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Home My WebLink AboutHIS-126Bergen Community College School of Arts, Humanities, & Wellness Department of History & Geography Course Syllabus HIS126-Modern African History Basic Information about Course and Instructor Semester and year: Course and Section Number: Meeting Times and Locations: Instructor: Office Location: Phone: Departmental Secretary: [optional] Office Hours: Email Address: Course Description This course is a survey of African history from ancient times to the present day. Emphasis is placed on the emergence of civilizations, formation of early states, impact of slavery, western imperialism, the emergence of new African states since the Second World War, and social, cultural, political, and economic development of Africa. 3 credits General Education Course – Humanities Elective Student Learning Objectives: As a result of meeting the requirements in this course, students will be able to 1. Identify the major periods in the history of the African continent from prehistoric times to the 20th Century. 2. Demonstrate an understanding of the narrative framework and factual basis of African history. 3. Identify and analyze the important political, economic, social, intellectual, cultural, geographic, and religious forces that shaped these periods. 4. Summarize and interpret the continuity and change that occurs between successive civilizations in Africa. 5. Demonstrate the ability to develop a thesis and support it with historical evidence both in writing and orally. 6. Demonstrate basic research skills by locating and using source materials. 7. Summarize, paraphrase, and quote historical information in properly cited written analyses 8. Demonstrate the ability to state and support their own interpretation of historical issues concisely, coherently, and logically. Course Content Course Texts The required text for this course is Kevin Shillington, A History of Africa, 2nd ed (Palgrave). Assessment and Grading In pursuit of the foregoing goals, the course is based on the reading and discussion of historical writings for both primary and secondary sources; the techniques of historical research and writing are reviewed, and students are expected to use subject specific resources in their preparation for active participation in class and for writing assignments. Students are required to do a substantial amount of expository and critical writing in response to the material presented in the course and by conducting outside research. Because HIS-126 is a General Education course, it requires students to complete a variety of critical thinking and writing assignments. These assignments may include class discussions and debates requiring the application of critical thinking skills, short in-class essays, out-of-class writing projects (journals, research papers, argument-analysis papers, book reviews, etc.), tests and examinations containing essay components, and so forth. Instructors will respond to and comment on students' writing in detail. Grading Policy A student's final grade for the course is based primarily on his or her performance on the required work for the course (writing assignments, examinations, class presentations, etc.) and on his or her overall mastery of the material covered in the course. A student's class participation may also be evaluated, and the grade thereon may be used as a factor in determining the student's final grade for the course; but a class participation grade will count for no more than fifteen percent (15%) of the final grade. Examinations can consist of objective questions such as multiple choice and short answers, but an essay of some form should also be evaluated as part of the test. A sample grade distribution is as follows: 1st Mid-Term Exam 20% 2nd Mid-Term Exam 20% Final-Exam (non-comprehensive) 20% Writing/Research Assignments 30% Participation/Collegiality 10% Total 100% BCC Attendance Policy: All students are expected to attend punctually every scheduled meeting of each course in which they are registered. Attendance and lateness policies and sanctions are to be determined by the instructor for each section of each course. These will be established in writing on the individual course outline. Attendance will be kept by the instructor for administrative and counseling purposes. History and Geography Departmental Attendance Policy: It is imperative that students attend class on a daily basis in order to secure the knowledge necessary to succeed in the course. Coming to class on time and staying for the entire class period is expected. Excessive absences will have a detrimental effect on your performance in this course. Attendance will be taken at each class session. It is expected that class will be conducted such that students will benefit in their written work by the lectures and class discussion. If students occasionally arrive late, they should be encouraged to enter quietly, not disturbing the class. If students miss class, they should be encouraged to use the course calendar to stay abreast of material. It is probably a good idea for students to find study partners and to exchange telephone numbers. Make-ups for examinations should be allowed by the instructor if, in the instructor's judgment, the student has presented a good excuse for missing the work. Instructors may penalize work which is late; however, the instructor's policies for make-ups and late work must be clearly specified on the student guide. Collegiality is expected at all times during the course. Academic Dishonesty (From BCC Handbook): Bergen Community College is committed to academic integrity—the honest, fair, and continuing pursuit of knowledge, free from fraud and deception. Students are responsible for their own work. Faculty and academic support services staff will take appropriate measures to discourage academic dishonesty. The college recognizes the following general categories of violations of academic integrity whenever a student does one of more of the following: uses unauthorized assistance in any academic work, copies from another student’s exam, gives unauthorized assistance to other students, fabricates data in support of an academic assignment, inappropriately or unethically uses technical means to gain academic advantage, and commits plagiarism. Student and Faculty Support Services The Henry and Edith Cerullo Learning Assistance Center Room L- 125 of Pitkin Building Includes the Tutoring Center, English Language Resource Center, and Writing Center. 201-447- 7489 The Distance Learning Office – for any problems you may have accessing your online courses 201-612-5581 psimms@bergen.edu The Tutorial Center Room S- 118 of Pitkin Building 201-447-7908 The English Language Resource Center Room 126 in Ender Hall For students whose native language is not English. The Writing Center Room L- 125 of Pitkin Building 201-447-7136 The Online Writing Lab (OWL) www.bergen.edu/owl This website will help students with all aspects of the writing process in every discipline. The Office of Specialized Services (for Students with Disabilities) L-115 of Pitkin Building Students with documented disabilities who require accommodations by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) can request support services from the Office of Specialized Services. www.bergen.edu/pages/5175 The Sidney Silverman Library 2nd Level of Pitkin Building Sample Format for Course Outline and Calendar Note to Students: The following Course Outline and Calendar is tentative and subject to change, depending upon the progress of the class. Date Lecture Topic Learning Objectives Assignments/Events Introduction: syllabus, prehistory of Africa The Impact of Iron in Northeast and West Africa The Early Iron Age and Bantu Migrations North and Northeastern Africa to 1000 AD Trans-Saharan Trade and the Kingdom of Ancient Ghana Islam and the Sudanic States of West Africa Eastern Africa to the 16th Century Trading States of the East African Coast to the 16th Century Later Iron Age States and Societies of Central and Southern Africa to 1600 AD North and Northeastern Africa to the 18th Century *Mid-Term examination The Atlantic Slave Trade, 16th-18th Century West African States and Societies to the 18th Century Central and Eastern Africa to the 18th Century Southern Africa to the 18th Century West Africa in the 19th Century and the Ending of the Slave Trade Central and East Africa in the 19th Century Pre-Industrial Southern Africa in the 19th Century North and Northeast Africa in the 19th Century Prelude to Empire in Tropical Africa The European "Scramble," Colonial Conquest and African Resistance in East, North-Central and West Africa *Final-Exam . Industrialization, Colonial Conquest and African Resistance in South-Central and Southern Africa * Consolidation of Empire * Africa between the Wars * The Second World War and Africa * The Winning of Independence (1) * The Winning of Independence (2) * Africa since Independence (1) * Africa since Independence (2)