Syllabus - Spring 2012
Spring 2012 |
Jarbel Rodriguez |
HIST 334 - Late Medieval and Renaissance Europe |
Classroom: HSS 248 |
Office: SCI 267A |
Phone: 415-338-1560 |
Office Hours: M 12:30-2:00; W 3:30-5:00 or by appt. |
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The Renaissance, its mere invocation is powerful enough to fill our imaginations with images of artistic geniuses, architectural marvels, humanistic scholars, and none too-pious popes. But during this time (14th-16th centuries), Europe was much more than this. It was also an age of famines, horrendous pandemics that killed millions, wars that lasted a hundred years (and more) and threatened to engulf the entire continent, inquisitive explorers that sought distant lands, and inquisitors that tried to ensure true belief in the Catholic Church. The aim of this course is provide an understanding of Europe between 1300-1550 as it went through repeated and tumultuous periods of crisis and rebirth.
For history major, this course can count as either “Europe Before” or “After 1500.”
Learning Goals
1. Understand the basic historical narrative for Europe between 1300-1550.
2. Learn major events, movements, and changes in the cultural, religious, social, economic and military history of Europe.
3. Appreciate the importance of this period for the future development of Europe and the World.
4. Recognize the impact that Europe had on the rest of the world and how the rest of the world influenced European development.
Required Books
Daniel Waley and Peter Denley, Later Medieval Europe 3 rd ed. (Harlow, UK: Longman, 2001)
Natalie Davis, The Return of Martin Guerre (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press (1984)
Michael Alpert, ed. and trans. Lazarillo de Tormes and the Swindler: Two Spanish Picaresque Novels (London: Penguin Classics, 2003)
Giovanni Boccaccio, The Decameron, trans. G.H. McWilliam (London: Penguin Books, 1972)
Margery Kempe, The Book of Margery Kempe trans. Barry Windeat (London: Penguin Books, 2000)
Grades
Class Participation: 10%
Midterm: 20%
Final Exam: 25%
Research Paper Abstract: 5%
Research Paper: 40%
Your final grade will be calculated on the following scale:
93 – 100 = A 73 – 76.99 = C
90 – 92.99 = A- 70 – 72.99 = C-
87 – 89.99 = B+ 67 – 69.99 = D+
83 – 86.99 = B 63 – 66.99 = D
80 – 82.99 = B- 60 – 62.99 = D-
77 – 79.99 = C+ 00 – 59.99 = F
If you take the class CR/NC you must earn at least a C- to get a CR grade.
Class Participation
Class participation makes up 10% of your grade—the equivalent of one letter grade. Half of this grade is measured by your comments on the days that we have class discussions. The other half of your participation grade will come from engaging and asking questions during lectures. I will not be taking attendance, but students who are not regularly in class will see their participation grade suffer as they will not be around to participate and ask questions.
I expect everyone to show up having read the assignments and ready to speak up. If you are very shy or believe that you cannot make useful comments, now is the time to get over it. Do not risk your grade by not speaking up.
Exams
There will be one midterm and a final. They will not be cumulative and both will follow the same format. Each will include 15 multiple-choice questions, 15 identifications, and one essay. I will provide the essay questions in advance for you to prepare before the test.
Research Paper (10 pages)
The research paper will be on a topic of your own choosing that makes an argument and relies significantly on primary sources—in other words, do not go and read a couple of books on your topic and tell me what they say. Instead, put together a group of primary sources that address your particular topic, develop a thesis/argument, and create a work of original scholarship. All papers must have the thesis underlined. They must also use primary sources to develop the argument. Papers that do not use primary sources cannot earn a grade higher than an 80. Substantial additional information is available in the class website under “Research Paper.” Make sure to use this resource. I will accept late papers and abstracts for one week after they are due, but they will be penalized 5% each day they are late. It is almost impossible to pass the course without turning in a research paper. The research paper will be submitted in two parts.
The first part will be an abstract that describes your paper topic along with a brief bibliography of sources and secondary material you are thinking about using. The abstract should contain 6 primary and 6 secondary sources. Among the secondary sources, at least 2 must be scholarly articles, while the rest can be books. This is due in class on March 5 th.
The research paper itself is due April 30 th in class.
A Note on Cheating and Plagiarism
Cheating is the actual or attempted practice of fraudulent or deceptive acts for the purpose of improving one’s grade or obtaining course credit; such acts also include assisting another to do so. Plagiarism is a specific form of cheating which consists of the misuse of the published and/or unpublished works of others by misrepresenting the material so used as one’s own work. It includes “borrowing” ideas and quotations from books, articles, and websites without proper attribution. If you’re not sure about something, check with me. Ignorance of what constitutes plagiarism is not a defense against it. Cheating and/or plagiarism will result in a 0 in the assignment and could result in expulsion from the University. For more on the University’s policy regarding cheating and plagiarism, refer to the University Catalog (Policies and Regulations).
History Graduate Students
History graduate students will have to turn in a research paper 15-18 pages in length.
Disability Statement Policy
Students with disabilities who need reasonable accommodations are encouraged to contact the instructor. The Disability Programs and Resource Center (DPRC) is available to facilitate the reasonable accommodations process. The DPRC is located in the Student Service Building and can be reached by telephone (voice/TTY 415-338-2472) or by email (dprc@sfsu.edu).
Readings and Weekly Lecture Topics
Week 1 (Jan 23rd)
Readings: Waley & Denley, chs. 1-2
Lecture Topics:
Class Introduction
The Renaissance or the Late Middle Ages
The Church and Religion
Week 2 (Jan 30 th)
Readings: Waley & Denley, chs. 3-4
Lecture Topics:
The Late Medieval Economy
Rural Life and the Great Famine
The Black Death – Part I
Week 3 (Feb 6th)
Readings: Waley & Denley, ch. 5; Boccaccio, The Decameron, Introduction; I: 1, 2, 3; II: 1, 3, 7, 9; III: 1, 2, 10; IV: 1, 2, 5; V: 2; VI: 7, 10; VII: 2, 7; VIII: 1; IX: 2, 3; X: 9.
Lecture Topics:
The Black Death – Part II
CLASS DISCUSSION: The Decameron (Reading Guide)
An Absent and Schismatic Church
Week 4 (Feb 13th)
Readings: Waley & Denley, ch. 6-7; Margery Kempe, Proem - ch. 15; chs. 26 - 42; chs. 51 - 55; chs. 79 - 81
Lecture Topics:
Love and Marriage
CLASS DISCUSSION: Margery Kempe (Reading Guide)
The Hundred Years’ War
Week 5 (Feb 20th)
Readings: Waley & Denley, ch. 17
Lecture Topics:
An Age of Revolutions
Renaissance Medicine
Renaissance Women
Week 6 (Feb 27th)
Lecture Topics:
The Book Hunters
CLASS DISCUSSION: PETRARCH (Reading Guide)
Humanism
Week 7 (Mar 5th)
Readings: Waley & Denley, chs. 8-9
Lecture Topics:
The Artist and the World
Art History of the Renaissance
Northern Renaissance
ABSTRACTS DUE
Week 8 (Mar 12th)
MIDTERM
Week 9 (Mar 19th)
NO CLASS – SPRING BREAK
Week 10 (Mar 26th)
Readings: Waley and Denley, chs. 10-12
Lecture Topics:
15th Century Northern Europe
15th Century Mediterranean Europe
Research Paper Overview
Week 11 (Apr 2nd)
Readings: Waley and Denley, ch. 18
Lecture Topics:
Renaissance Music
Renaissance Warfare
Witchcraft and Inquisition
Week 12 (Apr 9th)
Readings: Waley & Danley, ch. 16
Lecture Topics:
Science and Technology
Printing
Origins of Exploration
Week 13 (Apr 16th)
Readings: Alpert, Lazarillo de Tormes, 3-60
Lecture Topics:
The New World
CLASS DISCUSSION: Lazarillo de Tormes (Reading Guide)
The Results of Contact
Week 14 (Apr 23rd)
Readings: Waley & Danley, ch. 14; The Return of Martin Guerre
Lecture Topics:
Jews in the Renaissance
CLASS DISCUSSION: The Return of Martin Guerre (Reading Guide)
The Ottomans and Islam
Week 15 (April 30th)
Readings: Waley & Danley, chs. 13 & 15
Lecture Topics:
Crime and Punishment
Origins of the Reformation
The Protestant Reformation
RESEARCH PAPERS DUE
Week 16 (May 7th)
Readings:
The Catholic Reformation
Final Exam Review
Week 17 (May 14th)
FINAL EXAM: 4:10 – 6:55