212 Fall 2000

Western Civilization II:
Renaissance to Enlightenment
Fall Semester 2000
Frank Luttmer
108 Classic Hall
T R: 10:30-12:00 W: 10:00-11:00
866.7205 (office) 866.4073 (home)
historians@hanover.edu

Course Description and Objectives
The second in a four-course sequence in Western Civilization, this course is an introduction to the history of Europe and Europe's colonies (particularly British North America) during the early modern era. The purpose of the Western Civilization sequence is to provide students of history and the liberal arts with a solid foundation in the principal ideas, institutions, and events that have shaped Western civilization. It seeks to promote an understanding of historical context and perspective and to encourage the skills essential to historical inquiry, including the capacity to define historical questions, analyze primary documents, evaluate alternative interpretations, develop coherent arguments, and write clearly and effectively.

Readings
(Book Order Information)
1. Euan Cameron, ed. Early Modern Europe
2. Natalie Davis, The Return of Martin Guerre
3. Joseph Klaits, Servants of Satan
4. Robert Darnton, The Great Cat Massacre
5. Richard Simmons, The American Colonies from Settlement to Independence
6. Readings from the Internet (links to which can be found in the schedule below)

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

1. Two mid-term exams (15% each) and a final exam (20%)

Exams will consist of short-answer questions and large essay questions. Each of the three exams will cover roughly one-third of the course; the third exam will also include a comprehensive section.
2. A research paper submitted in two drafts (15% for the first draft and 25% for the second)

The research paper can be on any topic in Western Civilization during the early modern era. Papers are to be analytical and interpretive; they should present a thesis and develop an argument. You are encouraged to use primary sources, and you are expected to examine the historiographical context of your topic.
First drafts may be limited to sources available in the Duggan Library, but you are expected to use Interlibrary Loan to obtain additional sources for the final draft. You should include with your first draft a bibliography based on a universal search for sources. The Electronic Database page on the History Web Site may prove helpful in bibliographical searches.
The grade of each draft will be based on the quality of the thesis and argument, the quality of the evidence and logic, and the quality of the writing. You should consult with me about your paper at least a week before each draft is due.
3. Class participation (10%)

The success of this class, as a small seminar, 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

Sept. 7
Introduction
Cameron, xvii-xxxi, 1-28; Montaigne

The Sixteenth-Century

Sept. 12
The Common People
Cameron, 31-62; Davis, 1-34
Sept. 14
The Common People
Davis, 35-125
Sept. 19
The Renaissance
Cameron, 63-81; Vergerius; Erasmus
Sept. 21
The Reformation
Cameron, 81-101; Luther
Sept. 26
Reformation, War, and the State
Calvin; Trent; Cameron, 102-131

The Seventeenth-Century

Sept. 28
Capitalism and Empire
Cameron, 132-170; Mun
Oct. 3
Religion and Society
Cameron, 171-189; Bunyan
Oct. 5
FIRST EXAM
Klaits, 1-18
Oct. 10
The Witch Hunts
Klaits, 19-85
Oct. 12
The Witch Hunts
Klaits, 86-103, 128-176
Oct. 19
The Scientific Revolution
Cameron, 189-205; Galileo; Newton
Oct. 24
Absolutism and Liberty
Cameron, 206-230; Louis XIV; Locke
Oct. 26
The Origins of British North America
Simmons, 1-49; Winthrop
Oct. 31
The Colonies after the Restoration
Simmons, 50-97; Jones; Sewall
Nov. 2
The Colonies after the Restoration
Simmons, 98-149; Lawson
Nov. 3
FIRST DRAFT OF PAPER DUE
Nov. 7
SECOND EXAM
Darnton, 3-7, 75-104

The Eighteenth-Century

Nov. 9
The Commercial Economy and Society
Cameron, 233-264; Darnton, 107-140
Nov. 14
Peasant Culture
Darnton, 9-72
Nov. 16
The Enlightenment
Cameron, 265-297; Hume
Nov. 21
The Enlightenment
Voltaire; Darnton, 145-189
Nov. 28
States and Politics
Cameron, 298-344; Frederick
Nov. 30
The Growth of British North America
Simmons, 150-205; Franklin
Dec. 5
Religion and Culture in the Colonies
Simmons, 206-239; Edwards; Franklin
Dec. 7
Colonial Government
Simmons, 240-267
FINAL DRAFTS OF PAPERS DUE
Dec. 11-15
FINAL EXAM

Return to Hanover College
Return to History Department