History 101: Introduction to Medieval and Early Modern Europe
MWF 10:00-10:50AM; King 343
Professor Ellen Wurtzel Email:
Office: Rice 307 Office Hours Monday 1:30-2:30, Friday 11:30-1 and by
Phone: 775-8528 appointment in between
Course description: History 101 provides an introduction to the history of the Mediterranean world and northern Europe from the end of the Roman Empire to the age of absolutism, with a primary focus on the period from 500 to 1500. We will examine the medieval institutions that developed from the crises of the ancient world and the changing political, social, economic and religious landscapes that emerged in the early modern period. During lecture and discussions, we will question preconceptions about these periods: were the Middle Ages a static or even “dark” time, in which people slaved under the twin burdens of bare subsistence and dogmatic belief? Should we understand the breakdowns and breakthroughs that followed—the Renaissance and Reformation, colonialism and capitalism, the Scientific Revolution and the rise of the modern state system—within a context of religious fervor and epic persecution, or rational thought and technological advancement?
Limbourg Brothers, Book of Hours for the Duc de Berry c. 1415. Month of June.
Course goals and expectations: The course is designed to engage students who are unfamiliar with European history and wish to learn both the subject matter and the methods used to understand history. As you will discover, there is no one correct way of constructing the historical past—we are constantly creating new narratives and new perspectives. This is the art (and fun!) of studying history. My goal is that this course will not only introduce you to some of the major trends and events that have shaped the European past, but also develop three basic tools of the historian: critical reading, analytical thinking and clear communication. To these ends, you are asked to actively attend to lectures, discuss both primary texts and secondary literature in class, and complete several written assignments, including two tests, a map quiz, two short papers, and a final exam.
Course materials:
All required books are available at the Oberlin Bookstore and are on reserve in the library.
Required:
Glyn Burgess, ed. The Song of Roland (Penguin, 1990)
Carlo Ginzburg, The Cheese and the Worms (Johns Hopkins, 1992)
Barbara Rosenwein, A Short History of the Middle Ages, 4th edition (Toronto, 2014)
Requirements and Grading:
Attendance and participation 10%
Map Quiz 10%
Essay 1 10%
Essay 2 15%
Exam 1 15%
Exam 2 15%
Exam 3 25%
Grading based on the following: A+ 100-97; A 96-93; A- 92-90; B+ 89-87; B 86-83; B- 82-80; C+ 79-77; C 76-73; C- 72-70; D 65-69, F below 65.
All written work must be turned in to receive credit for this class.
Details
1. Map Quiz Learning the basic geography of northern Europe and the Mediterranean world is crucial for understanding its history in the medieval and early modern periods. A week before the quiz, I will post on Blackboard what specifically you should identify, which will include bodies of land and water and cities or regions that figure largely in the time period or events we’re discussing this semester. 10/16
2. Essays. You will complete two short writing pieces, one a response to our museum visit and the second on a question that I will hand out at least one week before the essay is due. These papers will allow you to evaluate both primary and secondary sources (including images) and argue a point that you substantiate from those materials. The first is due 9/21 and the second is due 12/4.
NOTE: Essays should be typed and double-spaced, with at least ½ in. margins on all sides. All pages numbered. Your grade takes note of the brilliance of your ideas but also the clarity of your expression, the ironclad tightness of your grammar and the impeccability of your spelling. Proofread! Edit! When you have citations and you need to include footnotes and a bibliography, refer to some of the reference guides from the Oberlin History Department that I have posted on Blackboard. When in doubt, get in touch with me.
3. Exams Based on what you’ve learned from readings and class lectures, you will complete a range of questions, from map ids, passage identifications and (short) essay questions. Exam 1 is on 10/2; Exam 2 on 11/13; Exam 3 is the final on 12/18 and is cumulative.
Class Policies:
Attendance and participation: The course has both lecture and discussion components and therefore, your attendance and participation is important (we need your insights!) If you are able, please let me know before class begins that you will be absent. 4 or more absences will result in a 0 for attendance. If you are over 10 minutes late for class, you will be counted absent. Sign up sheet will be on my desk every class
Disabilities: If you have specific physical, psychiatric, or learning disabilities and require accommodations, please let me know early in the semester so that your learning needs may be appropriately met. You will need to provide documentation of your disability to Jane Boomer in the Office of Disability Services in Peters G-27/G-28.
Lateness: Late assignments will be penalized by dropping 3 points from your grade every day a paper is late.
Plagiarism: All work turned in for this course must be your own. The College requires that students sign an "Honor Code" for all assignments. This pledge states: "I have adhered to the Honor Code in this assignment." For further information, see the student Honor Code which you can access via http://new.oberlin.edu/students/policies/2011-2012/11-Policies-Honor.pdf. If you have questions about what constitutes plagiarism, please see me or raise it in class.
**Finding and doing the assignments: All required books are available at the Oberlin Bookstore and are on reserve in the library. Readings posted on Blackboard are labeled Bb. They are located under Course Documents in the file “Reading Assignments”. For Rosenwein, our main textbook, the assignment will appear as R followed by page numbers. Sometimes the readings are online, and I will give you the url link. The readings listed for a particular class should be done before that class. ABOVE ALL, BRING READINGS TO CLASS!
Schedule of Classes and Assignments
Section I Late Antiquity to the High Middle Ages, 450-1200
Week 1
8/31 What is medieval? How do we know, and what do we know?
9/2 Rome…
R. pp. 1-11; Bb. Geary, ed. Readings in Medieval History, The Passion of Perpetua, c. 210 CE
9/4 Barbarians at the gate
R. pp. 21-35; Emperor Constantine, The Edict of Milan, 313 http://legacy.fordham.edu/halsall/source/edict-milan.asp; Bb. Augustine of Hippo, City of God, c. 415 CE (excerpts)
Week 2
9/7 No Class. Labor Day
9/9 Byzantium
R. pp. 39-50; 79-85; Bb. Rosenwein, ed., Reading the Middle Ages, John of Damascus, On Holy Images, c. 730s-750s, pp. 63-65
9/12 Islam
R. pp. 50-57, 87-96; Bb. The Meaning of the Holy Qur’an, 6th c. pp. 50-57; The Pact of Umar, 7th-9th c. http://legacy.fordham.edu/halsall/jewish/jews-umar.asp
Week 3
9/14 No Class. Rosh Hashanah
9/16 Christianity and monastic culture
R. pp. 58-75; Bb. Peter Brown, “Virtutes Sanctorum: deeds of saints,” in The Rise of Western Christendom, pp. 106-116; Geary, ed. Benedictine Regula, c. 560s.
9/18 Saints, relics and piety *Visit to the Allen Art Museum. Please meet in front of the museum at 10am sharp!
Bb. Beth Williamson, “Material Culture and Medieval Christianity”, Oxford Handbook of Medieval Christianity (2014), pp. 60-75
Week 4
9/21 Charlemagne and the Carolingian Renaissance
R. pp. 96-112; Bb., Geary, ed., Einhard, Life of Charles the Great, c. 825
Due: Essay 1, 2-3 pp.
9/23 No Class. Yom Kippur
9/25 Fragmentation and Christianization
R. pp. 115-130. Watch the invasion scene from Secret of Kells (netflix or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--3AvyeMhmU)
Week 5
9/28 Feudal structure
R. pp. 131-151; Bb. Geary, ed, Clunaic Charters c. 950s; Hugh of Lusignan, Agreement between Lord and Vassal, c. 1025
9/30 Lords, peasants, their (gendered) roles, and (agro) revolution!
10/2 Exam 1
Week 6
10/5 Medieval cities and a culture of the law
R. skim pp. 155-159; read pp. 160-164, Bb. Maryanne Kowaleski, ed. Medieval Towns: a reader, Guibert of Nogent, Formation of a commune at Laon, 1116; Geary, ed. Fuero de Cuenca, c. 1190
10/7 The Investiture Conflict, or the makings of a pure church…and state
R. pp. 164-170, 181-192
10/9 Discussion: the Crusades (note: you are not reading all of this-we will jigsaw)
R., pp. 170-176; Bb. Group 1: Allen and Amt, eds., The Crusades: a reader, Chapter 2 pp. 67-79; Group 2: Geary, ed. Four Accounts of the First Crusade, pp. 406-425 (but look at glossary 441-2); Group 3: Geary, ed. Four Accounts of the First Crusade, pp. 425-442.
Week 7
10/12 New schools, new work for the learned
R. pp. 178-181, 201-213; Bb. Peter Abelard, History of My Calamities, c. 1140, 3-33 (to the middle of page)
10/14 Knights, Courtoisie and new ways of thinking
R. pp. 213-218; Burgess, ed., Song of Roland, sections 1-150, pp. 29-93
10/16 Discussion: Song of Roland (we will compare the Charlemagnes we have known)
Finish Song of Roland, sections 151-298, pp. 93-156
Map Quiz
Week 8 10/19-10/23 No Classes-Fall Recess
Section II Late Middle Ages to the Reformation, 1200-1600
Week 9
10/26 Pope Innocent III and the vita apostolica
R. pp. 228-233; Bb. Geary, ed. Canons of the 4th Lateran Council, selections; The Conversion of Peter Waldo http://legacy.fordham.edu/halsall/source/waldo1.html
10/28 Outsiders: Jews, Lepers, Heretics and more!
R. 233- 237; 250-252; R.I. Moore, The Formation of a Persecuting Society (1990), pp. 66-99
10/30 Urban wealth, urban conflict
R. pp. 241-250; Bb. Maryanne Kowaleski, ed. Medieval Towns: a reader, Giovanni Villani, The Magnates and the Rise of the Popolo and Guilds in Florence, 1207-1328 pp. 54-59
Week 10
11/2 Representative government, or why you should love the Middle Ages
R. pp. 252-258; Bb. Geary, ed, Magna Carta, 1215, excerpts
11/4 Love of God/Love of Reason
R. pp. 218-228; 258-267; Bb. Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae, c. 1270, pp. 1-top 4
11/6 Scholasticism in Action;*Visit to Special Collections, Please meet in Mudd Library, 4th floor
R. pp. 267-275
Week 11
11/9 Natural disasters, spiritual solutions?
R. pp., 283-286; Bb. Giovanni Boccaccio, The Decameron, c. 1350, Day 1, Introduction, pp. 49-68; Bb., Aberth, ed. The Black Death, selections (choose any two docs)
11/11 War and revolt, new empires
R. pp. 287-301, 314; Bb. Geary, ed. The Jacquerie, 1358
11/13 Exam 2
Week 12
11/16 Church in crisis; spirituality in flower
R. pp. 301-304; Bb. Giovanni Boccaccio, The Decameron, c. 1350, First and Second Stories, pp. 68-86; Elizabeth Petroff, ed., Medieval Women’s Visionary Literature, pp. 171-189 (Beguine introduction plus Christina Mirabilis, 13th c.)
11/18 Renaissance Ideologies and Art *Meet at the Allen Memorial Art Museum
R. pp. 305-320
11/20 Art and Alchemy or, Practical and Learned sciences
Bb. Pamela Smith, “Vermilion, Mercury, Blood, and Lizards: Matter and Meaning in Metalworking,” in Materials and Expertise in Early Modern Europe: Between Market and Laboratory, ed. Ursula Klein and Emma Spary (University of Chicago Press, 2010), pp. 29-49 (e-resource through obis)
Week 13
11/23 Luther and Calvin: Reformations
Bb. Martin Luther, Freedom of a Christian, 1520 in Hillenbrand, ed. The Protestant Reformation (1968), excerpts
11/25 New monarchies/new inventions *Possible visit to Letterpress Studio, Meet in Mudd Library, 2nd floor
R. 320-325 (end of Rosenwein!); Bb. Elizabeth Eisenstein, The Printing Revolution, 2nd edition (2005) pp. 13-45
11/27 Thanksgiving Break!!
Week 14
11/30 Witchhunting and the problem of states
Start reading Carlo Ginzburg, The Cheese and the Worms, introduction, xiii-xxvi, and sections 1-23
12/2 Discussion: Heresy and popular culture
Finish reading The Cheese and the Worms; start working on your essay
12/4 Expanding markets, forced labor and Christian missions
Bb. Read either 1. Amy Butler Greenfield, A Perfect Red, (2005) pp. 34-78 or 2. Bartolomé de Las Casas, A Short Account of the Destruction of the Indies, 1542, selections. https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/20321/pg20321-images.html
Due: Essay 2, 5pp.
Week 15
12/7 Political discord, revolt and war
Bb. Barbara Diefendorf, ed. St. Bartholemew’s Massacre, 1572, selections
12/9 New centers for truth (political and scientific)
Bb. Galileo Galileo, Letter to the Grand Duchess Christina, 1615, excerpts
12/11 What’s modern about the early modern? bringing it all together
Come with your questions, thoughts, and concerns. Think about themes that can be traced throughout the whole course and what applies to particular periods.
Final Exam Friday, 12/18 2-4 PM Place TBA
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