History 102/135
Western Civilization From 1650
Fall 2004 MWF, 12:00-12:50 (Cornerstone Hall)Dr. Paul Townend
Morton 250
962-7542 (office)
e-mail:
Office Hours: MW 3:00-4:00; T 10-12 and by appointment and drop-in (I am around the office much of the time and am always happy to see you; feel free to stop by to visit about class.)
COURSE WEBPAGE: Copies of study questions, syllabi, and other information about the course is available online at http://people.uncw.edu/townendp/history_102lc.htm You will also be able to link from there to the textbook website, which will help you prepare for quizzes!
Texts to Purchase! (All are required and are available in the bookstore. It is important that you read/work from the same edition of the book as the rest of the class---keep that in mind if you buy books online or used.)
Hunt et al., The Making of the West (2001 Edition)
Voltaire, Candide (Bedford Edition)
Jardine, Ingenious Pursuits (Anchor Books)
Ellis, Eye-Deep in Hell (Johns Hopkins Press)
Golden, The Social Dimension of Western Civilization (4th Edition)
Course Description:
This course provides an overview of the history of the last three hundred and fifty years, with a particular focus on the political and social development of Europe and the United States. The power of western ideological, political, social and economic systems to shape and transform is, on the one hand, clear in the world around us. On the other hand, the historical record of the West often revolves around conflict, above and beyond the natural focus of historians on disruption and chaos. The sometimes violent clash of ideologies, of competing economic and political systems, and of apparently incompatible identities is also a recurrent feature of Western history. This course tries to help you understand where we are today as a society by looking back at how the West changed over time. It asks you to think about those changes and how they affected westerners and non-westerners alike. In addition to coming to terms with this intense and turbulent period of history, you will be reading, writing, and generally exercising your ability to pull facts, ideas, opinions and themes together, and do something with them. At the end of the day, that is what a college education is all about.Succeeding
1) Nuts and Bolts (Grading!)
There are 1000 points to be gained in this class.
150–Participation. Participation includes: 1) attendance; 2) thoughtful, well-prepared participation in classroom discussions, usually based on the readings, (quality not quantity is the key here) 3) satisfactory completion of in-class writing and presentations. You have three "free" absences in this class; use them wisely. Every absence after these three will cost you 20 points off your final participation grade. Come to class.
200—Quizzes. There will be quizzes most Fridays, based on textbook readings and lecture material for that week. Quizzes are worth 20 points each; only your top 10 scores will count towards your quiz grade.
300–Papers. You will have to write three 3-5 page papers based on the course readings. They are worth 100 points each.
350–Final. More on these as it draws nearer, but the final will include essays and identification questions.
2) Helpful Advice
The course moves quickly and presents a lot of information. Especially for those of you who are not history majors and not used to the way history classes are taught, this course can be challenging. If you do the following three things, your chances of excelling in the class will greatly improve. 1) Come to class every scheduled day, AND TAKE GOOD NOTES. This will keep you actively engaged in what is being said, even on those rare days when I am not giving an especially fascinating lecture. 2) Keep up with the readings. The textbook does a good job of reinforcing whatever our current topic is, and the material will make much more sense if you do this. 3) Ask questions. Interrupt my lecturing. Come see the teaching assistant or me as you write papers. That is why we are here.3) Study Questions
I will provide you with a brief set of study questions for most of our readings as we move through the syllabus. These will be straightforward, fact-based questions that you should be prepared to answer in class (and on quizzes!), with appropriate references to relevant places in the text. I do not collect these study question answers, they are strictly for your own reference, but please note that questions may turn up on the quizzes.
4) Academic Integrity
Adhere to the UNCW Academic Honesty Policy as outlined in the Undergraduate Catalogue and your Student Handbook. All your work for this class must be your own, or must clearly indicate and properly cite your reliance on outside material. This includes websites, Cliff notes, etc. I take cheating very seriously. Don’t do it. If you have any questions about this policy or are unclear about proper citation strategies and how to cite, get in touch with me. Note that submitting the same paper to two different classes also constitutes cheating and will be dealt with accordingly.
Week 1: Beginnings
Readings for the Week:
Begin Hunt, Chapter 16.Wednesday, 8/18: Introductions; Why History? Expectations.
Friday, 8/20: Why History Part II/ A Tour through the West.
Week 2: The West in Crisis
Readings for the Week:
Finish Hunt, Chapter 16. For Wednesday, read van Dulmen, "Rituals of Execution," in The Social Dimension. Begin Jardine.Monday, 8/23: Lecture: The West at Mid-17th Century: Politics, Religion, and Two Revolutions.
Wednesday, 8/25: (Last day to Drop/Add) Question Day/(Come with a prepared Question)
Friday, 8/27: Chapter 16 Quiz #1/ Discuss van Dulmen.
Week 3: Power and Politics
Readings for the Week:
Hunt, Chapter 17.Monday, 8/30: Lecture: Three Systems of Power.
Wednesday, 9/1: Louis XIV and Versailles
Friday, 9/3: Chapter 17 Quiz #2; Louis XIV and Absolutism--Images
Week 4: Two Kinds of Commerce
Readings for the Week:
Hunt, Chapter 18. Continue Jardine.Monday, 9/6: Labor Day! No Class
Wednesday, 9/8: Atlantic World.
Friday, 9/10: Quiz #3, Chapter 18. Enlightenment/Jardine discussion
Week 5: The 18th Century
Readings for the Week:
Hunt, Chapter 19. For Wednesday’s discussion, read Darnton, "The Great Cat Massacre," in The Social Dimension. Begin CandideMonday 9/13: Lecture: Ancien Regimes and Imperial Wars.
Jardine paper due in class.
Wednesday, 9/15: Lecture: Social Change and the American Revolution.
Friday, 9/17: Quiz #4, Chapter 19. Discuss Darnton.
Week 6: Revolutions and Their Consequences
Readings for the Week:
Hunt Chapter 20. For Wednesday discussion, The Rights of Man. Also—Robespierre reading, available from the course webpage or online at http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/robespierre-terror.html Print out both and bring to class.Monday, 9/20: Lecture: French Revolution and its Echoes in the Atlantic World
Wednesday, 9/22: Revolutionary images.
Friday, 9/24: Chapter 20 Quiz #5. Discussion: Robespierre and Sobul. Lecture: The Coming of Napoleon.
Week 7: 19th Century Dynamics
Readings for the Week:
Hunt Chapter 21.Monday, 9/27: Lecture: Napoleon and The Concert of Europe.
Wednesday, 9/29: Lecture/Images: Romanticism and the Rise of the Individual.
Friday, 10/1: Quiz #6, Chapter 21. Discuss Candide. Candide Papers due.
Week 8: The Productive Revolution
Readings for the Week:
Hunt, Chapter 22. Hufton, "Women and Work," in The Social DimensionMonday, 10/4: Lecture: Industrialization/Socialism
Wednesday, 10/6: Quiz #7. Discuss: Hufton
Friday, 10/8: Vacation.
Week 9: 19th Century Identities
Readings for the Week:
Hunt, Chapter 23. For Wednesday, Clark, "The Struggle for the Breeches" in The Social Dimension.Monday 10/11: Secularization/Liberalism
Wednesday, 10/13: Images: Alcohol and Culture.
Friday, 10/15: Quiz #8, Chapter 23. Clark Discussion. Lecture: 1848 and The Rise of Nationalism.
Week 10: Two "isms:" Nationalism and Imperialism
Readings for the Week:
Hunt Chapter 24; Readings TBA. Begin Eye Deep in Hell.Monday, 10/18: Nationalism.
Wednesday, 10/20: Lecture: Imperialism.
Friday, 10/22: Chapter 24 Quiz #9. Nationalism discussion.
Week 11: The Modern World
Readings for the Week:
Hunt, Chapter 25. For Wednesday’s Discussion read Frank, "Popular Justice" in the Social Dimension.Monday, 10/25: Democratization and Political Change
Wednesday, 10/27: Lecture and Images: Modernity.
Friday 10/29: Chapter 25 Quiz #10; Frank Discussion.
Week 12: The Center Does Not Hold
Readings for the Week:
Hunt Chapter 26. Finish Eye-Deep in Hell.Monday 11/1: Lecture: The Coming of the Great War
Wednesday, 11/3: Discussion, Eye-Deep, Web Images.
Friday, 11/5: Quiz #11 on Chapter 26. Lecture: The Post-War Settlement/Angst and Ennui
Paper #3 Due in class.
Week 13: Brave New Worlds: Fascism and Communism
Readings for the Week:
Hunt, Chapter 27. For Wednesday’s Discussion, Chase, "Daily Life in Moscow, 1921-29" in The Social Dimension.Monday, 11/8: The Russian Revolution and the Eastern Crisis.
Wednesday, 11/10: Lecture: The 20’s.
Friday, 11/12: Chapter 27 Quiz #12. Chase Discussion.
Week 14: Crisis and More War
Readings for the Week(s):
Hunt, Chapter 28. Hitler, Stalin, and Roosevelt speeches available on the course webpage.Monday, 11/15: The Rise of Fascism.
Wednesday, 11/17: Great Depression and Response
Friday, 11/19: Quiz #13, Chapter 28. Readings/Speech Discussion. Coming of War
Week 15: Crisis/More War cont’d.
Readings for the Week:
Browning, "German Killers," in The Social Dimension.Monday, 11/22: World War II, Post-War World.
Wednesday, 11/25: Thanksgiving Vacation.
Friday 11/27: Thanksgiving Vacation
Week 16: The Cold War
Readings for the Week:
Hunt, Chapter 29 & 30. For discussion Wednesday: TBAMonday, 11/29: The Cold War. Browning Response Paper Due.
Wednesday, 12/1: Globalization
Friday, 12/3: Optional Exam Review
FINAL EXAM