EUH 3122.0001: Medieval Society and Civilization
Instructor: Dr. Peter L. Larson COMM 113
Office: Colbourn Hall 537 MWF 1:30 – 2:20 p.m
Office Phone: 407-823-6466 Fall 2011
Email: Credit: 3 units (3,0)
Office Hours: WF 2:30-3:30 p.m. & by appointment
Course homepage: http://pegasus.cc.ucf.edu/~plarson/EUH3122_11.htm
Course Description and Objectives
I. To explore the history of the European Middle Ages, with a strong emphasis on the basic political history of the period: major events, dates, and personages, as well as relevant geography. While this will form the core of the course, we will also examine other aspects of history, including religion, art, architecture, and social and cultural trends. We will approach these histories through a variety of primary sources, from histories, letters, and laws to art, architecture, and artifacts.
II. To consider the ways in which professional historians analyze and construct medieval history, from the interpretation of sources to the use of analytical frameworks.
Required Texts
The following textbooks are required, and may be purchased from the Bookstore.
· Judith Bennett, Medieval Europe: A Short History.11th ed. (McGraw-Hill, 2011).
FEarlier editions (by Judith Bennett and Warren Hollister jointly) are acceptable
· Mary-Ann Stouck, ed., A Short Reader of Medieval Saints (U of Toronto Press, 2009).
· F.L. Ganshof, Feudalism, trans. by Philip Grierson (U of Toronto Press, Medieval Academy Reprints for Teaching, 1996).
· The Lais of Marie de France, trans. by Glyn S. Burgess and Keith Busby (Penguin, 1999).
· Dante Alighieri, The Divine Comedy, vol. I: Inferno, trans. by Mark Musa. (Penguin, 2002).
FOther editions of Inferno are acceptable, provided that they have good notes.
Assignments
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· Conduct in the Course 10%
· Short Essays (2) 30%
· In-class Exams (2) 30%
· Term Paper 30%
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Important note for majors regarding Portfolios: All History majors are required to turn in a portfolio during the semester they intend to graduate. This portfolio should contain 8-12 examples (originals, not copies) of graded, written work (research papers, book reviews, essay exams, etc.) from History classes. For more information on History graduation requirements see http://www.cah.ucf.edu/history/undergraduate_degreereq.php
Office Hours & Contact Info: You can find me in my office during my stated office hours, or you can set up an appointment. The surest way to contact me is by email.
Conduct, Participation, and Attendance
I expect you to act professionally - to attend all classes, to complete required readings analyze them before class, and to participate actively. This assignment is not free points just for showing up – you must participate, by answering and asking questions.
Attendance: You are permitted 3 unexcused absences. With the 4th unexcused absence, you will lose 1 point per additional absence, beginning with the points allotted for Conduct (after calculating the Conduct grade) and then from your overall grade. Excessive tardiness will be count as unexcused absences.
To excuse an absence, I require written proof by an authority that the absence was beyond your control: a doctor’s note, a memo from your boss, and so forth. I do not need to know specifics; you may black out any diagnosis, cause, or personal information. Please note: failure to find parking, self-diagnosis and treatment, and the like do not count as excusable absences.
If you miss class, whether excused or not, you are responsible for what you missed.
If you are absent when an assignment is due: If the absence is excused, the assignment is due either when you return to class OR after discussion with me (as when an illness would prevent your from working on an essay or studying for an exam). If the absence is not excused, you will receive a 0.
Other Key Conduct Policies
· Cell phones, pagers, and beepers must be off during class
· Taping of lectures is forbidden without my express permission.
· All handouts and powerpoints are for personal use only, & cannot be sold or distributed.
Exams & Assignments
Essays : Two short (4 to 6 page) papers; the first will be on early medieval saints, the second will be on feudalism. The assignment will be posted on the course website, with a choice of questions.
Exams: Two in-class examinations, with a variety of question formats. See website for study guide.
Term Paper: A 10-15 page research paper, based on primary sources in translation. You will submit a topic and preliminary bibliography, and participate in a peer-review of rough drafts late in the semester. The peer review is worth 5 points out of the 30 for the term paper.
Extra Credit: I do not offer individual extra-credit assignments.
Turn-it-in.com Requirement
In addition to the hard copy submitted in class, all papers (but not worksheets) must be submitted to Turn-it-in.com by the deadline given in the assignment. This is an automated system that compares your work to billions of web sites and an enormous database of student papers that grows with each submission. After the assignment is processed, I receive a report from turnitin.com that states if and how another author’s work was used in the assignment. For more information, visit http://www.turnitin.com.
Writing Assignment Policies
Spelling, grammar, and style count; for help, consult the online Style Guide and Grading Criteria. Most errors can be avoided by using both a spell and grammar checker, and by setting them to “formal”.
Late Papers: All papers are due in-class in hard copy; if you do not hand in your paper then, it will be considered late, even if you have submitted it to Turn-it-in.com. After that, you have seven full days (that includes the weekend) to turn in the paper with a 10 point penalty. I will accept papers up to the last day of class, but the grade will be halved (e.g., an 88 becomes a 44). All due dates are published in the syllabus, so plan ahead; there is no excuse for not completing a paper on-time. Extensions are at my discretion and require documentation.
Exam Make-up Policy
A make-up exam will be permitted only with a documented, excusable absence. The timing of the makeup exam is at the convenience of the instructor, and will take into consideration the reason(s) for the absence in order to provide a fair testing opportunity.
Tardiness to Exams: I will allow students who are late to class to take the exam, although extra time will not be provided without a documented excuse. If you are late, please enter the classroom and take your seat as quietly as possible.
Grading Scale
93.00 to 100 = A 87.00 to 89.99 = B+ 59.99 and below = F
90.00 to 92.99 = A- 83.00 to 86.99 = B
80.00 to 82.99 = B-
etc. for Cs and Ds
Academic Misconduct: Plagiarism & Cheating
Plagiarism is theft: the presentation, consciously or unconsciously, of someone else’s words or ideas as your own, whether you paraphrase too closely, cut-and-paste material from a website, or purchase an entire paper on the internet. Plagiarism is not limited to published works; it includes other students’ papers and web sites. You may quote works when proper reference is given, but under no circumstances should you incorporate someone else’s work into your own without proper citation. If you refer to someone else’s idea, even if it is not a direct quote, you must cite that information; unreferenced paraphrasing is plagiarism.
Plagiarism, and cheating of any kind on any assignment (such as submitting a paper you wrote for another class) will result in a 0 for that assignment, possibly an "F" for the entire course, and referral to the Office of Student Conduct for further action. I will assume that you will adhere to the academic creed of this University and will maintain the highest standards of academic integrity as embodied in the UCF Golden Rule. If you have any questions or concerns, please see me or the University Writing Center.
Disability Statement
The University of Central Florida is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for all persons with disabilities. This syllabus is available in alternate formats upon request. Students with disabilities who need accommodations in this course must contact me at the beginning of the semester to discuss needed accommodations. No accommodations will be provided until the student has met with me to request accommodations. Students who need accommodations must be registered with Student Disability Services, Student Resource Center Room 132, phone (407) 823-2371, TTY/TDD only phone (407) 823-2116, before requesting accommodations.
Email Policies
As of 2009, Knightsmail is the only official student email at UCF. Class rosters list Knightsmail addresses rather than external email addresses, andall official class communications will be sent only to the Knightsmail addresses.Students are responsible for checking their Knightsmail accounts regularly. See www.knightsemail.ucf.edu for further information.
When emailing me, please provide a relevant subject heading and be sure to include your name.
It may take up to two days for me to respond to your email. I try not to take my work home with me, so emails sent after 6pm or on weekends probably will not be seen until the next business day.
Finally…
Communication is key. I am willing to be flexible and offer help, but only if you ask me before something is due; coming to me after the fact, without any documentation, will not change anything.
Continued enrollment in this course indicates that you have accepted the terms of this syllabus, and that you agree to abide by the UCF Golden Rule.
Schedule of Classes
Ø Readings in the textbook are for the week. Either complete the reading at the beginning of the week, or use the subheadings to follow along, otherwise you risk being lost in class.
Ø Additional readings are listed under the class for which they should be completed.
Ø You do not need to print the Internet readings, but you must be prepared to discuss them.
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Week 1: The End of Rome? - A Short History: Chapter 1
M 22 Aug. Introduction
W 24 Development of Roman Christianity
Stouck: Reading 1 (Sts. Perpetua & Felicity)
Eusebius, The Conversion of Constantine http://www.fordham.edu/Halsall/source/conv-const.asp
F 26 Political Collapse
Week 2: The Early Medieval West - A Short History: Chapter 2 to p. 40
M 29 An Overview of post-Roman Society
W 31 Franks & Anglo-Saxons / Practicum on Sources
Gregory of Tours, the Conversion of Clovis http://www.fordham.edu/Halsall/source/496clovis.asp
F 2 Anglo-Saxon England
Week 3 Foundations of the Medieval Church - A Short History: Chapter 2, pp. 40 to 50
M 5 Labor Day - No Class Today
W 7 Tips for Research / Finding Sources
F 9 Monasticism & Intellectual Life
Stouck: Readings 2-3 (St. Anthony; St. Benedict)
Rule of St. Benedict (excerpts) http://www.fordham.edu/Halsall/source/rul-benedict-excerp.asp
Week 4: Eastern Heirs of the Empire - A Short History: Chapter 3
M 12 Early Medieval Christianity
Stouck: Reading 4 (St. Radegund)
Bede on the conversion of England http://www.fordham.edu/Halsall/source/bede1.asp
Rule of the Celi De http://celticchristianity.org/library/culdee.html
W 14 Byzantium
Procopius, Secret History (excerpt) http://www.fordham.edu/Halsall/source/procop-anec1.asp
F 16 Byzantium & Islam Essay #1 due
The Pact of Umar http://www.fordham.edu/Halsall/source/pact-umar.asp
Week 5 The Franks - A Short History: Chapter 4
M 19 The Northumbrian Golden Age / Sutton Hoo Documentary
W 21 From Charles Martel to Charlemagne
F 23 The Carolingian Renaissance
Stouck: Reading 5 (Sts. Marcellinus and Peter)
Week 6: The New Europe - A Short History: Chapter 5
M 26 Exam #1
W 28 The Creation of France and Germany
F 30 The Vikings
Ravages of the Northmen: http://www.fordham.edu/Halsall/source/843bertin.asp
Week 7: The High Middle Ages - A Short History: Chapter 6
M 3 Oct. Latin Europe & Its Neighbors Deadline for Topic Discussion
Stouck: Reading 6 (St. James of Compostella)
W 5 The Normans
Laws of William the Conqueror http://www.fordham.edu/Halsall/source/will1-lawsb.asp
F 7 The Agricultural Revolution & Urbanization
Week 8: Feudalism - A Short History: Chapters 9 to p. 229
M 10 Discussion of Ganshof, Feudalism
W 12 The First Crusade
Urban II’s Speech at Clermont http://www.fordham.edu/Halsall/source/urban2-5vers.asp
F 14 Norman/Crusader Culture; Lewis Chessmen documentary
Week 9 The Twelfth Century Renaissance - A Short History: Chapter 11
M 17 The Crusader States Topic & Bibliography Due
Usama ibn Munqidh, Memoirs: http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/usamah2.html
W 19 The Twelfth-century Renaissance I: Knowledge
Ordeal of Boiling Water http://www.fordham.edu/Halsall/source/water-ordeal.asp
Abelard, Sic et Non (excerpts) http://www.fordham.edu/Halsall/source/1120abelard.asp
F 21 The Twelfth-century Renaissance II: Emotion
Abelard, History of My Calamities: http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/abelard-sel.html
Week 10 The Rise and Fall of the Medieval Church - A Short History: Chapters 7-8
M 24 Discussion: Lais of Marie de France
W 26 The Papacy Ascendant
Henry IV’s letter to Gregory VII http://www.fordham.edu/Halsall/source/henry4-to-g7a.asp
Gregory VII deposes Henry IV http://www.fordham.edu/Halsall/source/g7-ban1.asp
Th 27 Withdrawal Deadline
F 28 Heresy, Reform, & Crisis Essay #2 due
Stouck: Reading 7 (Francis of Assisi)
The Conversion of Peter Waldo: http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/waldo1.html
Week 11 Film: The Name of the Rose (1986)- A Short History: Chapter 9, p. 229-235
Bernard Gui, Inquisitorial Techniques: http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/heresy2.html
Week 12 The Later Crusades – No textbook reading
M 7 Nov. Later Crusades & the Fall of the Latin East
OPTIONAL: You can see all the papal bulls dealing with the destruction of the Templars at:
http://www.ewtn.com/library/COUNCILS/VIENNE.HTM
W 9 Exam #2
F 11 Veteran’s Day - No Class Today
Week 13 The Medieval Origins of the Modern State - A Short History: Chapters 10, 13
M 14 The Great Famine and the Black Death
W 16 Kings, Parliaments, & Rebels
Henry I, Charter of Liberties http://www.fordham.edu/Halsall/source/hcoronation.asp
Magna Carta: http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/mcarta.html
F 18 The Italian Renaissance I
Week 14 The Beginning of Modernity I – A Short History: Chapters 12, 14
M 21 In-Class Peer Review Rough Draft Due for Peer Review
W 23 The Italian Renaissance II
F 25 No Class - Thanksgiving Break
Week 15 The Beginning of Modernity II
M 28 Discussion – Inferno
Complete Dante Alighieri, Inferno
W 30 The Renaissance & Humanism
Stouck: Reading 9 (Catherine of Sienna)
F 2 Dec. The End of the Middle Ages?
W 7 FINAL PAPER DUE BY 5pm
Please turn in the draft that your partner reviewed as well.
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