HIST 1011: Greeks, Romans, Kings, & Crusaders: European History to 1600 Instructor Information Instructor: Jillian Bjerke Email: jillian.bjerke@colorado.edu Office: 351 Hellems Office Hours: T/TH 9:30-10:30 and by appointment Course Description HIST 1010 is a reading-intensive course designed to introduce students to the origins, formation, and history of Europe through the sixteenth century. Students will read primary source texts in translation each week in order to come into contact with the development and evolution of Western culture. Many of these primary source readings fall into the genre of epic. By reading various epics across ancient and medieval history, students will see the evolution of this genre over time and consider how epics are influenced by the civilizations that produced them. Students will also engage with the concept of periodization in order to grasp its inherent problems and the consequences and inevitabilities it brings to the study of history. Most importantly, students will learn how to make and support an argument within the context of historical questions and sources. Course Requirements This course consists of two meetings per week. Students are expected to attend all sessions. Your attendance will factor into your participation grade. You are allowed to miss TWO classes without affecting your participation grade. The lectures provide the necessary background and contextual information necessary for discussion of the primary sources. You are expected to come to class having read and digested the assigned material. The discussion questions given for each week are designed to help you in this task. Your final grade will be composed of the following four components: Participation in in-class discussion and attendance 20% Dante essay 20% Midterm exam 30% Final exam 30% You are expected to participate in class discussions. Each student will also complete an essay of 3-5 pages addressing Dante s placement of a figure we have discussed or read about during the course. More information on this assignment is given under Week 15. There will be one midterm and one final exam. These exams are essay questions which you will have before the exam. You may prepare outlines on the back of the exam question sheet to use during the exam. Your exams will be graded according to the rubric provided in this syllabus. You must complete all components of the course in order to pass. 1
Required Texts Lynn Hunt et al., The Making of the West: Peoples and Cultures, Volume I: to 1750, 5 th ed. (Boston: Bedford/St. Martin s, 2017). ISBN: 1457681528 Beowulf: A New Verse Translation (Bilingual Edition), trans. Seamus Heaney (W.W. Norton, 2001). ISBN: 0393320979 Maureen C. Miller, Power and the Holy in the Age of the Investiture Controversy: A Brief History with Documents (Boston: Bedford/St. Martin s, 2005). ISBN: 0312404689 The Song of Roland, trans. Robert Harrison (New York: Signet Classic, 2012). ISBN: 0451531930 Henry of Huntingdon, The History of the English People, 1000-1154, trans. Diana Greenway (Oxford: Oxford World s Classics, 2009). ISBN: 0199554803 John Aberth, The Black Death: The Great Mortality of 1348-1350: A Brief History with Documents (Boston: Bedford/St. Martin s, 2005). ISBN: 1319048870 Dante Alighieri, The Inferno, trans. John Ciardi (New York: Signet Classic, 2009). ISBN: 0451527984 William Shakespeare, Hamlet. (New York: Signet Classics, 1998). ISBN: 0451526929 Online readings via Canvas University Policies Accommodation for Disabilities If you qualify for accommodations because of a disability, please submit your accommodation letter from Disability Services to me in a timely manner so that your needs can be addressed. Disability Services determines accommodations based on documented disabilities in the academic environment. Information on requesting accommodations is located on the Disability Services website. Contact Disability Services at 303-492-8671 or dsinfo@colorado.edu for further assistance. If you have a temporary medical condition or injury, see Temporary Medical Conditions under the Students tab on the Disability Services website. Classroom Behavior Students and faculty each have responsibility for maintaining an appropriate learning environment. Those who fail to adhere to such behavioral standards may be subject to discipline. Professional courtesy and sensitivity are especially important with respect to individuals and topics dealing with race, color, national origin, sex, pregnancy, age, disability, creed, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, veteran status, political affiliation or political philosophy. Class rosters are provided to the instructor with the student's legal name. I will gladly honor your request to address you by an alternate name or gender pronoun. Please advise me of this preference early in the semester so that I may make appropriate changes to my records. For more information, see the policies on classroom behavior and the Student Code of Conduct. Honor Code All students enrolled in a University of Colorado Boulder course are responsible for knowing and adhering to the Honor Code. Violations of the policy may include: plagiarism, cheating, fabrication, lying, bribery, threat, unauthorized access to academic materials, clicker fraud, 2
submitting the same or similar work in more than one course without permission from all course instructors involved, and aiding academic dishonesty. All incidents of academic misconduct will be reported to the Honor Code (honor@colorado.edu; 303-492-5550). Students who are found responsible for violating the academic integrity policy will be subject to nonacademic sanctions from the Honor Code as well as academic sanctions from the faculty member. Additional information regarding the Honor Code academic integrity policy can be found at the Honor Code Office website. Sexual Misconduct, Discrimination, Harassment and/or Related Retaliation The University of Colorado Boulder (CU Boulder) is committed to fostering a positive and welcoming learning, working, and living environment. CU Boulder will not tolerate acts of sexual misconduct (including sexual assault, exploitation, harassment, dating or domestic violence, and stalking), discrimination, and harassment by members of our community. Individuals who believe they have been subject to misconduct or retaliatory actions for reporting a concern should contact the Office of Institutional Equity and Compliance (OIEC) at 303-492-2127 or cureport@colorado.edu. Information about the OIEC, university policies, anonymous reporting, and the campus resources can be found on the OIEC website. Please know that faculty and instructors have a responsibility to inform OIEC when made aware of incidents of sexual misconduct, discrimination, harassment and/or related retaliation, to ensure that individuals impacted receive information about options for reporting and support resources. Religious Holidays Campus policy regarding religious observances requires that faculty make every effort to deal reasonably and fairly with all students who, because of religious obligations, have conflicts with scheduled exams, assignments or required attendance. In this class, please alert me to any absences for religious observances as soon as possible. See the campus policy regarding religious observances for full details. Explanation of the Grading Scale The highest possible grade, an A paper or exam demonstrates exceptional insight as well as an outstanding mastery of the course or research material. Students who achieve this grade have proven that they have a nuanced understanding of the theoretical issues and historical content presented in the course. Their arguments show intellectual originality and creativity and are sensitive to historical context. They articulate their ideas with clarity and elegance. An A- paper or exam demonstrates an excellent mastery of the course or research material. Students who achieve this grade have displayed independent thought, superior analytical skills, considerable insight, and the ability to articulate their ideas with clarity. A B+ paper or exam exhibits a strong mastery of the course or research material. Students who achieve this grade have shown very competent analytical skills, good insight, and the ability to articulate their ideas with reasonable success. They give evidence of independent thought, but their arguments are not presented as clearly or convincingly as those who earn the highest grades. 3
A B or B- paper or exam exhibits a good mastery of the course or research material. Students in this grade range display occasional insights, but generally provide a less than thorough defense of their independent theses because of weaknesses in writing, argument, organization or use of evidence. A C+, C or C- paper or exam demonstrates an acceptable mastery of the course or research material, but with very little evidence of insight into the conceptual issues raised by the readings. Students who achieve this grade offer little more than a mere summary of ideas and information covered in the course, are insensitive to historical context, suffer from factual errors, unclear writing, poor organization or inadequate research (or some combination of the above). Whereas the grading standards for written work between A and C- are concerned with the presentation of argument and evidence, a paper or exam that belongs to a lower category demonstrates an inadequate command of the course or research material. A D paper or exam demonstrates serious deficiencies or severe flaws in the student s command of course or research material. An F paper or exam demonstrates no competence in the course or research materials. It indicates the student s neglect or lack of effort in the course. Part I: The Ancient World Week 1 Aug. 28: Introduction to the Study of History Aug. 30: The Ancient Near East Readings: Making of the West ch. 1, Exodus chs. 1-20, 24-25, 32-34, 40 on Canvas Discussion Questions: (1) Why must we consider periodization when we study history? (2) Many of the readings in the course count as epics. Can Exodus be read as an epic? (3) If so, who is the hero of Exodus? Week 2 Sept. 4: Turning to the Mediterranean Sept. 6: From Collapse to City-State Readings: Making of the West ch. 2, Iliad excerpts on Canvas Discussion Questions: (1) Can the Iliad be read as a historical source? How can we extract information from it? (2) What is the role of religion in the Iliad? Does this role translate into every day Greek life? (3) Who is the hero of the Iliad? Is there one? 4
Week 3 Sept. 11: The Athenian Empire and Radical Democracy Sept. 13: The Scuff Marks of the Greek Golden Age Readings: Making of the West ch.3, Odyssey excerpts on Canvas Discussion Questions: (1) These lectures claim that Herodotus and Thucydides were the first historians. Can we make a case for Homer too? (2) What importance does renown have in the Odyssey? Do different characters have different attitudes towards temporal glory? (3) What does Homer s geographical world look like? How does he conceive of the Mediterranean and the lands surrounding it? Week 4 Sept. 18: Looking Beyond: Alexander the Great Sept. 20: The Hellenistic World Readings: Making of the West ch. 4, excerpt from The Campaigns of Alexander on Canvas Discussion Questions: (1) Based on this reading, how does Alexander see the world? What are his ambitions? (2) How does Alexander incite his men to follow him? (3) How does Alexander view his ancestors? According to him, who are his ancestors? Week 5 Sept. 25: Rome: Foundation and Rise Sept. 27: Rome: The Republic Readings: Making of the West ch. 5, Aeneid excerpts on Canvas Discussion Questions: (1) How can we explain Rome s two foundation myths? What aspect of Roman heritage does each myth speak to? (2) How does the Aeneid compare to the Iliad and the Odyssey? How does Aeneas compare to the heroes of Homer s epics? (3) How is Rome Greece s legacy? How are modern Europe and the United States legacies of Rome? What problems arise from viewing these ancient civilizations as precursors to modern ones? Week 6 Oct. 2: The Transition from Republic to Empire Oct. 4: The Pax Romana and the Scent of Decline Readings: Making of the West ch. 6, excerpt from The Achievements of Augustus on Canvas Discussion Questions: (1) How did Julius Caesar s actions go against the ideals of the Republic? Were the liberators justified in taking his life? (2) How did Octavian Augustus make use of Roman heritage and culture to gain followers? (3) What kind of rhetoric did Octavian Augustus use to promote himself? How did he want others to see him? Did he succeed in this endeavor? 5
Week 7 Oct. 9: The Rise of Christianity Oct. 11: Enter the Barbarians Readings: Making of the West ch. 7, Gospel of Luke, Nicene Creed on Canvas Discussion Questions: (1) According to your reading of the Gospel of Luke, what might have drawn first- and second-century people to Christianity? (2) What aspects of the message of Christianity might cause problems with secular rulers? (3) How is the Nicene Creed directly targeting Arianiam? Why was it important to convert the Germanic tribes to orthodox Christianity as opposed to Arianism? Week 8 Oct. 16: The End of an Era? Oct. 18: MIDTERM EXAM Part II: The Medieval World Week 9 Oct. 23: The Rise of Islam Oct. 25: Merovingians and Carolingians Readings: Making of the West ch. 8, 9, Selections from the Life of Muhammad by Ibn Ishaq, Quran 1, 47 on Canvas Discussion Questions: (1) What are the central tenets of Islam? (2) Now that we ve read passages from all three peoples of the Book, what similarities and differences do you see between the three religions? How are they related? (3) How can we account for the rapid spread of Islam? Why do you think it spread faster than Christianity? Week 10 Oct. 30: The Vikings Nov. 1: Feudalism and Manorialism Readings: Making of the West ch. 10, Beowulf Discussion Questions: (1) Where do we see examples of the warrior mentality and comitatus in Beowulf? (2) What roles do women play in Beowulf? How do they function within a warrior culture? How does Grendel s mother fit into or subvert this paradigm? (3) What aspects of warrior culture in Beowulf resonate with modern literature? How are these aspects similar/different? 6
Week 11 Nov. 6: Monasticism and the Rise of Cluny Nov. 8: The Investiture Controversy Readings: Making of the West ch. 11, Maureen C. Miller, Power and the Holy in the Age of the Investiture Conflict p. 74-121 Discussion Questions: (1) How is the Investiture Conflict a representation of larger issues between secular and religious authorities? (2) In what ways was the Investiture Conflict all about power? (3) What were Gregory and Henry actually arguing over and what did it represent? Why did it matter so much to both of them? Week 12 Nov. 13: Crusades Nov. 15: Education and Urban Life Readings: Making of the West ch. 12, The Song of Roland Discussion Questions: (1) Can the Song of Roland be read in light of the Crusades? Where do we see crusading mentalities in the text? (2) Based on the author s portrayal of the Saracens, was the author familiar with Islam? (3) How might the Song of Roland be used to promote the Crusades? Week 13 FALL/THANKSGIVING BREAK Week 14 Nov. 27: Changing Monarchies: England, France and the Holy Roman Empire Nov. 29: The Calamitous Fourteenth Century Readings: Making of the West ch. 13, Henry of Huntingdon s The History of the English People, John Aberth, The Black Death: The Great Mortality of 1348-1350 Discussion Questions: (1) In his discussion of the Norman Conquest, is Henry of Huntingdon pro-norman or pro-english? How can you tell? (2) Why do you think Henry of Huntingdon included natural phenomena in his account? What do you make of the eclipses and comets? (3) What role does God play in Henry s history? How might this role reflect how medieval people viewed God? (4) Did people respond similarly, differently or both to the Great Famine and the Black Death? (5) How did the Great Famine, Black Death and Hundred Years War create a calamitous fourteenth century? (6) Did the Roman Empire truly fall in 1453? 7
Week 15 Dec. 4: Changing maps: The Hundred Years War and the Ottoman Conquest Dec. 6: Humanism, the Renaissance, and the Printing Press Readings: Making of the West, ch. 14, Dante Alighieri, The Inferno Discussion Questions: (1) How is Dante both a product of the Middle Ages and an example of the Renaissance? (2) When do the Middle Ages actually end? Can we really pinpoint a specific date or event? Dante Essay: Choose a character in the Inferno that we ve discussed in class or that you have encountered in the textbook. Do you agree/disagree with Dante s placement and punishment of him/her in Hell? Use at least 3 secondary sources by historians or literary scholars (cited according to the Chicago Manual of Style) to justify your stance in an essay of 3-5 pages DUE DECEMBER 13 Week 16 Dec. 10: The Reformation Dec. 12: The End of an era? Readings: Hamlet Discussion Questions: (1) How might Hamlet relate to the Reformation? (2) Where do we see the effects of the Renaissance and Humanism in Hamlet? (3) Does the Reformation mark the end of an era? Why does this course end at 1600? FINAL EXAM: Saturday, Dec. 15, 7:30-10:00 pm 8