In this course, you will learn about the rise and features of  Asian Civilization and how the peoples of East and South Asia interacted with each other and with other regional and global societies.  We will also examine how Asian societies have responded to the challenge of Western expansion beginning in the 16th century. You will learn about the intellectual and religious foundations of Asian cultures as well as the great trade routes and political and social underpinning of those cultures. 

You will participate in web discussions, take five quizzes, work in a group on a slideshow presentation, and take a proctored midterm and final exam.   The primary text will be Rhoads Murphey's History of Asia, 6th ed.,  2009. You will also need to view weekly PowerPoint presentations. In order to have meaningful class discussions, everyone will follow the same weekly schedule.

This course will benefit you in exposing you to the rise of cultures that were just as advanced and in many ways, more advanced, than the West during ancient times and until the modern era.  Much of the science and technology that the West used in its growth and expansion from the Renaissance to today derived from exposure to Middle East and Asian societies.  This will help you understand the development of world history in a light to which you may not have been previously exposed.

The following are required for entry into this course:

• You should be able to use a computer and create attachments in e-mail 
• You should be able to write at the college level. 
• You should know how to use Blackboard.
• You should be able to learn how to post to the Discussion Board.
• You should be able to use PowerPoint or similar slide show program.
  
• You should have reliable access to the internet.

If you complete this course and do well, you will be able to:

• describe in general the economic, political, social, and cultural forces at work that explain the historical development of Asia and its connection to the world
• analyze historical sources and reach reasonable conclusions based on that analysis in your discussion responses and in your group presentation
• describe in critical essays the specific effects of economic, political, social, and cultural forces on major events featured in the midterm and final exam
• define and describe in a few sentences the importance of the key issues and events in world history listed on the midterm and final exam
  

Possible Assignments Include: (Subject to change each semester. The actual assignments are available in the Syllabus in the Blackboard course site on the first day of classes.)

Your final grade may be based on the following scale.

There are 2 exams in this course.