Montgomery College
Department of History and Political Science
Rockville Campus
Course Syllabus, Spring 2009
HS 114 — The World in the Twentieth
Century
Instructor
Information
Dr.
Michelle Moran
Office: HU 267
Office
Hours: M, 4-6 p.m.; T/R, 11 a.m.-12 p.m.; W, 1-2 p.m., and by appointment
Office
Phone: 240-567-7276
Email: michelle.moran@montgomerycollege.edu
Course
Information
CRN: 30130
Credit: 3
Semester Hours
Schedule: M,
6:30-9:10 p.m.
Location: HU
104
Course
Description
This course explores major political, economic, social, and cultural developments of the twentieth century within a global context. Students will study such topics as the expansion of industrialization and imperialism, the origins and aftermaths of world wars, the rise of mass society, the development of nationalist and internationalist movements, the challenges of nation-building in a post-colonial world, the emergence of superpowers, and the struggles against Western domination. By examining the impact of these forces in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas, students will trace the evolution of global interrelationships and consider how the history of the world in the twentieth century continues to shape today’s society. Using primary and secondary sources, students will learn how scholars have interpreted the past and will come to their own understanding of the world in the twentieth century.
Student Learning Outcomes
After successfully completing HS 114, students will be able to:
Required Texts
William J. Duiker, Twentieth-Century World History (Fourth Edition)
Jeremi Suri, The Global Revolutions of 1968 (2007)
Online readings
Course Requirements
Class Participation and Attendance (100
points, 10 percent of total grade): Completion
of reading assignments before class and participation during class are
essential to informed and lively discussions.
You are required to attend class and be prepared to communicate your
insights, questions, and comments on the assigned materials. Please bring the readings to each class, as
we will refer to them in lecture and discussion. Also, be sure to bring a notebook to take
thorough notes on class lectures and discussions. Your grade for this component will be based
on your contributions to discussion and responses in lecture, as well as your
attentive consideration of what your fellow students and instructor have to
say. More than one unexcused absence
will be considered excessive and will result in a lower final grade. Official documentation is required for an
excused absence. If you do miss class,
be sure to get the notes you missed from another student. Chronically arriving late or leaving early is
disruptive to the class and will also negatively affect your grade. If you know you will be late to arrive or
will need to leave early on a given day, please notify the instructor ahead of
time.
Quizzes (100 points, 10 percent): Brief quizzes will be given each week
covering material from the assigned readings, lectures, and maps. Missed quizzes cannot be made-up, but there
will be a bonus quiz scheduled in the last week of the semester.
Critique of the Textbook
(100 points, 10 percent): You will write a two-page critique of the first three
chapters of the Duiker textbook, due at the beginning of class on February 9. Details about the assignment will be posted
on MyMC. Late papers will receive a
penalty of one letter grade for each class day they are late, but no papers
will be accepted after March 9.
Essay (250 points, 25 percent): You will write a five-page essay in response to The
Global Revolutions of 1968 by Jeremi Suri.
This essay will be due on April 27. Details about the assignment will be posted
on MyMC. Late writing assignments will
receive a penalty of one letter grade for each class day they are late, but no
papers will be accepted after May 11.
Midterm (200 points, 20 percent) and Final
Exam (250 points, 25 percent): There will
be a midterm and a final exam. Test
questions will cover material from lectures, assigned readings, and class
discussions. The exams will consist of a
mixture of multiple choice questions, short answer identifications, and
essays. Study guides will be posted on
MyMC one week before the scheduled tests.
No make-up exams will be given without prior instructor approval or
documented medical excuse.
Grading Scale: 900-1000 points = A, 800-899 points = B,
700-799 points = C, 600-699 points = D, 599 points and below = F
Class Policies
Academic Honesty: Plagiarism and cheating are serious offenses
and will not be tolerated in this class.
Those caught using the work of another as their own will receive an “F”
on the test or assignment in which the dishonesty occurred and may receive an
“F” for the course. Students are
expected to understand and comply with college regulations that prohibit
academic dishonesty. For information on
academic standards, please consult the Student Code of Conduct under the
heading, “Academic Dishonesty and Misconduct.”
To avoid plagiarism, be sure that you properly acknowledge your use of
another’s work in your papers. This
includes any material gained from books, articles, lecture notes, or other
sources. When directly quoting from such
material, you must use quotation marks and provide the proper bibliographic citation. When paraphrasing, you also need to provide
appropriate acknowledgment of the source of information through proper
citation. If you have any questions
about how to properly cite a source, please see the instructor.
Support Services: A student who may need an accommodation due to a disability should make an appointment to see me during my office hours. A letter from Disability Support Services (DSS) authorizing your accommodations will be needed. The DSS office is located in the Counseling and Advising Building (CB 122), or you may phone 240-567-5058 (voice) or 301-294-9672 (TTY).
If you feel you need assistance with your writing, I urge you to visit the Writing and Reading Center on the ground floor of the Humanities Building (HU 002) or call 240-567-7402. The Center offers tutoring in reading, writing, and grammar and will also help with paper writing and revision.
Classroom Climate: Civility is required at all times. Lively debate about various issues in world
history is expected and encouraged, but respect for divergent interpretations
and beliefs must be given. Avoid
disrupting class by turning off all cell phones and other wireless messaging
devices when entering the classroom.
Refrain from eating, web-surfing, text messaging, and other distractions
for the duration of the class. It is
expected that you will remain in the classroom once class has begun — please do
not wander away unless an emergency arises.
Any disruptive behavior may result in your being asked to leave the
class and may lead to an academic penalty.
MyMC and Student Email: The course syllabus, assignments, exam study guides,
and lecture outlines will be posted on MyMC. Check the site weekly for
updates. Please regularly check your
student email account (montgomerycollege.edu) for any messages that may be sent
regarding class issues. When contacting
me by email, please use your student account and include your name so that I
can recognize you as a student. Email is to be used for messages only: do NOT send assignments via email. Only hard copies of assignments will be
accepted.
Cancellation of Classes: If inclement weather or other incidents cause
the college to suspend classes or close, public service announcements will be
provided to local radio and television stations as early as possible. Check the Montgomery College website (http://www.montgomerycollege.edu)
for any closing information. If the
campus or college closes, class will be cancelled.
Syllabus — The instructor reserves the
right to modify the syllabus as the semester progress if it becomes necessary.
Course Schedule:
|
Week |
Topics |
Readings |
|
Week
1: |
Introduction and the
Origins of the Twentieth Century |
Reading:
Purchase and Get Acquainted with the Textbooks |
|
Week
2: |
The Rise of Industrial
Society and A New Age of Empire |
Reading: Duiker,
Chs. 1-2 Online: Tilak,
“Address to the Indian National Congress” (http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1907tilak.html) |
|
Week
3: |
East Asian Struggles for Autonomy |
Reading: Duiker,
Ch. 3 Online: Constitution
of the Empire of Japan (http://history.hanover.edu/texts/1889con.html) Textbook
Critique Due 2/9 |
|
Week
4: |
A World in Crisis: The Great War in Global Perspective |
Reading: Duiker,
Ch. 4 Online: Portions
of the Versailles Treaty http://avalon.law.yale.edu/subject_menus/versailles_menu.asp |
|
Week
5: |
Imperialism
and Resistance in Africa, Asia, and Latin America |
Reading: Duiker,
Ch. 5 Online: Presidential
Address to the South African Native National Congress (http://www.anc.org.za/ancdocs/speeches/1910s/sp190506.html) |
|
Week
6: |
The
Rise of Authoritarianism and the Path to War |
Reading: Duiker,
pp. 112-120 Online: Mussolini,
“What is Fascism?” (http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/mussolini-fascism.html) |
|
Week
7: |
Midterm
Exam and Interpreting the Impact of War |
In-class viewing of excerpts from The War of the World |
|
Week
8: |
Spring Break |
Begin Reading Suri, The Global Revolutions of 1968 |
|
Week
9: |
The
World at War, Again |
Reading: Duiker,
pp. 121-137 |
|
Week
10: |
The Cold War |
Reading: Duiker,
Ch. 7 |
|
Week
11: |
Postwar
Transformations in the Americas |
Reading: Duiker,
Ch. 8 |
|
Week
12: |
Eastern
and Western Europe in the Postwar Years |
Reading: Duiker,
Chs. 9-10 |
|
Week
13: |
Revolution in China |
Reading: Duiker,
Ch. 11 |
|
Weeks
14: |
Nationalism in Asia and Africa |
Reading: Duiker,
Chs. 12-14 Essay
on Suri due 4/27 |
|
Week
15: |
The Middle East and Constructing a Global Society |
Reading: Duiker,
Ch. 15-16 Online: Khomeini,
“The Uprising of Khurdad” (http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1979khom1.html |
|
5/11 |
Final Exam, 7:15-9:15 p.m. |
|