This class will discuss the history of Western Civilization (primarily Mesopotamia, the Near East, and Europe) from the earliest known civilizations to about the year 1500 CE. You will learn about major events, countries, ideas, and people and the impact that these had on their times and on how history developed. This knowledge is important for you to have because you are a person who lives in a society shaped by these events and ideas. The ultimate goal of this class is to help you understand how the flow of history has impacted the present and to help you understand the world you find yourself in now.