HIST 2253 - World Civilization To 1500*

3 Credits

This course will survey the development of significant civilizations around the globe from the earliest settlements in Egypt, Mesopotamia, India, China, and the Americas until approximately the end of the 16th century. The political, economic, social, intellectual, and artistic developments of those cultures will be examined and compared with particular attention given to cross-cultural exchanges of technology, ideas, disease, and peoples. The course will also compare major religious and philosophical systems, such as, Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and Confucianism to encourage students to develop a better understanding of global peoples and societies that have shaped our world.

Course Level Objectives
Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:

1. Use critical thinking skills in evaluating claims about the past, including the differentiation between primary and secondary sources, and how historical perspectives and interpretations vary amongst different groups and cultures. (GEO 2, 3)
2. Compare global religious and philosophical systems, including, but not limited to Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism/Christianity, Confucianism, and Islam. (GEO 3, 4)
3. Evaluate the rise and fall of important political centers and empires from Rome to China and identify the role played by the political, social and intellectual cultures of each. (GEO 1, 2, 3, 4)
4. Recognize the diffusion of ideas, technology, disease, and peoples that continuously shaped and reshaped global cultures. (GEO 3, 4)
5. Identify the linkages that join global communities together, such as the opening of the Silk Road, the European Crusades, or the expansion of various monotheisms around the world. (GEO 3)

ACTS Equivalent Course Number: HIST 1113