HIS 120: Early Civilizations

Goal: This course is designed to meet two goals: first, to provide students with an overview of the development of the world’s major pre-modern civilizations, from the origins of humankind to 1500 C.E., and second, to build students’ ability to think critically about history and analyze evidence in the form of a variety of primary sources.
Content: In this course students investigate and compare the cultures, political structures, and social organizations of pre-modern world civilizations, with particular emphasis on three major themes - 1) The evolving relationship between the individual and society; 2) Distinctions based on class, ethnicity, and gender; and 3) Points of contact between civilizations. - By the end of this course, students shall be familiar with the major civilizations of the pre-modern world and be able to explain the most significant developments that led to the modern world. They shall also be able to critically analyze major types of historical evidence and use that evidence to draw conclusions about the past.
Gen. Ed. Category: Exploring; Historical Events & Phenomena; (SBS/PS).
Credit: 3
Degree Level: Undergraduate