The University of Southern Mississippi
Spring Term 2006

History 102
World Civilizations Since 1500
T Th 2.25-3.40
Stout Hall A

Professor Michael S. Neiberg
Liberal Arts Building Room #462
601.266.4081

Teaching Assistants
Jill Childress
Anthony Urbanik
LAB 410
601.266.460

Introduction:
This is a course in the history of world civilizations since 1500. It will provide an overview of major political, cultural, economic, social, and military trends in the last 500 years. World History as a field is about studying themes and trends that affect more than one civilization. As such, this course is NOT about everything that has ever happened in the world. This course centers on nine blocks, each covering one theme. This course is about understanding how patterns of the past have shaped the world we live in today. To cite one example, one simply cannot understand why the United States is engaged in a global war on terrorism without understanding the historical processes that have created this predicament. This course is your introduction to the world you live in today.

Teaching Staff and Office Hours:
Professor Michael Neiberg
T Th 10-11 or by appointment

Teaching Assistants:
Jill Childress
T 12-2 or by appointment

Anthony Urbanik
M W 3-4 or by appointment

To contact the teaching staff, call, see us after class, or email us at neiberg102@gmail.com.

Books You Must Buy:
Jiu-Hwa Upshur, et. al. World History Compact Fourth Edition (Belmont, CA : Thompson-Wadsworth, 2005).

Michael Polushin, ed. Interpreting the Sources of World Societies (Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2003).

Grading:
Map quizzes 10%
Weekly Assignments 10%
Paper 1 15%
Paper 2 15%
Exam 1 15%
Exam 2 15%
Final Exam 20%

Weekly Assignments: These will come from the Polushin reader. You will be responsible for completing five of the seven sections, tearing them out of the reader, and handing them in to one of the teaching assistants. You may complete the sixth or seventh for extra credit. If your last name begins with A-L, you will turn these assignments into Jill Childress. If your last name begins with M-Z, you will turn these assignments into Anthony Urbanik.

Papers: Papers must be turned in on time and must be turned in as a hard copy. We will not accept papers submitted electronically. Papers should be typed or computer generated, stapled, and neatly presented. Please note that you are required to keep electronic copies of all of your papers, as we reserve the right to submit your paper to turnitin.com if we suspect academic dishonesty.

Paper One (due Feb. 9): You will turn in an approximately 1,000 word paper. You will select a recent article from the newspaper or from a reputable online site that deals with a global problem. You will write a paper stating how history might help to better explain the problem outlined in your article. The article may not deal with the United States. Be sure to attach a copy of the article to your paper.

Paper Two (due March 28): You will take the same article you chose for paper one and trace the historical roots of the problem in the article back at least 300 years. Your paper should be approximately 2,500 words.

Map quiz 1 (in class on Jan. 19): You will be asked to place 10 of the following 15 terms on a blank map. All of these terms can be found on the maps in the Usher book between pages 736 and 737.

Argentina
Brazil
China
Congo
Egypt
France
Great Britain
India
Japan
Louisiana
Madagascar
Ottoman Empire
Persia
Russia
Spain

Map quiz 2 (in class March 9): You will be asked to place 10 of the following 15 terms on a blank map. All of these terms can be found on the maps in the Usher book between pages 928 and 929.

Angola
Australia
Cuba
Germany
Iran
Iraq
Israel
Japan
Libya
Manchuria
Mediterranean Sea
Pakistan
Panama
Poland
USSR

ACADEMIC HONESTY: Refer to the Student Handbook and Undergraduate Bulletin for specific guidance on academic honesty and plagiarism. Suffice it to say that any representation of another’s work as your own or other form of cheating will not be tolerated and may result in getting an F for the work involved or in the course as well as other disciplinary action to include probation, suspension, and/or expulsion. Papers should be documented using MLA parenthetical documentation. For more on plagiarism and how to avoid it, see http://libweb.oregon.edu/guides/plagiarism/students

CLASSROOM CONDUCT: The goal is to have an environment that facilitates learning, respects both students and the instructor, and fosters an atmosphere of civility and proper decorum. Students who create disturbances by arriving late, talking, having cell phones ring, engaging in activities unrelated to the academic subject matter, interrupting, distracting other students, being rude, or any other conduct inappropriate for a learning environment will be told to leave the classroom and will receive an F for that day’s grade. PLEASE TURN OFF ALL CELL PHONES AND STOW THEM. STUDENTS MAY ONLY USE COMPUTERS TO TAKE NOTES WITH THE PRIOR APPROVAL OF ONE OF THE TEACHING ASSISTANTS. STUDENTS USING THEIR COMPUTERS FOR ANY OTHER PURPOSE WILL FORFEIT THEIR RIGHT TO TAKE NOTES ELECTRONICALLY. We reserve the right to administratively withdraw from this course any student whose behavior negatively affects classroom decorum.

AMERICAN WITH DISABILITIES ACT (ADA): If a student has a disability that qualifies under the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) and requires accommodations, he/she should contact the Office for Disability Accommodations (ODA) for information on appropriate policies and procedures. Disabilities covered by ADA may include learning, psychiatric, physical disabilities, or chronic health disorders. Students can contact ODA if they are not certain whether a medical condition/disability qualifies.

Address:

The University of Southern Mississippi
Office for Disability Accommodations
118 College Drive # 8586
Hattiesburg, MS 39406-0001

Voice Telephone: (601) 266-5024 or (228) 214-3232 Fax: (601) 266-6035
Individuals with hearing impairments can contact ODA using the Mississippi Relay Service at 1-800-582-2233 (TTY) or email Suzy Hebert at Suzanne.Hebert@usm.edu.