History 331 - Work and Family in Medieval and Renaissance Europe

Calendar of Readings and Assignments

Th 9/6 – Introduction to the course. A little historical background on Rome, Christianity, and the early Middle Ages.

Foundations and the Early Middle Ages

Theories

T 9/11 - Early Christian Traditions on Marriage and Family
- Reading: Murray, 1-9, 15-23, 416-424. St. Jerome, "On Marriage and Virginity."
- Discussion Questions
Th 9/13 - Counter voices from the Late Middle Ages
- Reading: Christine Di Pizan - Excerpt 1, Excerpt 2
- Debate Exercise

What we know about actual early medieval families

T – 9/18 Germanic Laws and Customs
- Lecture - Early Medieval Europe
- Discussion - Sources for Family History
- Reading: Bennett, "Early Western Christendom". Murray, 332-340.
Th – 9/20 Continue Discussion of Germanic states
- Reading: Murray, 425-428. Herlihy, Medieval Households, Chapter 3 (electronic reserve).
  - For electronic reserve, go to MyDu, select library, find electronic reserve, look for History 331, and select the appropriate article. Use hist331 as the password.
- In-class discussion of laws
- Discussion Questions

The Carolingian Age

T – 9/25 The rise and fall of the Carolingians
- Reading: Bennett, "Carolingian Europe"
- Possible in-class discussion of Cartularies.
- Coins as source for history
Th – 9/27 Carolingian Families
- Reading: "Dhuoda's advice to her son" (handout)
- J-1
- Possible in-class discussion of Cartularies.
- Discussion Questions
T- 10/2 Viking Families
- Reading: The Vinland Saga (handout)
- J-2
- In-class discussion of Nordic Laws
- Discussion Questions
Th – 10/4 Viking Laws and Poetry
- Reading: Norweigian Laws and the Lay of Rig (handouts)
- Discussion Questions

Agricultural and Commercial Revolution

T – 10/9 The Medieval Revival
- Reading: Bennett, skim chapter from the Central Middle Ages: "Economic Takeoff and Social Change."
- Website Exploration: From the Medieval Technology Pages - The horse harness, the heavy plow, and the whippletree.
Th – 10/11 Focus on the Commercial Revolution

DUE - Paper #1 : Go to Roots of the Commercial Revolution, then Trade and Commerce, then Rise of Towns. Pick one document from each section and write 2-3 page paper (500-750 words) on how your documents, taken together, demonstrate the changing nature of the medieval economy. Click HERE for more information

T – 10/16 Religion and Daily Life
- Reading: Bennett, "New Paths to God" and Life of St. Francis (print it out!)
- Discussion Questions (sorry they got online so late)
  - Why was Francis so popular with medieval Christians? What is it about his message that resonates?
  - What can we learn about everyday life, thought, and culture from the "Life?"

Family During the High Middle Ages

Th – 10/18 Marriage and the Church
- Reading: Murray, 169-232
  - You will be assigned a set of readings in class. Come prepared to discuss them and present your readings to the class. The core question is: "What is the relationship between the Church and Marriage in the Middle Ages?"
  - Group I reads: 23, 24, 25, 26
  - Group II reads: 27, 28, 29, 30
  - Discussion Questions
- J-3
T – 10/23 Marriage and Family
- Reading: Murray, 349-394 (readings will be divided among the class)
- J-4
  - Group I: Read 50, 51, 52, 53
  - Group II: Read 54, 55, 56, 57
  - Questions
Th – 10/25 Medicine and Childbirth
- Reading: Source 60 in "Love and Marriage," pages 401-406, a handout of sources, and "Women's Medical Practice and Health Care in Europe." For the article, print out the whole thing, but read from pages 434-457.
- J-5
- Disussion Questions

Growing up in Medieval London

T – 10/30 Library Workshop and Hanawalt - Pages 16-88
- CLASS IS IN CROWN 111
Th – 11/1 Hanawalt - Pages 109-172
T – 11/6 Other Medieval Families
- Reading: Murray, 415-468 (readings will be divided).
  - You will get a single source (in some cases with a partner, sometimes without), and be asked to come to class ready to present the source to the class. You need to prepare a quick presentation (write it out so you present clearly) that summarizes the content of the document and what it tells us about medieval families.
  - Otherwise, work on your paper.

Demographic Disasters

Th – 11/8 Great Famine - Pages 3-126
- It is your turn to work on discussion questions, an excellent way to see how you are doing in assessing the important themes of your readings. By Wednesday at 6:00 P.M., you need to email me three discussion questions - one for chapters 1 and 2, one for chapters 3 and 4, and one for chapters 5 and 6.
T – 11/13 Great Famine - Pages 127-188
- Paper #2 Due. Details
Th – 11/15 Black Death
- Reading: Bennett, "Famine, Plague, and Recovery" and the documents handed out in class.
- Notes and discussion questions.
T – 11/20 Minorities
- Reading: Bennett "Persecutions" (In chapter on "Conquests, Crusades, and Persecutions") and St. William of Norwich and Jews and the Black Death (print these out).
T - 11/27 Peasant Revolts and Heretical Movements
- The Peasants' Revolt and the Government of England (review article, print out).
- Discussion Questions:
  - What is the thesis (in this case more of a subject of inquiry than an argument) of this article? What does the author eventually conclude?
  - How are people studying the peasant's revolt?
  - What kinds of factors led people to rebel?
  - What evidence are people using to study the revolt?

Case Studies - Women in society

Th – 11/29 Medieval Prostitution
- Reading: Karras article, "Regulation of Brothels in Later Medieval England." This includes, ESPECIALLY, the sources in the appendix.
- J-6
T – Meetings
Th – 12/6 Village Ale-Wife
- Reading: Bennett article (handout) and Bennett review article, "History That Stands Still": Women's Work in the European Past." (print out)
- J-7
- Paper #3 Due

Renaissance Familes

T – 12/11 Margery Kempe and Women entrepreneurs.
- Reading:
  - Translated Excerpts of the Book of Margery Kempe. Print these out.
  - Original Kempe - Handout.
  - It might also be a good idea to look at Mapping Marjery Kempe
Th – 12/13 Discussion of final papers

No Final Exam. Final Paper Due by 12:00 on December 19.


Calendar of Readings and Assignments Th 9/6 – Introduction to the course. A little historical background on Rome, Christianity, and the early Middle Ages. Foundations and the Early Middle Ages Theories T 9/11 - Early Christian Traditions on Marriage and Family Reading: Murray, 1-9, 15-23, 416-424. St. Jerome, "On Marriage and Virginity." Discussion Questions Th 9/13 - Counter voices from the Late Middle Ages Reading: Christine Di Pizan - Excerpt 1, Excerpt 2 Debate Exercise What we know about actual early medieval families T – 9/18 Germanic Laws and Customs Lecture - Early Medieval Europe Discussion - Sources for Family History Reading: Bennett, "Early Western Christendom". Murray, 332-340. Th – 9/20 Continue Discussion of Germanic states Reading: Murray, 425-428. Herlihy, Medieval Households, Chapter 3 (electronic reserve). For electronic reserve, go to MyDu, select library, find electronic reserve, look for History 331, and select the appropriate article. Use hist331 as the password. In-class discussion of laws Discussion Questions The Carolingian Age T – 9/25 The rise and fall of the Carolingians Reading: Bennett, "Carolingian Europe" Possible in-class discussion of Cartularies. Coins as source for history Th – 9/27 Carolingian Families Reading: "Dhuoda's advice to her son" (handout) J-1 Possible in-class discussion of Cartularies. Discussion Questions T- 10/2 Viking Families Reading: The Vinland Saga (handout) J-2 In-class discussion of Nordic Laws Discussion Questions Th – 10/4 Viking Laws and Poetry Reading: Norweigian Laws and the Lay of Rig (handouts) Discussion Questions Agricultural and Commercial Revolution T – 10/9 The Medieval Revival Reading: Bennett, skim chapter from the Central Middle Ages: "Economic Takeoff and Social Change." Website Exploration: From the Medieval Technology Pages - The horse harness, the heavy plow, and the whippletree. Th – 10/11 Focus on the Commercial Revolution DUE - Paper #1 : Go to Roots of the Commercial Revolution, then Trade and Commerce, then Rise of Towns. Pick one document from each section and write 2-3 page paper (500-750 words) on how your documents, taken together, demonstrate the changing nature of the medieval economy. Click HERE for more information T – 10/16 Religion and Daily Life Reading: Bennett, "New Paths to God" and Life of St. Francis (print it out!) Discussion Questions (sorry they got online so late) Why was Francis so popular with medieval Christians? What is it about his message that resonates? What can we learn about everyday life, thought, and culture from the "Life?" Family During the High Middle Ages Th – 10/18 Marriage and the Church Reading: Murray, 169-232 You will be assigned a set of readings in class. Come prepared to discuss them and present your readings to the class. The core question is: "What is the relationship between the Church and Marriage in the Middle Ages?" Group I reads: 23, 24, 25, 26 Group II reads: 27, 28, 29, 30 Discussion Questions J-3 T – 10/23 Marriage and Family Reading: Murray, 349-394 (readings will be divided among the class) J-4 Group I: Read 50, 51, 52, 53 Group II: Read 54, 55, 56, 57 Questions Th – 10/25 Medicine and Childbirth Reading: Source 60 in "Love and Marriage," pages 401-406, a handout of sources, and "Women's Medical Practice and Health Care in Europe." For the article, print out the whole thing, but read from pages 434-457. J-5 Disussion Questions Growing up in Medieval London T – 10/30 Library Workshop and Hanawalt - Pages 16-88 CLASS IS IN CROWN 111 Th – 11/1 Hanawalt - Pages 109-172 T – 11/6 Other Medieval Families Reading: Murray, 415-468 (readings will be divided). You will get a single source (in some cases with a partner, sometimes without), and be asked to come to class ready to present the source to the class. You need to prepare a quick presentation (write it out so you present clearly) that summarizes the content of the document and what it tells us about medieval families. Otherwise, work on your paper. Demographic Disasters Th – 11/8 Great Famine - Pages 3-126 It is your turn to work on discussion questions, an excellent way to see how you are doing in assessing the important themes of your readings. By Wednesday at 6:00 P.M., you need to email me three discussion questions - one for chapters 1 and 2, one for chapters 3 and 4, and one for chapters 5 and 6. T – 11/13 Great Famine - Pages 127-188 Paper #2 Due. Details Th – 11/15 Black Death Reading: Bennett, "Famine, Plague, and Recovery" and the documents handed out in class. Notes and discussion questions. T – 11/20 Minorities Reading: Bennett "Persecutions" (In chapter on "Conquests, Crusades, and Persecutions") and St. William of Norwich and Jews and the Black Death (print these out). T - 11/27 Peasant Revolts and Heretical Movements The Peasants' Revolt and the Government of England (review article, print out). Discussion Questions: What is the thesis (in this case more of a subject of inquiry than an argument) of this article? What does the author eventually conclude? How are people studying the peasant's revolt? What kinds of factors led people to rebel? What evidence are people using to study the revolt? Case Studies - Women in society Th – 11/29 Medieval Prostitution Reading: Karras article, "Regulation of Brothels in Later Medieval England." This includes, ESPECIALLY, the sources in the appendix. J-6 T – Meetings Th – 12/6 Village Ale-Wife Reading: Bennett article (handout) and Bennett review article, "History That Stands Still": Women's Work in the European Past." (print out) J-7 Paper #3 Due Renaissance Familes T – 12/11 Margery Kempe and Women entrepreneurs. Reading: Translated Excerpts of the Book of Margery Kempe. Print these out. [The Birth of Her First Child and Her Vision] [Her Pride and Attempts to Start a Business] [Margery and her husband reach a settlement] [Pilgrimage to Jerusalem Original Kempe - Handout. It might also be a good idea to look at Mapping Marjery Kempe Th – 12/13 Discussion of final papers No Final Exam. Final Paper Due by 12:00 on December 19.
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This site last updated: 9/1/07 Comments to: David Perry Homepage URL: http://domin.dom.edu/faculty/dperry/hist331/ © 2007 by David Perry and Dominican University. All rights reserved.