This syllabus is designed to be used through the web site at: http://www.history.umd.edu/Faculty/RFriedel/Hist206/hist206.html. You must use the web site for weekly assignments.

This course deals with an enormous subject in a brief time, for the history of technology encompasses the entire scope of how people have sought to shape the world around them to suit human wants and needs. To deal with such a subject successfully, you should constantly be on the look- out for the "big ideas"--names, dates, and events are significant only if you understand how they fit into the context of human history.

This course fulfills the CORE Distributive Studies requirement for Social or Political History (SH) and the General Education Distributive Requirement for History and Social Sciences (DSHS). As such, it attempts to serve as an introduction to the discipline of history and to historical thinking and methodology. As a CORE and General Education course, it attempts to engage you actively in the learning process. We hope you will take full advantage of this.

Instructor:
Prof. Robert Friedel
Dept. of History
2128 Taliaferro Hall
Office Hours: 12:30 to 2:00PM, Tues. & Thurs., and by appointment

Section Leader:
Josh Klein
joshklein19@gmail.com
Office Hours: 3:30 to 5:30 PM, Tuesday, and by appointment

To succeed in this course you must:

The course grade will be based on the following allocation:

• Two hour examinations, 10% each =20%
• Final examination =30%
• Portfolio of Lecture and Exploration responses =40%
• Participation in section =10%

You are requested to write and sign the university's Honor Pledge on each major assignment (your portfolio, essay, and examinations).

Learning Assistance Service: If you are experiencing difficulties in keeping up with the academic demands of this course, please let the instructors know--we may be able to suggest some approaches to reading and study that will help. Beyond this, you are encouraged to contact the Learning Assistance Service, 2202 Shoemaker Building, 301-314-7693. Their educational counselors can help with time management, reading, math learning skills, note-taking and exam preparation skills. All their services are free to UMD students.

Class Decorum: Come to class prepared to take full advantage of the lectures and discussion. Be respectful of your fellow students and the instructors. You are in the class to listen, to learn, and to take advantage the opportunities for discussion that your sections afford you. Refrain from all electronic communications during class -- this includes cell phones, text messaging, email, and internet usage. Students violating these common courtesies will be asked to stop and may be asked to leave the classroom. It may become necessary to forbid the use of laptop computers in the classroom if students use them for web browsing or other communications.

Note that the Web Site is also used to announce course changes.

Schedule of Lectures and Readings:

Final Examination: Monday, May 19 10:30AM-12:30PM