Instructor: Bruce R. James, Professor of Soil Chemistry (Natural Resource Sciences)
Address: Rm. 0206 HJP (lab: Rm. 0134)
Tele: 405-1345 (lab: 405-1348)
FAX: 314-9041
Email: bj5@umail.umd.edu

Course Description:

Readings, lectures, role-playing exercises, position papers, and discussions will engage students in an in-depth, multi-disciplinary study of the role and importance of soil, water, and crop resources in the development and persistence of human civilizations. Agriculture and associated soil and water management practices are integral supports of human civilizations. Although of fundamental importance today, agriculture is a relatively recent human innovation; it began 10,000 to 12,000 years ago. Since that time, civilization as we know it has arisen, and human cultures have developed to the point that we cannot conceive of survival without agriculture. Nevertheless, agricultural activities are fundamentally disruptive of natural ecosystems, especially plant communities, soil systems, and water resources. Does agriculture lead to its own destruction and that of the civilization it supports? Or can agricultural systems continue to change and improve so that indefinite productivity and human welfare are maintained? This course will explore these sorts of questions from the perspectives of the crop and soil sciences, and in historical contexts through a series of case studies.

Note: The course fulfills the Human Cultural Diversity requirement of CORE at the advanced level.

Course Requirements and Grading System:

Each student will be expected to participate in class discussions throughout the semester, and especially during the role-playing exercises of two of the four civilization case studies. Two hour examinations, two "position" papers, and a final will also be required. The examinations will be essay-type.

Students will have the opportunity to earn up to 750 points during the semester, and a numerical average will be calculated and used to determine letter grades on a scale. The following points will be assigned:

Requirement		Number			Points	Total Points

Hour Exams		  2			  100		200
Final Exam		  1			  150		150
Papers			  2			  200		400

Total							 	750

The central, required text for the course is Out of the Earth (1991) by Daniel Hillel (University of California Press, Berkeley, ISBN 0-520-08080-7). It can be purchased at the University Book Center for approximately $14.95. Numerous, additional readings for the course will be distributed or put on reserve during the semester. In addition, each student should have access to and knowledge of the "World Wide Web" to search for information pertinent to the course.

Course Plan

The course will be divided into six study units, as described below:

Unit I: The Nature and Concept of Human Civilization

In this four-class unit, we will explore the central concept of civilizations and why they impress us, yet leave an air of mystery regarding their growth and decline. We will examine the origin and nature of agriculture as it underlies the growth of civilizations.

Unit II: The Sciences Underlying Human Civilizations

In approximately eight lectures, we will examine the concept of ecological succession and change as related to agriculture. In addition, we will introduce selected concepts from soil and water sciences, and discuss key principles related to crop domestication. The first examination will follow this unit, and will cover class material and readings from the first two units.

Unit III: Mesopotamia--The Land Between the Rivers

We will study the ancient civilizations of Sumeria and Assyria and how irrigation of arid region soils was a key determinant in the growth, and possibly in the decline, of the first cities. Three lectures will focus on the cultural history, one on soil and water, and one on crops. Three classes will be devoted to our first role-playing exercise upon which paper #1 will be based.

Unit IV: Mediterranean Civilizations--The Sea Between the Lands

The civilizations of ancient Greece and Rome will be studied with special emphasis on the soil-water relationships that fostered a commercial agriculture due to soil erosion. Five classes will be focus on this unit. Exam #2 will follow this unit, and it will cover Units III and IV only.

Unit V. The Maya of Central America--Farming Wetlands and Irrigating with Air

A surplus of water was the limitation overcome in the establishment of this famous civilization, and little is known about its sudden decline. Paper #2 and a role-playing exercise will be based on this unit.

Unit VI. The Anasazi of Mesa Verde--Creating Agricultural Soil and Conserving Water on Mesa Tops

The "ancient ones" of the Mesa Verde region of the Southwest region of North America created a remarkable civilization in striking cliff dwellings beneath flat-topped mesas where corn was the staple crop.

Important Dates (subject to change with notice)

8/31			First class
10/5			Exam #1 				(100 points)
10/23			Paper 1A due 				(100 points)
10/28			Paper 1B due 				(100 points)
11/9			Exam #2 				(100 points)
11/25			Paper 2A due 				(100 points)
12/2			Paper 2B due 				(100 points)
12/11			Last class
12/14			Comprehensive Final Exam; 150 points
			(10:30-12:30, Rm. 1104 HJP)

All papers are due in class on the days specified. Five points per day will be deducted for late papers.

Information on Position Papers and Role-Playing Exercises

For two of the case study civilizations (Mesopotamian and Maya), the class will engage in a role-playing exercise that will apply the historical and scientific principles studied to a contemporary problem related to soil, water, and agricultural systems. Each exercise will comprise one class for preparation in small groups, one for the exercise itself, and a third for discussion and debriefing. The details for each unit's exercise will be presented by the instructor, and adequate time will be available for individual research and paper writing. For these exercises, each student will be assigned a role to be played during the exercise. Part A of the position paper for that unit will be written before the class activity begins and handed in at the class role-playing activity. This "Part A" of each paper will be a carefully-researched, well-written development and defense of the assigned position the student will assume in the exercise. This part of each paper will be worth 100 points, will be graded on logic, thoroughness, and creativity. It must be typed, double-spaced, and written using excellent grammar and syntax, and without spelling errors. Papers not meeting these standards will be returned before being corrected. Part A should be five to seven pages long.

Following the debriefing and discussion class of each exercise, the student will write a follow-up critique of his or her Part A position paper and role for the exercise. This critique may re-affirm the original position, or it may reflect a changed attitude toward the problem addressed. This "Part B" of the paper may not require any further research; but it will expose the student's learning and development as a result of the exercise. Part B will conform to the same standards as for Part A, but it should be three to five pages long.

These two-part papers and associated role-playing exercises will challenge each student and the class to apply historical information to modern problems. In so doing, considerable time and cooperative work with other students may be required outside of class. This is the reason that these papers are worth 53% of the grade. The students of the class have diverse academic backgrounds and interests, so very creative interactions and learning experiences are likely to occur.