SYLLABUS : HWC 101A   Spring 2005

Silk and Spices:  East/West Encounters from the Ancient to the Early Modern World
Click here to go to UNIT I February readings
Click here to go to UNIT II-March readings
Click Here to go to UNIT II April readings
Click Here to go to UNIT III Readings

                                                                             

Jacqueline M. Moore                                                           

121 Sherman Hall                                                        

Office Hours: MF 12-12:50; W 11-11:50am;  TTh 4:30-5:30pm, and by appt              

Office Tel. #: 813-2262, (voice mail)    email: jmoore@austincollege.edu

                     

Carol Daeley

122 Sherman Hall

Office Hours: MWF11-12  TTH 9:30-11, and by appt

Office Tel #: 813-2356 (voice mail)     email: cdaeley@austincollege.edu

 

Required Texts

 

The Scents of Eden: A History of the Spice Trade, Charles Corn, 1998       

 

Spice : The History of a Temptation, Jack Turner, 2004

 

Life Along the Silk Road, Susan Whitfield, 1999

 

The Travels of Marco Polo, 1299. Penguin ed.(Ronald Latham, trans.) 1958

 

The Lusíads, Luíz Vaz de Camões, 1272. Oxford World's Classics ed.(Landeg White, trans.)2001

 

Additional Readings on Handouts, Electronic Reserve, Internet, or Abell Library Reserve Desk

 

Course Contents

How do we define "the West" as a concept? Is there a clear distinction between western and nonwestern culture and 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%

Unit 2 Exam                                                                                                                 20%    

Special Focus Paper 1                                                                                                  20%

Special Focus Paper 2                                                                                                 20%

                                                                                                            TOTAL          100%

 

A+   = 12                    C+  =   6

A     = 11                    C   =   5

A-   =   10                    C-  =    4

B+  =    9                     D+  =   3

B    =    8                     D   =   2

B-   =   7                      D-  =   1

              F   =   0

We will record to the second decimal  for each individual grade but will round up the final grade if it is .5 or over.

 

Example:          DailyAssignments            A-/B+ = 9.50 X 20% =  1.90

                        1st Exam                         A-/B+ = 9.50 X 20% =  1.90

                         2ndExam                         A-/A = 10.50 X 20% = 2.10

                        Special Focus Paper 1          B+ =  9.00 X 20% = 1.80

                        Special Focus Paper 2          B+ =  9.00 X 20% = 1.80

                        TOTAL                                                                  9.50 (rounds up to 10)

                                                                                                            Final Grade = A-                 

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 makeup 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 makeup 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 makeup 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.

 

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 READING ASSIGNMENTS: Spring 2005

Reading assignments are due on the class date they are listed on the assignment sheet. We may make occasional additional short assignments, but the major reading assignments are listed below. ALL CLASSES MEET IN HOXIE THOMPSON AUDITORIUM UNTIL SPECIAL FOCUS UNITS II AND IV

UNIT I: The Indian Ocean

DATE

Topic

Readings

MON Jan.31

Introduction

 

 

 Look at the following map for reference in addition to class handout <http://go.hrw.com/atlas/norm_htm/asia.htm>

WED Feb. 2

What is the Indian Ocean?

 

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

4.  Edward A. Alpers, “Imagining the Indian Ocean World” (handout, with reading questions)

FRI Feb. 4

Little Boats and Large Trade Routes:  The Mediterranean Sea and the Indian Ocean

 

1. Lionel Casson, The Ancient Mariners Chapter 13 [e-reserve, 12 pages]

2. George F. Hourani, Arab Seafaring Chapter 3 [e-reserve, 18 pages]

3. Jack Turner, Spice Chapter 2 [textbook, 40 pages]

 

MON Feb. 7

Big Ships and Larger Trade Routes:  China

 

Louise Levathes, When China Ruled the Seas Prologue and Chapters 4,5,6, 10 [e-reserve, about 65 pages]

WED

Feb. 9

Pepper:  The King of Spices

 

Jack Turner, Spice [textbook Part III, pp. 145-224]

FRI

Feb.11

Nutmeg:  Hidden Gold

 

Jack Turner, Spice [textbook Part IV, pp. IV, pp. 227-287]

MON Feb.14

Exploration and Cartography:  The “Global Renaissance”

 

1. Jack Turner, Spice [textbook Part II, pp. 57-141]

2. Jerry Brotton, The Renaissance Bazaar Chapter 1 [e-reserve, about 28 pages]

 

WED Feb.16

Exploration & Cartography:  European Empires

1. Brotton, Renaissance Bazaar Chapter 5 [e-reserve, about 28 pages]

2. Brotton, Trading Territories Chapter 4 [e-reserve, about 30 pages]

 

FRI Feb.18

 

Islam and Iberia

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.]

MON

Feb.21

Early European Empire Building:  The Portuguese

 

1. Charles Corn, The Scents of Eden Part I, Chapters 5-8 [textbook, 50 pp.]

2. Jack Turner, Spice Chapter 1[textbook, 50 pp.]

 

 

 

WED Feb.23

Early European Empire Building:  The Dutch

 

 

Charles Corn, The Scents of Eden Part II, Chapters 9-13 [textbook, 65 pp]

 

FRI

Feb.25

Early European Empire Building:  The British

 

1. Charles Corn, The Scents of Eden Part II, Chapters 14-17 [textbook, 50 pp.]

2. Jack Turner, Spice Epilogue [textbook, 20 pp.]

 

MON Feb.28

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]

 

WED Mar 2

Pirates of the Indian Ocean

Jan Rogozinski, Honor Among Thieves Introduction [e-reserve, 12 pp.]

 

FRI Mar 4

UNIT I EXAM

UNIT II: The Silk Road

MON Mar. 7

Travelers on the Silk Road

1. The Travels of Marco Polo, 1-29

2. Study Trade Routes on the Silk Road Map for reference
http://depts.washington.edu/uwch/silkroad/exhibit/trade/trade.html (read brief intro and click on map icon)

3. See Marco Polo Route Map for Reference at <http://depts.washington.edu/uwch/silkroad/maps/marcopolo.html>

4.  START READING WHITFIELD, LIFE ON THE SILK ROAD

 

WED Mar. 9

Ancient Greece, Persia and Alexander the Great

1. ***Study Map of Persian Empire and Greece for Quiz today***

2. "Alexander" by Plutarch (20pp--reading ends mid sentence!)

<http://classics.mit.edu/Plutarch/alexandr.html>

3. Study Map of Alexander's Empire for reference (read brief intro and then click on map icon and view primary map)
http://depts.washington.edu/uwch/silkroad/exhibit/macedonians/macedonians.html

4. CONTINUE LIFE ON THE SILK ROAD

 

FRI

Mar.

11

Han China and Silk

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)

http://artemis.austincollege.edu/acad/history/jmoore/Syllabi/HWC22SilkSpices/SelectionFromTheHanNarrativeHistories.htm

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 SILK ROAD

 


MON

Mar. 14

Ancient World: Rome, Parthians and the Silk Road

1. ***Study Following Maps For Quiz today***

Rome's Eastern Trade

<http://depts.washington.edu/uwch/silkroad/exhibit/rome/rome.html>

(Read blurb on Roman Trade 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)

The Kushan Empire

<http://depts.washington.edu/uwch/silkroad/exhibit/kushans/kushans.html>

(Read blurb on Kushan Empire and click on Map icon)

2. See Also Roman Trade Routes Circa 200CE Map for reference
http://artemis.austincollege.edu/acad/history/jmoore/RomanTradeRoutesMap.jpeg

3. "Chinese Accounts of Rome, Byzantium and the Middle East, c. 91 B.C.E. - 1643 C.E." (27pp) <http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/eastasia/romchin1.html>

4. "Sericum" (5pp) <http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/secondary/SMIGRA*/Sericum.html>

 

WED

Mar. 16

Religions of the Silk Road

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 SILK ROAD

 

FRI

Mar. 18

Christianity and the Decline of Rome

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 SILK ROAD

 

SPRING BREAK BEGINS FRIDAY MARCH 18 AT NOON ie. AFTER CLASS

MON

Mar 28

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 SILK ROAD

 

WED

Mar. 30

Islam, Turks and Arabs

1. THE ISLAMIC WORLD TO 1600 TUTORIAL: ISLAMIC BEGINNINGS. read introduction and click on sidebar links to articles on "The Arab Peninsula," "Muhammad," and "Islamic Beliefs and Practices," (Read sublinks in these articles too except for "Roman territorial expansion") <http://www.ucalgary.ca/applied_history/tutor/islam/beginnings>

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 READING FOR TODAY)

FRI Apr. 1

NO CLASS

MON Apr. 4

Secular Europe

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 Blois to Queen Eleanor, 1173, (3pp)

<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 Chartres: Riot of 1210. (5pp)

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>

 

WED Apr. 6

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

FRI Apr. 8

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/>

 

MON Apr. 11

UNIT II EXAM

UNIT III: SPECIAL FOCUS #1

Students will either be with Carol or Jackie in Hopkins Classrooms TBA

Date

Last name A-K with Jackie: Marco Polo

Last Name L-Z with Carol: Lusiads

WED Apr.13

Travels of Marco Polo, 33-112

Lusiads Canto One, Stanzas 1-11, 15-106

FRI Apr.15

Travels of Marco Polo, 113-162

Lusiads Canto Two (all) and Canto Four Stanzas 60-104




MON Apr.18

Travels of Marco Polo, 163-213

Lusiads Canto Five (all) and Canto Six Stanzas 1-7, 26-40, 70-99

WED

Apr.20

Travels of Marco Polo, 213-294

Lusiads Canto Seven Stanzas 1-77 and Canto Eight Stanzas 43-99

FRI Apr.22

Travels of Marco Polo, 295-347

Lusiads Canto Nine Stanzas 1-18 and Canto Ten Stanzas 10-156

MON Apr.25

PAPER DUE

PAPER DUE

UNIT IV: SPECIAL FOCUS #2 Students switch to the other professor and room

Date

Last name A-K with Carol: Lusiads

Last name L-Z with Jackie: Marco Polo

WED

Apr.27

Lusiads Canto One, Stanzas 1-11, 15-106

Travels of Marco Polo, 33-112

FRI

Apr.29

Lusiads Canto Two (all) and Canto Four Stanzas 60-104

Travels of Marco Polo, 113-162

MON May 2

Lusiads Canto Five (all) and Canto Six Stanzas 1-7, 26-40, 70-99

Travels of Marco Polo, 163-213

WED May 4

Lusiads Canto Seven Stanzas 1-77 and Canto Eight Stanzas 43-99

Travels of Marco Polo, 213-294

FRI May 6

Lusiads Canto Nine Stanzas 1-18 and Canto Ten Stanzas 10-156

Travels of Marco Polo, 295-347

MON May 9

PAPER DUE

PAPER DUE