Analysis Of World Civilization 201

World Civilization 201 is a University requirement to graduate. It is described in the university class catalog as “An interdisciplinary survey of the history of world civilizations from the origins of humankind to the 15th century. This will be a lecture/discussion course following a chronological outline and, within this framework, will focus on traditions, change, and diversity in the development of social hierarchies (e.g., gender or class), power systems, religion, technology, and warfare” ("Catalog Entries", 2016). I was already uninterested after reading the description of the class, what would the 3 hours every Wednesday evening be like? However, after 16 weeks of reading, researching, and discussion with fellow classmates my perspective
changed and my interest increased.
When attending this class for the first time this semester it was already different from a majority of my other classes because it was based on discussion and not lecturing, no tests just weekly questions to read, research about, and ponder on.
We sat in a large circle and conversed with one another and picked our topics in history apart, asked questions, and not only received feedback from the professor, but the other students as well. I believe we learn just as much from one another as we do from a book. I took several aspects from this style of teaching in the classroom. One being staying unbiased, it is extremely hard to read history and not allow your prior feelings and thoughts to influence it, such as in class we discussed different religions, for myself it can be difficult to study other religions when I feel what I practice is true. That was something I had to work on and try to set aside in order to be able to discuss the topic with my peers. This class taught me to become cultured, learning other cultures and different terminology is vital because America is truly a melting pot and many cultures are represented. It is important that we have a basic understanding of them so that we can effectively communicate with them. Studying world history will help us to become a better global citizen. Another point I took from this style of teaching in the classroom was self-confidence. Be confident in your answers and do not second guess yourself. If there was ever a questioning tone in your voice when answering the question, Dr. Mittelman would be sure to say, “I do not know, is it?”. Even if your answer was correct she would be sure to question you because you were questioning yourself. It is important to have confidence in more than just what you say in the classroom, but also in an interview room, the workplace, or expressing your opinions. This is a quality that I will carry with me throughout
life.
What is history? According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, it is the study of past events ("Definition of HISTORY", 2016). Although the definition sounds simple, history can be complex and difficult to understand and develop a grasp for. Yesterday, last week, month, and a year ago are all history and those times in my life may or may not have significant meaning, but I can tell you what happened and not question it because I was there, however what about history from thousands of years ago. I read books and articles based on people’s perception and thoughts of what happened, but I was not there. Should I believe what Historian A is telling me what happen or believe what Historian B is telling me? There is no set exact explanation of everything that happened in ancient history and it is up to us to pick what we believe because there can be so many explanations. This class showed me that I should not believe the first thing I read. I should research it, ask some questions and then develop my opinion of what happened.
Edmund Burke once said, “Those who don’t know history are doomed to repeat it.” ("Quotes About Doomed To Repeat It (10 quotes)", 2016). I have grown up knowing the importance of history. My father has always had a love for history and that is something he has shared with me. Personally, I have a love for more recent history than what we talked about in class, such as American history and how our country got to where it is today effect because I feel it has a direct effect on me. I could not have been any more wrong because this class taught me that every piece effects the way the world is today what happened thousands of years ago has affected countries, cultures, religions, agriculture, and so much more that has played a part into the way our world is today. My last class on world history I took was in grade school and I found that the reason I never liked the world history was because I never took the time to learn about. I used to feel that World History was a silly requirement, but I am thankful it is a core class required because it can help broaden our horizons of thinking and understanding. After 16 weeks of reading, researching, and discussion with fellow classmates my perspective changed and my interest increased. I will be able to take not only the facts about history with me, but also self-confidence in my thoughts and opinions, try and be a good global citizen and continue to have an unbiased opinion not only on history but current events that are becoming history.