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EUH 2021 (Sections U01-U06)—Western Civilization: Early Modern Europe

Florida International University
Fall Semester, 2009

Dr. Jeremy Rowan

Office: DM 399
Office Phone: (305) 348-4791
Office Hours: 11:00-12:00 and 2:00-3:00 MW
E-mail: rowanj@fiu.edu

Teaching Assistants:

Mr. Armando Morales

E-mail: amora025@fiu.edu
Office: DM 390
Office Hours:

Ms. Lindsey Maxwell

E-mail: lmaxwell21@gmail.com
Office: DM 390
Office Hours:

Course Description:
This course examines key developments in the origins and nature of Early Modern Europe,
including political, social, cultural, and economic developments from the 13th century to the late
18th century. Written work meets the state Gordon Rule requirement.

Course Objectives:
The primary objective of this course is to familiarize students with the historical events and
movements that constitute the development of Early Modern Europe. The course will also focus
on the impact these events and movements had on society and how ordinary people have played
significant roles in shaping history. Secondary objectives are to introduce students to historical
criticism, to develop writing skills, and to encourage critical thinking.

Course Methods:
The course is primarily conducted through lectures, class discussion, collaborative activities, and
power-point/internet presentations. Students must keep well-organized notes from the lectures,
have all written assignments handed in on time, and complete all reading assignments by the due
dates. Students will be held responsible for both the lecture material and all reading
assignments.

Turnitin:
All students must register for this course on Turnitin.com. It is mandatory. The class number is
2807089 and the password is more.
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We use Turnitin for multiple reasons: as an anti-plagiarism device, a gradebook, and finally as an
efficient method for contacting the class via e-mail. Please make sure you provide an e-mail
address that you check regularly.

Discussion Sections:
All students will attend the lectures every Monday and Friday in DM 100
between 10:00-10:50 AM. Each Wednesday, students will attend a discussion group session led
by your section TA. It is imperative that you attend the section that you registered for. The
discussion sections will primarily be used for answering (and asking) questions from the primary
source readings. But, the session will also be an opportunity for students to discuss the lectures,
prepare for exams, and peer review each others’ drafts. Remember, discussion/in-class
assignments constitute 20% of the course grade.

Here are the list of sections, times, and room numbers for the Wednesday discussion sections:

Section 01—10:00-10:50 Room GC 271A Maxwell

Section 02—10:00-10:50 Room ECS 132 Morales
Section 03—11:00-11:50 Room GC 271B Maxwell
Section 04—11:00-11:50 Room ECS 132 Morales
Section 05—12:00-12:50 Room GC 271A Maxwell
Section 06—12:00-12:50 Room GC 278B Morales

Required Readings:
The West: Encounters and Transformations 2nd Edition (Volume B) by Brian Levack, Edward
Muir, Meredith Veldman, and Michael Maas. Longman.

Sources of the West: Readings in Western Civilization 7th Edition (Volume 1) Edited by Mark
Kishlansky. Longman.

Brunelleschi’s Dome by Ross King. Penguin.

Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe. Penguin Classics.

Criteria for Evaluation:

2 Exams—each worth 20% of the final course grade
2 Papers—each worth 20% of the course grade
In-class writing assignments, quizzes, class participation—worth 20% of the final grade

Each exam will cover the material since the previous exam. STUDENTS ARE TO BRING A
BLUE EXAMINATION BOOKLET TO CLASS ON THE EXAM DATES. BLUE BOOKS
ARE AVAILABLE FOR SALE IN THE CAMPUS BOOKSTORE.

Writing and critical thinking are primary components of this class.

Frequently, we will talk about the expectations for writing in the field of
history. We will analyze, for example, the style and form of writing presented
in your texts and in articles we read. Even if you do not plan to be an
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historian, such awareness of disciplinary communication will be useful to

you, no matter your major or career.

To meet the state of Florida’s Gordon Rule writing requirements, you will
complete a sequence of writing assignments, ranging from informal in-class
writings to essay exams and formal essays. You will frequently be asked to
write reading responses and in-class collaborative writing assignments.
These assignments provide evidence of your reading and comprehension of
the material; they prepare you to participate in class discussion, and they
also facilitate your understanding of the readings. You will also complete
essay exam questions on your two major exams, and write two thesis-driven
essays that synthesize main ideas from the course. I will provide you with
detailed assignment sheets for these essays. A week before their due date,
you’ll be asked to bring a rough draft of your essay to class for peer review.
You are expected to hand in a hard copy of your writing assignment at the beginning of the class
on the due date. Electronic submissions are not acceptable. Late writing assignments will be
penalized a letter grade for every class period that the paper is late. Furthermore, your final draft
of your research papers will be electronically sent to Turnitin.com to avoid any problems with
plagiarism.

Make-up Exams:
No make-up exams will be given except in cases of illness and/or emergency. A doctor’s note
must be presented upon the instructor’s request for a make-up exam to be given. If no note is
forthcoming, the instructor retains the right to refuse to administer a make-up exam. A doctor’s
or dental appointment which is a non-emergency, and which, therefore, can be reasonably
rescheduled, is not a valid excuse. Unexcused missed exams will receive an automatic grade of
0%.

Grading:
In the course, grading will follow the scale below:
A = 100-94 %
A- = 93-90%
B+ = 89–86%
B = 85-83%
B- = 82-80%
C+ = 79–76%
C = 75-73%
C- = 72-70%
D+ = 69-66%
D = 65-63%
D+ = 62-60
F = 59% and below

Attendance Policy:
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Students are expected to attend both the lectures and the discussion group
sessions. Listening to the lectures and participating in class discussion and
the in-class writing assignments are essential to success in this course.

Academic Dishonesty Policy:

Cheating and Plagiarism
a. Cheating is defined as the attempt, successful or not, to give or obtain
information by illicit means in meeting any academic requirements including,
but not limited to, examinations;
b. Plagiarism is defined as the use, without proper acknowledgement, of the
ideas, phrases, sentences, or larger units of discourse from another writer or
speaker.

Students are expected to know and abide by the academic dishonesty policy as
outlined in the university handbook and catalogue.

Students are therefore warned: Cheating and/or plagiarism in are grounds for an
automatic grade of “F”.

Student Behavior:
All FIU University students are expected to behave according to the accepted norms that ensure
a climate wherein all can exercise their right to learn. Such norms are set forth in the
undergraduate catalogue. Please be sure that you have read and understood the section. No
faculty member will tolerate classroom behavior that violates these norms. Such behavior will
be grounds for withdrawal from the class, judicial proceedings, and/or failure of the course.

Class Schedule:

Week 1:
Monday, August 24—Course Introduction and Syllabus
Reading: Levack “What is the West?” (pp. 3-9)

Wednesday, Aug 26—Discussion session on “What is the West”

Reading: Levack Chapter 10; Reading: Kishlansky #45, 46, 50

Friday, Aug 28—The Middle Ages

Week 2:
Monday, Aug 31—The High Middle Ages

Wednesday, Sept 2—Discussion session on Kishlansky

Friday, Sept 4—Crisis during the Later Middle Ages

Reading: Levack Chapter 11; Reading: Kishlansky # 53, 54, 55, 56

Week 3:
Monday, Sept 7—NO CLASS (LABOR DAY)
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Wednesday, Sept 9—Discussion session on Kishlansky

Friday, Sept 11—The Early Renaissance

Reading: Brunelleschi’s Dome

Week 4:
Monday, Sept 14—The High Renaissance

Wednesday, Sept 16—Discussion session on Brunelleschi’s Dome

Friday, Sept 18—“Writing in History”

Week 5:
Monday, Sept 21—The Spread of the Renaissance

Wednesday, Sept 23—Discussion session: Paper 1 Draft Due (peer review)

Friday, Sept 25—European Exploration and Global Encounters

Reading: Levack Chapter 12; Kishlansky # 57, 60, 63, 64, 65

Week 6:
Monday, Sept 28 1—Global Encounters cont.

Wednesday, Sept 30—Discussion session on Kishlansky

Friday, Oct 2—Religious Reformations; Paper 1 Due (upload to Turnitin)

Reading: Levack Chapter 13
Week 7:
Monday, Oct 5 —Religious Reformations (cont.)
Reading: Kishlansky # 68, 69, 73

Wednesday, Oct 7—Discussion session on Kishlansky

Friday, Oct. 9—Religious Reformations (cont.)

Reading: Kishlansky # 71, 74, 76
Week 8:
Monday, Oct 12—The Age of Religious Division
Reading: Levack Chapter 14

Wednesday, Oct 14—Discussion session on Kishlansky

Friday, Oct 16—The Age of Religious Division (cont.)

Week 9:
Monday, Oct 19—States of Eastern Europe
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Wednesday, Oct 21—Discussion session: Midterm Review

Friday, Oct 23—Midterm Exam (Levack Chapters 10-14)

Week 10:
Monday, Oct 26—Nature of Absolutism
Reading: Levack Chapter 15; Kishlansky # 77, 79, 82

Wednesday, Oct 28—Discussion session on Kishlansky

Friday, Oct 30—Absolutism and State Building

Week 11:
Monday, Nov 2—Absolutism Cont.
Reading: Kishlansky # 80, 81

Wednesday, Nov 4—Discussion session on Kishlansky

Friday, Nov 6—Constitutionalism: England

Reading: Levack Chapter 16

Week 12:
Monday, Nov 9—Constitutionalism Cont.

Wednesday, Nov 11—NO CLASS (VETERANS DAY)

Friday, Nov 13—Constitutionalism: The Dutch Republic

Week 13:

Monday, Nov 16—The Scientific Revolution

Wednesday, Nov 18—Discussion session; Paper 2 Draft Due (peer review)

Reading: Chapter 17; Robinson Crusoe

Friday, Nov 20—The Scientific Rev (cont.)

Week 14:
Monday, Nov 23—Empire, Trade and Dynastic Wars; Paper 2 Due (upload to Turnitin)

Wednesday, Nov 25—Discussion session on Robinson Crusoe

Reading: Levack Chapter 18

Friday, Nov 27—NO CLASS (THANKSGIVING)

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Week 15:

Monday, Nov 30— Empire, Trade and Dynastic Wars cont.; 18th century Society and Culture

Wednesday, Dec 2—18th century Society and Culture (cont.)

Friday, Dec 4—Final Exam Review (Levack Chapters 15-18)

Week 16:

TBA—Final Exam—DM 100