Western Civilization I: Calendar



 

Week

Topic

Assignment

August 20

Introduction and Background

None

Aug. 25-27

Ancient Civilizations
The Hebrews

Perry, Chs. 1-2
from the Epic of Gilgamesh
from Hammurabi's Code
Herodotus on Mummification
from the Old Testament
Study Questions

Sept. 1-3

Rise of the Greeks

Perry, Ch. 3
from Homer, The Iliad
from Herodotus, The History
Solon, Select Fragments
from Plato, The Republic
from Aristotle, Politics
Study Questions

Sept. 8-10

Classical Greek Civilization

Perry, Ch. 4
from Aristotle, The Poetics
from Sophocles, Antigone
from Aristophanes, The Clouds
Study Questions

Sept. 15-17

The Hellenistic World and
the rise of Rome

Perry, Chs. 5-6
Alexander the Great
Cicero, How to Make Right Decisions
Plutarch on Tiberius Gracchus
Study Questions

Sept. 22-24

The Roman Empire

Perry, Ch. 7
Augustus, Res Gestae
from Tacitus, The Annals
from Virgil, The Aeneid
Study Questions

Sept. 29

Test 1

Perry, Chs. 1-7
Primary Readings
Essay Topics

Oct. 1

Christianity

 

Oct. 6-8

Christianity and the Heirs of Rome

Perry, Chs. 8-9
Paul, Epistles
Early Church Documents
from the Koran
about Charlemagne
Study Questions

Oct. 10-18

Fall Break

 

Oct. 20-22

The High Middle Ages

(Paper 1 due Oct. 22)

Perry, Ch. 10
Urban II's Speech at Clermont
Declaration of the Powers of the Count of Toul over the City of Toul, 1069
Innocent III, Letters
Study Questions
(these are the same
as below)

Oct. 27-29

High Medieval Culture

Perry, Chs. 10-11
Rules of the University of Paris
from Aquinas, Summa Theologica
from Dante, The Divine Comedy

     Go to Hell
Hildegarde of Bingen, O virga ac diadema
Study Questions

Nov. 3-5

The Late Middle Ages

Perry, Ch. 12
The English Peasant Revolt (from Froissart's Chronicles)
from Chaucer's Canterbury Tales
the Great Schism (from Froissart's Chronicles)
Study Questions

Nov. 10-12

Renaissance and Reformation

Perry, Chs. 13-14
Petrarch Letter
from Machiavelli, The Prince
from Erasmus, Praise of Folly
from Thomas More, Utopia
Luther, The 95 Theses
Luther, Letter to the Archbishop of Mainz
Study Questions

Nov. 17

Review for Test 2

 

Nov. 19

Test 2

Perry, Chs. 8-14
Primary Readings
Essay Topics

Nov. 24

The Expansion of Europe
and discussion of final exam

Perry, Ch. 15
letter from Columbus
Las Casas on the Destruction of the Indies
Voyages of John Hawkins
Dutch Documents on the Slave Trade
Study Questions

Dec. 1-3

Medieval to Modern

Paper 2 due Dec. 1

Perry, Chs. 16-17


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