111 Winter 2004

Foundations of the Modern Age
Winter Semester 2004
Frank Luttmer
113 Classic Hall
M W F: 8:30-9:00 and by appointment
866-7205 (office) (502)454-8348 (home)
historians@hanover.edu

Course Description and Objectives
Foundations of the Modern Age is a historical introduction to the ideas, institutions, and events that shaped modern Western civilization. The course is designed both to develop essential knowledge of the origins and evolution of the modern world and to encourage a basic understanding of historical perspective and context. It also seeks to promote the skills essential to historical inquiry, including the capacity to define historical questions, analyze primary documents carefully, evaluate alternative interpretations critically, develop original arguments, and write essays clearly and effectively.

Required Readings
1. Thomas Greer and Gavin Lewis, A Brief History of the Western World, 8th edition, vol. 2
2. Robert Strayer, et al, The Making of the Modern World (on reserve in the Duggan Library)
3. Electronic Texts from the Internet

Grades
Final grades will be based on an evaluation of the following.

1. Four exams, three covering roughly one-third of the course (15% each) and one comprehensive (10%)

The exams will consist of multiple choice questions and essay questions. Study questions can be found on the web syllabus under the dates Feb. 11, Mar. 17, and Exam Week.
2. Two papers (15% and 20%)

The first paper (15%) is to be 2 to 3 pages in length (and no more than 3 pages). The second paper (20%) is to be 3 to 4 pages in length (and no more than 4 pages). Paper grades will be based on the quality of the thesis and argument, the quality of the evidence and logic, and the quality of the writing. Paper assignments can be found on the web syllabus under the dates Feb. 4 and Apr. 16.
3. Class participation (10%)

The success of this class depends upon the quality of the dialogue in class. It is expected that you will attend every class and that you will be fully prepared to discuss the material assigned for that day. Class participation grades will reflect your attendance record, the frequency of your contributions to class discussions, and the quality of your questions, observations, and conclusions.

Schedule

Jan. 13
Analyzing Primary Texts
Vergerius
Jan. 14
The Renaissance
Greer and Lewis, 320-321, 371-380; Pico
Jan. 16
Renaissance Political Theory
Machiavelli
Jan. 19
The Reformation
Greer and Lewis, 405-424, 430-435
Jan. 20
Analyzing Primary Texts
Calvin
Jan. 21
Absolutism
Greer and Lewis, 451-463; Hobbes 1
Jan. 23
The English Revolution and Political Theory
Hobbes 2

Jan. 26
The English Revolution and Political Theory
Greer and Lewis, 498-503; Locke 1
Jan. 27
Writing Papers
Jan. 28
The English Revolution and Political Theory
Locke 2

Feb. 2
The Emergence of Capitalism
Greer and Lewis, 329-339; Mun
Feb. 4
Early Modern Imperialism
Greer and Lewis, 354-370; Equiano

Feb. 6
The Scientific Revolution
Greer and Lewis, 463-468; Galileo
First Paper

Feb. 9
The Scientific Revolution
Greer and Lewis, 468-472; Newton
Feb. 11
The Enlightenment
Greer and Lewis, 448-451, 472-475; Hume; Voltaire
Feb. 13
The Enlightenment
Greer and Lewis, 475-479; Montesquieu; Smith

Feb. 16
The North American Colonies
Greer and Lewis, 504-505; Strayer, 138-142; Winthrop; Franklin
Feb. 18
First Exam
Feb. 20
The American Revolution
Greer and Lewis, 505-509; Strayer, 142-143; Declaration; Federalist Papers

Feb. 25
The French Revolution
Greer and Lewis, 494-498, 510-515; Declaration

Feb. 27
The French Revolution
Greer and Lewis, 515-521; Robespierre

Mar. 8
Conservatism, Liberalism, and Nationalism
Greer and Lewis, 521-526, 539-550; Metternich; Mazzini
Mar. 10
The United States
Strayer, 144-147; South Carolina

Mar. 12
The United States
Lincoln; Lincoln

Mar. 15
Industrialization
Greer and Lewis, 551-567; Sadler Report

Mar. 17
Marxism 1
Greer and Lewis, 567-573; Marx and Engels 1
Mar. 19
Marxism 2
Marx and Engels 2
Mar. 22
Mature Industrial Society and Ideologies
Greer and Lewis, 573-576; Bernstein; Green; Spencer; Hearing

Mar. 24
Second Exam
Mar. 26
The United States in the Late 19th and Early 20th Centuries
Strayer, 147-149; Carnegie; Populist; Washington; Du Bois

Mar. 29
No Class

Mar. 31
World War I
Greer and Lewis, 611-624; WWI Poetry
Apr. 2
The Russian Revolution and Communism
Greer and Lewis, 624-634; Lenin

Apr. 5
The Russian Revolution and Communism
Stalin; Famine
Apr. 7
Fascism
Greer and Lewis, 634-642; Mussolini
Apr. 9
No class

Apr. 12
The West and World War II
Greer and Lewis, 642-645; 652-658; Strayer, 150-152; Roosevelt; Himmler
Apr. 14
Post-War Society
Strayer, 154-156; Martin Luther King Jr.; The Black Panther Party Platform; The Port Huron Statement; NOW
Apr. 16
The Late 20th Century
Greer and Lewis, 693-705; Strayer, 156-158; Reagan

Apr. 20
Third Exam
Second Paper

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