Dr. Kenneth Wilburn
Department of History
East Carolina University
Greenville, NC, USA 27858
E-Mail: wilburnk@ecu.edu
Academic Home Page: http://core.ecu.edu/hist/wilburnk/
Section A: Questions for A Student's Guide to History.
Section B: Chapter Questions for Books That Changed the World.
Section C: Chapter Section Assignments for The Earth and Its Peoples, 3rd Edition.
1. What is a philosophy of history?
2. What is historiography?
3. What are the two forms of historical evidence and methods of testing?
4. Discuss the use of computer technology in historical research.
5. What can you do with the knowledge you will gain from this history course?
6. How should you read our survey text?
7. Describe the best way to take notes in class.
8. How should you give a formal class talk?
9. Our final exam is in essay format. What should you do to make an "A" on the final exam?
10. How do you write with clarity and craft quality essays?
11. What is plagiarism?
12. How can you apply Chapter 5, "How to Write a Research Paper," to writing journal summaries and reactions?
Summarize and react to each Downs' chapter below in no more than 250 words, then restate and respond to each chapter question in several paragraphs. See http://core.ecu.edu/hist/wilburnk/JournalExamples/j-downs.htm for a sample entry.
Chapter 1 ("The Book of Books, The Bible")
Question: Explain why the bible is not considered a work of history by historians. As you respond, be sure to explain the composition and character of the bible.
Chapter 6 ("Sense of the Past: Greek and Roman Historians: Herodotus, Thucydides, Xenophon, Polybius, Sallust, Livy, Plutarch, Tacitus")
Question: In a paragraph each, consider the contents and historiographical significance of Herodotus' History of the Persian Wars, Thucydides' History of the Peloponnesian War, and
Polybius' The Histories.
Chapter 8 ("Fathers of the Church: St. Augustine: Confessions and City of God and St. Thomas Aquinas: Summa Theologica")
Question: Any serious student of Christianity must understand the major contributions made by Augustine and Aquinas. Describe how the fall of Rome affected
Augustine's view of Christianity, then consider how Aquinas balanced faith with reason.
Quickly identify each chapter's sub-titles, then select the sub-title that interests you most. Craft a journal entry that has the following structure: (1) a title (the chapter number and name, and your sub-title's heading); (2) date; (3) a summary of your sub-title section with an introduction, body, and conclusion; and (4) a reaction. Total length of your entry using Times New Roman #10 font must not be more than a page and a half.