COURSE SYLLABUS  SS 150               SPRING  2002

 

HISTORY OF MICRONESIA

 

 

INSTRUCTOR:  MARIA K. DONRE

 

TEXTS:  THE FIRST TAINT OF CIVILIZATION

 By, Francis X. Hezel, S.J.,

STRANGERS IN THEIR  OWN LAND

By, Francis X. Hezel,  S. J.,

 

CLASS TIME:  12:00-12:55 p.m. MWF

 

OFFICE HOURS: 11:00- 12:00  Daily

 

 

COURSE DESCRIPTION

 

The students will familiarize themselves with the history of Micronesia during the pre- contact times.  The pre-contact times will encourage students to some research on their own time, due to the limited sources that are available on hand.  The text covers the European explorers, Missionaries, and others that dealt with traders in the islands.  Students should be aware of the changes that after each wave of foreigners there were changes happened to the islanders.  The students will encounter four foreign administrations that controlled Micronesia and the effects. 

 

GENERAL OBJECTIVES

 

The students will be able to develop an understanding the migration of the people of Micronesia into the islands, and the theories of the migration pattern.

 

The students will be able to describe the involvement of European explorers in the Pacific.

 

The students will conceptualize the reasons for Europeans as well as other foreigners to move into the islands.

 

The students will be familiarized themselves about the world situation in those days that caused the many explorers to come to the islands of Micronesia.

 

The students will identify the products of each of the nations that came in contact with the islands.

 

The students will develop an understanding of four administrating authorities of Micronesia and some of the outcome created by them, and the results of these influences.

 

The students will develop an understanding of the entities in Micronesia and their political status.

 

 

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES

 

After studying the text , “the First Taint of Civilization”, the students will be able to:

 

Define the following: pre-contact, post-contact, oral account, written account, long seclusion

 

Show the pattern of migrations into the islands in the Pacific

 

Locate the main islands in Polynesian, Melanesian, and Micronesia

 

Write an essay describing the migration pattern from Asia into the Pacific areas

 

Discuss the causes of migration of people into the Pacific, what they brought to the islands

 

Identify the sixteenth century voyagers

 

Locate the Moluccas or Spice Islands and their relationship with the islanders

 

Calculate the distance from Guam to the Philippines and to Yap

 

Discuss the nationalities of the first Europeans that first came to Micronesia

 

Discuss the End of a Long Seclusion, Mission to the Palaos and who were involved

 

Describe the “On the Road to China”.

 

Identify of were involved in the “two worlds grown closer”

 

Simplify the statement,” a nest of rogues and runaways”

 

Explain what the missionaries meant about the powers of darkness and light

 

Describe Christianity and copra in the Marshalls

 

Discuss the Emergence of a New Order

 

Summarize the contest for commercial control, and who were involved

 

Define Colonial Rule

 

After studying the “Strangers in their own land”, the students will be able to:

 

Describe the statement “Spanish colors over the Carolines”

 

Describe the relationship between commerce and Christianity

 

Clarify the meaning of the “Shadow of the German Eagle”

 

Discuss the sunburst in the South Seas, and be able to locate the areas involved

 

Define the Imperial Garden and discuss its significance 

 

Discuss the impact of colonialism

 

Discuss Micronesia remade and who were involved

 

Summarize the status of Micronesia and discuss each of the entities with their political status

 

In Reference to the title ,Strangers in their own land  a century of colonial rule in the Caroline and Marshall Islands, briefly summarize your ideas

 

Conclude the impacts of the four administrating authorities in the islands.

 

WEEKLY READING ASSIGNMENTS 

Week 1-7 Text: The First Taint of Civilization, Week 9-15 Text: Strangers in their own land

 

WEEK 1: CHAPTERS 1& 2 ; The End of a Long Seclusion / Mission to the Palaos

 

WEEK 2: CHAPTERS 3& 4;   On the Road to China / Two Worlds Grown Closer

 

WEEK 3: CHAPTER   5  A  Nest of Rogues and Runaways

 

WEEK 4: CHAPTER   6  The Powers of Darkness and Light

 

WEEK 5: CHAPTER   7  The Reopening of the West

 

WEEK 6: CHAPTER   8   Christianity and Copra in the Marshalls

 

WEEK 7: CHAPTER    9   The Emergence of a New Order

 

WEEK 8:  MIDTERM  SPECIAL PROJECT

 

WEEK 9: CHAPTER   10  The Contest for Commercial Control

 

WEEK 10: CHAPTER 11 Colonial Rule

 

WEEK 11: CHAPTER 1    Spanish Colors over the Carolines

 

WEEK 12: CHAPTER 2    Commerce and Christianity

 

WEEK 13: CHAPTER 3     In the Shadow of the German Eagle

 

WEEK 14: CHAPTER  4    Sunburst in the South Seas

 

WEEK 15: CHAPTER  5    The Imperial Garden

 

WEEK 16: CHAPTER  6    Colonialism with a New Name

 

WEEK 17: CHAPTER  7     Micronesia Remade

 

WEEK  18:  FINAL  EXAM

 

 

EVALUATION

 

                                                   100 %

 

ATTENDANCE POLICY

 

All students will be subject to the standard COM-FSM Policy.