3.00 Credits
A thematic oriented course surveying the origins, development, and formation of the Western world's major political, social, ecomonic, religious, and intellectual institutions to the dawn of the modern era. Special emphasis is given to four great antecedents of Western Civilization: Greek rationalism; Roman universality; Judaic - Christian ethics; and Celtic, Slavic, Germanic traditions. Western Civilization is defined as European civilization and it's remote origins in earlier civilizations located in Mesopotamia, the Nile Valley, and beyond. The course stresses the themes of continuity and change in the forging of and diffusion of Western Civilization. Attention is paid to the reciprocal influences of western and non-western cultures. Discussion, lecture, and inquiry methods aim at developing the student's appreciation of the Western historical perspective.