Internet. In truth the world's civilizations have always interacted with one another; it just used to take longer to do. This course will use the lens of trade in commodities (especially silk and spices) between the "West" and the "East" to examine how culture and technology transfers between civilizations and to see how "Western Civilization" developed in a world context. Because "the West" has dominated the world in modern times we have many misconceptions about its past and the role of "the East" in its development. The most obvious one, of course, is that the West “discovered” the East through travels of explorers like Vasco da Gama and traders like Marco Polo. But more subtle ones include the misconception that trade was initiated by the West, that it was in fact essentially an East/West phenomenon, and indeed that "East" and "West" are universal concepts which require no further exploration. So the course will not only be about trade between the European world and the Asian one and the effects of that trade on each other, but also about trade within the European worlds and the Asian ones. But we can’t have the subtitle of the course be "East/West, West/East, West/West, East/East, Wests/Wests/ Easts/Easts, East?/West?" It wouldn’t fit on the transcripts.
Grade Distribution
Daily Assignments (includes geography quizzes, homework, in-class writing, etc.) 20%
Unit 1 Exam 20%
Special Focus Paper 1 20%
Special Focus Paper 2 20%
Unit 2 Exam 20%
TOTAL 100%
A = 94-100 C = 74-76
A- = 90-93 C- = 70-73
B+ = 87-89 D+ = 67-69
B = 84-86 D = 64-66
B- = 80-83 D- = 60-63
C+ = 77-79 F = 50-59
Attendance Policy
Many of the activities we will do in class cannot be reproduced outside of class; therefore, with the exception of some geography quizzes, we cannot give make-up work for daily assignments. As a result, any absence can hurt your overall grade. If you are absent more than three times, your daily assignment grade will drop. If you have excessive absences, we will drop you from the course. It's not a good idea to try to discover by experiment what we mean by "excessive." If you do not turn in any major assignment in a timely fashion we will drop you from the course. We only give incompletes for major problems beyond your control and then only if you have conscientiously fulfilled your course commitments up to the point where the major problem occurs.
Late Assignments and
Make-up Exams
We will not accept late assignments without prior arrangement and your reasons for lateness must be acceptable to us. Since you must turn in all major assignments or be dropped from the course, this means if you are not going to get a major paper done on time, you need to get in contact with one of us either before it is due or on the day it is due at the latest. Usually, if we agree to accept the assignment late we will lower the grade for each day it is late.
We only give make-up exams by prior arrangement for acceptable reasons or in extreme emergencies. If you miss an exam due to an emergency, it is YOUR responsibility to get in touch with us IMMEDIATELY, to discuss the possibility of making up the exam. We are more likely to agree to a make-up exam if you have been in touch with us since the day of the original exam. We both have voice mail and email so there's no excuse for saying that you couldn't reach us. An example of an acceptable reason for a make-up exam by prior arrangement is that you must be absent from campus on the day of the exam for an approved activity (an official athletic event, Model UN, etc.) An example of an acceptable extreme emergency is your sudden hospitalization. Under some circumstances, it is acceptable for you or someone acting on your behalf to contact your mentor or Tim Millerick’s office instead of trying to contact individual instructors; if you are hospitalized we have no wish to complicate your parents’ lives by demanding direct communication with us. We of course hope that no such disasters occur, but sometimes they do, and we will do whatever we can to help you in such a case.
Academic Integrity
This course will operate under Austin College Academic Integrity Policies. Academic honesty is absolutely essential. This means we will not tolerate cheating of any kind. We will follow strictly the guidelines printed in the student handbook. Please read these carefully. If you do not understand these rules we would be happy to discuss them with you so that you do not accidentally break them in your own work. You are the only one who can give away your academic integrity so why should you? And, except for details of some specific kinds of assignments you already know what academic integrity means: do your own work and no one else's; take credit for your own work and no one else's.
Important Note
Some readings for this course are on e-reserve. Make sure right away that you can find them. Some course materials are on Blackboard. You will receive a handout about using Blackboard, but we will also ask students who are already familiar with it to volunteer as resource people for any of you who have not used Blackboard before. Important aids for you in course readings and test preparation will be posted on Blackboard, so it is essential that you use it regularly.
COURSE GOALS
1. Students will learn a basic narrative of historical events in western and eastern civilization from the ancient times to the 1600s
2. Students will learn the basic geography of trade between the East and West as well as specific geography of the Spice Routes and Silk Routes over time.
3. Students will gain exposure to primary texts and learn how to "read" them. Some of these texts will be verbal; some will be visual.
4. Students will practice critical and literary analysis of primary and secondary sources.
5. Students will practice writing skills, but the student/faculty ratio does not permit extensive instruction in writing. Students who need help with critical reading and writing skills (and many good students need such help at times) are strongly encouraged to visit the Academic Skills Center early and often, and well in advance of due dates for assignments.
EXPECTED
STUDENT OUTCOMES
1. Students will demonstrate a basic knowledge of events on two unit exams
2. Students will demonstrate geographic knowledge through a series of geography quizzes administered in class
3. Students will demonstrate ability to distinguish and evaluate primary texts in discussing readings, evaluating maps, and through homework assignments.
4. Students will demonstrate ability to analyze critically primary and secondary sources both on exams and in two critical and literary analysis papers based on class readings.
5. Students will demonstrate writing skills in two critical analyses, homework assignments, in-class writing, and on the exams.
LECTURES AND
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DATE |
Topic |
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MON Jan.30 |
Introduction |
Look at the following websites
for reference: 1. http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/xo.html 2. http://go.hrw.com/atlas/norm_htm/indian.htm 3. http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/islands_oceans_poles/indianoceanarea.jpg |
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WED Feb. 1 |
Little Boats and Large Trade Routes: The Mediterranean Sea and the |
1. Edward A. Alpers, “Imagining
the 2. Lionel
Casson, The Ancient Mariners Chapter 13
[e-reserve, 12 pages] 3. George F.
Hourani, Arab Seafaring Chapter 3 [e-reserve, 18
pages] |
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FRI Feb. 3 |
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[The “spices” unit of the course will be clearer to you if you review what is important from Wednesday’s readings and read Monday’s assignment carefully. We will deal with the relationship of this material to what is commonly known as the European Age of Exploration.] |
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MON Feb. 6 |
Big Ships and Larger Trade Routes: |
Louise Levathes, When China Ruled the Seas Prologue and Chapters 4, 5, 6, 10 [e-reserve, about 65 pages] |
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WED Feb. 8 |
Pepper: The King of Spices |
Jack Turner, Spice [textbook Chapter 4, pp. 145-182; parts of Chapter 5 listed in Reading Guide, about 12 pages] |
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FRI Feb.10 |
Nutmeg: Hidden Gold |
Jack Turner, Spice [textbook Chapter 6, pp. 227-264; parts of Chapter 7 listed in Reading Guide, about 14 pages] |
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MON Feb.13 |
Exploration and Cartography: The “Global Renaissance” |
1. Jack Turner,
Spice [textbook Chapter 2 as
listed in Reading Guide, about 27 pages; Chapter 3 as
listed in Reading Guide, about 25 pages] 2. Jerry Brotton, The Renaissance Bazaar Chapter 1 [e-reserve, about 28 pages] |
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WED Feb.15 |
Exploration & Cartography: European Empires |
1. Brotton, Renaissance Bazaar Chapter 5 [e-reserve, about 28 pages] 2. Brotton, |
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FRI Feb.17 |
Islam and |
1. Bernard F. Reilly, The Medieval Spains Chapter 3 [e-reserve, 38 pp.] 2. Amin Maalouf, The Crusades through Arab Eyes Epilogue [e-reserve, 5 pp.] 3. Charles Corn, The Scents of Eden Part I, Chapters 1-4 [textbook, 52 pp.] |
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MON Feb.20 |
Early |
1. Charles Corn, The Scents of Eden Part I, Chapters 5-8 [textbook, 50 pp.] 2. Jack Turner, Spice Chapter 1[textbook, pp. 3-53] |
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WED Feb.22 |
Early |
Charles Corn, The Scents of Eden Part II, Chapters 9-13 [textbook, 65 pp] |
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FRI Feb.24 |
Early |
1. Charles Corn, The
Scents of 2. Jack Turner,
Spice Epilogue [textbook, 20 pp.] |
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MON Feb.27 |
Travel Narratives and the Exotic |
1. Selections from “The
Story of Sindbad the Sailor” 2. Selections from The Travels of Ibn Battuta 3. Selections from The Travels of Sir John Mandeville 4. Selections from Gulliver’s Travels [all readings on e-reserve] |
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WED Mar 1 |
Pirates of the |
Jan Rogozinski, Honor
Among Thieves Introduction [e-reserve, 12 pp.] |
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FRI Mar 3 |
UNIT I EXAM |
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MON Mar. 6 |
Travelers on the |
1. The Travels of
Marco Polo, 1-29 2. Study Trade Routes on the 4. START
READING WHITFIELD, LIFE ON THE |
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WED Mar. 8 |
Ancient |
1. "Alexander" by Plutarch (20pp--reading ends mid sentence!) <http://classics.mit.edu/Plutarch/alexandr.html> 2. Study Map of Alexander's
Empire for reference http://depts.washington.edu/uwch/silkroad/exhibit/macedonians/images/map.jpg 4. CONTINUE LIFE ON THE |
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FRI Mar. 10 |
Han |
1. ***Study Following Maps For Quiz today*** Seleucid Empire <http://depts.washington.edu/uwch/silkroad/exhibit/seleucids/seleucids.html> (Read blurb on Seleucids and click on Map icon) Han Empire <http://depts.washington.edu/uwch/silkroad/exhibit/han/han.html> (Read blurb on Han Dynasty and click on Map icon) 2. "Selection from the Han Narrative Histories" (14pp) read for main story and unusual info (see reading questions) http://artemis.austincollege.edu/acad/history/jmoore/Syllabi/HWC22SilkSpices/SelectionFromTheHanNarrativeHistories.html (readings cont.on next page) (cont. from previous page) 3."A History of Silk" <http://www.silk-road.com/toc/index.html>
THIS WEBSITE IS A LITTLE UNUSUAL TO ACCESS--CLICK ON "STUDIES" FOLDER
ON SIDEBAR THEN CLICK ON "HISTORY OF SILK" FOLDER-- (4pp) 4. CONTINUE LIFE ON THE |
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MON Mar. 13 |
Ancient World: |
1. ***Study Following Maps For Quiz today*** <http://depts.washington.edu/uwch/silkroad/exhibit/rome/rome.html> (Read blurb on Roman Trade and click on Map icon) The Kushan Empire <http://depts.washington.edu/uwch/silkroad/exhibit/kushans/kushans.html> (Read blurb on Kushan Empire and click on Map icon) Sakas <http://depts.washington.edu/uwch/silkroad/exhibit/sakas/sakas.html> (Read blurb on Sakas and click on Map icon) 2. See Also Roman Trade Routes Circa 200CE
Map for reference http://intranet.dalton.org/groups/Rome/RMap2.html 3. "Chinese Accounts of 4. "Sericum" (5pp) <http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/secondary/SMIGRA*/Sericum.html> |
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WED Mar. 15 |
Religions of the |
1. Albert E. Dien “The Glories of Sogdiana” (approx 5pp) at: <http://www.silk-road.com/artl/sogdian.shtml> 2. See Sogdiana map for
reference at http://depts.washington.edu/uwch/silkroad/exhibit/sogdians/sogdians.html> 3. CONTINUE LIFE ON THE |
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FRI Mar. 17 |
NO CLASS |
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SPRING
BREAK BEGINS AT NOON ON MARCH 17 |
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MON Mar 27 |
Christianity and the Decline of |
1. Bede, Ecclesiastical
History of the English Nation, Book I preface-end of Chapter XXII. (22pp) <http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/basis/bede-book1.html> 2. CONTINUE LIFE ON THE |
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WED Mar. 29 |
Tang Dynasty Uighurs and Tibetans |
1. ***Study Following Maps For Quiz Today*** Tang Dynasty and Tibetans at <http://depts.washington.edu/uwch/silkroad/exhibit/tang/images/map.jpg> Sogdians at <http://depts.washington.edu/uwch/silkroad/exhibit/sogdians/images/map.jpg> Uighurs and Decline of Tang Dynasty at <http://depts.washington.edu/uwch/silkroad/exhibit/uighurs/images/map.jpg> 2. FINISH LIFE ON THE |
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FRI Mar. 31 |
Islam, Turks and Arabs |
1. THE ISLAMIC WORLD TO
1600 TUTORIAL: ISLAMIC BEGINNINGS. read introduction and click on
sidebar links to articles on "The 2. THE ISLAMIC WORLD TO 1600 Tutorial: THE CALIPHATE AND THE FIRST ISLAMIC DYNASTY Read ALL sidebar links and sublinks. <http://www.ucalgary.ca/applied_history/tutor/islam/caliphate/> (ABOUT 20pp TOTAL FOR ALL |
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MON Apr. 3 |
Secular |
1. Einhard the dwarf, Life of Charlemagne, Sections: Einhard's Preface; Part 7 & 8: Saxon War; Part 10: Submission of the Bretons; Parts 15-end. At <http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/basis/einhard.html> (About 25 pages) 2. Peter of <http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/eleanor.html> 3. Pope Innocent III: Letters on Marriage and Women. (5pp) <http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/innIII-marriagewomen.html> 4. The Cathedral Chapter of At <http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/1210chartres.html> 5. See Maps at following page for reference (Scroll down the page for century by century changes) <http://www.roman-emperors.org/Index.htm> |
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WED Apr. 5 |
The Crusades |
1.THE ISLAMIC WORLD TO 1600 Tutorial :THE FRACTURED CALIPHATE AND REGIONAL DYNASTIES. Read all sidebar articles and sublinks. You do not need to read sublinks to the sublinks.(about 11pp) <http://www.ucalgary.ca/applied_history/tutor/islam/fractured/> 2.Georges Tate The Crusaders: Warriors of God, 130-141 on Electronic Reserve |
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FRI Apr. 7 |
Mongols and Arabs |
THE ISLAMIC WORLD TO 1600 Tutorial "The Mongol Invasions" Read all sidebar articles and sublinks. You do not need to read the sublinks to the sublinks. (About 10pp total) <http://www.ucalgary.ca/applied_history/tutor/islam/mongols/> |
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MON Apr. 10 |
UNIT II EXAM |
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Students
will either be with Carol or Jackie in Hopkins Classrooms TBA |
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Date |
Last name A-K with Jackie: Marco
Polo |
Last Name L-Z with Carol:
Lusiads |
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WED Apr.12 |
Travels of Marco Polo, 33-112 |
Lusiads Canto One, Stanzas 1-11, 15-106 |
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FRI Apr.14 |
Travels of Marco Polo, 113-162 |
Lusiads Canto Two (all) and Canto Four Stanzas 60-104 |
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MON Apr.17 |
Travels of Marco Polo, 163-213 |
Lusiads Canto Five (all) and Canto Six Stanzas 1-7, 26-40, 70-99 |
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WED Apr.19 |
Travels of Marco Polo, 213-294 and Handout |
Lusiads Canto Seven Stanzas 1-77 and Canto Eight Stanzas 43-99 |
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FRI Apr.21 |
No Class |
Lusiads Canto Nine Stanzas 1-18 and Canto Ten Stanzas 10-156 |
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MON Apr.24 |
Travels of Marco Polo, 295-347 and Handout. PAPER DUE |
PAPER DUE |
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|
UNIT IV: SPECIAL FOCUS #2 Students switch to
the other professor and room |
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|
Date |
Last name A-K with Carol:
Lusiads |
Last name L-Z with Jackie: Marco Polo |
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WED Apr. 26 |
Lusiads Canto One, Stanzas 1-11, 15-106 |
Travels of Marco Polo, 33-112 |
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FRI Apr. 28 |
Lusiads Canto Two (all) and Canto Four Stanzas 60-104 |
Travels of Marco Polo, 113-162 |
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MON May 1 |
Lusiads Canto Five (all) and Canto Six Stanzas 1-7, 26-40, 70-99 |
Travels of Marco Polo, 163-213 |
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WED May 3 |
Lusiads Canto Seven Stanzas 1-77 and Canto Eight Stanzas 43-99 |
Travels of Marco Polo, 213-294 |
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FRI May 5 |
Lusiads Canto Nine Stanzas 1-18 and Canto Ten Stanzas 10-156 |
Travels of Marco Polo, 295-347 |
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MON May 8 |
PAPER DUE |
PAPER DUE |
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