Introduction to Western Civilization

Some people believe that the study of history is boring and useless, but that is probably because their experience of studying it has been based on memorizing names, dates, and battles. This course will look at the stories of how European people, institutions, and cultures responded to the challenges of their times and then make connections with how the Western world thinks and responds to issues in our own time. The course will cover the important contributions to western culture of the Scientific Revolution; the Enlightenment and its political and cultural consequences the Glorious, American, and French Revolutions; the Napoleonic era; and the Industrial Revolution and its critics. Participants who complete this course will better understand the modern Western viewpoint and will certainly enjoy interesting discussions based on readings and lectures provided by the instructor.