HIST 113 The Birth of Europe

3 Credits, Writing Enhanced

HIST 113 is designated as a Flexible Core course under Domain A: World Cultures and Global Issues.

Course Catalogue Description

The formation of European civilization from earliest times into the 17th century.

Course Narrative

This course will introduce you to the important events, developments, persons, and ideas in pre-modern European history. We will examine the societies of the Ancient Near East, Ancient Greece and the Roman Empire, Medieval Europe, the culture of the Renaissance, and early European exploration.   We will talk about gods and goddesses, warriors and peasants, tyrants and kings, and priests and poets. We will compare and contrast spiritual and religious beliefs, identify forms of governance and rule, and explore cultural and intellectual developments. We will also consider the interactions between Europe and other societies. We will analyze texts and works of arts in order to better understand the past. Finally, because history is not just in the past, we will examine and challenge the way in which historical narratives continue to inform our present, in both positive and negative ways.

Learning Outcomes as Designated under Pathways:

In this course, students will be able to:

1. Gather, interpret, and assess information from a variety of sources and points of view.
2. Evaluate evidence and arguments critically or analytically.
3. Produce well-reasoned written or oral arguments using evidence to support conclusions.
4. Identify and apply the fundamental concepts and research methods of the discipline of History.
5. Analyze the significance of major movements that have shaped the world’s societies.
6. Analyze the historical development of non-US societies.
7. Analyze and discuss the role that race, ethnicity, class, gender, language, or belief, plays in world cultures.

 Upon completion of the course, students will be able to: 

1. Interpret a wide range of primary sources (texts, visual art, and music) and appreciate them as historical evidence.
2. Employ the analytic, rhetorical, and writing skills developed in this course in avariety of academic and non-academic contexts.
3. Discuss major developments in world history with an appreciation for diversity among cultures, histories, and viewpoints.
4. Understand current events and discuss them with a historically-informed perspective.

Ancillary Learning Outcomes:

In this course students will:

1. Use and evaluate Online sources.
2. Annotate texts
3. Collaborate with classmates