Appendix B: Podcasts
All episodes in this series are made possible through funding from Louisiana Board of Regents eLearning Taskforce Innovation Grants Program for the project: Learn with podcasts! Creating Podcast Lectures to Enhance Dual Enrollment Students’ Engagement with History and the efforts of Lise Namikas, Christopher Gilson, Chresancio Jackson, Ryan Pierce, and Amelia Brister.
Episodes can be found on Spotify and YouTube.
All podcast episodes were released under a CC-BY-NC-ND license.
Chapter 1. Prehistory
We begin our study rightly at the beginning of mankind. In this module, we will investigate the evolution of man as far back as 8 million years ago to homo sapiens. Moving out of Africa, modern humans populated the world during the Paleolithic Era and ultimately forever changed society during the Neolithic Era. Around 8,000 BCE, the development of agriculture during the Neolithic Revolution will have intended and unintended consequences. This fascinating time in history demonstrates how humans interact with their environment. In this episode, Dr. Juliet Brophy of Louisiana State University joins Lise Namikas.
- Special Guests: Dr. Juliet Brophy, LSU, in the Geography and Anthropology department
- Tags: Paleolithic Era, Neolithic Revolution
Chapter 2. Early Middle Eastern and Northeast African Civilizations
The first civilizations we will discuss will be Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Nubia. Egypt will be relatively protected, and there will not be much political unrest. Mesopotamia, however, will not be so lucky; we see continuous turmoil in Mesopotamia. Religion was foundational for each early civilization, and we will see varying degrees of rights for women.
- Tags: Egypt, Mesopotamia, Nubia
Chapter 3. Ancient and Early Medieval India
This module will explore the glories of the India through the examination of its ancient past to its late medieval period. This module begins with an introduction into the people and the terrain of the Indus Valley Civilization. The learner will examine the ancient civilizations of Harappa and Mohenjo-Dara. The next topic that will be covered will be the Vedic Age and the coming of the Aryan people. The text will explore the impact that the Aryans had on India’s religion and its culture.
- Tags: India, Indus Valley
Chapter 4. China and East Asia to the Ming Dynasty
This module will explore the glories of China through the examination of its ancient past to its dynastic civilization. This module begins with an introduction into the people and the terrain of East Asia. The learner will examine the beginnings of the numerous dynasties in China’s history
- Tags: Lintong Count, China, Terracotta warriors, Zhao Kangmin (archaeologist), Qin Dynasty, Mausoleum of the First Emperor of the Qin Dynasty, Terracotta army, Qin Dynasty, Yellow River, Yangzi River, Chinese civilization, Xia, Shang, Zhou, Confucius, Confucianism, Daoism, Buddhism
Chapter 5. The Greek World from the Bronze Age to the Roman Conquest
The Greeks have been considered the cornerstone of Western civilization. This is true in many respects. Both democracy and philosophy come from the Greeks. We also owe the study of history to the Greeks. The Greeks were humanity-centered.
As for dates, the peak of ancient Greece is generally considered around 450 BCE (the Delian League), and the civilization generally closes around 323 BCE (the death of Alexander the Great). Much of what the Greeks accomplished will not end with the downfall of Athens and Sparta because of Alexander the Great. He will create a massive empire. Alexander is one of the most intriguing figures in history. He has become a legend, and distinguishing fact from fiction has become difficult, even for historians. Alexander is given credit for extending Greek culture throughout the world. Much of Greek society will continue through the Roman Empire and will be reborn again with the Renaissance.
- Tags: Greeks
Chapter 6. The Roman World from 753 BCE to 500 CE
Rome wasn’t built in a day. The Roman Republic (and later, the Roman Empire) was built on many of the achievements of its neighbors in the Mediterranean region—especially Greece. Rome struggled to address the challenges of governing a large area (and population), but its innovations in politics and religion continue to influence our world today. The fall of (Western) Rome in 476 AD (CE) has long served as a reminder of how quickly our world can change.
- Tags: Roman Soldier, 218 BCE, Great Powers, Carthage, Rome, Punic Wars, Italy, Hannibal’s Invasion, Roman Republic, Roman Empire, Etruscans, Magna Grecia of Rome, Julius Caesar, Augustus, Germanic Invasions, Sacking of Rome, Roman Civilization, Eastern Roman Empire, Byzantine Empire, Fall of Constantinople, Roman Legacy
Chapter 7. Western Europe and Byzantium circa 500–1000 CE
Were the Dark Ages really that dark? Many things changed in Europe after the fall of (Western) Rome in 476 AD (CE). Governments broke down. People moved to the countryside. Cities fell into ruin. Engineering and architectural skills were forgotten. Raiding and warfare were common. But the early Middle Ages prepared the way for the emergence of new social and political structures in the Late Middle Ages and Renaissance era. And, in the eastern city of Constantinople, the Roman Empire survived for another 1000 years.
- Tags: Lindisfarne Island, Lindisfarne Monks, Lindisfarne, Viking attack Alcuin of York’s, Early Middle Ages, Europe, Byzantine Empire, Roman rule, Fall of Rome, Western Europe, Charlemagne, Byzantine Empire, Constantinople, Justinian, European migration, Norse Vikings, Magyar, Europe, Western, Competing states
Chapter 8. Islam to the Mamluks
The Islamic world began in Arabia and grew with the vision of the Prophet Muhammad. The chapter outlines Muhammad’s experiences and the origins of Islam. It identifies the basic characteristics of Islam, its five pillars, community, and social aspects. The chapter then explains the growth and expansion of Islam, its empire building and conquest. It explains the empire building of Muhammad and then those who followed, specifically the Umayyads and the Abbasids. Salwa and Saif Saeed, Louisiana Delta Community College students, join Lise Namikas in this episode. Lise interviews Linda Midgett, independent director and producer of 2018 film: Same God.
- Special Guests: Salwa and Saif Saeed, Louisiana Delta Community College students. Linda Midgett, independent director and producer of a film, Same God
- Tags: Islam, Arabia, Muhammad, Umayyads, Abbasids, Koran, Shahada, Salat, Ramadan, Zakat, Hajj, Mecca, Shia, Sunni, Salwa Saeed, Saif Saeed, Linda Midgett, Same God
Chapter 9. African History to 1500
African civilizations are more diverse than anywhere else in the world. Yet the general, western understanding of Africa is slim. Africa has faced a number of environmental challenges that have limited population growth, but it has still fostered great empires such as those in Ethiopia (Aksum), the Western Sudanic empires, and south Africa. In this episode, Lise Namikas interviews Prince Lobo, owner/manager of Addis Nola restaurant in New Orleans, Louisiana.
- Special Guest: Prince Lobo is the owner/manager of the restaurant Addis Nola
- Tags: African history, Africa, Ethiopia, Griots, Addis Ababa, Queen of Sheba, Axum, Menelik, Solomonic dynasty of Ethiopia, Lalibela, Zagwe dynasties, Gabre meskel, Lalibela, Tigringya culture, Massawa, Tigray province, Aksum, Prince Lobo, Addis Nola, New Orleans, Louisiana
Chapter 10. The Americas
This module will explore the history of the Americas through the examination of the various groups of people who settled the continent. This module begins with an introduction into the migration of people across the Bering Strait to North America. The learner will examine the three major civilizations of the Americas, the Maya, the Aztecs, and the Inca.
- Tags: Americas, Bering Strait, North America, Maya, Aztec, Inca
Chapter 11. Central Asia
The Mongols were a unique force in world history. As nomadic pastoralists, they still created major and impactful empires. Beginning with Genghis Khan, the Mongols moved west into South Asia, the middle east, and the lands of Rus, as well as founding the Yuan empire in China. They blended with the Turkic peoples, lead with a brutal form of conquest, and gradually adopted Islam and settled more permanently.
- Tags: History, Marco Polo, Kublai Khan, Genghis, Central Asia, China, Mongol, Mongolia, World Civilization 1, Yuan dynasty
Chapter 12. Western Europe and Byzantium circa 1000–1500 CE
The Renaissance draws together many of the topics discussed in this class. The period was defined by new interest in the culture of ancient Greece and Rome, as can be seen in the art of Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo. The Renaissance also encouraged scientific inquiry and exploration, often using ancient works preserved by medieval Christian and Islamic scribes. In the end, Renaissance sailors and navigators reconnected Europe to Africa and Asia and ultimately to the Americas. When Columbus crossed the Atlantic in 1492, his voyage did more than connect two hemispheres: it symbolized the end of one era and the beginning of another.
- Tags: Florence, Italian Renaissance, Donatello, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, The Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, Duomo, Lorenzo Ghiberti, Filippo Brunelleschi, Contrasts of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, High Middle Ages, Feudalism, Climate Change and its Effects on Europe, The Little Ice Age, The Black Death, European Impact, Fourteenth Century, Italian Renaissance, Humanism, The Legacy of the Renaissance, Giovanni Pico Della Mirandola
Bonus Instructor Materials
Experience Creating OER materials: Lessons Learned
The team joins Ryan in discussing what it is like to work on creating the LOUIS World Civilization 1 course and the accompanying podcast episodes.
- Tags: Open educational resources, Course creation
Best practices in Using these OER materials
The team discusses OER materials and their intended audience; ensuring quality materials; understanding the best ways to use these materials in your course.
- Tags: Open educational resources, Best practices, audience, students
Advocating for OER materials
Listen as the team discusses ways and research that can help administrators approve using OER in your courses.
- Tags: Open educational resources, Advocating, Instructors, Administration
