H219: WESTERN CIVILIZATION I (Antiquity to the Renaissance)
Fall 2005
York College of Pennsylvania
Professor Kay McAdams
Office: LS 101
Phone: 1917
Email:kmcadams@ycp.edu
Office hours: Mon/Wed/Fri: 1-1:50
Tues: 9:30-1:30
Thursday: By appointment
When not teaching, I am often in my office. I am happy to speak with you any time, even if it is
not during my posted office hours, so please feel free to knock on my door.
Web site: http://goose.ycp.edu/~kmcadams
This site is a good source of information about myself, my teaching philosophy, and
approach to my courses. A copy of this and all my syllabi is available through the site.
All York College students need to be using the portal http://my.ycp.edu to access their
student and course information. I will make use of the site to send notices about the course.
The syllabus, all paper assignments, and specified readings for this course are also available in
the “files” folder via the Western Civilization I course link that will appear under the links to the
courses in your personal class schedule.
Furthermore, some readings will also be available via e-reserves offered through the
Schmidt Library website. Note—to obtain these e-reserves, DO NOT access the library via the
myycp site, but rather through the www.ycp.edu main site. From the Schmidt Library link, find the
link to e-reserves on the left. Follow as directed. The password for this course McAdams H219
is: thess
If you have questions about accessing any of this information, please see me, ask a
librarian, or the IT help desk.
-- But history is neither watchmaking nor cabinet construction. It is an endeavor toward better
understanding.—French historian, Marc Bloch
-- Men make their own history, but they do not make it just as they please; they do not make it
under circumstances chosen by themselves, but under circumstances directly found, given and
transmitted from the past.-- Karl Marx
Course Description
This course covers the history of the western world, or what is called Western Civilization, from the
earliest human activity through the “rebirth” of cultural and intellectual life of the Renaissance (1416th centuries). This survey course will commence with a discussion of history as a discipline, and
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then cover the following topics: early civilizations; ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome; the rise of
Christianity and Europe after the decline of the Roman Empire; the Middle Ages; the early
Renaissance. Political, economic, cultural, and social developments will be explored. Students in
this course will encounter cultural, social, and political systems very different from their own, but
which have nevertheless contributed to our own present-day Western Civilization. Students will be
encouraged to analyze those distant systems on their own terms, as well as to explore the relevance
of historical events for their own lives. Course materials include two textbooks, a historical
monograph, additional reading materials, and visual materials including several videos. The
student’s grade will be based upon three required 4-5 page analysis papers, 4 brief response
papers, quizzes, class attendance, and participation in group work and class discussion.
Course Goals
1. To contribute to students’ understanding of the concept of Western Civilization.
2. To contribute to students’ understanding of history as a discipline by helping students to develop
the critical thinking skills necessary to analyze primary documents and secondary sources.
3. To contribute to students’ development of reading, writing, listening, and discussion skills.
4. To encourage students to develop an understanding of eras, peoples, and places different from
their own, with the goal of connecting themselves to the distant past.
5. To encourage students to consider the complexities of Western Civilization history through
exploring issues of power, gender, religion, and popular culture.
Course Materials: Please note that the course materials used in this course are not the same as
those used in other Western Civilization sections taught by other instructors. The following materials
are required and should be purchased at the bookstore at the beginning of the semester.
Marvin Perry, et al., Western Civilization. A Brief History Vol. I: to 1789, 5th edition, 2005. Listed in
the syllabus as Perry.
Merry Wiesner, et al., Discovering the Western Past. A Look at the Evidence, Vol. I: to 1789, 5th
edition, 2004. Listed in the syllabus as Wiesner.
Robert Lacey and Danny Danziger, The Year 1000. What Life Was Like at the Turn of the First
Millennium. 1999. Listed in the syllabus as Lacey.
Basis for Course Grade:
Analysis Papers: 45% (3= 15% per paper)
Response Papers: 20% (4= 5% per paper)
Quizzes: 15% (6= 2.5% per quiz)
Participation/Attendance: 20%
Philosophy and Structure of the Course: The study of history is not the pursuit of facts for facts’
sake. Historians study problems and issues in history, collect data, and develop an interpretation
that provides an argument for why and how something happened, or for the cause and effect of an
event or development in history. While facts, dates, and accuracy of information are important in the
study of history, equally important are analysis and the ability to present an interpretation of historical
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developments based upon that data. This course emphasizes both accuracy (do you know the major
individuals, events, developments?) and analysis. You are expected to develop and demonstrate the
skill of analysis, interpretation, and argumentation in your discussion and written work. Quality of
oral and written communication, analysis, and the correctness of the information will be considered
when determining grades on submitted papers and with regard to class participation.
You will be given ample opportunity in this course to develop your analytical and communication
skills. Why is this important? These skills are the basis for your intellectual development, and they
are skills necessary for future success both in and outside of the classroom. The thought of a history
course may put some of you to sleep immediately. While I cannot promise that every day will be
overwhelmingly stimulating, I can tell you that this course is not just a “history” course, but rather it is
a course that, with effort on your part, will help you develop your ability to think critically, to interpret
data, to develop and present an argument based upon evidence, and to effectively communicate
both in speaking and writing.
Along with these skills, a good dose of “history” in the form of solid information will be the foundation
for this course. Divorce yourself from the notion that because this is a history course you will be
memorizing names, dates, and battles. In this course we will deal with questions and issues that
have confronted people in the past, and also consider questions contemporary historians have
asked about the past in order to attempt to explain it. By studying history from the standpoint of
issues and questions, we can come closer to understanding the ways in which the issues we face in
present-day western civilization differ or are the same as issues and questions faced by people in
the ancient world and the Middle Ages. How has human experience remained the same and
changed over time? Are we facing any of the same issues? How are we moving in different
directions? Keep these questions in mind as we move through the course.
To meet the goals I have set for the course (see page 1 of syllabus), I have selected a variety of
materials for your study of this first “half” of Western Civilization. The textbook by Perry provides a
succinct overview of the period, giving you the essential information to help you understand each
era. I will supplement this textbook information with lectures. In addition to the Perry text, you will
use a text by Wiesner that is organized around exploring issues and questions in Western
Civilization. The chapters in this text consist of an introduction to the problem and thought-provoking
questions that you should consider when reading the evidence. This evidence is in the form of
primary documents and visual materials. These are the “raw material” of history; they contain the
original voices, impressions, and accounts of historical events. Historians analyze primary
documents to build interpretations of the past. The use of these primary documents in this course
provides you with the opportunity to develop the skills of analysis and interpretation. A third text that
will be used is a more “popular “history text that describes life around the year 1000. We will use this
text to analyze life then and to examine the notion of progress in Western Civilization. In addition to
these assigned texts, I will also distribute additional readings as necessary. Finally, videos provide
essential material for this course. I consider the video presentations to be as important as the
reading material, so video days are hardly mental “days off.” We will learn to read films as history,
and you will be asked to analyze documentary videos and historically-based films as you would work
with written course materials. These videos help to establish a visual sense of the past and expand
our understanding of history as an interpretive endeavor.
Course Format: Conduct of this course will be in the form of lecture, discussion (group and class),
and visual presentations. Discussion participation is a major component of your course grade
because this is what you will be doing for many days in this course. Please note that generally at
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least one day a week will be devoted to discussion. There are only 16 planned lectures in this
course. While these lectures are important for conveying information useful for your understanding
of course material, this means that a substantial portion of this course is devoted to other forms of
instruction. My goal for this course is to have students actively participate in their own learning.
Please rid yourself of the notion that you will passively sit in this class and listen to me
lecture everyday, or that you can come to class and simply be a by-stander. You are expected
to be an ACTIVE participant in discussions. Let it be said from the start that one of my greatest
“pet peeves” is students who do not pull their weight in group discussions. I integrate discussion into
this course because it gives you an opportunity to discuss the issues raised by course material, to
facilitate the development of your analytical skills, and to help you prepare for the analysis papers–
use the opportunity well and it will have a substantial effect on your grade.
After I have had a chance to observe you, you will be assigned to a group for the duration of the
semester. Establishing a good working relationship with your fellow group members will be essential
for earning a good participation grade, and consequently, a “good” grade in this course. I will be
evaluating your participation throughout the semester and I will let you know periodically what your
participation grade is. At the end of the semester, you will evaluate your own participation, as well as
that of your fellow group members. Your group members will also evaluate you. Participation
evaluations will be based upon the following criteria: reliability (were you present on
discussion days), responsibility (did you and the group stay on task and discuss what was
assigned), preparedness (did you have the assigned reading finished BEFORE coming to
class), initiative (did you demonstrate any group leadership qualities), quantity and quality of
contribution. Keep these criteria in mind as you work this semester. I understand the perils of
group work: some students abdicate all responsibility and do no participate. This failure falls on them
alone. There is no grade assigned for the entire group as a whole, but rather each participant
receives his/her own grade. Nevertheless, students in groups whose members work well and
productively together can expect a more favorable participation evaluation. Ultimately, it is up to
each group member to take responsibility for his/her contribution. I take into account a range of
participation styles, but you must consistently participate in a productive manner by staying on task,
demonstrating knowledge of the material and a willingness to work with others. If you have any
anxiety about your ability to participate, please see me to discuss how to deal with this.
Discussion will be based primarily upon the Wiesner text and documents and other readings I
indicate should be included. EVERYONE IS EXPECTED TO PARTICIPATE IN DISCUSSION. BE
PREPARED FOR THESE DISCUSSIONS BY READING THE ASSIGNMENT BEFORE CLASS.
YOU SHOULD ALSO BRING THE PERRY AND WIESNER TEXTS WITH YOU TO CLASS ON
DISCUSSION DAYS. FAILURE TO DO SO WILL RESULT IN NO CREDIT BEING GIVEN FOR
ATTENDING THAT DAY, I.E. IT WILL BE COUNTED AS AN ABSENCE (see attendance policy
below).
There are NO TESTS in this course. Before you start rejoicing, keep in mind that this still means that
you must study the course material-- failure to do so will be reflected in the poor quality of written
assignments, quizzes, and class participation. Your grade will be determined entirely by papers you
prepare outside of class and by class attendance, preparedness, and participation. Paper
assignments and due dates are listed below in the course schedule. You will prepare two types of
papers: Three required analysis papers of 4-5 pages in length will be assigned for the Lacey text
and chapters in the Wiesner text and will be written to address a specific question elicited by the
documents presented in the chapters. I offer an additional optional analysis paper that you can
use to replace a grade on one of the required analytical papers, with the exception of the paper
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assigned for the Lacey text (all students must write this paper-- the grade earned will stand and
cannot be replaced by an optional paper grade). The grade earned on this optional paper cannot
hurt you; it can help you if the grade earned is better than the grade on a previous analysis paper.
Additional required assignments include a syllabus quiz, four brief (2 pages) response papers
written in response to videos, and quizzes. Quizzes will consist of 4 short answer questions
(requiring 3-5 explanatory sentences as answer). Two of the questions will be drawn from lecture
material, and two will be drawn from the “review questions” that are at the end of each chapter in the
assigned Perry text. You will have approximately 10 minutes to complete the quiz. Quizzes will be
announced in advance and are in the syllabus. Therefore, attending class, paying attention, taking
notes, asking questions, and keeping up with the reading are essential to your success on these
quizzes and the papers. Missed quizzes must be made up within 48 hours of the quiz—make an
appointment with me to take the quiz in my office.
What does this mean for you?: You do not have the stress of studying for tests; you do have the
responsibility to pay attention in class, take notes, study the course material, prepare the papers,
and carry your weight in discussion.
Attendance policy: You are all adults and responsible for your own schedules and priorities,
however, you are nevertheless expected to attend every class meeting. All days in this course are
important. ATTENDANCE IS MANDATORY ON DAYS DESIGNATED ON THE SYLLABUS AS
DISCUSSION DAY. YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN ADVANCED NOTICE, SO MAKE YOUR
SCHEDULES ACCORDINGLY. I WILL TAKE ATTENDANCE ON DISCUSSION DAYS. YOU MAY
ONLY MISS ONE DISCUSSION DAY IN THE COURSE OF THE SEMESTER WITHOUT IT
AFFECTING YOUR GRADE. EACH ADDITIONAL ABSENCE FROM A DISCUSSION DAY WILL
RESULT IN THE LOWERING OF THE PARTICIPATION PORTION OF YOUR GRADE BY ONE
FULL GRADE LEVEL. IF YOU HAVE AN UNAVOIDABLE CONFLICT, SEE ME IN ADVANCE.
There are, of course, excused absences because we are all human and situations require
flexibility. An excusable reason is defined by me and at my discretion as serious illness of yourself or
a dependent (verified by slip from doctor), family emergency (with verification and contact phone
number), childcare difficulties, and recognized religious holiday (please inform me in advance of
your absence for this reason). An excusable reason must be verified immediately, i.e. not weeks
after the absence or at the end of the semester. A phone call or email from you does not suffice
to render an absence excusable.
I will conduct this course in an atmosphere of respect for you as individuals and students. This
involves attentiveness to what you have to say, and a regard for your opinions and ideas. I expect
students to conduct themselves likewise when interacting with each other and myself. Please note:
Sleeping, talking with others, doing other course work, or letting other students do all the work when
assigned group work are all disrespectful behaviors that will consequently be reflected in your
overall course grade. PLEASE ARRIVE AT CLASS ON TIME AND STAY FOR THE DURATION OF
THE CLASS. If you need to leave early for some reason, please inform me of this before class
begins. It is highly distracting (and rude) to simply get up and leave in the middle of class.
Cheating and Plagiarism: I like to assume that you are all ethical adults and that you will therefore
not engage in plagiarism and cheating. Unfortunately, a recent course experience has shown me
that this is too naive of an assumption. Since all of the assignments in this course are produced
outside of class, you should take the following remarks very seriously. Plagiarism and cheating are
serious offenses, and I pursue cases to the fullest extent. Cheating: Work bearing a marked
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similarity to another student’s work will be considered cheating, and will receive an “F”. I define
“marked similarity” to mean similarity in structure, phrasing, paraphrasing, and word choice beyond
what could be considered a random occurrence. If you work with another person on the writing of a
paper, you are cheating. For the writing of your papers, you are only allowed to use course
materials-- use of the World Wide Web and other research materials is off limits. Use of outside
materials will be considered cheating. Plagiarism is a serious offense. It is the failure to give credit
to another writer for words and ideas that you use. In other words, to plagiarize is to use another
person’s words, phrases, or ideas as your own without acknowledging the source. You must use
quotations when using another author’s words and phrasing and you must credit the source. It is not
acceptable to copy the words of others without indicating them with quotation marks and giving
credit to the source. Please note that I also change paper assignments from semester to semester
to avoid the possibility of students turning in papers from previous courses.
What are the consequences for plagiarism and cheating: An F on the assignment, and at my
discretion, an F in the course and disciplinary action (see Statement of Academic Dishonesty
below). If you have questions about when to quote or cite the source, or about plagiarism
and cheating, be safe and ASK!
Statement of Academic Dishonesty of York College (new policy as of Fall 2004):
“Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated at York College. Academic dishonesty refers to actions
such as, but not limited to, cheating, plagiarism, fabricating research, falsifying academic
documents, etc., and includes all situations where students make use of the work of others and
claim such work as their own.
When an instructor believes that a student has committed an act of academic dishonesty,
the instructor must provide written notification to the student, the Department Chair, and the Dean of
Academic Affairs of the charge and the sanction. Documentation related to instances of academic
dishonesty will be kept on file in the student’s permanent record. If the academic dishonesty is the
student’s first offense, the instructor will have the discretion to decide on a suitable sanction up to a
grade of 0 for the course. Students are not permitted to withdraw from a course in which they have
been accused of academic dishonesty.
Students who believe they have been unjustly charged or sanctioned in cases involving a
first offense must discuss the situation with the instructor immediately. Following this discussion,
students may request through the Dean of Academic Affairs that the Student Welfare Committee
conduct a hearing to review the charge and/or the sanction in the case. In cases of a first offense,
the instructor may request that the Student Welfare Committee conduct a hearing and decide on the
sanction, which can involve academic suspension or dismissal from the College, if the instructor
believes the offense to be of an extremely egregious nature.
If the Dean of Academic Affairs determines that the academic dishonesty is the student’s
second offense, the Dean will provide written notification to the student, the instructor, and the
Department Chair. The Student Welfare Committee will automatically conduct a hearing to review
the charge and decide on an appropriate sanction, which will involve academic suspension or
dismissal from the College. Students who believe the Student Welfare Committee has unjustly
sanctioned them may submit a written request to the Dean of Academic Affairs for a review of their
case by the Dean.”
Grading: The letter grades as defined by the Faculty Manual of York College as of Fall 2004,
with my percentage scale:
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4 (Excellent) (90-100): This grade denotes accomplishment that is truly distinctive and
decidedly outstanding. It represents a high degree of attainment and is a grade that demands
evidence of originality, independent work, an open and discriminating mind, and completeness
and accuracy of knowledge, as well as an effective use of the knowledge.
3.5 (Very Good) (85-89): This grade denotes mastery of the subject matter. It represents very
good achievement in many aspects of the work, such as initiative, serious and determined
industry, the ability to organize work, and the ability to comprehend and retain subject matter and
to apply it to new problems and contexts.
3 (Good) (80-84): This grade denotes considerable understanding of the subject matter. It
represents a strong grasp and clear understanding of the subject matter and the ability to
comprehend and retain course content.
2.5 (Above Average) (75-79): This grade denotes above average understanding of the subject
matter. It represents a good grasp of the subject matter and the ability to comprehend and retain
course content.
2 (Average) (70-74): This grade denotes average understanding of the subject matter. It
represents the grade that may be expected of a student of normal ability who gives the work a
reasonable amount of time and effort.
1 (Below Average) (60-69): This grade denotes below average understanding of the subject
matter. It represents work that falls below the acceptable standard.
0 (Failure) (below 60): This grade denotes inadequate understanding of the subject matter. It
signifies an absence of meaningful engagement with the subject matter and that the student is
not capable of doing or understanding the work or has made little or no effort to do so.
Statement on Writing Standards: “Students enrolled in this course are expected to use literate and
effective English in their speech and in their writing. All papers submitted must be well written;
grades on written work (including examinations) will be based on expression as well as on content.
Students may be required to rewrite papers which are marred by errors in grammar, punctuation,
spelling, or organization.” Source: Faculty Manual, C2.11.
I abide by this standard. I encourage all students to seek assistance from the writing consultants at
the Learning Resources Center, located in the basement of Wolf Gymnasium (WAC). Feel free to
make an appointment with them to go over a draft of your work. They will not write the paper for you,
but will guide you to improve your own writing skills.
Writing is an essential skill, and the painful truth is that the only way to become a better writer is
through practice. Writing is essential for communication, and regardless of where you end up in life
and what career path you choose, you need to write well. You will do a lot of writing in this course,
and that should tell you that I value the development of this skill. I emphasize the word
development– you improve through doing and working on your weaknesses. In the series of papers
assigned, I expect to see improvement. I do no expect perfection from the outset, but I do expect to
see in your papers continual attention to improvement. Some of you are already great writers–
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become even greater! See attached criteria sheet for specifics on how your analysis papers will be
graded.
Assignment due dates are listed in the schedule of topics below. It is your responsibility to turn the
assignment in on the date due. Assignments are due at class time. Late assignment policy: Any
work turned in after 5:00 of the due date will be marked down one full letter grade per day. This
means, for instance, that if you earned a B, the paper would automatically be marked down to a C
level if one day late, a D if two days late, etc. Weekend days count as well!
Papers may be submitted to me electronically, i.e. as attachments via email, but do so at your own
risk. The paper must arrive in my inbox by 5:00 on the date the paper is due—I am not responsible
for any delays or errors caused by networks or other technological errors. Plan ahead. Also, I must
be able to open and read the attachment, so send it in Microsoft Word format. If I can’t open or read
it, I did not receive it. You may email me for confirmation of receipt and readability. Please send the
attachment with a file name that includes your last name and indication of what the assignment is,
i.e. McAdamsAnalysis#1, or JohnsonResponse#2
Policy on paper acceptance: NO PAPERS WILL BE ACCEPTED THAT ARE NOT STAPLED OR
HELD WITH A PAPER CLIP. IF YOU TURN THEM IN WITHOUT STAPLE/PAPERCLIP, THEY
WILL NOT BE GRADED. ALL PAPERS MUST BE TYPED, PROOFREAD (DO NOT SIMPLY
RELY ON SPELL-CHECK. REREAD WHAT YOU HAVE WRITTEN).
I reserve the right to apply and amend any of the above stated polices as the situation warrants. I
also reserve the right to apply and amend this syllabus at any time during the semester. This
includes schedule of topics, readings, and assignments.
SCHEDULE OF TOPICS AND ASSIGNMENTS-- assignment is due or to be read by the listed
date
Wednesday, August 31: Introduction to the course
Friday, September 1: Discussion day-- What is history?
Bloch reading: available through e-reserves and my.ycp.edu Western Civ I files link.
Print out copy and bring with you to class.
Monday, Sept. 5: NO CLASS—Labor Day
Wednesday, Sept. 7: Early civilizations
Syllabus quiz will be given
Perry, chapter 1-2 (Due to bookstore delay, this text may not be in yet. These
chapters are on e-reserve and available through the my.ycp.edu Western Civ I files link).
Friday, Sept. 9: Discussion Day-- Polytheism and Monotheism in the Fertile Crescent
Wiesner, chapter 2 (Due to bookstore delay, this text may not be in yet. These
chapters are on e-reserve and available through the my.ycp.edu Western Civ I files link. Print off and
bring to class with you if you do not have the text).
Quiz over Sept. 7 material
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Monday, Sept. 12: Ancient Greece—politics
Perry, chapter 3
Wednesday, September 14: Discussion day—The Ideal and Reality of Classical Athens
Wiesner, chapter 3.
Friday, Sept. 16: Video: The Greeks: The Empire of the Mind.
Response paper to videos due: Wednesday, September 21
Monday, Sept. 19: Ancient Greece—society and culture
Perry, chapter 3
Wednesday, Sept. 21: Ancient Rome—Republic
Perry, chapter 4. Response paper to Empire of the Mind due today.
Quiz over Sept. 12 and 19th material
Friday, Sept. 23: Discussion day-- The Achievements of Augustus
Wiesner, chapter 4. ANALYSIS PAPER #1 for this chapter is due Friday,
September 30.
Monday, Sept. 26: Ancient Rome—the Empire
Perry, chapter 4
Wednesday, Sept. 28: Daily Life in Ancient Rome
Readings announced. Please note: It is your responsibility to contact me with
regard to these readings if you miss class today.
Friday, Sept. 30: Discussion day— Explaining Rome’s decline and “fall”
Readings will be announced. Please note: It is your responsibility to contact me
with regard to these readings if you miss class today.
Analysis paper #1 due
Monday, October 3: Rome’s end
Perry, chapter 4
Quiz over September 21,26,28th material
Wednesday, October 5: Connecting past and present: Comparing the United States and the
Roman Empire
Readings will be announced. Please note: It is your responsibility to contact me
with regard to these readings if you miss class today.
Friday, October 7: Video: From Jesus to Christ, Part I
Monday, October 10: Video: From Jesus to Christ, Part IV
Response paper to videos due October 19.
Wednesday, October 12: Success of Christianity and the transformation of Europe
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Perry, chapter 5 and 6
Friday, October 14: TBA
Monday, October 17: NO CLASS (Fall break)
Wednesday, October 19: Early Middle Ages
Perry, chap. 6 Response paper to Jesus to Christ video due today.
Friday, October 21: Latin Christendom, Byzantium, and Islam
Monday, October 24: Discussion day-- Lacey, The Year 1000
TURN IN ANALYSIS PAPER #2 FOR LACEY TEXT
Wednesday, October 26: Feudalism and state building in the Early-High Middle Ages
Perry, chapter 6.
Friday, October 28: Discussion day— The Development of the Medieval State
Wiesner, chapter 6.
Quiz over October 12,19,21, 26 material
Monday, October 31: Society in the High Middle Ages
Perry, chapter 7
Wednesday, November 2: How to read a film and begin video: The Lion in Winter
Friday, November 4: Video: The Lion in Winter
Response paper to video due November 9.
Monday, November 7: Intellectual and cultural revival of the High Middle Ages
Perry, chapter 7
Wednesday, November 9: Video: The Jeweled City
Response video to Lion in Winter due today.
Friday, November 11: Discussion day-- Life at a medieval university
Wiesner, chapter 7 and York College Student Handbook.
ANALYSIS PAPER #3 DUE NOVEMBER 16.
Mon., Nov. 14: Understanding the Age of Faith: Mystic women of the Middle Ages
Quiz over October 31, November 7 and 9 material
Wednesday, November 16: Discussion day-- Infidels and Heretics: Crusades of the High
Middle Ages
Wiesner, chapter 8.
ANALYSIS PAPER #3 due today.
Friday, November 18: No class (Prof. McAdams at Model European Union)
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Monday, November 21: Economics in the Middle Ages
Perry, chapter 7
Wednesday, November 23: NO CLASS (Thanksgiving Break)
Friday, November 25: NO CLASS (Thanksgiving Break)
Monday, November 28: Discussion day-- Capitalism and conflict in the medieval cloth
trade
Wiesner, chapter 9.
Wednesday, November 30: The crisis of the Late Middle Ages and the Black Death
Friday, December 2: Video: The Name of the Rose
Monday, December 5: Video: The Name of the Rose
Response paper to video is due December 9
Wednesday, December 7: The Renaissance
Perry, pp. 172-183
Friday, December 9: Discussion Day—The Renaissance man and woman
Wiesner, chapter 10.
OPTIONAL ANALYSIS PAPER DUE DECEMBER 12
Response paper for Name of the Rose is due today.
Quiz over November 21, 30 and December 7 material.
Monday, December 12: Course and participation evaluations—attendance mandatory
TURN IN OPTIONAL ANALYSIS PAPER
CRITERIA AND EXPECTATIONS FOR ANALYSIS PAPERS
READ THESE BEFORE YOU BEGIN TO WRITE
The following tips and criteria are adapted from: Richard Marius and Melvin E. Page, A Short Guide
to Writing about History, 4th edition (New York: Addison-Wesley, 2002).
As part of the requirements for this course, you have been assigned analysis papers. The purpose
of these papers is to enable you to develop critical thinking and writing skills. You will be given a
specific question that you can answer based upon the course material available to you. In order to
explain the past, to explore and interpret an historical problem, and construct an account of that
past, historians use primary and secondary sources. Primary sources are sources that derive from
the context under study—in other words, they were produced at the time. For this class, primary
sources are contained in the Wiesner text. Secondary sources are narratives and interpretations of
the past constructed by historians using those primary sources and other secondary sources.
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Examples of secondary sources available to you in this class include the Perry text, Wiesner’s own
analysis, and my lectures.
Richard Marius notes that “the art of history lies in combining fact and interpretation to tell a story
about the past.” (p.5) Using both primary and secondary sources, you will engage in the process of
writing about a historical problem by combining fact and interpretation. You will thus not just simply
state what happened (the facts), but rather, study these facts as revealed in the primary and
secondary sources, interpret them, and formulate an explanation, or what is known as a thesis or
argument, for the historical problem. The essay that you produce will state an argument (preferably
in the opening paragraph), and will provide supporting points for that argument. Additionally, each
supporting point must be backed by evidence—information that you take from the sources. Think of
the process of “doing” history as similar to the tasks performed by a detective and lawyer: A
detective must solve a mystery. He therefore collects data, examines evidence, and draws
connections to construct a solution to the problem. Lawyers do very similar tasks. In constructing
their cases, lawyers examine evidence, interpret it, and offer explanations based upon that
evidence. No good detective or lawyer would offer an explanation without also offering evidence. To
do so would make their cases very weak indeed! You therefore need to provide an explanation
backed by specific evidence drawn from the sources.
Use the primary sources as the basis for this evidence, and use the secondary sources to provide
background and context, or to draw in an interpretation that you wish to support or argue against. In
other words, do not simply repeat what is stated in the secondary sources. For these analysis
papers, you must go beyond simply providing a narrative story of the past, and offer an interpretation
based upon evidence drawn from document sources. You are expected to use the documents as
the basis for your analysis consistently throughout your paper. Use text and lecture material to
provide the background information of your discussion, to help you explain the issues, and to
maintain accuracy of interpretation.
What follows is a list of the criteria that I will use to evaluate your papers. Use this list to successfully
construct and write your papers. You will receive a feedback sheet with these criteria for every
paper. Look at your areas of weakness and work to improve upon them.
Evaluation of your papers will be based on two broad categories: Content and quality of
writing. Keep in mind that although the questions given to you to answer may be broad, you are
only expected to answer them based upon the material you have. I will be looking for effective use of
that material (documents and text), how you construct your argument, and how you convey your
interpretation to the reader. HELP WITH WRITING IS AVAILABLE AT THE LEARNING
RESOURCES CENTER! I am of course available to answer questions about writing the paper as
well. I also have available in my office examples of “excellent” papers that have been submitted by
students in past semesters. You may read them to get an idea of what constitutes an “A”, and how
Wiesner’s documents and the secondary source material should be used.
Length: 4-5 pages. This means that your papers MUST be at least four pages long (that’s four
FULL pages, not 3.5).
Guidelines: typed, 1 inch margins, double-spaced, 10-12 point font, turned in with a staple or
paper clip holding pages together.
Criteria checklist:
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Content
1. Argument: Do you present an argument that answers the question and provides your
interpretation? Does this argument make sense and accurately reflect a reasonable analysis and
understanding of the source material?
2. Development of points in support of argument: Do you develop relevant points in support of that
argument and thoroughly explain how these points directly support argument? Tie points
directly to argument. You need to EXPLAIN how the topic supports your argument. Don’t just list
topics, but rather, tie with argument. An explanation does NOT consist of simply restating the
content of the source, nor does it consist of stating “As you can see,” my least favorite phrase. It is
not the reader’s job to see, but rather, it is your job to show through explanation. Have you done
this?
3. Use of appropriate and the best evidence: Have you drawn solid evidence from the documents
and presented this evidence as specific examples with explanation of why they support your
interpretation? Analysis papers must be based upon document use consistently throughout paper.
Specific examples should be pulled out as evidence in support of interpretation. You should NOT
however simply summarize document content and present that as analysis. I know what the
documents say. Have you consistently used and interpreted information from documents as
evidence for that analysis?
4. Evidence of original thought and focused presentation: Have you avoided extensive summary of
lecture and textbook material? Do not simply regurgitate textbook and lecture material. Do not
summarize, but rather, analyze. You must use Perry and lecture material to provide background only
and to ensure accuracy.
5. Focused presentation: Does your paper stay on topic? Is it free of irrelevant information or
“filler?”
6. Complete answer: Does your paper completely answer all parts of the assigned question and
cover the most important themes?
Writing
7. Paper has introduction and conclusion: Does your paper have an introduction that contains an
argument and introduces main themes that will be discussed in the body of the paper? Does your
paper have a conclusion that actually reflects a summation of what you have shown in body of
paper? The first and last paragraphs of your essay should “mirror” each other in content (what you
plan to show, argument—what you have shown, summation of points, argument).
8. Organization of paper contributes to clear presentation of content: Is your paper wellorganized? Do you include transition between topics? A disorganized paper can seriously limit your
ability to effectively convey your interpretation. Don’t jump around from topic to topic. Provide
transitions between topics.
9. Guidelines: Does your paper conform to margin (1 inch), spacing (double), length (4-5 pages),
and font (10-12 point) guidelines?
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10. Clarity of expression, avoidance of vague, ambiguous language and appropriate language and
word choice: Do you concisely state what you mean? Do you avoid the use of slang expressions or
colloquial phrases? Do you know what a word means when you use it? Do not simply rely on a
thesaurus.
11. Correct grammar, punctuation, and spelling: Do you employ the mechanics of correct
grammar, punctuation, and spelling? You should know the difference between it and it’s, their and
there, how to form possessive of words, and how to correctly construct a sentence. Reread what you
have written, and DO NOT rely on word processing spell and grammar checks.
12. Do you directly quote and use quotation marks when appropriate? Direct quotations are
quoted and when quotes are used, they do not speak for your own voice– See note on plagiarism in
syllabus above. Failure to quote is plagiarism. Don’t use quotes as a substitute for your own ideas.
13. Absence of plagiarism: Do you acknowledge all sources used in the paper and cite them
according to the following directions? Please abide by the following citation form applicable to
this course:
Perry text: (Perry, p. ...)
Wiesner text (not documents): (Wiesner, p....)
Document in Wiesner text: ( Document #, p....)
You must include a page number in all citations.
14. Original work: Is the paper an original work produced by you, and not written with the use of
another person’s work? Have you only used assigned course material? Please note consequences
for plagiarism and cheating as discussed in syllabus.
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