Western Civilization I and II explore the events and themes which make up the story of the western world. HF 231 extends from the period of the earliest known ancient near eastern civilizations through to the end of the medieval period (mid 15th century) in Europe, while HF 232 covers the period from the late Middle Ages to the late 20th century. This guide provides direction, links, and resources to help equip students to navigate the research elements of this course. This home page includes some introductory information to get you started. Use the blue tabs above to navigate to more detailed information on research strategies, primary sources, and secondary sources.
Information on HF 231 and 232 taken from course syllabi created by Dr. James Enns.
In the Dewey Decimal System (which is the classification system our library uses) the 900s are History, Geography, and Auxiliary Disciplines. The 900s are primarily organized by geographical location, and as you move through each section you move through the time periods within that location from earliest to most recent. When you are browsing the history section, this is how it looks on the shelf.
In HF 231 and 232 your research paper requires the use of primary and secondary sources, so what is the difference? Streefkerk (2018) on Scribbr describes it this way:
Primary sources may provide more trustworthy evidence than secondary sources, but good historical research includes both.
Streefkerk, R. (2018). Primary vs secondary sources. https://www.scribbr.com/citing-sources/primary-and-secondary-sources/
These two open access links recommended by Dr. Enns are useful resources for students in HF 231 and 232.
Here is an example of a video tutorial offered by the Kahn Academy on the Scientific Revolution and the Age of Enlightenment.
Our library collection has several resources that provide an overview of the history of Western Civilization. Here are some that may be useful as you choose or refine your topic. Each item links to the corresponding record in the library catalogue.