Syllabus HS 063: Cultural and Institutional History of Modern Europe (Honors Section)

Required Texts: Palmer and Colton: HISTORY OF THE MODERN WORLD. vol I

Julius Jacobson: THE CLASSICAL MUSIC EXPERIENCE

Fred Plotkin, OPERA 101

SELECTED PRIMARY SOURCE READINGS (to be distributed in class)

John L. Heineman: READINGS IN EUROPEAN HISTORY

 

SYLLABUS

 

ASSIGNMENTS PALMER READINGS

 

I. 3-5 Sept: The medieval and Renaissance Background 9-71 Renaissance Texts

 

II. 8-12 Sept: The New Monarchies and Religious Conflict 71-104 ReformationTexts

 

III.15-19 Sept: Explorations and Empire 106-118; 151-159 Tudor Texts

 

IV.22-26 Sept Religious Conflict and Thirty Years War 118-139; 147-153 War Texts

 

V. 29 Sept-3 Oct: Britain: Revolution and Civil War 153-167 Civil War Texts

 

VI.6-10 Oct: Triumph of the Baroque

 

VII. 15-17 Oct: France: Age of Absolutism 167-186 Louis XIV Texts

 

MONDAY: 20 October: Mid-term Examination

 

VIII. 22-24 Oct: The New Monarchies of Eastern Europe 187-224

 

IX. 27-31 Oct: Society in the age of Aristocracy 225-241 Science Texts

 

X. 3-7 Nov: European Expansion and an Age of War 242-263 Baroque Churches

 

XI.10-14 Nov: Scientific Discoveries and the Enlightenment 265-308 Enlightenment Texts

Thursday, 13 November: Mozart, Hayden, Beethoven

Friday: 14 November: Third Paper Due:

 

XII.17-21 Nov: European Society in the 18th century 308-342 Enlightened Despots

Monday, 17 November: Mozart: Marriage of Figaro (Evening program)

Monday, 24 November: Selections from Mozart: Don Giovanni and Zauberflöte

 

XIII. 1-9 Dec The French Revolution 343-398 Chapter I of Heineman Readings

3 December: Fourth Paper Due: 

 

Friday 12 December: 12:30 pm . FINAL EXAMINATION

As is mentioned in a number of items on the next page, students should FREQUENTLY and regularly consult my home page. The address is:

 

http://www2.bc.edu/~heineman

 

 

Key Pieces of Information

1.This class carries four (4) credits and meets four hours a week. On Monday and Wednesdays (in general) we will have lectures which last 90 minutes. Then on Fridays, the class will be broken into two DISCUSSION SECTIONS. One will meet from 10:00 to 10:50. and the second will meet from 11:00-11:50.

2. Assignment to one of these discussion sections will take place on Wednesday, the first day of class and will be posted on the Web Page for this course.

3. Our first discussion section is THIS FRIDAY, so please be prepared with the assigned readings.

4. All information for this class after this first handout will be found on my Home Page under the appropriate place. The address is:

http://www2.bc.edu/~heineman

Please bookmark this page for it will be the source for any necessary revisions in the syllabus or assignment sheet. The page will also contain any extra handouts, study sheets, and a full set of colored maps, which are an important source. You may download these maps, and even customize them for yourself.Finally, my home page contains a large series of art illustrations which reproduce many of the art slides I will be showing in the lectures. Again, this material should help the students in reviewing the material which is covered in class.

5. All text readings (Palmer) should be completed by the first day of the assignment, i.e. by Monday). Any assigned maps will be found on my home page.

6. Discussion of the Primary sources from the READINGS will take place almost every Friday.

I ask that you carefully read and prepare to discuss the readings in the sections each week and bring the book to class.

7. Nearly every week, a series of films (feature films as well as documentaries) will be shown on the BC History Channel, Channel 49. The weekly schedule is posted on my Home Page (see # 4 above)

8 There will be four (4) short paper assignments not to exceed 2 1/2 pages typewritten. Two of these will be assigned, graded and returned prior to the mid-term in order to assist your preparation for that essay-based exercise. The last two will follow the mid-term

9. There will be three evening sessions for the purposes of watching and listening to classical music (two operas and one concert), plus a museum visit which I am currently arranging.

10. The date of the mid-term is still flexible and will be announced shortly.

11. The final grade will be determined as follows:

  • Discussion Grade 30%
  • Papers and Map Quiz 10%
  • Mid-Term Examination 25%
  • Final Examination 35%

 

 

 

Discussion Grade 25%

Papers and Map Quiz 15%

Mid-Term Examination 25%

Final Examination 35%