HIST 1511 - World Civilization to 1500
Fall 2026 Syllabus, Section 01, CRN 40099,
Credit hours: 3
Course Meeting Times
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Instructor
Joseph Alessi
Email: jpalessi01@ysu.edu
Course Description
1511. World Civilization to 1500. Origins and growth of the major civilizations of the world from earliest times to about 1500. 3 s.h.
Course Readings
| Group | Title | Author | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|
| Required |
The required textbook, co-authored by J. Edelman, E. Pollard, C. Rosenberg, and R. Tignor, is an ebook Worlds Together Worlds Apart, vol. one Beginnings to the fifteenth century, Concise 4th Edition (W.W. Norton & Company)
The course readings are subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances, research developments, current events, and/or to ensure better learning.
Assignments/Assessments
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Schedule of Topics and Assignments
| Week of | Reading(s) | Proposed Topic | Due/To Prepare for Class |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8/24 | Jared Diamond Article | Why Did Human History Unfold Differently | 28 August |
| 8/31 | Chapter 2 of Text | Rivers, Cities and First States | 4 September |
| 9/7 | The Civilization of the Greeks MEDITERRANEAN SOCIETY: THE GREEK PHASE Readings for the Aegean world, the Greek City-States, Africa & the Americas |
Mediterranean World, Africa &Americas: Centers of Civilization Mediterranean & Western Afro-Asia (South-West Asia) India-Pakistan China's Zhou Empire | 11 September |
| 9/14 | New Ideas in Eurasia & the Mediterranean Centers, Africa & Americas | CHAPTERS FIVE & SIX Readings on Innovations in Thought, State Administration, Warfare & Economy, The Greek & the Roman World The American and Sub-Saharan Africa Alexander & the Emergence of the Hellenistic World The Mauryan Empire and the Greeks The Silk Road: Connecting the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean | 18 September |
| 9/21 | Exam 1 | 25 September | |
| 9/28 | Sub-Saharan Africa and the Americas | CHAPTER FIVE Readings: Sub-Saharan Africa and Meso-America Bantu Migrations, Nubia & Kush Meso-Americans Teotihuacan The Maya, Writing, Mathematics, & Architecture | 2 October |
| 10/5 | Han China and Imperial Rome | Chapter 10: Globalizing Empires : Han China & Imperial Rome China under the Han Dynasty:changes, Reforms, Decline The Roman Empire, population movement, Republican constitution, Emperors The Rise of Christianity The Limits of Empire Persia, the Silk Roads & Buddhism The Transformation of Hindu Taoism | 9 October |
| 10/12 | Universalizing Religions | Religious Change and Empires The Appeal of Christianity The Fall of Rome in the West & continuity of Rome in the East: Byzantium The Silk Roads, Buddhism, Hinduism and Taoism | 16 October |
| 10/19 | Theocracy | New Empires, Common Cultures & Religious Pluralism New Islamic Empire,The five pillars of Islam The Abbasid, the Caliphate, the Army, Sharia Law, Islam in a wider world & the Green Revolution Conflict: Sunnis and Shiites | 23 October |
| 10/26 | The Emergence of European Christendom | The Emergence of European Christendom pp.452-461 Charlemagne's Empire Vikings and Christendom The Roman Catholic Church & Greek Orthodox Christianity | 30 October |
| 11/2 | Exam 2 | 6 November | |
| 11/9 | China Under the Tang and Song Dynasties | China under the Tang Dynasty Territorial Expansion,Reforms China's Contact with Asian Neighbors, Korea & Japan Commercial Innovations under the Song dynasty | 13 November |
| 11/16 | Crisis, Recovery and the World Coming Together | Becoming the World New Maritime Trade Islamic world & S.E.Asia China and its Neighbors Christian Europe & the Localization of Power & Crusading Sub-Saharan African States & Indian Ocean Trade The Americas Mongolian Empire & Linking Afro-Eurasia The Black Death: Plague in China & Europe The Rise of the Ottoman Empire The Catholic Church state building in Europe & Renaissance in Europe Ming China & the Explorations of Zhenge He | 20 November |
| 11/23 | Thanksgiving Break | ||
| 11/30 | Final Exam Prep | ||
| 12/7 | Final Exam | 11 December |
The course schedule, policies, procedures, and assignments in this course are subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances, by mutual agreement, and/or to ensure better learning.