| HIS
311 African History to 1875 Fall 2011 (MWF 2-2:50pm) | What's New?Dec. 2: Posted third exam date/time (Fri. Dec. 16 at 3:30pm) Aug. 15: You are looking at http://courses.wcupa.edu/jones/his311.htm |
| Emergency? Call 610-436-3311 |
| Instructor: Jim
Jones Email: jjones@wcupa.edu; Telephone: 610-436-2168 | Office: 519
Main Hall, West Chester, PA 19383
Hours: Mon-Wed-Fri 11-11:50am, 1-1:50pm |
TEXTBOOK: Toyin Falola, editor, Africa, vol. 1.
African History Before 1885 (Durham, NC: Carolina Academic
Press, 2000 & 2003). ISBN 0-89089-768-9.
Other materials are avaiable at the
African History Resource Page.
CONTEXT AND GOALS: This course examines how the history of Africa was shaped by geography and human activity. Successful students will achieve these departmental learning outcomes: understand the place of Africa in generally recognized historical eras; become familiar with the types of sources available on African history and acquire the ability to critique their use; understand the ways in which different thinkers have formulated their approach to African history; and construct arguments and communicate conclusions about these topics.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS: Read assignments before class and prepare comments and/or questions, attend class to discuss assignments, and pass three essay examinations and one map test.
ATTENDANCE: You are expected to attend every class, although your professor understands that you may have other priorities that will occasionally prevent that. With that in mind, you are entitled to up to nine unexcused absences plus as many excused absences as you need. Each unexcused absence over nine will reduce your final grade by 1/3 of a letter. DEFINITIONS: An excused absence is one for which you can provide a verifiable written excuse concerning a medical condition, legal proceeding, university-sanctioned event or death of an immediate family member (i.e. parent, sibling or child). All other absences are unexcused. PLEASE NOTE: 1) If you face an extraordinary circumstance and believe you should receive special consideration, discuss it with your professor before you are absent -- requests made after an unexcused absence will not be considered. 2) The professor reserves the right to treat multiple incidents of tardiness as additional unexcused absences.
GRADING: First and second essay exams (20% each), map test (20%), class participation (10%), third essay exam (30% each). Perfect attendance will improve a borderline final grade.
Class discussion provides an opportunity to seek clarification on assigned readings, test your analysis and organize your thoughts. It is not a competitive event to see who speaks the most, but rather an opportunity to show your ability to exchange information with your colleagues.
The map test is designed to guarantee that everyone possesses the geographical knowledge needed to support all other class activities. For example, if everyone knows where the Niger River is located, they can more easily understand its role in the patterns of farmer-pastoralist relations. To make this task manageable, I provide a web page listing the places and features from which questions will be drawn.
Essay exams give each student a chance to respond to a broad, thematic question with arguments based on facts derived from primary and secondary sources. While literary skill and spelling/grammar are not primary concerns, weakness in those areas should not interfer with the clarity of your argument. The best essay exams include more detail, organized in a logical way and supported by factual statements of specific origin. These statements, from essays about the formation of West African empires, are organized from strongest to weakest:
CHEATING/PLAGIARISM: In brief, do NOT do this. Cheating is any act that "defrauds, deceives or employs trickery" in order to obtain credit for work which has not been completed. Plagiarization is the act of "passing off the ideas of another as one's own work." Anyone who cheats or plagiarizes will receive a penalty as provided for in the WCU Academic Integrity Policy.
DISABILITIES: We at West Chester University wish to make accomodations for persons with disabilities. Please make your needs known by contacting the professor and/or the Office of Services for Students with Disabilities (located in 223 Lawrence Center) at 610-436-2564. Sufficient notice is needed in order to make the accommodations possible. University desires to comply with the ADA of 1990 by making accommodations
DISCRIMINATION: West Chester University prohibits discrimination, including sexual harassment, of any individual based on race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, age, religious creed, disability or veteran status. This course incorporates the University's commitment to an environment free of discrimunation. Any individual having suggestions, problems, complaints or grievances with regard to equal opportunity or affirmative action is encouraged to contact the Director of Social Equity at 610-436-2433.
SUBSTANCE USE/ABUSE: West Chester University is committed to improving retention, graduation and time-to-degree rates by assisting students during key transitional periods in their academic careers. Because the professor believes that alcohol and drug issues can compromise student success, he has participated in the "Partners in Prevention" training program to learn how to recognize addiction and provide referrals to assistance. If you wish to talk about any of this -- in strictest confidence -- please contact the professor outside of class.
This syllabus is located at
http://courses.wcupa.edu/jones/his311.htm.
Date
Topic
Assigned Reading
Aug. 29
Introduction to the course
none
Aug. 31
Africa in Historical Perspective
Falola, 7-15, 18-22
Sep. 2
Physical Geography of Africa
Falola, 23-34
You can freely drop classes through
Saturday Sep. 3 and add them through Sunday Sep. 4 by
going
on-line. If you add a class late, you are responsible for
ALL earlier assignments.
Sep. 5
Labor Day (no class)
read ahead
Sep. 7
Human Geography of Africa
Falola, 35-49
Sep. 9
Ancient Egypt
Falola, 73-96
Sep. 12
The Upper Nile Valley
Falola, 96-108
Sep. 14
Linguistics and the Bantu
Falola, 113-120
Sep. 16
Bantu Migration
Falola, 120-132
Sep. 19
Africa's Iron Age
Film Tree of Iron
Sep. 21
Review for exam
Sep. 23
FIRST ESSAY EXAM (Ancient Africa)
 
Sep. 26
West African Geopolitics
Falola, 137-146
Sep. 28
Ghana, Mali, Songhay
Falola, 146-157
Sep. 30
Coastal states
Falola, 161-177, 185-188
Oct. 3
Early East Africa
Falola, 191-200
Oct. 5
Medieval East Africa
Falola, 200-206
Oct. 7
Swahili Culture
Online Swahili - English Dictionary
Oct. 10
Fall Break (no class)
Oct. 12
Central Africa Political History
Falola, 207-215
Oct. 14
Central Africa Religious History
Falola, 215-220
Oct. 17
Central Africa Economic History
Falola, 220-226
Oct. 19
Review
 
Oct. 21
MAP
TEST (multiple choice, short
answer, matching)
 
Oct. 24
Medieval Ethiopia
Falola, 231-238
Oct. 26
Early Modern Ethiopia
Falola, 238-242
Oct. 28
Modern Ethiopia ( Class does not meet )
complete the reading
Friday Oct. 29 is the last day to drop a
class or to complete work from the previous semester.
Oct. 31
Carthage and the Sahara
243-255
Nov. 2
The Impact of Islam
Falola, 255-262
Nov. 4
Early Modern North Africa
Falola, 262-273
Nov. 7
The Igbo Exception
Falola, 279-286
Nov. 9
Review
 
Nov. 11
SECOND ESSAY EXAM (African States and
Society)
 
Nov. 14
The Transatlantic Slave Trade
Falola, 389-396
Nov. 16
Questions and Controversies
Falola, 396-409
Nov. 18
The Slave Trade's Aftermath
Falola, 409-411
Nov. 21
Islam in East Africa
Falola, 321-334
Nov. 23
Thanksgiving (no class)
 
Nov. 25
Thanksgiving (no class)
 
Nov. 28
Reform and Islam
Rules for Leaders & Reformers
Nov. 30
The Sokoto Jihad
Falola, 299-311 &
Usuman dan Fodio
Dec. 2
Later Jihads
Falola, 311-319 & Umar Tall
Dec. 5
Background to the Zulu Mfecane
Falola, 359-367
Dec. 7
Shaka's society
Falola, 368-371
Dec. 9
Consequences of the Mfecane
Falola, 371-379
Dec. 12
Review for last exam
 
Dec. 16
THIRD ESSAY EXAM (Early Modern Africa,
on Friday, Dec. 16 at 3:30pm)
Jim Jones' other course web sites are located at
http:// courses.wcupa.edu/jones.