HIST1062
World History
The old history department, Bodleian Library, University of Oxford.
“To remain ignorant of things that happened before you were born is to remain a child.” -- Cicero
Dr. Brian Regal
Professor for the History of Science, Technology, and Medicine
Department of History, LHAC 212, Office phone: 1-908-737-5316
Email: bregal@kean.edu
Course Description:
An introduction to the history of world civilizations which gives students an understanding of the major developments in human civilization over the last millennia, encourages them to think historically by studying human change critically and analytically as it relates to the relationship of the past to both the present and the future.
Course Objectives:
Upon successful completion of this course, students will have a clearer understanding of what it means to think historically, i.e. to think about what it means to be human as individuals and as part of communities that have lived and interacted and changed over time and space by defining key concepts in the study of world history, such as community, civilization, urbanization, migration, culture, cultural exchange, cultural diffusion and appropriation, identity, political systems, nationalism, imperialism, environment, science and technology, innovation, geographic sustainability, civil society, belief systems, family values, technological innovation, human rights, and globalization.
NOTE: The specific focus topic for Dr. Regal's sections is religion and its impact on history.
Class Meeting Times: Tuesday 4:30 LHAC
Saturday 9am LHAC
• Syllabus (note: the syllabus is subject to change)
HIST1062:03 file:///C:/Users/bregal/Desktop/1062.03.pdf
HIST1062:04 https://sites.google.com/a/kean.edu/brian-regal-phd/courses/hist1062-worlds-of-history
Power Point: A Updated November 14, 2023
Power Point: B Updated August 5, 2023
https://drive.google.com/file/d/145LN_YjscqxMVGwBSADIvSC5UT37d2CX/view?usp=sharing
Chicago Manual of Style 9.13.2023
ALSO: required reading
"What do historians do anyway?" Very helpful.
Required textbooks:
Adelman, Pollard et al., Worlds Together Worlds Apart (Norton: 2021): ISBN: 978-0-393-44288-5
Was slavery the cause of the American Civil War? Yes, yes it was. Here are some of the Confederate leadership saying exactly that:
Southern states include in it their new constitutions:
https://www.battlefields.org/learn/articles/reasons-secession
Confederate Vice President Alexander Stevens: On the inferiority of the Black man.
https://www.americanyawp.com/reader/the-civil-war/alexander-stephens-on-slavery-and-the-confederate-constitution-1861/
Ta-Nehisi Coates in the Atlantic:
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/06/what-this-cruel-war-was-over/396482/
Thomas Jefferson letter on separation of church and state.
Additional required readings:
• Some words history students should know
• The complete Law Code of Hammurabi
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Extra Credit:
Visit any area museum and write a two page reaction paper.
Also, the first student to mention this entry to me directly will receive additional extra credit points.
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