Week 14 Reading Assignments: The French Revolution

Day 1: Monday, November 26, 2012:
In-class, read the primary source: Arthur Young, " Travels in France: Signs of the Revolution," in Western Civilization, ed. Sherman, pp. 114-115, and discuss the accompanying questions.

Day 2:
Please read and prepare the following selections from Western Civilization, ed. Sherman, for discussion; ALSO, using both the primary and secondary sources, prepare a comprehensive answer to the question, what were the origins of the French Revolution?

Primary Sources:
1. "The Cahiers: Discontents of the Third Estate," p. 115.
2. Emmanuel Joesph Sieyes, "What is the Third Estate," pp. 115-116.

Secondary Sources:
1. George Lefebvre, "The Coming of the French Revolution," pp. 125-126.
2. Donald M. G. Sutherland, "The Revolution of the Notables," p. 126.

Day 3:
Please read and prepare the following selections from Western Civilization, ed. Sherman, for discussion:

Primary Sources:
1. Maximilien Robespierre, "Speech to the National Convention - February 5, 1794: The Terror Justified," p. 120.
2. Francois-Xavier Joliclerc, "A Soldier's Letters to His Mother: Revolutionary Nationalism," p. 121.

Visual Sources:
1. Jeaurat de Bertray, "Allegory of the Revolution," 121-122.
2. Pierre-Narcisse Guerin, "Henri de la Rochjacqualein," 122-123.
3. "Internal Disturbances and the Reign of Terror," 123-125.

Day 4:
Please read and prepare the following selections from Western Civilization, ed. Sherman, for class discussion, and be prepared to answer the question, what is the legacy of the French Revolution?

Primary Sources:
1. The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen," pp. 117-118.
2. The Declaration of the Rights of Woman and the Female Citizen," pp. 118-119.

Secondary Sources:
1. Ruth Graham, "Loaves and Liberty: Women in the French Revolution," pp. 127-128.
2. William Doyle, "An Evaluation of the French Revolution," pp. 128-129.

Week 13 Reading Assignments: The Ancien Regime

For Monday, November 19:
In-class: Read J.M. Roberts, "The French Revolution and Its Outcome," in A Short History of the World, pp. 326-330.

For Tuesday, November 20:
Due in-class: Please read the follow secondary sources from Sherman, Western Civilization, and answer the following question in preparation for discussion (TURN IN):

READINGS:
1. John Roberts, "The Ancien Regime: Ideals and Realities," p. 92.
2. Leonard Krieger, "The Resurgent Aristocracy," pp. 92-93.
3. Jerom Blume, "Lords and Peasants," pp. 93-94. 

QUESTION:
1. Based on the secondary sources, what did French society look like on the eve of the French Revolution?

NO HOMEWORK over THANKSGIVING BREAK. 
ENJOY, GIVE THANKS and REST UP!

Week 12 Reading Assignments and Questions: The Enlightenment

For Day 1, Monday, November 12, 2016:
Please prepare a written response to question #1 in Sherman, Western Civilization, p. 81. Use the primary and secondary source materials in chapter 6 on the "Scientific Revolution" to prepare your response to the question. We will discuss this in class and then TURN IN your answers at the end of class.

QUESTIONS:
1. What were the main ways in which the science of the seventeenth century constituted a break from the past?

- What were some of the main problems facing seventeenth-century scientists in making this break?

- How did they handle these problems?

For Day 2:
Please prepare the following readings and the accompanying questions in Sherman, Western Civilization, for discussion:
1. Introduction: "The Enlightenment," pp. 97-98.
2. Secondary Source: H. M. Scott, "The Problem of Enlightened Absolutism," pp. 109-110.
3. Primary Source: Frederick William, "A Secret Letter: Monarchical Authority in Prussia," p. 65.
4. Primary Source: Immanuel Kant, "What Is the Enlightenment?" p. 98.
5. Primary Source: Baron d'Holbach, "The System of Nature," p. 99.

For Day 3:
Please prepare the following readings and the accompanying questions in Sherman, Western Civilization, for discussion:
1. Secondary Source: Carl L. Becker, "The Heavenly City of the Eighteenth-Century Philosophers," pp. 108-109.
2. Secondary Source: Bonnie S. Anderson and Judith P. Zinsser, "Women in the Salons," p. 109.
3. Primary Source: Voltaire, "Philosophical Dictionary: The English Model," pp. 101-102.
4. Primary Source: Mary Wollstonecraft, "A Vindication of the Rights of Woman," p. 102.
5. Primary Source: Jean Jacques Rousseau, "The Social Contract," pp. 103-104.

Week 11 Reading Assignments: The Scientific Revolution

On Day 1, Monday, November 5, 2012:
In class, we read and discussed the introduction to Western Civilization, ed. Dennis Sherman, Chapter 6: "The Scientific Revolution" and the first primary source by Rene Descartes, "The Discourse on Method," pp. 73-74.

For Day 2:
Please read the following sections from Western Civilization, ed. Dennis Sherman and prepare comprehensive answers to the following questions for discussion (PREPARE for class discussion); period 4 should include the first primary source by Rene Descartes in their reading homework for Day 2.  

READ:
1. Primary Source: Galileo Galilei, "Letter to Christina of Tuscany: Science and Scripture," pp. 74-75, and
2. Primary Source: "The Papal Inquisition of 1633: Galileo Condemned," p. 75.  

For Day 3:
Please read the following sections from Western Civilization, ed. Dennis Sherman and prepare comprehensive answers to the following questions for discussion (PREPARE for class discussion).

READ:
1. Visual Source: Cornelis Bega, "The Alchemist," pp. 76-77,
2. Visual Source: "A Vision of the New Science," pp. 77-78,
3. Secondary Source: Sir George Clark, "Early Modern Europe: Motives for the Scientific Revolution," pp. 79-80, and
4. Secondary Source: Steven Shapin, "Nature as a Machine," pp. 80-81.  

Independent Research Presentation Guide

I. Calendar:

Week 10: Research presentations begin; MAKE SURE TO SCHEDULE with instructor.

Week 11: Independent Research Project Outline, Preliminary Thesis Statement & Annotated 

Bibliography (MLA format), 6-8 sentences that summarize the state of the scholarship on a 

specific topic from two secondary sources and assesses the value & limitations of at 

least two primary sources that support your thesis; due by Friday, 11/9, at 5PM (email instructor).

Week 13: First Draft, 3-5 pages w/ peer editing, due by Wed, 11/21.

Week 15: Final Draft, minimum of 5 pages, double-spaced minimum; must include 

MLA-style citations and bibliography; due at end of week, 12/7.

II. Assignment Descriptions:

1. Presentations: Prepare an 8-10 minute presentation on the independent research topic of your presentation.

What to present?

- Make sure to introduce your topic in a way that demonstrates what makes it interesting and important to the study of world history.

- Discuss why you chose this topic and the initial question(s) that guided your research.

- Provide an overview of the scholarship, i.e., secondary sources, research that has already been done on your topic and your own assessment of what remains to be done on this topic, i.e., any key debate(s) that you engage with your own research on the topic, e.g., the role of malaria or sugar in the origins of chattel slavery or the influence of Chinese science on European science, as well as any remaining questions about your topic, new interpretations you might offer through your own reading of known sources, or even new sources that you have encountered and how these new materials might revise or advance what we know about your topic.

- Introduce and explain your thesis, e.g., "Although the latest research on malaria shows that it played a key role in the rise of chattel slavery, I argue that... there was a simultaneous convergence of multiple factors that explain the rise of chattel slavery."

- Present and discuss at least one primary source to illustrate research and support your thesis.

- Consider use of handouts, materials objects, art, music, a brief PowerPoint presentation, etc. PLEASE let your instructor know of any audio/visual or other needs.

- Choose a week to present and discuss with the instructor.

2. Project Outline, Thesis Statement and Annotated Bibliography

Preliminary Thesis Statement: 6-8 sentences that summarize the state of the scholarship on a specific topic from two secondary sources, assesses the value & limitations of at least two primary sources that support your thesis, and makes an argument based on your use of primary sources and understanding of the scholarship on your topic. MAKE SURE to avoid the recapitulation of someone else's argument unless you are testing that argument through your own research, and engage the scholarship with your argument.  

THIS IS NOT A BOOK REPORT.

Outline your introduction/thesis paragraph, overview of the scholarship, body paragraphs with key points, even topic sentences, and primary sources you plan to use

Bibliography (MLA format).

Additional notes:

Be concise and to the point

SOMETIMES LESS CAN BE MORE

Make eye contact with your audience