This course will examine the earliest civilizations of Asia, North Africa, Europe, and the New World from the development of settled agricultural communities until about 500 AD: Mesopotamia, Egypt, Israel, India, China, Mesoamerica, Greece, and Rome.  The course will examine a number of central themes: the emergence of cities and states; the organization of society; the nature of kingship; writing and the growth of bureaucracy; the varieties of religious expression; social, gender, and cultural hierarchies; empire as a political system; and the linkage between culture and society.

    There will be three hours of lecture each week supplemented by a two-hour discussion section on the readings.
         Teaching Assistants: Scott McDonough; John Magnum
         Sections:1A - Public Policy 1278: Tuesday 4-6; 1B - Public Policy 1284: Tuesday 4-6
                         1C - Public Policy 1329: Thursday 2-4; 1D - Public Policy 3120: Thursday 4-6

Written Assignments and Examinations:

 1) Tuesday, October 27th: a 4-5 page essay (typed, double-spaced) on an assigned topic.
 2) Week of November 10th - Mid-term Exam in discussion section.
 3) Tuesday, December 1st: a 4-5 page essay (typed, double-spaced) on an assigned topic.
 4) Thursday, December 17 (8-11 am): Final Examination (code 12)

 Papers - 20% each
 Mid-term Exam - 15%
 Final Exam - 30%
 Discussion Section (including map quizzes) - 15%

Text: Geary-O'Brien-Kishlansky-Wong  Societies and Cultures in World History vol. I (Harper)
Readings: Gochberg-Dulai-Graham-Harrow World Literature and Thought vol 1 (Harcourt Brace)
                Bhagavad-Gita (Bantam Classics)
                Tacitus The Agricola and the Germania (Penguin)

WEEK  1

Thurs. Oct. 1 -  Introduction to World History; Neolithic Revolution Outline & Image Tour
Tues.  Oct.  6    -  Ancient Mesopotamia Outline & Image Tour
Thurs. Oct.  8    -  Egypt Outline & Image Tour

READING:    Geary 1-43
                       Gochberg chapters 1-5

Tues.   Oct.  13  -  Vedic India Outline & Image Tour
Thurs.  Oct. 15  -  Zhang/Zhou China Outline & Image Tour

 READING:   Geary  100-131
                       Gochberg chapters 10; 20
                       Bhagavad-Gita

Tues.  Oct.  20 -  Imagining Human Origins - Myths of Creation Outline & Image Tour
Thurs. Oct. 22 -  Ancient Israel Outline & Image Tour

 READING:   Gochberg chapter 6
                       Book of Job

Tues.  Oct.  27 -  Myths of Civilization: Greece and China Outline & Image Tour
Thurs. Oct. 29 -  Near Eastern Origins of Greek Culture Outline & Image Tour

 READING:    Geary 44-69
                       Gochberg chapters 7; 12

Tues.  Nov. 3 -  Confucian Humanism and the Legalists Outline & Image Tour
Thurs. Nov. 5 -  The Buddhist Challenge Outline & Image Tour

 READING:   Gochberg chapters 21-22; 26-30

Tues.  Nov.  10  -  The Hindu Synthesis Outline & Image Tour
Thurs. Nov.  12  -  Democracy and the Greek Polis Outline & Image Tour

 READING:   Geary 70-99
                       Gochberg chapters 13-19; 24

MID-TERM STUDY QUESTIONS

Tues.  Nov. 17  - Athens in the Fifth Century Outline & Image Tour
Thurs. Nov. 19 - Empire as a Political System: Persia and Alexander Outline & Image Tour

 READING: Gochberg chapters 43
 

 READING:   Geary  201-212
                       Gochberg chapters 39-41

Second Paper Topic

Tues.  Dec.  3 -  Rome: From City-State to World-Empire Outline & Image Tour
Thurs. Dec.  5 -  The Pax Romana Outline & Image Tour

 READING:    Geary  132-192
                       Gochberg chapters 33-34
                       Tacitus Agricola; Germania

Tues.  Dec.  8 -  The Age of Faith: Christianity in Late Antiquity Outline & Image Tour
Thurs. Dec.  10 -  The Transformation of the Ancient World Outline & Image Tour

 READING: Gochberg chapters 35; 37