History 101: Western Civilization I
- Course type: Self-paced
- Available Lessons: 177
- Average Lesson Length: 8 min
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Eligible for Credit: Yes
Earn transferable credit by taking this course for credit.
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Watch a preview:
chapter 1 / lesson 1The Last Ice Age: Thawing Ice and New Human Opportunities

Course Summary
History 101: Western Civilization I has been evaluated and recommended for 3 semester hours and may be transferred to over 2,000 colleges and universities. This comprehensive history course provides expert instruction and self-assessments, as well as a way to save time and money on your degree.to start this course today
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Lesson Sample
The Last Ice Age: Thawing Ice and New Human Opportunities
History 101: Western Civilization I • 146K views • 7 min
About this course:
23 hours of educational videos
177 self-paced lessons
16 practice tests
3 transferable credit hours
Max has an MA in Classics, Religion, Philosophy, Behavioral Genetics, a Master of Education, and a BA in Classics, Religion, Philosophy, Evolutionary Psychology.
16 chapters in History 101: Western Civilization I
Course Practice Test
Check your knowledge of this course with a 50-question practice test.- Comprehensive test covering all topics
- Detailed video explanations for wrong answers
Course Progress | Best Score | ||||
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Lesson 1 - The Last Ice Age: Thawing Ice and New Human Opportunities The Last Ice Age: Thawing Ice and New Human Opportunities | Video Take Quiz | ||||
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Take Quiz | ||||
Lesson 2 - Neolithic Agricultural Revolution: Causes and Implications Neolithic Agricultural Revolution: Causes and Implications | Video Take Quiz | ||||
Lesson 3 - The Great Flood and Population Migrations The Great Flood and Population Migrations | Video Take Quiz | ||||
Lesson 4 - Villages to Cities: How Cities Were Invented Villages to Cities: How Cities Were Invented | Video Take Quiz | ||||
Lesson 5 - Horse People and Nomadic Pastoralism: What is Civilization? Horse People and Nomadic Pastoralism: What is Civilization? | Video Take Quiz |
Course Objective
The course objective of History 101 is to survey the history of western civilization from prehistory through colonialism.
Grading Policy
Your grade for this course will be calculated out of 300 points. The minimum score required to pass and earn real college credit for this course is 210 points, or an overall course grade of 70%. The table below shows the assignments you must complete and how they'll be incorporated into the overall grade.
Assignment | Possible Points |
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Quizzes | 100 |
Proctored Final Exam | 200 |
Total | 300 |
Quizzes
Quizzes are meant to test your comprehension of each lesson as you progress through the course. Here's a breakdown of how you will be graded on quizzes and how they'll factor into your final score:
- You will have 3 attempts to take each quiz for a score.
- The highest score of your first 3 attempts will be recorded as your score for each quiz.
- When you've completed the course, the highest scores from your first 3 attempts at each quiz will be averaged together and weighed against the total possible points for quizzes. For instance, if your average quiz score is 85%, you'll receive 85 out of 100 possible points for quizzes.
- After your initial 3 attempts, you can take a quiz for practice as many times as you'd like.
- You will need to pass each quiz with a score of at least 80% to earn course progress for the lesson. However, it is not necessary to earn 80% within the first three quiz attempts.
Proctored Final Exam
The proctored final exam is a cumulative test designed to ensure that you've mastered the material in the course.
- You'll earn points equivalent to the percentage grade you receive on your proctored final. (So if you earn 90% on the final, that's 180 points toward your final grade.)
- If you're unsatisfied with your score on the exam, you'll be eligible to retake the exam after a 3-day waiting period.
- You can only retake the exam twice, so be sure to use your study guide and fully prepare yourself before you take the exam again.
Items Allowed on Study.com Proctored Exam for History 101:
- One sheet of blank scratch paper
- Pen or pencil
Items NOT Allowed on Study.com Proctored Exam for History 101:
- Office programs, web browsers, or any programs other than Software Secure (including Study.com lessons)
- Textbooks (digital or physical)
- Mobile phones, headphones, speakers, TVs, or radios
- Notebooks or notes
- Any calculators
Course Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, you will be able to:
- Analyze the roots of civilization from the last Ice Age to the formation of villages and cities
- Reconstruct the history of ancient Greece, including Athenian democracy, the history of Sparta and the birth of philosophy
- Diagram Christianity's roots and analyze its growth during the Roman Empire and Dark Ages
- Analyze the birth, foundations and growth of Islam
- Reconstruct the rise and decline of the Byzantine empire
- Appraise contributions of Renaissance artists and inventors, including Leonardo da Vinci
- Assess the work of Martin Luther and the Reformation's impact on Germany
- Analyze how the Protestant Reformation spread across Europe and its impact on different countries
- Appraise the economic impact of exploration and colonization on Europe
Prerequisites
There are no prerequisites for this course.
Course Format
History 101 consists of short video lessons that are organized into topical chapters. Each video is approximately 5-10 minutes in length and comes with a quick quiz to help you measure your learning. The course is completely self-paced. Watch lessons on your schedule whenever and wherever you want.
At the end of each chapter, you can complete a chapter test to see if you're ready to move on or have some material to review. Once you've completed the entire course, take the practice test and use the study tools in the course to prepare for the proctored final exam. You may take the proctored final exam whenever you are ready.
How Credit Recommendations Work
This course has been evaluated and recommended by ACE for 3 semester hours in the lower division baccalaureate degree category. To apply for transfer credit, follow these steps:
- If you already have a school in mind, check with the registrar to see if the school will grant credit for courses recommended by ACE.
- Complete History 101 by watching video lessons and taking short quizzes.
- Take the History 101 final exam directly on the Study.com site.
- Request a transcript to be sent to the accredited school of your choice!
- Check out this page for more information on Study.com's credit-recommended courses.
Additional Information
Category | Objectives |
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Prehistory | Look at the end of the last ice age and its impact on humans. Learn about the development of agriculture, population migrations, cities and early religions. |
History of Ancient Greece | Look at the Minoan civilization, the history of the alphabet, mythology, slavery, the role of women and early philosophy. Learn about Sparta and other Greek city-states, as well as Herodotus' Persian War . |
Hellenism and the Athenian Achievement | Discuss the origins of democracy, the Athenian Golden Age, Greek tragedies and comedies, the Peloponnesian war and the origins of Hellenism. Get information on Alexander the Great and his achievements, Aristotelian logic and the library of Alexandra. |
The Rise of the Roman Republic | Learn about Roman myths and religion, the seven legendary kings, the founding and rise of Rome, the structure of the Roman Republic, the legal system, Roman engineering and art, Stoicism and Atomism. |
The Fall of the Roman Empire | Discover the origins and influence of early Christianity in Rome. Examine Augustus, the Julio-Claudian and Severan dynasties and the events that led to the demise of the empire. |
The Dark Ages | Explore the Germanic invaders, conflicts in the early church, the origins and spread of Islam and the breakdown of Roman trade. Learn about Byzantine architecture and art, Frankish history and Muslim accomplishments and learning. |
The Early Middle Ages | Examine the feudalistic system, the Vikings, monasticism and Carolingian art and architecture. Learn about Charlemagne and the Holy Roman Empire and the demise of the Byzantine empire. |
The Medieval Warm Period | Explore developments in agricultural technology and the impacts on civilization. Discuss William the Conqueror, Henry II and Phillip Augustus. Discover key information about the Roman Catholic clergy, the Great Schism in the Church and the events and impact of the Crusades. |
The High Middle Ages | Study the Inquisition, the Magna Carta, the replacement of monasteries with universities, trade guilds and the daily lives of English peasants. Take a look at Thomas Aquinas, Frederick II and power struggles between popes and emperors. |
The Late Middle Ages | Learn about the lessening of the Pope's power, literature of the era, peasant revolts, the 100 Years War and the Black Death. |
The Renaissance | Get information on humanism, the birth of parliament, the rise of banking, the formation of modern nation states, England's Wars of the Roses, the Tudors, the Medicis and Leonardo da Vinci. Learn how the invention of the printing press changed civilization. |
The Age of Exploration | Find out the history of gunpowder in the west, and learn about Machiavelli, Michelangelo and Suleiman. Study Spanish and Portuguese explorers and their voyages, and learn why Europeans sailed to the New World. |
The Reformation | Study how vernacular displaced Latin, Martin Luther, the impact of the reformation on Germany, and the European spread of Protestantism. Look at the French religious wars, the Council of Trent and how the church changed after the reformation. |
The Elizabethan Era | Review the lives of Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth. Learn about Shakespeare, the 30 Years War and the 80 Years' War, the Bourbon Dynasty and the Habsburg Dynasty. Explore the Netherlands and Eastern Europe during the Reformation, and look at the results of the Peace of Augsburg. |
Colonialism | Review the lives of Francis Bacon, Cardinal Richelieu, Galileo and Rene Descartes. Learn about the Holy Leagues and the Long War, the gunpowder plot, the English Civil War and how colonization and exploration impacted the European economies. |
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What to Expect For the Exam
This Study.com course has been evaluated and recommended for college credit. Once you've completed this course, you can take the proctored final exam and potentially earn credit. Follow the steps below to take the exam.

Exam Steps
Pre-Exam Checklist
Before taking the exam, all of the following requirements must be met:
A College Accelerator Study.com membership. | |
Completed all lessons and passed all quizzes. | |
Available proctored exams in this month of membership. | |
Fewer than three attempts at this exam. (0/3) | |
Complete the exam readiness quiz. |
Please meet all of the pre-requirements in the Pre-Exam Checklist in order to take the exam.
Earning College Credit
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