Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Newton's Less "Scientific" Side

Isaac Newton--the formulator of the great Universal Theory of Gravitation--became in the next century a hero of the Enlightenment...a paragon of reason and rationalism. These brief video clips discuss instead that Newton's infatuation with alchemy and heretical sects makes a much more complex (and human) person.






John Locke


Among Locke's many contributions to Enlightenment thinking, two of his most important were the "Essay Concerning Human Understanding" and "Treatises on Civil Government."






Galileo's Telescope



Although not the inventor of the telescope, Galileo was one of the first professional astronomers to turn the instrument on the heavens. His observation of the mountains of the moon, sunspots, and the phases of Venus, among many others, revealed that Aristotle, Ptolemy, and the other ancient "masters" had missed a great deal about Creation.

Copernicus and the Heliocentric Solar System



The heliocentric (or "sun centered") conceptualization of the Solar System by Copernicus moved humans from the center of Creation to the "third rock from the Sun."

Peter Laslett--"The World We Have Lost"--Obituary

Click here for Obituary

Reformation Documentaries







Reformation Images


Erasmus

Thomas More

Martin Luther

John Calvin

Anabaptists

Council of Trent

Renaissance Art Documentaries




Although with foreign-language subtitles, the brief clip below is actually the beginning of the Hollywood film "The Agony and the Ecstasy," a biopic of Michelangelo.

French Revolution


Louis and Marie Antoinette at Tuileries Palace

David's "Tennis Court Oath"

The Bastille

The March ofthe Fishwives

A Revolutionary "Sans-Culotte"

David's "Death of Marat"

A Detail Reveals the Name of Marat's Murderer

Georges Danton

Maximilien Robespierre

The Execution of Robespierre
We will discuss the French Revolution in more detail in lecture. View the following clips with your study terms at hand.
This clip deals with the royal family and economic background of the Revolution.

The clip below links several of the ideas and figures of the Enlightenment that were discussed in lecture and textbook.

In the clip below, note the economic conditions that predate the Revolution. Note also the political structure of France: the so-called "Estates" and the Estates-General.

The French are very proud that their Revolution was a revolution of the people against oppression and despotism. The clip below indicates the source of some of that pride: the attack on the Bastille, the newspaper of Marat, and the march of the formidable "fishwives" in early October, 1789.

The following clip continues on the narrative of a "people's" revolution. It also chronicles the rise of Robespierre and the Jacobins. And as the revolutionaries rose in power, the king (and Church) must diminish.


As both the textbook and lecture indicate, Maxmilien Robespierre was a seminal figure in the "Radical" phase of the Revolution. In the clip below, pay particular attention to his efforts to "rationalize" French society and to implement anti-Church and anti-Christianity measures. Note also the pernicious use of terror and violence by Robespierre and his allies transform the nation.

The clip below chronicles the "Great Terror" and the ultimate downfall of Robespierre himself. There is also an interesting evaluation of the Revolution and the rise of Napoleon Bonaparte.

Premodern to Modern Study Terms

“The World of Yesterday,” Renaissance, Scientific Revolution, & Enlightenment
(Chapter 15)
Pre-Industrial to Modern Europe, or “The World of Yesterday”
1.) Small Scale
Rural
Agricultural/Communal/Pre-Market
Industrial Revolution/Urbanization/Transportation
2.) Traditional
“past-directed”
Epistemology
Scientific Revolution
3.) Hierarchical
Aristocracy
Bourgeoisie
French Revolution/Industrial Revolution
4.) Feudal
Decentralized
Absolutism in France/Parliament in Great Britain
Louis XIV—The “Sun King”
Mercantilism
5.) Religious
Christianity/Catholicism
Renaissance
Humanism
Niccolo Machiavelli: The Prince
Leonardo da Vinci: “Mona Lisa,” The Last Supper
Protestant Reformation
Martin Luther
Wittenberg/”Ninety-Five Theses”
Parameters:
Simple faith (Versus Good Works)
Calvinism, Presbyterianism, Anglicanism
Catholic Counter-Reformation
The Council of Trent
Scientific Revolution & Enlightenment
The Scientific Revolution
Three “Signposts” of Modern Science
Observation/Experimentation/Empiricism
Use of Mathematics
Attack on Tradition
Nicolaus Copernicus
On the Revolution of Heavenly Spheres (1543)
Heliocentric Universe
(Ptolemy/Geocentric Universe)
Catholic Church:
Aristotle on philosophy, Ptolemy on astronomy
Galileo Galilei
Dialogue on the Two Chief World Systems (1632)
Isaac Newton
Universal Theory of Gravity
Principia Mathematica




The Enlightenment, or The Age of Reason

Four “Pillars” of the Enlightenment
Application of Scientific Method to the Human World
Importance of Reason
Centrality of Freedom (& Education)/ Philosophes/Salons
Human Progress

John Locke/Essay Concerning Human Understanding
Voltaire/Candide (1759)

Mary Wollstonecraft/Vindication of the Rights of Women (1792)

Adam Smith Wealth of Nations (1776)
Capitalism/Laissez Faire/Anti-Mercantilism

Deism
Natural (“Unalienable”) Rights
Anti-Monarchy

World Civ II Hybrid Syllabus

COURSE SYLLABUS
WORLD CIVILIZATIONS II
COURSE TITLE: WORLD CIVILIZATIONS II CRN 13328 SEC PO3
COURSE NUMBER: HIS 1173 (Seal Hall 115) WED 1:00-2:15PM 6TH PER
INSTRUCTOR: Mr. James P. Walsh
OFFICE: Seal Hall-Office R
OFFICE TELEPHONE: (601) 403-1231
E-MAIL: JWALSH@PRCC.EDU
OFFICE HOURS: Office hours are posted next to my office door in Office R.

COLLEGE MISSION STATEMENT:
Pearl River Community College is a public institution committed to providing quality educational opportunities for all who seek them.

REQUIRED TEXTS:
Lockard, Craig A. World: Volume 2--Since 1450 (Boston: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning, 2011).
(You will need Scantron sheets for each quiz, midterm, and the final exam. They are available at the bookstore.)
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES:
1. Upon completion of the course, the student should be able to identify and explain the significance of the major people, places, events, and ideas that gave shape to human experience around the globe from the 17th Century to the present.
2. The student will differentiate between the most salient interpretive eras of human history since 1500, such as the Enlightenment, Imperialism, and the Cold War.
3. The student will appraise and assess the use of historical themes, such as political, military, socio-economic, religious, intellectual-cultural, and other varieties of history interpretation.
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES:
In 1942, Republican leader and Hoosier Wendell Wilkie described a planet that was becoming “One World.” It is incumbent upon us to understand, appreciate, and honor the origins, values, beliefs, and faiths of the inhabitants of this One World. Thus, the successful student—and citizen—will develop an excellent grasp of the material by honing and perfecting analytical skills, reading and writing fundamentals, and the integral processes of critical thinking by closely reading, evaluating, and “unpacking” lecture material, textbook chapters, and original documents from the agents of history themselves. Further, there can be little doubt that the most fundamental contemporary event in the so-called “Third World” has been the contact between the West and the developing world. Thus, for good or ill, we must come to terms with the world through the lens of empire and expansion—in other words, the attempt by the West to control much of the planet politically, socially, and economically.
EXAMS AND QUIZZES:
2 Mid-Term Exams (100 points each) 200 Points 50% Semester Grade
1 Final Exam (100 points) 100 Points 25% Semester Grade
4 In-Class Quizzes (10 points each) 40 Points 10 % Semester Grade
2 Learning-Lab Quizzes (10 points each) 20 Points 5% Semester Grade
1 Writing Assignment (40 points) 40 Points 10% Semester Grade 400 Total Points
GRADING SCALE:
90 to 100 A Excellent 360 – 400 Total Points
80 to 89 B Good 320 – 359 Total Points
70 to 79 C Average 280 – 319 Total Points
60 to 69 D Poor 240 – 279 Total Points
59 and Below F Failure 239 and Below
MAKE UPS:
The student MUST see the instructor immediately to make arrangements to make up missed exams. There are no make ups for missed quizzes—missed quizzes will be counted as one of your drop grades. It is the student’s responsibility to make arrangements to make up missed exams.

ATTENDANCE:
Students are allowed to miss twice the number of class sessions as the class meets in a week. Students are therefore allowed two absences during the course of the term. If a student does miss three or more classes, a “cut out” form will be sent to the Admissions office and the student will be dropped from the class roll and receive an F for the course.

TARDINESS:
To be successful in this class, you need to be diligent in your attendance and promptness. Tardy students miss important material, and even more importantly, disrupt the instructor and other students. A student who is more than fifteen minutes late after the official start time of the class will be considered officially absent from class. Further, a student who leaves before class is dismissed by the instructor will also be counted as absent. Three tardies will count as 1 absence.

QUIZZES:
There will be six in-class quizzes based largely on lecture material and four Learning-Lab quizzes based on readings from the textbook. All quizzes are multiple-choice. Learning-Lab quizzes are NOT “open book.” You will not need a Scantron sheet for the Learning-Lab quizzes. I will drop your two lowest in-class quiz scores and your two lowest Learning-Lab quiz scores. If a student takes an in-class quiz at the beginning of class and then leaves the class, he or she will receive a zero for that quiz and an absence for that day. Bring a Scantron sheet to each quiz day.

EXAMS:
There will be two mid-term exams. They are multiple choice, true/false, fill in the blank, and essay. The final exam will be comprehensive. Bring a Scantron sheet to each exam.

WRITING ASSIGNMENT:
There will be one longer “outside” writing assignment due about two thirds of the way into the semester. The required length will be 3 to 4 pages. More information about the assignment will be handed out as the semester progresses.

EXTRA CREDIT:
There is only ONE opportunity for extra credit in this course. Upon completion of the extra credit assignment, I will replace your lowest (of four) in-class quiz grades with a 100%. I will make details regarding extra credit available through the semester.

EMAILS & OFFICE HOURS:
Office Hours for instructors at two-year colleges are almost always much greater than those for instructors at four-year institutions. Please take advantage of these office hours as much as possible. When emailing or calling the instructor, identify who you are with your first name and last name, and what class you are in. Allow twenty-four hours for a reply
ADA INFORMATION:
If you have a disability that qualifies under the Americans With Disabilities Act and you require special assistance or accommodations, you should contact the designated coordinator for information on appropriate guidelines and procedures: Ms. Moody at 601-403-1060 or tmoody@prcc.edu .
“ENLIGHTENED SELF-INTEREST”:
There are any number of things that the student can do (and not do) to get the grades that he or she thinks they deserve. Some are listed below.
1.) Do not miss class. Come to class on time. Take notes. Prepare. Be ready to learn.
2.) Ask questions in class to stay up in material.
3.) Take advantage of PRCC’s very generous office hours.
4.) Use the restroom before class. Do not get up in the middle of class.
5.) Do not talk while the instructor is speaking.
6.) Do not sleep in class. You must be mentally present, as well as physically. After being warned, if you sleep in class you will be counted absent for that class period.
7.) Do not study for another course in this class. If you continue to do so after being warned, I will give you a zero on your previous quiz score in the grade book. I will continue to do so for every later infraction.
8.) Turn off cell phones BEFORE coming to class. Put away all cell phones once lecture begins. Do not use lap tops, tablets, etc. during class.
9.) Do not text during class. If you continue to text after being warned, I will give you a zero on your previous quiz score in the grade book. I will continue to give you zeros for every later infraction.
10.) If a student persists in talking, sleeping, studying, or texting in class (Numbers 5 through 9 above), I will ask for a personal conference with the student. If the problem persists, I will ask Dr. Breerwood to remove you from my class.
11.) Do NOT plagiarize on the writing assignment. Plagiarism on this exercise will result in a “zero” for the exercise (a loss of forty points, or one letter grade), AND the loss of an additional letter grade on your final course grade.

LECTURE AND CLASS SCHEDULE:
Week 1 8/17 Class Introduction & “The World We Have Lost”
The Renaissance, Reformation , Scientific Revolution & the Age of Reason Chapter 15
Chapter 18
Friday 8/19—Last day to drop and add

Week 2 8/24 Age of Revolution
Chapter 19 (Pgs. 487-499)

Week 3 8/31 Industrial Revolution
Chapter 19 (Pgs. 499-508)
In-Class Quiz I

Week 4 9/7 Nationalism and Imperialism
Labor Day Monday 9/5—Classes do not meet
In-Class Quiz II
Learning-Lab Quiz I by Friday 9/9

Week 5 9/14 Colonialism in Africa
Chapter 21 (Pgs. 543-556)
Exam I

Week 6 9/21 Colonialism in India
Ch. 22 Pgs. 569-581 & Ch. 25 Pgs. 656-660
Learning-Lab Quiz II by Friday 9/23

Week 7 9/28 Imperialism in East Asia
Ch. 23 Pgs. 593-614 & Ch. 25 Pgs. 651-656
In-Class Quiz III

Week 8 10/5 World War I
Chapter 24 (Pgs. 619-625)
In-Class Quiz IV

Week 9 10/12 World War I (cont’d) & the Russian Revolution
Ch. 23 (Pgs. 614-617) & Ch. 24 (Pgs. 625-630)
Columbus Day 10/10 Classes Do Not Meet
Learning-Lab Quiz III by Friday 10/14

Week 10 10/19 The Russian Revolution (cont’d)
Exam II

Week 11 10/26 Great Depression and the Rise of European Fascism
Chapter 24 (Pgs. 630-640)
Writing Assignment due by Noon on Friday 10/28

Week 12 11/2 World War II
Ch. 24 Pgs. 640-645
Learning-Lab Quiz IV by Friday 11/4

Week 13 11/9 Cold War, Decolonization, and Independence
Pgs. 695-700; 740-744; 778-784; 849-855
Wed 11/9—Last day to withdraw with a guaranteed W grade

Week 14 11/16 Iran and the Middle East
669-670; 697-700; 812-814
In-Class Quiz V

Week 15 11/21-11/25 Thanksgiving Holiday 11/21-11/25
Classes Do Not Meet

Week 16 11/30 Afghanistan and International Terrorism
716-717
In-Class Quiz VI

Week 17 12/7 21st Century & Review








FINAL EXAM THURSDAY 12/8 3:00-4:50PM SEAL HALL ROOM 115