HIST 311, Modern Europe, 1648-1848
Syllabus

Fayetteville State University
College of Arts and Science
Department of Government and History


Locator | Description | Objectives | Teaching Strategies | Textbooks | Evaluation | Requirements | Outline | Bibliography

I. Locator Information

Course

Instructor

  • Semester/Year: Su1/04
  • Semester Hours of Credit: 3
  • Section: 01
  • Class Meeting Days, Time, Location: TR 4:30-8:20, JKSA 206
  • Website: <http://blackboard.uncfsu.edu/>
    Course ID: 043.HIST311.01

II. Course Description

A survey of the political, economic, social, and cultural developments in Europe from the Treaty of Westphalia through the Revolutions of 1848.   Prerequisites: HIST 110 and HIST 120 or consent of the instructor.

History 311 is the first half of a two-part survey of European history. It examines the political, economic, social, and cultural developments in Europe from the Treaty of Westphalia through the Revolutions of 1848. It is designed to give the student a deeper understanding of the forces which shaped modern Europe, which in turn has played a major role in shaping the rest of the world. History 311 deals with the evolution of Europe from the end of the Thirty Years' War and the Treaty of Westphalia through the French Revolution, the reestablishment of monarchical legitimacy by Congress of Vienna in 1815, and the revolutionary changes initiated in 1848. The time period covered is a crucial one not only for Europe but also for all mankind, for during it Europe was transformed from a feudal agrarian society to one of massive technological growth and industrialization as well as radical changes in its political, economic, social and cultural fabric. An understanding of the processes at work in this transformation gives the student background and insight for understanding the modern world. This course also provides a basic knowledge of early modern European history that meets the requirements for teacher education. 

III. Objectives and Competencies

History 311 is designed to increase students' factual knowledge of events in Europe from 1648 to 1848, and also their understanding of the historical causes of these events and their impact on the wider society. In addition, History 311 will provide training and experience in various types of oral and written expression and an acquaintance with historical methods.  

This course is also designed to help future teachers learn the knowledge and skills they will need to teach the North Carolina Social Studies high school curriculum in World History. European history is an important part of world history, and students who successfully complete this course will have mastered a significant portion of the secondary curriculum. Goals and skills in parentheses below refer to the SDPI "Social Studies Curriculum, Goals and Objectives: High School World History." Numbers in brackets refer to the DPI Curriculum Guidelines for Middle Grades Social Studies Teachers. In addition, This course meets the following National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education and National Council for Social Studies Program Standards in Social Studies: 1.2, 1.3, 1.9, 2.1.

Successful students will be able to  

In addition, This course meets the following National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education and National Council for Social Studies Program Standards in Social Studies: 1.2, 1.3, 1.9, 2.1.

IV. Teaching Strategies

This class is taught through a combination of lecture and discussion. Collaborative study teams will be used for homework assignments and in-class discussions. 

V. Textbooks

VI. Evaluation

Assignments and Due Dates

No. Assignment Due Date Max Pts
01 Internet Skills

May 27/Jun 1

25
02

Presentation Plan/Mockup

Jun 8 75
03 Extra Credit--Practice Primary Source Analysis 1 Jun 10 10
04

Exam 1

Jun 10

200
05 Participation 1 Jun 10 30
06 Presentation

Jun 15-22 as assigned

125
07

Presentation Peer Critique

Jun 17-24 as assigned

25
08 Presentation Notes Jun 17 125
09 Participation 2 Jun 24 30
10 Extra Credit--Practice Primary Source Analysis 2 Jun 24 10
11

Exam 2

Jun 24

200
12-18 Primary Source Quizzes

daily

7 @ 20 = 140
29 Extra Credit--Computer Survey Jun 24 5
19-28 Attendance

daily

10 @ 2.5 = 25
  TOTAL*   1025

*Possible Points.  Grade calculated by dividing total points by 1000.

Note: All take-home assignments for this class must be submitted electronically as well as on paper. For guidelines, see Submitting Electronic Files.

Exemption from Exam 2. Students may be exempted from Exam 2 if they meet ALL of the following conditions:

  1. they have an A average on all assignments due through Jun 17--i.e., they have accumulated at least 92% of the total possible points;
  2. they have NO unexcused absences during the period between Exam 1 and Exam 2; AND
  3. they turn in ALL assignments (including quizzes) due after Jun 17 by their due dates.

Students exempted from Exam 2 will have their grade calculated on the basis of 800 points rather than 1000.

Grading

Individual assignments will be awarded points based on the FSU Grading System as follows:

Letter Grade Pct Range Pct Default
A 92% or above 96%
B 83-91% 87%
C 73-82% 78%
D 64-72% 68%
F less than 64% 50%

I

Incomplete  

Qualitative assignments such as papers and essays will receive the default percentage.  A plus adds 3%, a minus subtracts 3% from the default.  For example,

Letter Grade Pct   Max Pts   Pts Earned
B 87% X 150 = 130.50
C+ 81% X 75 = 60.75
A- 93% X 25 = 23.25

Many assignments for this course use a rubric.  Rubrics describe different levels of achievement, from excellent (4) to unsatisfactory (1).  Rubric levels correspond to grades as follows:

Rubric Letter Grade Pct
4 A 96%
3 B 87%
2 C 78%
1 F 60%

The course grade will be calculated by dividing the total number of points earned by 1000 and converting the resulting percentage to a letter grade on the basis of the FSU grading system outlined above. IN SHORT, YOUR GOAL IS TO EARN 920 POINTS!

Students will receive grade reports after each Exam.  Students may request a grade report at any time by e-mailing the instructor or stopping by his office during office hours.  Students should check their grades periodically and discuss any questions with the instructor as soon as possible.

Incompletes are granted only if the student is unable to complete specific course requirements for reasons beyond his or her control. Incompletes are granted only if the student contacts the instructor before the end of the term, and then only if the instructor agrees that the circumstances merit an incomplete. The student and the instructor must complete an Incomplete Grade Form.

VII. Requirements and Course Policies

Assignments are listed under Evaluation above. Instructions, guidelines, and rubrics are posted on the course website.

Late Work. Students are responsible for all work assigned in this class, whether or not they are present. Assignments must be completed on time. Late work will be penalized one letter grade unless you have a good excuse, and no assignments will be accepted more than one week late.

Make-ups for missed examinations and quizzes are given at the discretion of the instructor. The absence must be excused under the same conditions as absence from class (see Excuses below). In general, make-ups must be taken within one week of the original date of the exam. Any make-up work for absences not justified by written evidence will be treated as late work and penalized one letter grade.

Retake. You may retake Exam 1.  The retake grade replaces the original grade.

Attendance is required. Since you earn points for each class attended, excessive absence can affect your grade.  Since it is difficult to participate if you do not attend, poor attendance can also affect your Participation grade (see below).

Tardiness disrupts the class and is also discouraged. Any student arriving after the instructor has finished calling the roll may be considered tardy, and two incidents of unexcused tardiness count as one unexcused absence. Students who arrive late should check with the instructor at the end of class to make sure they are not marked absent.

If the instructor uses a seating chart, students are required to sit in their assigned seats unless given permission to sit elsewhere. Failure to sit in one's assigned seat may cause the instructor to mark the student absent.

Students are expected to remain in class until they are dismissed, unless they have received prior permission from the instructor to leave early. Early departure from class will be treated the same as tardiness--two such occurrences will constitute an unexcused absence.

Excuses for tardiness and absence will be accepted at the discretion of the instructor. Written documentation may be required, especially for lengthy or repeated problems. Students should bring excuses to the instructor's attention as soon as possible--before the event if it is foreseeable, immediately after if not. Excuses for tardiness should be discussed with the instructor immediately after the class for which the student is tardy; excuses for absence should be discussed the first day the student returns to class. With rare exceptions, excuses will not be accepted after these dates.

Participation. All students are expected to come to class prepared to discuss the assigned material. This implies that students should read the material before class. Perfect comprehension is not expected at the beginning of class, but students should be familiar with the topic and the major points, and they should have identified areas they do not understand well enough to ask focused, intelligent questions about them. The instructor reserves the right to give unannounced quizzes or other assignments to check students' preparation.

There are several ways students can participate:

  1. In class, by asking and answering questions;
  2. Through teamwork, by contributing to their team, and
  3. Outside class, by discussing courses material with the instructor during office hours or via e-mail and by accessing the course website.

Students are expected to observe normal courtesy in class. They are expected to pay attention to the instructor, to take detailed notes, to refrain from personal conversation, and to avoid any other behavior that disturbs others. A student who does not observe these courtesies may be asked to leave the room. Make sure cell phones are turned off or set to silent alarm.

Academic Honesty. Students should be aware that a university is a community of scholars committed to the discovery and dissemination of knowledge and truth. Without freedom to investigate all materials, scrupulous honesty in reporting findings, and proper acknowledgment of credit, such a community can not survive. Students are expected to adhere to the highest traditions of scholarship. Infractions of these traditions, such as plagiarism (cheating), are not tolerated. Misrepresenting someone else's words or ideas as one's own constitutes plagiarism. In cases where plagiarism occurs, the instructor has the right to penalize the student(s) as he or she thinks appropriate. The first offence results in failure of the assignment, the second offence in failure of the course. Students who wish to contest a finding of academic dishonesty may invoke the process outlined in the FSU Student Handbook.

Team assignments require a special note. Each member of the study team is expected to contribute to the assignment. A student who does not contribute is essentially misrepresenting someone else's words and ideas as one's own. This is academic dishonesty, and it will be treated as such.

VIII. Outline

Readings for specific dates will be announced in class. They may vary slightly from the following table as the pace of the class dictates. Students are responsible for keeping up with any such changes, which will also be posted on this web site. 

Readings consist of textbook selections and primary sources. Underlined readings are links to web sites. Students should print out copies of the web readings to bring to class. Plan ahead--the Web is a great learning resource, but glitch happens. Do not tell me you could not get the reading because the server went down ten minutes before class. If you discover that a link to a primary source does not work, please notify the instructor immediately.

Each Unit has a web page containing team reading assignments, identification items, and study questions. The study questions will be the basis of the quizzes. The identification items will be information tested on the exams.  Go to the Course Documents area of the course website for links to the Unit pages.

Unit Dates Topic: Reading (ASSIGNMENT)

01

May 25 Introduction--Europe in 1648: Textbook: Upton, 3-38, 57-63.
Presentation Planning: Team Assignments

02

May 27 Absolutism in France: Textbooks: Upton, 70-83, 119-29, 403. Sources: Bossuet, "The Divine Right of Kings"; The Duchess of Orleans, "Versailles Etiquette"

03

May 27 Constitutionalism and Commercialism in Great Britain: Textbooks: Upton, 91-109, 142-55, 219-27, 404. Sources: The Bill of Rights (1689); Defoe, The Complete English Tradesman (QUIZ 1; INTERNET SKILLS PART 1 DUE)

04

Jun 1 The Scientific Revolution: Textbooks: Upton, 207-11. Sources: Newton, The Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy; Wallis, The Origin of the Royal Society (QUIZ 2)

 

Jun 1 Presentation Planning (INTERNET SKILLS PART 2 DUE)

05

Jun 3 The Enlightenment: Textbooks: Upton, 211-218, 287-93. Sources: Kant, What is Enlightenment?; Voltaire, "Religion," Philosophical Dictionary (PRESENTATION PLAN DUE)

 06

 Jun 3  Enlightened Absolutism; European Competition: Textbooks: Upton, 129-37, 156-60, 180-91, 270-86, 307-35. Sources: Catherine the Great, Documents; Frederick the Great, Political Testament (QUIZ 3)

07

Jun 8 The French Revolution--Moderate Phase: Textbooks: Sperber, 58-82; Sources: Cahier of 1789, The Third Estate of Versailles; Abbé Sieyes, "What is the Third Estate?" (QUIZ 4)
  Jun 8 Presentation Planning (PLAN/MOCKUP DUE)

 

Jun 10 Exam 1

08

Jun 10 The French Revolution--Radical Phase and Reaction: Textbooks: Sperber, 82-145; Sources: Debates of the National Convention; Robespierre, On the Principles of Political Morality

09

Jun 15 Napoleonic Europe: Textbooks: Sperber, 147-207; Sources: Napoleon, Account of the Internal Situation in France (1806); Madame de Rémusat, Remembrances of Napoleon (QUIZ 5: PRESENTATIONS)

10

Jun 17 Social and Economic Change, 1780-1850: Textbooks: Sperber, ch. 5. Sources: William Radcliffe, On Power Looms; Evidence Given before the Sadler Committee (PRESENTATIONS)

11

Jun 17

Ideology and Culture after Napoleon: Textbooks: Sperber, ch. 6. Sources: Metternich, Political Confession of Faith; Fichte, Address to the German Nation (QUIZ 6: PRESENTATIONS; PRESENTATION NOTES DUE)

12

Jun 22 Reaction, Revolution, and Reform, 1815-1832: Textbooks: Sperber, ch. 7. Sources: Carlsbad Resolutions; Macauley, Speech on the Reform Bill of 1832 (PRESENTATIONS)

13

Jun 22 The Revolutions of 1848: Textbooks: Sperber, ch. 8. Sources: Ledru-Rollin, Speech to the Electors of Sarthe, 1841; Documents on the Revolution of 1848 in France (QUIZ 8: PRESENTATIONS)
  Jun 24 Exam 2

IX. Bibliography

See Suggestions for Further Reading in Upton and Sperber for printed sources. More primary sources can be found at the following online document collections:

Other Internet sources on European history may be found on the Links page of my Home Page.


Created by John I. Brooks III. Last updated 05/20/04.