- Course Type CLEP
- Subject History and Social Sciences
- Level Introductory
- Length 4 weeks
- Effort 6 hours/week
- Institution Modern States
ABOUT THIS COURSE
It covers all of the substantive material that is usually taught in the first semester in Western civilization. Our goal as creators of this course is to prepare you to pass the College Board’s CLEP examination and obtain college credit for free.
Through the guidance of Dr. David D. Flaten, professor of Western Civilization in the SUNY University System, this course will review the civilizations of Ancient Greece, Rome, and the Near East; the Middle Ages; the Renaissance and Reformation; and early modern Europe.
“Western Civilization I: Ancient Near East to 1648” is a completely self-paced course. It has no prerequisites and it is offered entirely for free.
Instructors
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David D. Flaten, Ph.D.Professor of History and Political Science in the State University of New York system
Course Overview
Western Civilization I: Ancient Near East to 1648 Course Overview - Modern States
| Module | Topic | Video Length | Total pages of required reading |
| Module 1: Pre-History: Early Civilizations (8% – 17%) 01:37:49 total video length 107 total reading pages |
1.0 Introduction | 0:03:18 | – |
| 1.1 Pre-History: Stone, Neolithic, Bronze, Iron Ages | 0:12:46 | – | |
| 1.2 Early Empires in Mesopotamia (The Middle East) | 0:11:59 | – | |
| 1.3 Hammurabi’s Law Code | 0:12:04 | – | |
| 1.4 Religion, Society and Literacy | 0:14:56 | – | |
| 1.5 Ancient Egypt: Pharaoh and the Nile | 0:12:12 | – | |
| 1.6 The Hebrews: Rise of Israel and Judah | 0:15:44 | – | |
| 1.7 Phoenicians, Assyrians and Persians | 0:14:50 | – | |
| 1.8 Readings | – | 107 | |
| Module 2: Greece and its Legacy (15% – 17%) 02:16:49 total video length 46 total reading pages |
2.0 Introduction | 0:05:15 | – |
| 2.1 Early Greece: Minoan and Mycenaean Civilizations | 0:16:26 | – | |
| 2.2 Polis: Sparta | 0:11:15 | – | |
| 2.3 Polis: Athens | 0:13:15 | – | |
| 2.4 The Persian Wars to 479 BCE | 0:15:15 | – | |
| 2.5 The Peloponnesian War, 431-404 BCE | 0:11:09 | – | |
| 2.6 The Golden Age of Athens | 0:11:45 | – | |
| 2.7 Philosophy and Religion | 0:15:48 | – | |
| 2.8 Macedonian Hegemony: Barbarian Unity | 0:05:27 | – | |
| 2.9 Campaigns of Alexander the Great | 0:11:10 | – | |
| 2.10 The Spread of Hellenistic Culture | 0:11:24 | – | |
| 2.11 Stoicism, Skepticism, Epicureanism | 0:08:40 | – | |
| 2.12 Readings | – | 46 | |
| Module 3: Rome: Republic to Empire (15% – 17%) 02:16:49 total video length 49 total reading pages |
3.0 Introduction | 0:04:19 | – |
| 3.1 Foundational Elements of Roman Society: Power of Tradition | 0:08:44 | – | |
| 3.2 Roman Organizational Genius | 0:08:33 | – | |
| 3.3 Government and Law in the Republic | 0:11:23 | – | |
| 3.4 The Punic Wars: 264-146 B.C.E | 0:13:36 | – | |
| 3.5 Socio-Economic Trends of Imperialism | 0:06:49 | – | |
| 3.6 Decline of the Republic | 0:15:29 | – | |
| 3.7 The Principate of Augustus Caesar | 0:12:22 | – | |
| 3.8 Imperial Prosperity: Too Many Frontiers | 0:07:40 | – | |
| 3.9 Diocletian and Constantine | 0:19:31 | – | |
| 3.10 The Invasions and Challenge of Christianity | 0:08:49 | – | |
| 3.11 Church Fathers: Jerome and Augustine | 0:17:16 | – | |
| 3.12 Readings | – | 49 | |
| Module 4: Development of Medieval Europe (23% – 27%) 03:05:27 total video length 151 total reading pages |
4.0 Introduction | 0:08:32 | – |
| 4.1 Byzantine Empire | 0:08:16 | – | |
| 4.2 Muhammad and the Spread of Islam | 0:11:49 | – | |
| 4.3 Sunni/Shia Schism and Caliphates | 0:12:29 | – | |
| 4.4 Charlemagne and Empire | 0:16:06 | – | |
| 4.5 Invaders, Raiders and Feudal Development | 0:17:51 | – | |
| 4.6 Agriculture, Trade and the Rise of Cities | 0:11:21 | – | |
| 4.7 Universities, Theology, Philosophy and the Arts | 0:11:13 | – | |
| 4.8 William of Normandy and the English Model | 0:11:35 | – | |
| 4.9 Papal Monarchy | 0:09:44 | – | |
| 4.10 Crusade Mentality, Reconquest of Iberia | 0:09:15 | – | |
| 4.11 Magna Carta as Game Changer | 0:07:23 | – | |
| 4.12 Mongols and Muscovy | 0:04:04 | – | |
| 4.13 Black Death | 0:06:34 | – | |
| 4.14 Socio-Economic Impact of the Black Death | 0:07:27 | – | |
| 4.15 The 100 Years’ War | 0:08:51 | – | |
| 4.16 Impact of War | 0:04:58 | – | |
| 4.17 The Papal Schism | 0:09:22 | – | |
| 4.18 Europe in the Late Middle Ages | 0:08:37 | – | |
| 4.19 Readings | 151 | ||
| Module 5: Renaissance and Reformation (13% – 17%) 01:47:08 total video length 34 total reading pages |
5.0 Introduction | 0:02:49 | – |
| 5.1 Early Renaissance: Humanism and Classicism | 0:07:56 | – | |
| 5.2 Art and Patronage Perspectives | 0:08:20 | – | |
| 5.3 The Ottoman Empire Challenges Europe | 0:07:29 | – | |
| 5.4 Machiavelli: Political Norms, Government | 0:07:17 | – | |
| 5.5 Christian Humanism in Northern Europe | 0:09:18 | – | |
| 5.6 Consolidation of National Monarchies: England, France, Iberia | 0:10:43 | – | |
| 5.7 Reform of Christian Practice: Luther and Calvin | 0:18:19 | – | |
| 5.8 The Religious Reorganization of Europe | 0:10:37 | – | |
| 5.9 The English Change of Religious Models | 0:12:59 | – | |
| 5.10 Roman Catholicism and Council of Trent | 0:11:21 | – | |
| 5.11 Readings | – | 34 | |
| Module 6: Early Modern Europe (10% – 15%) 01:18:48 total video length 46 total reading pages |
6.0 Introduction to Early Modern Europe | 0:03:02 | – |
| 6.1 Portugal: Prince Henry and Marco Polo | 0:12:39 | – | |
| 6.2 Columbus & the New World | 0:09:10 | – | |
| 6.3 Exploring, Settling, Exploiting the New World | 0:08:04 | – | |
| 6.4 Cortes & Pizarro vs. de Las Casas | 0:11:02 | – | |
| 6.5 Imperialism, Atlantic Trade & Slavery | 0:05:09 | – | |
| 6.6 30 Years’ War, 1618-1648: Winners & Losers | 0:07:15 | – | |
| 6.7 England: 1603-1648 | 0:08:09 | – | |
| 6.8 Rise of Absolutism in France & Russia to 1648 | 0:07:21 | – | |
| 6.9 Intellectual Developments: Science to 1648 | 0:06:57 | – | |
| 6.10 Readings | – | 46 |
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