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Information about a college course titled 'history 101: medieval and early modern europe' offered at oberlin college during the fall 2008 semester. The course is taught by suzanne mariko miller and covers the development of europe as a coherent cultural, economic, and political system from the fall of rome to the dawn of the enlightenment. Students will explore themes such as barbarism versus civilization, natural law versus divine law, and internal colonization versus external expansion. The course also focuses on historical analysis and the study of primary and secondary sources.
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Oberlin College History 101 Medieval and Early Modern Europe Fall 2008 Instructor: Suzanne Mariko Miller Meetings: Sec. 1 MWF 10:00am-10:50am (AJLC 201) Sec. 2 MWF 1:30pm-2:20pm (KING 101) Office Hours: Tu 4pm-5:30pm; W 11am-12:30 pm; by appointment (Rice 307) Email: smmiller@oberlin.edu Telephone: x This class looks at the development of Europe as a coherent cultural, economic and political system—“the making of the West” as the textbook succinctly puts it. Rather than regarding at its history as a single predestined track leading to its current dominance in the First World, this class looks at the dynamic tensions that characterized the tumultuous history of Europe from the fall of Rome to the dawn of the Enlightenment. These tensions provide the major themes of the course:
Participation: In the course of each meeting, students will be expected to show that they have read the material by asking questions, answering questions and otherwise being active participants in a conversation about the day’s topic. Attendance is a part of the participation grade; a sign-up sheet will be passed around at class each day. Please attend only the section in which you are enrolled; exceptions are made only with instructor permission. Map Quiz: Just to make sure people understand the general geography of Europe, we will have a short map quiz. Students will be handed a blank map of Europe and be asked to label various cities, rivers, regions and other important geographic features. A study guide will be distributed ahead of time. Written Responses: There are four longer texts that we will be reading and discussing this semester: The Vinland Sagas , A Monk’s Confession , William of Rubruck’s Account of the Mongols , and The Cheese and the Worms. We will set aside a full session to discuss each of these text. In preparation for these longer discussions, students will write a 100-150 word response to each text, and post them on the discussion board on the course Blackboard site by 8 pm the day before the class meeting. You can start a new topic or respond to students’ posts. They will be graded as √+, √, √- or 0 (5, 4.25, 3.5, 0). The lowest score will be dropped, and an average of the other three will be used to calculate this portion of the grade. Since these responses are intended to prepare students for discussion, late responses will not be accepted. Essays: These three papers are meant to be thought pieces in which students examine the themes of the course as whole. For each essay, students will be able to chose from three topics, which will be distributed one week ahead of the due date. No outside research is required; evidence should be drawn from texts read in class. Quotations should be cited in parenthetical format, noting the pertinent author, title and page number (if available). Please append a “Works Cited” page to the end of the paper. Each essay should ideally be 5 pages (~4.5-6.5), typewritten (12 pt. font and double-spaced) and proofread. The due dates for the essays are 10/15, 11/10 and 12/15. Late Papers: For every 24 hours that an essay is late without an extension, it will receive a 1/ grade reduction (e. g. a B+ paper will drop to a B- if it is two days late). Extensions will be given only for unavoidable emergencies and must be cleared with the instructor. Honor Code: Students should conduct themselves according to the Oberlin College Honor Code, contained in the Student Handbook, available at http://www2.oberlin.edu/students/handbook/. As such, students are expected to turn in work that is a product of their own thoughts, and to cite references appropriately. Students should affirm their understanding of the code by copying out the Honor Pledge (“I have adhered to the Honor Code in this assignment”) and signing it at the end of each essay turned in for this class. The essay grade will be withheld until the pledge is properly appended. Laptop Policy: Students are permitted to use laptops in class as long as it does not interfere with the learning and participation of the user and the people around him/her. Should the laptop prove unduly distracting, the instructor may request that the laptop be put away from the remaining duration of the day’s class.
The Making of Europe: Political and Cultural Expansion in the High Middle Ages (11th- 14 th centuries) 9/29 Feudal Society Readings: Song of Roland (OT); Ordeals (OT) 10/1 Taming the Savage Beast: Peace of God Movement and the Investiture Controversy Readings: Hunt, ch. 9 “Renewal and Reform”, sec. 2 Peace of God (OT); Truce of God (OT) 10/3 Releasing the Beast?: The Crusades Readings: Hunt, ch. 10 “An Age of Confidence,” sec. 1 Departure for Crusades (OT); Capture of Jerusalem (OT) 10/6 Urbanization I: Centers of Knowledge and Power (Monasteries, Courts and Universities) Readings: Hunt, ch. 9, sec. 3 Guibert of Nogent, A Monk’s Confession 10/8 Discussion Day: Guibert of Nogent Written Response Due 10/10 Urbanization II: Commercial Economy Readings: Hunt, ch. 9, sec. 1 Population (OT); Markets (OT); Le Mans (OT) 1 0/13 Urbanization III: The Mendicant Orders and Civic Piety Readings: Hunt, ch. 9, sec. 4 Testament of St. Francis (OT); Life of St. Francis (OT) 10/15 Chivalric Culture and Courtly Love Readings: Lancelot (OT); Courtly Love (OT) Essay 1 Due 10/17 Expanding Latin Christendom I: Reconquista and the Later Crusades Readings: Lisbon (OT); Debate between Christians and Muslims (OT); Fall of Acre (OT) 10/18-10/26 FALL RECESS: NO CLASS 10/27 Expanding Latin Christendom II: Missions to the East Readings: William of Rubruck, Account of the Mongols 10/29 Discussion Day: William of Rubruck Written Response Due
Old Lore and New Knowledge: The Late Middle Ages and Renaissance (13th- 16 th^ centuries) 10/31 The Black Death Readings: Hunt, ch. 11 “Crisis and Renaissance”, sec. 1 Decameron (OT); Jewish Scapegoats (OT) 11/3 Orthodoxy and Heterodoxy: Cathar Heresies and the Medieval Inquisition Readings: Hunt, ch. 10, sec. 3 Cathars (OT); Inquisition (OT) 11/5 Personal Piety at the End of the Middle Ages Readings: Margery Kempe (OT); Sacraments (OT) 11/7 Monarchies, Royal and Papal Readings: Hunt, ch. 10, sec. 2 Clericis Laicos (OT); Unam Sanctam (OT); Licet Juris (OT); Louis XI (OT) 11/10 The Harvest of the Middle Ages Readings: Orlando Furioso (OT) Essay 2 Due 11/12 Renaissance I: Civic Pride Readings: Hunt, ch. 11, sec. 2 Florence (OT); Brunelleschi (OT); Lorenzo de’ Medici (OT) 11/14 Renaissance II: Humanism and the Desire to “Know” Readings: Petrarch (OT); Vergerius (OT); Rabelais (OT) 11/17 Questioning Authority Readings: Hunt, ch. 12 “Struggles over Beliefs”, sec. 1 Wyclif (OT); 95 Theses (OT); Luther against Indulgences (OT) The Age of Exploration and Exploitation: The Early Modern Era ( th