Text to be purchased (All texts are available at Thrifty Joe's, 601 Mill Ave., 557-7595, unless otherwise noted):
M. S. Anderson, Europe in the Eighteenth Century, 1713-1783
Roy Porter, The Enlightenment
Voltaire, Candide
*David.Hancock, Citizens of the world: London merchants and the integration of the British Atlantic community, 1735-1785
Olaudah Equiano, The Interesting Narrative and Other Writings
*available at Varsity Books, 714 S. College Ave., 967-3253
Description: This course has two goals. First is to provide a broad introduction to the history of Europe during the eighteenth century. Second is to provide a more in-depth introduction to selected topics. The first goal shall be attempted through the reading of a general survey on eighteenth century European history, the second through the reading of specialized studies and literary texts from the era. The general survey chosen was Anderson's Europe in the Eighteenth Century, an old text (first published 1961), but highly readable and kept, through revisions, current in terms of recent research. The two selected topics are an old one and a new one. The old one is "The Enlightenment," the intellectual movement which transformed eighteenth century elite cultural life. Roy Porter's text on the topic provides a brief, but again readable introduction. It shall be followed by discussion of Voltaire' s Candide, the one text from the Enlightenment every student should know. The new topic selected is "the rise of Atlantic societies." The economic success of the American colonies during the eighteenth century brought into existence a new European culture, one based around the Atlantic Ocean, as opposed to the Mediterranean Sea or North Sea. This new culture was multiracial in ways older European cultures had not been. The course shall examine the new culture first from the perspective of London merchants, as related by Hancock, then from the perspective of Olaudah Equiano, an African who came to live in London.
Work and Grading:.Work for the course shall consist of two five-seven (5-7) page typed papers on announced topics, a mid-term and final examination. The paper topics shall be handed out at least two weeks before the due dates, which are listed below. They will be due at the start of class on the due date. Late papers will be penalized five points a day up to a maximum of twenty five points. Each paper will be worth twenty percent (20%) of the final grade. The mid-term will be held in class on the date announced below. The final examination will be held on the day announced in the Schedule of Courses. Both examinations shall consist of multiple choice questions and essay questions drawn from class lectures and assigned readings. The mid-term and the final each shall be worth thirty percent (30%) of the final grade.
Wednesday, January 20th Introduction, No Assignment
Monday, January 25th Anderson, chapter 3
Wednesday, January 27th Anderson, chapter 4
Monday, February 1st Anderson, chapter 5
Wednesday, February 3rd Anderson, chapter 6
Monday, February 8th Anderson, chapter 7
Wednesday, February 10th Anderson, chapter 8
Monday, February 15th Anderson, chapter 9
Wednesday, February 17th Anderson, chapter 10
first paper due
Monday, February 22nd Anderson, chapter 11
Wednesday, February 24th Anderson, chapter 12
Monday, March 1st REVIEW SESSION
Wednesday, March 3rd MID-TERM EXAMINATION
Monday, March 8th Anderson, chapter 14
Wednesday, March 10th Anderson, chapter 16
Monday, March 15th SPRING BREAK
Wednesday, March 17th SPRING BREAK
Monday, March 22nd Porter, chapters. 1-8
Wednesday, March 24th Anderson, chapter 15
Monday, March 29th Candide, chapters I-XV
Wednesday, March 31st Candide, chapters XVI-XXX
Monday, April 5th Anderson, chapter 13
Wednesday, April 7th Hancock, pages to be announced
Second paper due
Monday, April 12th Hancock, pages to be announced
Wednesday, April 14th Hancock, pages to be announced
Monday, April 19th Hancock, pages to be announced
Wednesday, April 21st Equiano, chapters I-V
Monday, April 26th Equiano, chapters VI-VII
Wednesday, April 28th Equiano, chapters VIII-X
Monday, May 3rd Equiano, chapters XI-XII
Wednesday, May 5th REVIEW SESSION