Ancient communications

Today's online component is a lecture given during January 2011 that addresses early human communications, specifically those created in ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt cultures.

Part one: Ancient history significance; Mesopotamia

Questions for next week:

1. How is pre-history distinguished from history?
2. What form did prehistorical messages take?
3. How may prehistorical communications help us understand the roles of time and space in communication?
4. In what geographic region did ancient Mesopotamia exist?
5. What technologies were introduced during this era?
6. What form of writing did the Mesopotamians employ?
7. How was this writing composed?
8. Are there similarities between any modern communications and early Mesopotamian forms?

Part two: Cuneiform continued; Egytian communication

Questions for next week:

1. What was the subject of much early cuneiform?
2. Who was responsible for the initial translation of cuneiform?
3. What were examples of forms present in Egyptian hieroglyphs?
4. What roles did scribes perform in ancient Egypt?
5. What material was used for Egyptian documents?
6. How were these documents created?

jour 322

• Assistant Professor Matthew Blake
• Office: Tehama 339
• Office hours: M 10-11 & 4-5;
  T 4-5; Th 11-12
  Virtual office hours: T & Th 5-6.
• (530) 898-3608
• mdblake@csuchico.edu

weekly schedule

1. Online: Ancient communications
   In class: Course introduction
   Readings: Schudson, 17-30; Gutenberg
   
2. Online: Early Public communications
   In class: Franklin and broadsides
   Readings: Schudson, 30-43.
   
3. Online: Colonial Presses
   In class: Mark Twain and exercise
   Readings: Twain 1867 & 1879
4. Online: Colonial and Revolutionary Presses
   In class: Material review
   Readings: Mencken on democracy
5. Online: Party press
   In class: Exam one
   Readings: Pulitzer-winning photo histories
6. Online: Antebellum Press
   In class: Watergate
   Readings: Brady's war photography
7. Online: Penny Press
   In class: All the President's Men
   Readings: Carey & Sensational examples
8. Online: The telegraph
   In class: Exercise two and supplements
   Readings: Civil Rights & 1960s news
   
9. Spring Break
   
10. Online: Material review
    In class: Red scares and Good Night
    Readings: Blake on Guthrie
11. Online: Yellow journalism
    In class: Exam two
    Readings: WWI on the Wire
12. Online: Muckraking, Part one (quiz 4/16)
    In class: Citizen Kane
    Readings: "The Shame of Minneapolis"
13. Online: Muckraking, Part two (quiz 4/23)
    In class: Underground journalism
    Readings: "The Great American Fraud"
14. Online: Origins of PR
    In class: Student presentations
    Readings: Campaign PR, Thompson
15. In class: Student presentations
    
16. In class: Student presentations
    Online: Material review
17. Final exam

Matthew Blake    Department of Journalism    CSU-Chico   
mdblake@csuchico.edu    (530) 898-3608