HanoverCollege Autumn2015
History 344A:
The High Middle Ages (ca. 950–ca. 1285)
Professor: J. Michael Raley, Ph.D.
Office:Classic Hall 113.
Office Telephone:812-866-7205.
Email Address:.
Class Meeting Time and Location:MWFs, 10:00-10:50 a.m., CLA 101.
Office Hour:MWFs, 1:00 p.m. – 1:50 p.m. and at other times by appointment or whenever my
office door is open.
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
HIS 344: “The High Middle Ages”is a discussion-oriented seminar exploring the history of Western Europefrom the mid-tenth to the late thirteenth centuries through the lenses of political, military, economic, social, legal, cultural (especially religious), and intellectual history. Themes that we shall explore in this course include: medieval law codes and societies; literacy and oral culture;the Catholic Church; political theory; the emergence of medieval kingdoms; the marginalization of “Others”; climate change, ecology, and demographics; agricultural, commercial, and scientific innovations; intellectual thought and monastic life; the birth of universities; communication and migration patterns; geographic exploration and world trade; art and music as mirrors of cultures; gender and religion; conflicting loyalties and translocal/transregional identities. Above all, this course offers students the opportunity (and challenges them) to develop a better understanding of the origins, cultural heritages, historical responses, and degrees of interaction and cross-cultural fertilization during this critical, formative period of history. The ultimate goals, thereby, are to understand more clearly the roots of modern society as well as to foster a greater awareness and appreciation for cultural diversity in our world today. In addition to deepening one’s understanding of the High Middle Ages, the course is designed to promote greater facility with historical context and perspective as well as to encourage the development of skills deemed essential to historical inquiry, including the ability to define historical questions, analyze primary documents, develop coherent arguments, evaluate alternative interpretations, and communicate clearly and effectively.
REQUIRED TEXTS:
Primary Source Collections:
Miller, Maureen C. Power and the Holy in the Age of the Investiture Conflict: A Brief History with Documents. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2005. ISBN: 9780312404680.
Documents on Moodle, on the Hanover College History Department Primary Source Website( and other websites as assigned.
Secondary Sources:
Madden, Thomas F. The Concise History of the Crusades. 3rd, student ed. Lanham, Md.: Rowman and Littlefield, 2014. ISBN: 9781442215757.
Power, Daniel, ed. The Central Middle Ages. Short Oxford History of Europe, T. C. W. Blanning, gen. ed. Rep. ed. Oxford, U.K.: OxfordUniversity Press, 2009. ISBN: 9780199253128.
Ward, Jennifer. Women in Medieval Europe, 1200-1500. London: Longman Pearson, 2002. ISBN: 9780582288270.
Class handouts, documents posted on Moodleor sent via email attachment and other website documents as assigned.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
Through the successful completion of this course, the student should be able to:
(1) Describesomething about what life must have been like for those living in Europe during the golden age between the revival of European civilization in the late tenth century and the traumatic climate changes and overpopulation that would mark the beginning of the fourteenth century;
(2) Gain a greater awareness of the medieval precedents and roots for modern cultural phenomena, thus to recognize that the past has informed, and continues to inform, both the present and the future, as well as to consider the degrees of continuity and change reflected in the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity;
(3)Reexamine the notion of “medieval” history as a period of cultural flourishing as well as one of superstition and ignorance;
(4) By studying closely the surviving historical record (in particular, through reading and discussing primary sources), gain a deeper understanding of how to uncover, investigate, and evaluate evidence in the social sciences and, through class discussions, course exams, and analytical essays, formulate and present one’s interpretation of this evidence effectively through speaking and writing;
(5) Analyze and explain the impact of geography on medieval history, including the interaction between communities and their environments and ecosystems over time with regard to: the development and diffusion of religion, cultures, and ideas; the development and interdependence of agriculture, industry, and trade; changes in demography, migration, and settlement; the spread and impact of different technologies and usages of natural resources; the rise of medieval political states; and geographic causes of conflict and cooperation;
(6) Acknowledge that the pursuit of history goes far beyond the accumulation of facts, that in fact there exists a close link between historical inquiry and cultural values, and that the latter include those of the culture(s) under study as well as those of the historian(s) conducting the inquiry;
(7) Recognize the importance of utilizing traditional modes as well as innovative approaches and non-traditional sources in historical research (particularly in women’s history and in studying peasants and urban poor who did not record their own stories for posterity);
(8) Understand more clearly the place of women in medieval European culture as well as their contributions to medieval society.
EXPECTATIONS OF THE PROFESSOR AND OF THE STUDENT:
A number of expectations exist for this class. Students have every right to expect that I, as the instructor, will meet and be prepared for each class; that I will be on time; that I will return graded assignments with my comments in a timely fashion (usually within 7-10 days); and that I will be readily available for consultation outside the classroom. Students, in turn, are expected to attend every class meeting, to arrive on time, to have read carefully and annotated the assigned readings thoroughly prior to class, to have the assigned texts with them in hard copy in class, and thus to be prepared to engage actively and in meaningful ways in the class discussions based upon the assigned readings.
Class attendance, punctuality, active participation in note-taking and class discussions, and, most of all, enthusiasm for the pursuit of historical inquiry are crucial in a course of this nature. Absences from class are allowed only for university-excused reasons—e.g., sports competition, with written evidence of an extended hospital stay or emergency doctor’s visit, or the death of a close family member. Time away for “vacations,” routine doctor’s appointments, time spent with friends, etc., are not legitimate reasons for missing class. Students who miss more than three classes without documentation of official and/or extraordinary circumstances for each of the absences may expect to suffer a grade penalty. Students who miss more than six classes without documentation for the absences will be asked to withdraw or else fail the course.
All students must complete in a timely fashion the review essay, first and final drafts of the research paper, oral in-class presentation, and Exams One and Twoin order to receive a passing grade for this course.
Finally, each student is expected to hand in all written work in hard copyon the assigned due dates. Penalties will be assessed for each day that an assignment is tardy unless that tardiness is the result of an excused absence and/or has been arranged with the instructor well in advance of the due date.
A Few Common Courtesies, Please (Just as a Reminder):
1. Please do not come to class wearing strong perfume or cologne.
2. Please use the rest room before coming to class. If you have a physical problem, please discuss this privately with the professor. Otherwise, I will expect you to remain in the classroom for the entire 50-minute class period.
3.Technology in the classroom:Ringing cell phones and texting during class time disrupt the class discussions. Please be courteous. Make it a habit always to turn off your cell phone prior to the beginning of class and before meeting with me in my office.Students who text during class time may be asked to leave the classroom.
4. The use of laptop computersand tablets is permitted in class, but only so long as you do not succumb to the temptation to surf the web during class time.
5. Please be sure to check your HanoverCollegeemail account daily. When sending the professor an email message, also please be professional: employ appropriate language and tone along with correct grammar, punctuation, and spelling (remember, professional emails are much different from those to your close friends).
REQUIREMENTS AND POLICIES SPECIFIC TO THIS COURSE:
The requirements for HIS 344, in addition to the reading assignments, include a historiographical review essay (that is, a comparative book review), a research paper (12-15 pages in length, with complete first and final draft submissions required), and an oral in-class presentation of one’s research, as well as one-hour exams at the mid-term and during final examination week. Detailed study guides for the exams will be distributed in class and/or posted online at least one week prior to each exam. Careful advance preparation of the assigned readings and regular class attendance, as well as active and meaningful participation in class, also comprise crucial components of the course’s requirements. The goal, in short, is to create a collective learning environment in which we teach each other through informed discussions of the readings, insightful questioning, and the free exchange of ideas.
The review essay should examine critically (not merely summarize), in an essay 7-10 pages in length, four recent (generally, post-2000) scholarly historical works published by academic presses or journalsrelated directly to one’s own research. These typically include two books and two scholarly articles published since 2000. The goal here is to gain familiarity with the historiography of your research project. A list of potential topics for the research paper will be distributed in class, although topics may be taken from themes found on the course schedule. The research paper’s grade will be based on the quality of the (1) title, (2) thesis and argument, (3) organization, (4) positioning of the research within the current historiography, (5) logic, (6) quality and analysis of primary evidence, (7) consideration of alternative interpretations, (8) proper documentation of sources in Chicago Style, and (9) writing skill. A rubric for the oral presentation will be distributed in class.
GRADING POLICY: HIS 344:
Exams One and Two: each counting as 15% (30% total) of the course grade.
Review Essay: 10% of the course grade.
First (Complete) Draft of the Research Paper: 15% of the course grade.
Final Revision of the Research Paper (18-20 pages in length): 25% of the course grade.
Oral In-Class Presentation of Research: 10% of the course grade.
Daily Class Attendance/Participation and Written Assignments: 10% of the course grade.
Note: Daily class attendance and the completion of all written assignments are required for any student opting to take this course under HanoverCollege’s pass/fail option. Pass/fail students who miss more than six classes and/or fail to complete all papers, exams, and the oral presentation with a passing grade of C- will withdraw or fail the course.
GRADING SCALE:
A = 93-100B- = 80-82D+ = 67-69
A- = 90-92C+ = 77-79D = 63-66
B+ = 87-89C = 73-76D- = 60-62
B = 83-86 C- = 70-72F= 59 or below
Note:The instructor reserves the right to adjust a student’s final grade based upon extenuating circumstances.
If you have a disability that may require an accommodation for taking this course, please contact the Disability Services Coordinator at (812) 866-7215 or email Professor Kay Stokes at within the first week of the semester.
In case of a pandemic flu that causes Hanover College to close, final grades will be based upon the assignments completed to that point, including exams, quizzes, papers, and class participation. If the college is closed during the final exam period, the professor will provide take-home exams electronically.
STATEMENT ON ACADEMIC HONESTY
Plagiarismand cheating on exams are very serious academic offenses that may result in the student’s receiving an “F” for the course grade and being reported to the Hanover College Dean’s Office. Students who plagiarize attempt to pass off as their own the work of another person, whether it be one sentence or entire paragraphs. Plagiarized passages may include material taken from the internet, books, periodicals, and/or other students’ work. Students who plagiarize defraud those fellow students who have been honest enough to submit their own work. Students who plagiarize also irreparably sever the student–instructor bond of trust. For all of these reasons, whenever you draw upon someone else’s idea(s) or wording, you must make absolutely certain that you identify your source(s). If you repeat the exact words of another source, enclose them in quotation marks and identify their source in a footnote (not an endnote or a parenthetical citation, please). Close paraphrases (i.e., near quotations) should be avoided at all costs; instead, either summarize the author’s argument or idea entirely in your own words and identify the source in the footnote, or else quote the author directly, enclosing the quotation in quotation marks, and then provide a footnote identifying the source. For a review of what other actions constitute plagiarism, please consult the following website: The bottom line is this:be honest, do your own work, and when you borrow from someone else’s research, give that author due credit through a footnote. Honesty is, in fact, always the best policy.
STATEMENT ON SELF-CARE
Your academic success in this course and throughout your college career depends heavily on your personal health and wellbeing. Stress is a common part of the college experience, and it often can be compounded by unexpected life changes outside the classroom. Your other professors and I strongly encourage you to take care of yourself throughout the term, before the demands of midterms and finals reach their peak. Please feel free to talk with me about any difficulty you may be having that may impact your performance in this course as soon as it occurs and before it becomes unmanageable. Please also know that there are a number of other support services on campus that stand ready to assist you. I strongly encourage you to contact them if you need them.You can make appointments with Health Services by calling x-6102. Appointments for Counseling Services can be made online at any time through MyHanover. For career-related stress and anxiety, call the CareerCenter at x-7126.
HanoverCollege Autumn 2013
History 344:
The High Middle Ages (ca. 950–ca. 1285)
Topic/Assignment Schedule
JUST A FRIENDLY REMINDER: Readings are to be read carefully and annotated using colored markers and marginal notes in pen (or using the comment function in Adobe)in advance of the class discussions on the dates listed below. Also, each student is required tosend by email to the professortwo questions for class discussionby 8:00 p.m. on the evening before each class period. The professor will then combine all of the questions for each class discussion.
WEEK ONE: Introduction to the Course and Subject of Medieval Europe.
Monday, September 7: Course Overview and Professor’s Expectations.
PRIMARY SOURCE ASSIGNMENT: None.
SECONDARY SOURCE ASSIGNMENT: Course syllabus.
Wednesday, September 9:Introduction to the Subject: What was the “High” (or “Central”) Middle Ages, when and where did it occur, and why are we studying it?
PRIMARY SOURCE ASSIGNMENT: None.
SECONDARY SOURCE ASSIGNMENT: Power, 1-7; Ward, 1-13.
Friday, September 11: “The Transformation of Europe in ca. A.D. 1000.”
PRIMARY SOURCE ASSIGNMENT: None.
SECONDARY SOURCE ASSIGNMENT: Power, 7-27.
WEEK TWO: The European World at the Turn of the First Millennium.
Monday, September 14: The Three Orders of Medieval European Society: the Nobility.
PRIMARY SOURCE ASSIGNMENT: Feudal Oath and Contract (Moodle).
SECONDARY SOURCE ASSIGNMENT: Power, 28-40.
Wednesday, September 16: Medieval European Society: the Peasantry and Merchants.
PRIMARY SOURCE ASSIGNMENT: Manorial Obligations and a Medieval Merchant’s Life (Moodle).
SECONDARY SOURCE ASSIGNMENT: Power, 40-56.
Friday, September 18: No Class! Professor away, presenting his latest book at AlmaCollege.
Assignment: Find a research topic related to the High Middle Ages (begin by formulating a QUESTION that you will try to answer through your research) and then compile a working bibliography (to be expanded as your research progresses throughout the semester) of at least five primary sources (documents from the period), five books closely related to your research question and published by university presses published since 2000, andfive full-length journal articles from JSTOR (not 1-2 page book reviews!), also closely related to your research question and published since 2000.
WEEK THREE: The Rebirth of European Commerce and Trade.
Monday, September 21:A Second Agricultural Revolution?
PRIMARY SOURCE ASSIGNMENT: Manuscript Illustrations from the Luttrell Psalter (Moodle).
SECONDARY SOURCE ASSIGNMENT: Power, 57-69.
* Due in class on Monday, September 21: Research paper title and working bibliography, typed in 12-point, Times Roman font, formatted correctly in Chicago Style, and organized into Primary Sources and Secondary Sources (subcategories: Books and Articles). Hint: in your search for sources, start with the Further Reading sections in the Power and Ward books, and Select Bibliography and Sources in Translation in Madden.
Wednesday, September 23: TheCommercial Revolution of the High Middle Ages.
PRIMARY SOURCE ASSIGNMENT: Guild Regulations,William of Malmesbury, Counterfeit Money in the Time of King Stephen (1140) and Grant of a License to Avoid Tolls (1248)(Moodle).
SECONDARY SOURCE ASSIGNMENT: Power, 69-90.
Friday, September 25: Writing a Review Essay.
ASSIGNMENT:Read and critique 4 review essays:
(1) Barbara A. Hanawalt, Review Essay: “Medieval Literacy,” History of Education Quarterly, vol. 21, no. 3 (Autumn 1981): 367-371 (JSTOR);