G r e e k s, R o m a n s, K i n g s a n d C r u s a d e r s : E u r o p e a n H i s t o r y t o 1 6 0 0 Museum Collections 100 MW: 11:00-11:50am Fall 2015 Office: Hellems 348 Office Hours: M: 2:30-4:30pm and by appointment E-mail: alester@colorado.edu COURSE DESCRIPTION How did the nations we know today as Europe take shape? What cultural traditions, environmental factors, and social norms did Europe inherit from the Hebrews, Greeks and Romans? What role did religion play in the shaping of state ideologies and personal identities? These are some of the questions we will explore in this course as we trace the history of Europe from its origins in the ancient near east through the seventeenth century (ca. 1600). We will follow certain continuities that characterize the rise of Europe and we will analyze when societies collapse and how they were reformed and rebuilt. We will also question the ways that historians characterize ruptures and breaks in the European past as well as renaissances and renewals. The lectures proceed chronologically and fall (roughly) into three thematic sections (a) Ancient Inherences (b) Medieval Civilizations (c) Early Modern Societies. The course emphasizes several themes including: the formation of empires and states; the process of urbanization; the role of law; the significance of economic systems and long distance trade networks; as well as changes in religion and the rise of religious conflicts; the role of gender in society; and the role of ideology and personal identity. COURSE OBJECTIVES AND GOALS The course is intended to provide students with: a broad overview of the formation of European society from its Classical roots to ca. 1600, when the more familiar lines of modern nation states begin to be drawn an introduction to the discipline of history and historical analysis an understanding of argumentative writing and the interpretation of information By looking closely at the written texts (epic poems, laws, letters, personal accounts, and plays) and cultural artifacts (like manuscripts, works of art, textiles and other objects) students will develop an understanding of how individuals lived in, thought about, and shaped their worlds in the past. The lectures are intended to provide an historical framework that will help you to contextualize and better understand the reading assignments. Lectures are designed to complement the reading in the textbook and the primary sources. At times the lectures will focus on specific themes and examples, offering an in-depth portrait of a particular historical development intended to flesh out ideas in the texts from a different perspective. 1
REQUIREMENTS AND EVALUATION Attendance and Participation in Recitations (15%): Attendance at lectures and recitation sections is REQUIRED. Grades are assessed based on your active and engaged participation in in-class discussions. This course privileges a close reading of the primary source texts and a willingness to take risks by offering thoughtful opinions, raising important issues of interpretation, and asking questions of our sources. Please come prepared to raise questions (indeed, it is a good idea to generate questions and write them down beforehand) and to participate. Always bring the weekly reading assignment with you to the class meetings, preferably in printed form. (i.e. please print out the online readings) Your recitation instructor will offer additional guidelines for how their sections will run. Please follow up with them. Written Assignments (25%): Clear, persuasive writing is fundamental to the discipline of history. In light of this you will be asked to write two papers. The first will analyze the epic poem the Iliad, by Homer (10%) and the second paper will focus on our final primary source, Shakespeare s play Hamlet (15%). Guidelines describing each assignment will be handed out beforehand and posted on D2L. Exams (60%): There will be three exams that will punctuate the course (worth 20% each). Exams will focus on material discussed in-depth in lecture and during the discussions and will draw on terms and ideas presented in lecture rather than in the textbook. Indeed, the textbook is considered a supplement to the lecture material rather than the other way around. Should you miss a significant number of lectures for any reason is it extremely unlikely that you will pass the exams. The format of the exams will be explained in greater detail as they approach. **To receive a passing grade in this course you must complete ALL of the assigned work ** TEXTS Reading assignments are English translations of works by ancient, medieval and early modern philosophers, poets, monks, nuns, clerics, and playwrights. In their words, we can hear the voices of individuals who inhabited worlds very different from our own. To that end, a degree of engaged intellectual empathy is required when reading these texts. They will not always be familial and will probably offer ideas that differ from your own. Attempting to think as someone else has is one of the key practices of historians and historical thinking. Thus the goal of discussions is to consider these texts in the spirit of free and generous exchange of ideas, which is an integral component of the European intellectual tradition. Finally, many of the texts that we will analyze in recitation meetings will be directly relevant to the essay questions that comprise exams. 2
All texts listed below are available for purchase at the CU bookstore and are also on reserve in Norlin Library. The Making of the West: Peoples and Cultures Volume I: To 1740 A Concise History, Fourth Edition. Ed. Lynn Hunt, et al. (NY: Bedford/St. Martin s, 2013). Homer, The Iliad. trans. Robert Fagels (Penguin Classics, 1998). Power and the Holy in the Age of the Investiture Conflict: A Brief History with Documents, ed. Maureen C. Miller (NY: Bedford/St. Martin s, 2005). Letters of Abelard and Heloise, ed. Betty Radice and Michael Clanchy (NY: Penguin Classics, 2004) (Revised edition). The Black Death: The Great Mortality of 1348-1350: A Brief History with Documents, ed. John Aberth (NY: Bedford/St. Martin s 2005). William Shakespeare, Hamlet, ed. Sylvan Barnet (Signet Classics, 1998). In addition to the books available for purchase we will also read several excerpts of shorter primary sources as well as several scholarly articles. This material, listed below, is available through the Desire2Learn or D2L site for the course. Articles/D2L Readings: Reading selections on Augustus and the Emergence of Christianity Brent D. Shaw, On the Passion of Perpetua, Past and Present 139 (1993): 3-45. The Passion of Saints Perpetua and Felicity Peter Heather, The Huns and the End of the Roman Empire in Western Europe, The English Historical Review 110 (1995): 4-41 Selections from Charlemagne s decrees. Selections from Bede, Ecclesiastical History of the English People (New York, revised ed. 1990). Selection from Fred Donner, Muhammad and the Believers: At the Origins of Islam (Cambridge, MA, 2010) Chapter 2. Selections on Medieval Kingship and Religion The course syllabus and lecture outlines will be available on D2L. 3
S C H E D U L E O F L E C T U R E S, R E A D I N G S, A N D D I S C U S S I O N [T] = Textbook: The Making of the West, Hunt, Rosenwein, et al. WEEK 1 Foundations and Texts: Europe and its Cultural Roots [M: Aug. 24] Lecture 1: Introductions The Syllabus and the Study of the History of Europe and the West [W: Aug. 26] Lecture 2: The Earliest Civilizations: Ecology and Culture around the Mediterranean Read: [T]: Chapter 1, pp. 3-37; Begin Homer, The Iliad -- Read through Book 3. Recitation Topic: Why study the history of Europe and the West? Themes & Sources: Voices from the past. WEEK 2 The Ancient World [M: Aug. 31] Lecture 3: The Ancient Near East & the Emergence of Monotheism [W: Sept. 2] Lecture 4: Politics and Reason in Classical Greece Read: [T]: Chapters 2 & 3, pp. 39-73, pp. 75-107; Continue The Iliad Read through Book 6. Recitation Topic: Ancient Society and Practices of Writing and Written Culture. Homer and the context of Epic Poetry and Ancient Sources. WEEK 3 Hellenism and the Mediterranean [M: Sept. 7] NO CLASS Labor Day [W: Sept. 9] Lecture 5: The Hellenistic Kingdoms Read: [T]: Chapter 4, pp. 109-137; Finish The Iliad. Recitation Topic: Kingship, Consensus and Reason among the Greeks: What was it like to read Homer in this period? WEEK 4 Rome: From Kingdom to Republic [M: Sept. 14] Lecture 6: The Rise of Rome [W: Sept. 16] Lecture 7: From Republic to the First Among Equals Read: [T]: Chapter 5, pp. 139-167; Work on papers 4
Recitation Topic: Revenge, Anger, and the Wrath of Men in the Greek World WEEK 5 Rome: Empire and Expansion [M: Sept. 21] Lecture 8: The Roman Empire and its Frontiers [W: Sept. 23] Lecture 9: Emergence of Christianity ** 5-page paper on The Iliad due at the beginning of class on WEDNESDAY ** Read: [T]: Chapter 6, pp. 169-201. Selections on D2L on Augustus and early Christianity Recitation Meeting: Augustus and the coming of Christianity WEEK 6 Late Antiquity and the Christianization of Empire [M: Sept. 28] Lecture 10: The Third Century Crisis and the Making of Martyrdom [W: Sept. 30] Lecture 11: Spread of Christianity: Constantine and the Bishops Read: [T]: Chapter 7, pp. 203-237. The Passion of Saints Perpetua and Felicity [D2L]; and Brent D. Shaw, On the Passion of Perpetua, Past and Present 139 (1993): 3-45 [D2L]. Recitation Meeting: Gender, Christianity and the Roman State Review for Exam WEEK 7 The Empire and Its Aftermath [M: Oct. 5] F I R S T EXAM: The End of the Ancient World [W: Oct. 7] Lecture 12: Byzantium and the World of Justintian Read: Peter Heather, The Huns and the End of the Roman Empire in Western Europe, The English Historical Review 110 (1995): 4-41 [D2L]. Recitation Meeting: The Collapse and Endurance of the Idea of Empire WEEK 8 The Margins of the Europe: Arabs and Anglo-Saxons [M: Oct. 12] Lecture 13: Rise of Islam [W: Oct. 14] Lecture 14: The Western Church and Its Kingdoms Read: [T]: Chapter 8, pp. 239-267; and selections from Fred Donner, Muhammad and the Believers; and Bede, The Ecclesiastical History of the English People [D2L]. Discussion Topic: Communities of Believers: Religion, Race and Identity WEEK 9 Reform and Renewal: Unity from Diversity [M: Oct. 19] Lecture 15: Carolingian Kingship and Culture [W: Oct. 21] Lecture 16: The Gregorian Reform 5
Read: [T]: Chapter 9, pp. 269-303; Selections from Charlemagne s Decrees. [D2L]. Recitation Meeting: NO RECITATIONS ATTEND CMEMS CONFERENCE 22-24 OCTOBER British and Irish Studies Room see online Program WEEK 10 Reformation of the Twelfth Century [M: Oct. 26] Lecture 17: The First Crusade and the Frontiers of Europe [W: Oct. 28] Lecture 18: Knights, Monks and the Twelfth-Century Renaissance Read: [T]: Chapter 10, pp. 305-335; Maureen C. Miller, Power and the Holy in the Age of the Investiture Conflict: A Brief History with Documents Selections: Introduction, pp. 45-21, 132-138. Recitation Meeting: Europe and Christendom: Ambitions of Reform and the Medieval Papacy WEEK 11 Intellectual Culture in Medieval Europe [M: Nov. 2] Lecture 19: The Rise of the Universities: Teaching, Texts and Technology [W: Nov. 4] Lecture 20: Urban Culture and the Fourth Lateran Council Read: [T]: Chapter 11, pp. 337-367; The Letters of Abelard and Heloise Read the Introduction and Letters 1-6, pp. 1-111. Recitation Meeting: Love, Learning and Letters: Gender and Writing in the Middle Ages Review for Exam WEEK 12 Europe in the High Middle Ages [M: Nov. 9] Lecture 21: The Kingdom of France and the Medieval State [W: Nov. 11] S E CON D EXA M: Transformations of Medieval Society Read: [T]: Chapter 12, pp. 369-397; Selections on Medieval Kingship and Religion [D2L] Recitation Meeting: The Medieval State and its Workings Religion and Technologies of Power. WEEK 13 The Transition to Early Modern Europe [M: Nov. 16] Lecture 22: The Calamities of the Fourteenth Century The Black Death [W: Nov. 18] Lecture 23: Humanism and an Italian Renaissance Read: [T]: Chapter 13, pp. 399-429; John Aberth, The Black Death: The Great Mortality of 1348-1350: A Brief History with Documents Selections: Introduction, pp. 9-66, 75-82, 87-91, 106-110, 117-137, 160-178 6
Recitation Meeting: The Other Side of the Divide: The Making of Early Modern Europe NOVEMBER 23-27 THANKSGIVING BREAK -- enjoy! (BEGIN READING SHAKESPEARE S HAMLET) WEEK 15 Reformation and Response [M: Nov. 30] Lecture 24: Print Culture and the Protestant Movement [W: Dec. 2] Lecture 25: The Case of England The Stripping of the Altars Read: [T]: Chapter 14, pp. 431-459; Shakespeare, Hamlet Recitation Meeting: Hamlet One man s struggle with religion and politics WEEK 16 Three New Worlds [M: Dec. 7] Lecture 26: The Catholic Response and the Export of Catholic Culture [W: Dec. 9] Lecture 27: Science and the Self: Macrocosms and Microcosms Some Brief Concluding Remarks **Final Paper (5-7 pages) on Hamlet due at the beginning of class December 9th ** Read: [T]: Chapter 15, pp. 461-491. Recitation Meeting: Review for Exam T H I R D EXAM: The Early Modern World THURSDAY 17 December 2015 in our classroom 4:30-7:00pm 7
O T H E R I M P O R T A N T M A T T E R S A c a d e m i c I n t e g r i t y a n d t h e C o u r s e E n v i r o n m e n t Academic integrity means upholding the highest standards in the performance of your course work. Taking pride in the formation, acknowledgement, and execution of your own ideas, from conception through to the final written product, is part of the academic and intellectual process. To violate or alter this by taking ideas or written material from another source (be it a fellow student, a published book, article or website) is both morally dishonest as well as breach of the University s Honor Code. Moreover, it compromises the goals and purposes of academic study under any circumstances. Academic integrity is as much about your own personal moral responsibilities as it is about your grade in this course. P l a g i a r i s m a n d H o n o r C o d e : All students of the University of Colorado at Boulder are responsible for knowing and adhering to the academic integrity policy of this institution. Violations of this policy may include: cheating, plagiarism, aid of academic dishonesty, fabrication, lying, bribery, and threatening behavior. All incidents of academic misconduct shall be reported to the Honor Code Council honor@colorado.edu; 303-725-2273). Students who are found to be in violation of the academic integrity policy will be subject to both academic sanctions from the faculty member and nonacademic sanctions (including but not limited to university probation, suspension, or expulsion). Additional information on the Honor Code can be found at http://www.colorado.edu/policies/honor.html If you are found to be in violation of the Honor Code in this course, specifically if you plagiarize any material whatsoever, you will receive a Grade of F for the course. P e r s o n a l C o n d u c t a n d B e h a v i o r Decorum: Students and faculty each have responsibility for maintaining an appropriate learning environment. Students who fail to adhere to behavioral standards may be subject to discipline. Faculty have the professional responsibility to treat students with understanding, dignity and respect, to guide classroom discussion and to set reasonable limits on the manner in which students express opinions. Additional information may be found at http://www.colorado.edu/policies/classbehavior.html Sexual Harassment: The University of Colorado Policy on Sexual Harassment applies to all students, staff and faculty. Sexual harassment is unwelcome sexual attention. It can involve intimidation, threats, coercion, or promises or create an environment that is hostile or offensive. Harassment may occur between members of the same or opposite gender and between any combination of members in the campus community: students, faculty, staff, and administrators. Harassment can occur anywhere on campus, including the classroom, the workplace, or a residence hall. Any student, staff or faculty member who believes s/he has been sexually harassed should contact the Office of Sexual Harassment (OSH) at 303-492-2127 or the Office of Judicial Affairs at 303-492-5550. Information about the OSH and the campus resources available to assist individuals who believe they have been sexually harassed can be obtained at http://www.colorado.edu/odh/ Students with Disabilities If you qualify for accommodations because of a disability, please submit a letter to me from Disability Services in a timely manner so that your needs may be addressed. Disability Services determines accommodations based on documented disabilities. Contact: 303-492-8671, Willard 322, or http://www.colorado.edu/disabilityservices/ Religious Observances/Class Absences Attendance in this course is required for both lectures and discussion. Please notify me early in the semester if you anticipate that you may miss a class meeting so that there is adequate time to make necessary arrangements. If you are absent for more than three unexcused class meetings your participation grade will be an automatic F. Campus policy regarding religious observances requires that faculty make every effort to reasonably and fairly deal with all students who, because of religious obligations, have conflicts with scheduled exams, assignments or required attendance. If you have a potential class conflict because of religious observance, you must inform me of that conflict within three weeks of the start of classes. See policy details at http://www.colorado.edu/policies/fac_relig.html 8
GUIDELINES RELATED TO GRADING AND WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS IN THE COURSE: An A or A- paper, written assignment or exam demonstrates an exemplary command of the course material. Such assignments offer a close and critical reading of the texts and a consideration of issues raised in the course as a whole, offer a synthesis of the readings, discussions, and lectures and present a perceptive, compelling, independent argument. They are clearly written and well-organized. The argument or thesis shows intellectual originality and creativity (a willingness to take risks with ideas and interpretations), are attuned to historical context, supported by a well-chosen variety of specific examples from the texts, and (in the case of papers) rely upon a critical reading of primary material. A B+ or B paper, written assignment, or exam shares many aspects in common with A-level work, but falls short in either the organization and clarity of its writing (stylistically), the formation and presentation of its argument (organizationally), or in the quality and level of critical engagement (substantively). A B- paper, written assignment or exam demonstrates a command of the course material and a general understanding of the historical context but offers a less than thorough presentation of the writer s independent thesis due to weakness in writing, argument, organization or presentation of evidence. A C+, C, or C- paper, written assignment, or exam offers little more than a summary of ideas and information covered in the course or presented in the specific question. They are insensitive to the historical context, do not respond to the assignment adequately, suffer from factual errors, unclear writing, lack of organization, or inadequate use of evidence, or a combination of these problems. Papers, written assignments and exams that belong to the D or F categories demonstrate inadequate command of the course material: A D paper, written assignment, or exam demonstrates serious deficiencies or clear flaws in the student s command of the course material or readings at hand. And F paper, written assignment, or exam demonstrates NO competence in the course or reading materials. It indicates a student s neglect or lack of effort in the course. I strongly encourage you to come to my office hours (M 2:30-4:30pm & by appointment) if you have questions or concerns either before an assignment is due, or concerning your performance in the course. Graded assignments and exams will be returned in class. After two weeks you can come by my office during office hours to pick up your assignments if you have not picked them up in class. I do not e-mail grades during the semester or at the end of the course. We address a great deal of material in this course, and at times it will feel overwhelming. Please come and talk with me if that is the case. 9
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