Foundations of Modern Western Civilization
HIST 1110-02
Fall 2016, Tues. and Thurs. 10:30-11:45am, ENGR 101
ourse Scheduletures and Examstapted after the noted deadline. receive some extra credit. The teams with the highest point tota
Dr. Jonathan Brunstedt
Contact:
435-797-1291 / Office Hours:
Tues. 2:30-3:30pm or by appointment
Main 321K
Teaching Assistants:
GA: Daniel Weller,
UTFs: Jacie Rex, ; Tori Bond,
Course Description:
This course is a historical survey of modern Western Civilization from the Enlightenment to the collapse of Communism. Along the way, we will explore the major themes, events, and personalities of the modern era, with an eye not only on high politics but also on cultural and intellectual developments, and on the perspective of the average men and women who made up the vast majority of the population. Central to our story is the Enlightenment notion of progress—the idea that human history is primarily a chronicle of the inexorable triumph of reason over ignorance, of technological improvement over backwardness, and of social advancement over cruelty and violence. Our course will complicate this narrative by highlighting a central paradox of modern Western history: that while modernity facilitated emancipatory social and political movements and extraordinary leaps in technology and medicine, it also paved the way for the unprecedented scale of violence and oppression that characterized much of the twentieth century. Thus, our course will demonstrate the absolutely vital role that knowledge of modern Western Civilization has in comprehending the challenges of the world today.
Learning Outcomes:
· Historical Knowledge: Identify the key events which express/define change over time in a broad range of places and regions
· Historical Thinking: Be able to explain how people have existed, acted, and thought in the past and what influence the past has on the present
· Historical Skills:
ourse Scheduletures and Examstapted after the noted deadline. receive some extra credit. The teams with the highest point totaDevelop skills in critical thinking and reading
Required Texts
· COLE, Joshua and SYMES, Carol. Western Civilizations, Brief Fourth Edition, vol. 2 (2017).
· FIGNER, Vera. Memoirs of a Revolutionist (1991).
· SPIEGELMAN, Art. The Complete Maus (vols. 1&2 combined) (1996).
· Additional readings will be posted onto Canvas
Required Assignments designated with a [è] in the class schedule
· Attendance and Participation: 10%
· Online Primary Source Quiz 1: 5%
· Midterm Exam 1: 15%
· Online Primary Source Quiz 2: 5%
· Primary Source Analysis Paper: 15%
· Midterm Exam 2: 20%
· Film Viewing Response Paper: 5%
· Final Exam: 25%
Film Screenings (details below)
Oct. 13: “Fitzcarraldo” (1982); Oct. 27: “Gallipoli” (1981); Dec. 6: “The Battle of Algiers” (1966)
Extra Credit Assignments (further details below)
· Additional Film Viewing Responses
· Trivia Night Participation
· Attendance Quizzes
· Independent projects (speak with me about this)
Explanation of Assignments:
Attendance and Participation (10%):
Attendance is mandatory and is an important aspect of the class. Attendance will be taken through daily attendance quizzes. Each absence that does not fall under the category of university-approved absences will result in up to a 1% reduction in your attendance/participation grade (so these quickly add up). Arriving late to class counts as an absence. In cases of sickness or emergencies, students are required to notify me before class and provide proof (doctor's note, etc.). Participation in class will be assessed through in class comments and general engagement. A general rule of thumb is if I have no idea who you are by the end of the semester, you probably won’t get the full points. If you know you will not be able to attend our regular lectures, this is not the class for you.
Online Primary Source Quizzes (5% + 5% = 10%):
You will take two online quizzes via our Canvas page after reading specified primary sources. These quizzes are designed to familiarize you with the analysis of primary sources—the main task of the historian. Further details will be provided in class.
Midterm Exams (15% + 20% = 35%):
These will be in-class exams. They will include multiple choice and short answer sections, plus possible map identifications. Details will be discussed in class. You are expected to provide your own bluebook.
Primary Source Analysis Paper (15%):
Primary sources are documents or physical objects that were produced during the period being investigated. They are relics to be analyzed by historians who attempt to reconstruct, as accurately as possible, the past. This short paper is an exercise in evaluating primary sources and formulating an argument based on those sources. You will carefully read a primary source from the 19th century, the memoir of a member of radical revolutionary group (Memoirs of a Revolutionist by Vera Figner). Further specifics about the paper will be provided in class. You can use lecture notes and the textbook as secondary sources to give context to your argument (cite both!), but your main task is to analyze the primary source and build an argument from there. The paper will be graded on clarity of argument and your use of sources. Be sure to give proper citations in footnotes for any information taken from readings (right down to the page number). Citations should be according to the Chicago Manual of style:
http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html
Film Viewing Response Paper (5%)
Over the course of the semester, we will hold three evening film viewings. The films will be connected to themes of the class. You are required to view at least one film and submit a response paper based on your reading of the film (specific prompts will be provided at a later time).
Final Exam (25%):
Similar to the midterms, the Final Exam will be an in-class “bluebook” exam. It will be comprehensive (i.e., will cover material starting from our first class). However, it will be broken into three sections. The first two sections cover material from the two midterms. If you did well on the midterms, you may skip these sections on the Final and receive the same grade for this section that you received on the midterm. If you’d like to improve this grade, you can attempt to do better on this section of the Final. But your grade for these sections cannot be lower than your midterm grade. In other words, I will take whichever grade is higher (midterm or section of the Final) when calculating your Final grade. The new, third section of the Final also includes an essay question based on MAUS.
Extra Credit:
There are multiple ways to earn extra credit. 1) You can attend additional film screenings and submit additional response papers for extra credit. 2) At the end of the semester, we will hold a Trivia Night challenge as a fun way to review for the Final Exam. This is optional, but highly recommended. All participants will receive some extra credit. The teams with the highest point totals will receive more extra credit. 3) To take attendance we will have brief quizzes in class based on readings/lectures and one bonus question. These quizzes cannot hurt your grade so long as you turn in something proving you were present. If you answer all 3 questions correctly, you will receive a small amount of extra credit (around 0.3% of your overall grade for each quiz). However, the bonus questions can be quite challenging, so you shouldn't count on this for extra credit. 4) Finally, you can see me and we can arrange an extra credit project to improve your grade. Be aware of the deadline for all extra credit noted in the class schedule.
Class Policies
Attendance: To reiterate: attendance is mandatory; arriving late to class counts as an absence.
Late Paper Policy: I will accept late papers, but they will receive a penalty for being late and will not be accepted after the noted deadline. Obviously this policy only applies to papers. Quizzes and exams can only be made up with advanced approval from me.
Computer policy: A growing number of studies are indicating that computer use in class actually hurts students' ability to learn. I will discuss this in person, but I do not allow students to use electronic devices during class unless necessary due to a medical or other condition. In exchange I will provide the lecture slides before class on Canvas to make note taking easier. If you absolutely must use a computer in class to take notes, please see me to discuss this. Students caught browsing the internet or texting during class will be administratively dropped from the class.
A Note on Plagiarism/Cheating: Plagiarism is the taking of someone else's words or ideas and presenting them as your own. This includes using direct quotations or paraphrasing work without properly citing it. Please familiarize yourself with USU's policies regarding plagiarism at this link. Better to turn in a sloppy or late paper than a plagiarized one. The penalty for plagiarism is failure in the course. See the following link for more:
http://catalog.usu.edu/content.php?catoid=8&navoid=1572&hl=%22Academic+Honesty%2FIntegrity%22&returnto=search
Students with Disabilities: If you require special accommodation in this course due to a disability, please register with the Disability Resource Center. Please also notify me and make sure to let me know specifically what you need in advance of quizzes, exams, etc. The Disability Resource Center website can be found here: http://www.usu.edu/drc/
Course Schedule
Aug. 30: Course Introduction – no readings
Sep. 1: The Ancien Regime: State and Society, ca.1700
Readings: Cole and Symes, chs. 15 and 16
Sep. 6: The Age of Enlightenment and “Enlightened” Despotism
Readings: Cole and Symes, ch. 17
Sep. 8: The French Revolution, part 1
Readings: Cole and Symes, ch. 18
Sep. 13: The French Revolution, part 2
Readings: Primary Sources from Canvas: “Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen”; Olympe de
Gouges, “Declaration of the Rights of Woman”; Al-Jabarti, “Chronicle of the French Occupation”
èOnline Primary Source Quiz 1 Open (must be completed by 10am, Sep. 15)
Sep. 15: Napoleon’s Empire
Readings: Begin Figner’s, Memoirs of a Revolutionist
èHand out study guide in class only and review for Exam 1
Sep. 20: èExam 1 (bring bluebooks to class!)
Sep. 22: Industrial Revolution
Readings: Begin Figner’s Memoirs of a Revolutionist; Carol and Symes, ch. 19
Sep. 27: The “-isms” part 1: Conservatism and Romanticism
Readings: Cont. Figner, Memoirs of a Revolutionist; Carol and Symes, ch. 20
Sep. 29: The “-isms” part 2: Liberalism, Socialism, and Nationalism
Readings: Primary Sources from Canvas: Engels, “The Condition of the Working Class in England”; Marx
and Engels, “The Communist Manifesto”; Mill, “On Liberty”
èOnline Primary Source Quiz 2 Open (must be completed by 10am, Oct. 4)
Oct. 4: The Transformation of Nationalism: The Unification of Italy and Germany
Readings: Figner, Memoirs of a Revolutionist (try to finish); Cole and Symes, ch. 21
Oct. 6: State Control and Reform
Readings: Figner, Memoirs of a Revolutionist (try to finish)
Oct. 11: The Birth of Mass Politics
Readings: Figner, finish all!; Cole and Symes, ch. 23
Oct. 13: The “New” European Imperialism
èDiscussion of Primary Source Analysis Paper
Readings: Figner, finish all! (you should have finished this book by the start of class); Cole and Symes, ch. 22
èOct. 13: Evening Film Screening, time TBA: “Fitzcarraldo” (1982)
Oct. 18: Fin-de-Siècle Modernity
Readings: None. You should be writing your Primary Source Analysis Paper
Oct. 20: NO CLASS (Friday class schedule)
Oct. 25: The Path to War
èPrimary Source Analysis Paper Due in class and via Canvas
Oct. 27: The Great War
Readings: Cole and Symes, ch. 24
èHand out study guide in class only and review for Exam 2
èOct. 27: Film Screening, time TBA: “Gallipoli” (1981)
Nov. 1: The Russian Revolution and Stalinism
Readings: None. Study for exam!
Nov. 3: èExam 2 (bring bluebooks to class!)
Nov. 8: The Challenge to Democracy from the Radical Right
Readings: First half of Art Spiegelman’s Maus; Cole and Symes, ch. 25
Nov. 10: Nazi Expansionism and the Road to War
Readings: Maus, (finish all)
Nov. 15: The Second World War
Readings: Maus, (finish all); Cole and Symes, ch. 26
Nov. 17: Optional drop in session with TAs in class; Reading/Catch up time
Readings: Maus, (finish all)
Nov. 22: NO CLASS Use this time to catch up
Nov. 24: NO CLASS (Thanksgiving Break)
Nov. 29: The Holocaust and Discussion on Art Spiegelman’s The Complete Maus
Readings: You should have completed Maus before class
Dec. 1: From “Hot” to “Cold” War
è Hand out study guide in class only and review for Final Exam
Readings: Cole and Symes, ch. 27
Dec. 6: Decolonization and Europe Divided
èAll pre-approved extra credit assignments due
Readings: Cole and Symes, ch. 28
èDec. 6: Film Screening, time TBA: “The Battle of Algiers” (1966)
Dec. 8: The Collapse of Communism: The End of History?
èDec. 8: TRIVIA NIGHT review session, time/place TBA
Dec. 13 è(Tues.): FINAL EXAM, 11:30 a.m.-1:20 p.m.
Please note: I reserve the right to modify this syllabus as necessary, and will inform the class of any changes.
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