Course Syllabus

• Instructor: David M. Perry
• Class Times: MWF 9:30 AM-10:20 AM
• Location: Crown, 320
• Office: Fine Arts 313
• Office Phone: (708) 524-6052
• Office Hours: MW 12:30-1:30
• Email: dperry@dom.edu
• Course URL: http://domin.dom.edu/faculty/dperry/hist102/

Course Description

The course presents a survey of European history from the dawning of the modern age to the present. We will study political, social, intellectual, economic, and cultural history. We will see transformations in science, religion, art, politics, and many other aspects of life as well. The course begins with the great transformations in European life brought about by such factors as the discovery of the Americas, new routes to the Indies, the Reformation, and the Turkish incursions into Eastern Europe.

This course has three major goals. First, through readings, lectures, and discussions, you will be introduced to some of the major issues, events, and ideas in the history of Europe. Second, I will introduce you to some of the methods historians use to discover the past, some of the kinds of questions they ask about the past, and some of the ways they construct historical arguments and interpretations using historical evidence. Finally, you will also learn the skills you need to discover the past for yourself. The focus will be on acquiring the most important skill involved in doing history, that of analyzing and interpreting the original documents of the past, which historians call primary sources. The course readings, in-class discussions, the tests, and especially the written assignments have all been chosen or designed with this emphasis in mind

Required Texts

The following texts have been made available for you at the Dominican bookstore. Please buy them.

• Textbook: Lynn Hunt et al., The Making of the West: Peoples and cultures. Volume II - since 1500.
• Sourcebook: K. J. Luadi. Sources for the Making of the West: Peoples and Cultures. Volume II - since 1500
• Wiesner: M. Wiesner et al., Discovering the Western Past: A Look at the Evidence. Volume II - since 1500.

There will be some other readings either handed out in class or made available to you through the website. You are required to bring all readings to class on the day for which they are assigned. This means that you must print out online sources, please.

Course Requirements and Assignments

• 2 Tests - 20% each
  • There will be two in-class tests, each worth 20% of your grade. They will consist of several short-answer questions and you will be allowed to bring one page of notes (8.5x11, one side only) to class with you.
  • Test 1 - W 10/17
  • Test 2 - F 11/9
• Paper - 20%
  • This will be a 5-6 page paper in which you choose a novel written in Europe and about Europe during the 19th or early 20th century. The novel can be about war, religion, society, economics, or myriad other aspects. For this paper, you will analyze the work of fiction as a primary historical source and consider what we, as historians, may draw from the piece. A list of suggested novels will be provided. More details will be given to you when the due date is closer.
  • Paper Due - 11/19
• Final Exam - 25%
  • The final exam will consist of a series of short-answer questions, as with the tests, plus one or more longer-answer essays in which you will be asked to consider broad themes from the course.
  • The exam will be held on Monday, December 17, in the classroom, from 9:30-11:30
• Other Assignments - 5%
  • There will be additional short, often informal, assignments given throughout the semester. Some, such as the Primary Source Analysis 1 and 2, are marked on the calendar of assignments. Others will not be. These may include pop quizzes, in-class writing assignments, and other such work. Collectively, your efforts on such exercises will consist of 5% of your final grade.
• Participation and Attendance - 10%
  • Participation is more than just showing up, but it starts with just showing up. You cannot participate if you are not here. I will take attendance every day. Unexcused absences will weigh heavily against your participation grade.
    • Excused absences for legitimate Dominican activities (i.e. official sporting or musical events) will obviously not incur any direct penalty. You need to let me know ahead of time (for events) and you are responsible for catching up on material missed by consulting both me and your peers.
    • Emergency absences (death or illness in the family, weather disaster, illness, etc.) will also not incur any direct penalty, but you need to contact me immediately upon discovering that you will miss class. Again, you are responsible for catching up on material missed by consulting both me and your peers.
  • But participation is about more than just showing up. It's about doing the reading, being prepared to talk about it, volunteering your input, being involved in group work, preparing for discussions, and generally being an asset to the class as a whole. We will have a variety of ways in which you can participate, but none matter more than being an active member in our small-group and full-class discussions. Your participation is a significant percentage of your grade. You will need to earn it. Take initiative. Do not expect to speak only when directly called upon and ace this section of the class.
  • Finally, being late consistently may be counted as being absent. It will certainly lower your participation grade. Being late is disrespectful not only to me, but also to your peers.

The Grade Breakdown

• Test #1 - 20%
• Test #2 - 20%
• Paper - 20%
• Final Exam - 25%
• Other Assignments - 5%
• Participation and Attendance - 10%

Course Policies

1. Follow all Dominican University policies in regards to Academic Honesty. If you are unsure about whether something is plagiarism or cheating, ask first. People caught cheating will be subjected to the fullest penalties allowable by Dominican.
2. No assignment, under any circumstances, will be accepted by fax or email.
3. Students must bring readings to class on the day they are assigned. Print out online materials. If we don't talk about something in class, you need to bring it to the next class too unless told otherwise.
4. Writing assignments and examinations are due at the beginning of class. DO NOT EVER SKIP CLASS TO TRY AND FINISH YOUR PAPER. Printing errors and lost data are a fact of the computer age. If you wait until the last minute and encounter technical difficulties, your paper may still be counted as late.
5. For every day a paper or project is late, you lose one full grade per day (A to B, B to C, etc.). Do not test this system. Turn your work in on time. Stapled. With your name on every page. Typed. Double-spaced. In a 12-point font. With room on the margins for comments. Printed on only one side of the paper (for ease of comments). Please! I know this seems like a hassle, but it makes grading them and reading them easier. Be merciful to my eyesight.