This document provides an overview of the concepts to be covered in an introductory Western Civilization course. It questions what is meant by "the West" and "civilization", noting that these terms are variable and contentious. The document explores different definitions of the geographic, political, cultural, and imperial boundaries of the West, touching on influences from ancient Greece and Rome, the spread of Christianity, and European colonialism. It examines changing borders of Europe over time and debates what constitutes the East versus the West. Key topics to be addressed in the class are identified.

1. HIS 102 Western Civilization II
Fall 2015, HYBRID COURSE
Thursdays, 11:00am – 12:15pm, MP 208
Instructor: Kara Heitz

2. • What is “Western” and “The West”?
• What is “Civilization”?
- Both highly variable and contentious terms

3. What is “The West”?
• Europe?
–Geographic Europe?
–Political Europe? Cultural Europe?
• Western v. Eastern Europe
• European Union today

4. Geographic
Europe
Boundaries:
Northern – Arctic Sea
Western – Atlantic Ocean
Southern – Mediterranean
and Black Seas
Eastern – Ural and Caucus
Mountains

5. Western
v.
Eastern
(Cold War)

6. European Union today (27 member states)

7. European Borders, 1140-2010 CE

8. What is “The West”?
• Europe?
• Areas influenced by ancient Greece & Rome?

9. Alexander the Great’s Empire, 323 BCE

11. What is “The West”?
• Europe?
• Areas influenced by ancient Greece & Rome?
• Cultures dominated by Christianity?

12. Spread of Christianity
300-800 C.E.

13. Christianity Today

14. What is “The West”?
• Europe?
• Areas influenced by ancient Greece & Rome?
• Cultures dominated by Christianity?
• Areas colonized by Europe and/or under
imperial control?

15. European Colonialism

16. What is “The West”?
• Europe?
• Areas influenced by ancient Greece & Rome?
• Cultures dominated by Christianity?
• Areas colonized by Europe and/or under imperial
control?
• West of what? What is “the East? What is not
part of “the West”?

18. Jerusalem as the center of the world (1585)

19. Modern Clash of Civilizations?

20. What is Civilization?
• Dictionary definitions:
1. “An advanced state of human society, in which a
high level of culture, science, industry, and
government has been reached.”
2. ”Any type of culture, society, etc., of a specific
place, time, or group. For example: Greek
civilization.”
- Both problematic definitions, WHY?

21. Why do we have Western
Civilization courses in the U.S.?
• Connecting U.S. to “Western tradition”
• First broadly introduced after WWI
• WWII & “Atlantic Civilization”
• Recent focus on World History
- So why do we still study Western Civilization
in college today?