HIST 202: Early Modern Europe
This course explores major developments in European, and Western history and culture from the late Middle Ages to the event of modernity, covering roughly three centuries from the late 15th century to the end of the 18th century. It will explore the interplay of politics, religion, economy, and culture in the successes and failures of the religious movements of the time; transformations of states from medieval monarchies to modern states; expansion of Europe across the Atlantic and into Asia and Africa; and the information revolution that came with the introduction of the printing press into Europe. We will discuss cultural and social transformations that ultimately helped shape modern Western society, typically associated with religious diversity, toleration, human rights, democracy, and consumerism. The course will also examine a broader European society and culture and its relationship with the rest of the world, as Europe came increasingly dependent on products supplied by the Americas, Asia, and Africa. Among questions explored will be: How did European expansion change European society? How did Western states transform to allow a participation of Jews in the political process of their states, but continue to exclude women and slaves? And what role did women and gender play in these transformations? Were women only nuns, wives, witches, and, occasionally, queens? How did the concept of marriage and family change following the Reformation? The course will cover the continuities and change in early modern Western society and will seek to show a geographically and religiously diverse range of experiences.
Course Requirements Course Readings
Syllabus
1. Th. 01/21 Introduction
Late 15th and Early 16th Centuries:
2. Tu. 01/26 Europe in the Late 15th and Early 16th Centuries:
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Watch lecture "Moving through Urban Space in Early Modern Europe" by Chris Friedrichs
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Optional reading: John Merriman A History of Modern Europe: From the Renaissance to the Age of Napoleon (henceforth: Merriman History), 3-33.
3. Th. 01/28 Age of European Expansion:
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De Las Casas "A Short Account of the Destruction of the Indies"--3-64, 71-84; 127-130;
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Optional reading: Merriman History, 177-190.
4. Tu. 02/02 Printing Revolution:
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Optional reading: Merriman History, 34-45.
5. Th. 02/04 Printing and Its Impact on Society and Culture:
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Recommended additional reading: Elisabeth Eisenstein The Printing Revolution
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Recommended: Text and Video on Book of Women's Commandments (Seder Mizvot Nashim, 1577) on www.earlymodern.org
6. Tu. 02/09 GROUP I: Visit to the Special Collection at Olin Library; GROUP II: EndNOTE session *LIBRARY ASSIGNMENT ANNOUNCED*
7. Th. 02/11 GROUP II: Visit to the Special Collection at Olin Library; GROUP I: EndNOTE session
8. Tu. 02/16 European Arts and Culture: Renaissance and Humanism
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Reformation Reader: Erasmus "Praise of Folly", 57-68;
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Niccol?Machiavelli, Discourses Book 1, "Preface," chapters 1-13, 16; Book 2, "Preface," ch. 2-3, 15, 19-20, 27
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Optional reading: Merriman History, 46-84.
Religious Reforms Across Europe
9. Th. 02/18 The Church before the Reformation
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Reformation Reader: 5-14; 51-57
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Optional reading: Merriman History, 85-97.
Deadline for the bibliography: Friday, Februrary 19, 2010, 4 pm
10. Tu. 02/23 Martin Luther and His Works
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Reformation Reader: 69-85; 90-138;
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Hand-out of Luther's "Jesus was born a Jew" - available on Moodle
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Luther's On Jews and their Lies (exerpt);
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Optional reading: Merriman History, 97-105.
11. Th. 02/25 Spread of Lutheranism, and Other More Radical Religious Movements:
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Reformation Reader: 138-149,165--202;
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Optional reading: Merriman History, 105-110.
12. Tu. 03/02 John Calvin and Calvinism:
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Reformation Reader: 203-282;
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*Jeanne de Jussie, The Leaven of Calvinism, or the Beginning of the Heresy of Geneva (1532/1546);
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Optional reading: Merriman History, 110-122
13. Th. 03/04 Responses to Challenge: Counter-Reformation and Catholic Reform:
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Reformation Reader: 325-348;
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Cum Nimis Absurdum; Council of Trent and Its Impact in Reformation Reader: 348-367).
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For those interested full text of the Council of Trent in English available through Hanover Historical Texts Project
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Optional reading: Merriman History, 122-135
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DRAFT OF LIBRARY ASSIGNMENT DUE
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REQUIRED TALK: Professor Elisheva Carlebach, Columbia University, "Jewish Time/Christian Time: Calendar and Polemic in Early Modern Europe"
PAC 004 at 04:15 PM - 06:00 PM
SPRING BREAK MARCH 5-22, 2007
MONDAY 03/22: MIDTERM EXAM ANNOUNCED on MOODLE
14. Tu. 03/23 New Religious Orders and Rise of Catholic Spirituality
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Reformation Reader: 368-377;
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The Inquisition of Francisca, 57-158.
MIDTERM EXAM DUE WEDNESDAY, 03/24, 4 pm
15. Th. 03/25 Wars of "Religion": Victories and Losses
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For those interested here is a text of the Treaty of Peace of Westphalia
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Optional reading: Merriman History, 135-176.
16. Tu 03/30 Scientific Revolution and the Beginnings of an Era of Rationalism and Skepticism
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Optional reading: Merriman History, 311-335
Post-Reformation Europe: Society and Culture
17. Th. 04/01 Education and Gender:
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Anna Maria van Schurman "Whether A Christian Woman Should Be Educated, "25-37, 39-56.
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Bella Perlhefter's Correspondence and Elisheva Carlebach's video presentation)
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Optional reading: Merriman History, 127-134.
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FIRST LIBRARY ASSIGNMENT DUE-fFINAL VERSION FRIDAY 04/02 12pm (noon).
Religious Conflicts, Solutions and Questions of Religious Toleration and Repression:
18. Tu. 04/06 Women, Gender, and Change:
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The Reformation Reader: 14-25;
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CD-ROM: Christine de Pizan;
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Robin Briggs "Many Reasons Why: Witchcraft and the Problem of Multiple Explanation"
19. Th. 04/08 The Poor and Poor Relief, Crime and Punishment
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Robert Jutte "Poverty and Deviance in Early Modern Europe": 8-20, 100-142)
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Julius Ruff "Justice" in Violence in Early Modern Europe, 73-116
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Optional reading: Merriman History, 376-417
20. Tu. 04/13 Reformation and Revolution in England:
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Reformation Reader: 283-323
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Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan (Hackett), pp. 3-11, 15-27, 35-47, 63-100, 106-127, 136-145, 172-219, 489-497.
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Optional reading: Merriman History, 222-248
21. Th. 04/15 Religious Toleration:
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John Locke's Essay concerning Toleration and Letter concerning Toleration [full text];
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Spinoza Theological-Political Treatise, Preface, chapters: 3-7, 11-17, 19-20;
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Optional reading: Merriman History, 248-263.
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REQUIRED TALK: Hilit Surowitz, Rutgers University, "Blood and Identity: Picart's La Circoncision des Juifs Portugais"
PAC 004 at 04:15 PM - 06:00 PM
DRAFT OF THE SECOND ASSIGNMENT DUE FRIDAY 04/16 at 12 pm (noon)
22. Tu. 04/20 Rationalism, Enlightenment, and Toleration:
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Mendelssohn "Jerusalem":33-75, 77-139
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French Revolution and Human Rights 35-40;
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Optional reading: Merriman History, 335-376
23. Th. 04/22 Colonialism, Slavery and European impact on Africa and the Americas.
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Optional reading: Merriman History, 191-222
24. Tu. 04/27 Political Transformation: Absolutist State and Mercantilism
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Robert Darnton, "A Police Inspector Sorts His Files" in The Great Cat Massacre
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French Revolution and Human Rights, 40-43;
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Optional reading: Merriman History, 261-306, 417-468
25. Th. 04/29 The Enlightenment and the French Revolution
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French Revolution and Human Rights: 48-50; 60-103; 119-129)
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Optional reading: Merriman History, 469-517
26. Th. 05/04 Toward Modernity: Reassessment.
05/07 FINAL VERSION OF THE SECOND SSIGNMENT DUE BY 8AM
FINAL
EXAM (TAKE HOME) ANNOUNCED ON THE FIRST DAY OF EXAMS MAY 11. DUE MAY 14, 5 pm.