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HIS 201

I.  TITLE: Modern Europe

II.  CATALOG DESCRIPTION:
A study of major political, economic, social and intellectual forces in European history, tracing their development through the past five centuries.  This course is designed both to provide students with background for work in upper-level courses and to acquaint students in other fields of study with the persons, forces and values that have created modern Western civilization.

III. PURPOSE:
Characteristics 1, 2 & 3: Engage in mature, independent thought and express that thought effectively in oral and written communication; understand the critical and scientific methodologies academic disciplines employ to discover knowledge and ascertain its validity; apply sound standards of analysis and evaluation to reach logical decisions.

Modern Europe promotes independent thought by aiding in the development of meticulous historical methodology.  With this methodology students may engage in mature, independent thought and employ sound standards of analysis in their oral and written assignments.  The nature of historical inquiry and its reliance upon the analysis of factual evidence as well as the use of logical inference drawn from fact to support conclusions are applied to all student assignments.

Characteristic 4: Understand the role and applications of technology and science in the solution of the problems of a changing world.

Modern Europe describes the era of the Scientific Revolution.  The connections of the primary movers of this significant period to the past and to the future, where the roots of the Industrial Revolution with all of its concomitant technological innovations, is delineated.  The gradual acceptance of a more complex and constantly changing world becomes imbedded in European thought and culture.

Characteristic 5: Demonstrate a critical understanding of the world's historical, literary, philosophical and artistic traditions.

History 201 examines the artistic, philosophical and literary traditions developed in Europe with particular attention to the idea of the 17th and 18th century Enlightenment as well as the literary and philosophical ideas of the 19th century.

Characteristics 6, 7 and 8: Understand the dynamics of cultural diversity, of competing economic and political systems, and of complex moral and ethical issues; understand the nature of responsible citizenship and pursue an active role in a democratic society; and demonstrate mastery of their chosen field of study in preparation for a successful, productive life.

The ethnic and national diversities of European history help students grasp the great cultural variety in Europe.  Since the Europeans were the originators of the economic and political systems prevalent in much of the world and they are credited with describing our major moral and ethical ideas, History 201 instructors allocate a considerable amount of time to cover these issues.  The growth of representative democratic governments in Western Europe and the change from "subjects" to "citizens" receives particular consideration.  Students may use this course as a foundation for their further studies.

IV.  COURSE OBJECTIVES:
Modern Europe traces the development of the major trends and movements in Europe from the beginning of the Modern Era in the Renaissance to the last half of the twentieth century.  The primary emphasis of History 201 is the cultural, political, philosophical, and social background to the contemporary world.  Modern Europe includes specific attention to the following criteria:

A. To introduce students to fundamental concepts and ways of knowing in various disciplines.

In class discussions and written assignments students have the opportunity to understand and examine the processes by which historians practice their discipline.  Basic concepts covered in the course, such as the Renaissance, the Enlightenment, and the art of the Impressionist painters, are presented to students in thought-provoking ways to develop an understanding of the ideas involved and the obstacles faced by the innovators.  The long path toward representative government is traced both through a look at political alterations as well as the philosophical bases for these changes.  In all assignments the student is challenged to follow the path of professional historians: how we verify information, practice objectivity in textual analysis, and use context and causation to explain events.

B. To promote interdisciplinary understanding by clarifying how the content and methods of a  discipline contribute to an understanding of its function in society.

Many other disciplines are used in History 201 to help the instructors describe the roots and causes of the major events of the last five centuries.  Political Science, English Literature, Economics, Philosophy, Anthropology, Art History, Religious Studies, Sociology and many other disciplines contribute significant information to this course.  Historians cross discipline lines and we let our students know the usefulness of this technique.

C. To emphasize international perspectives whenever possible.

Since Europe is a polyglot area with dozens of ethnic and national identities, to survey these groups is illustrative of the international perspective.  History 201 goes beyond this continental perspective, however, by also describing the colonial and imperial movements of the sixteenth to nineteenth centuries.

V.  CONTENT OUTLINE:
Week 1:  What is History?
     The Renaissance & the Reformation
Week 2:  The Commercial Revolution
     The Origins of Capitalism
Week 3:  The Age of Absolutism
     Monarchism & its Opponents
Week 4:  The Enlightenment, an Intellectual Revolution
Week 5:  The French Revolution and Napoleon
Week 6:  The Scientific and Industrial Revolutions
Week 7:  Nationalism, Socialism, Democracy
Week 8:  European Thought & Culture
Week 9:  The New Imperialism
Week 10: The Great War & the end of Illusion
Week 11: The Russian Revolution & the Communist State
Week 12: The Democracies Between the Wars
     Twentieth Century European Culture
Week 13: The Rise of the Totalitarian States
Week 14: The Second World War
     The Aftermath of War
Week 15: Europe and the World since 1945
     Culture, Science, Politics

VI.  INSTRUCTIONAL ACTIVITIES:
A. To promote student engagement in and responsibility for learning through the use of active learning methodologies (use of group discussions, student projects, and teamwork, etc.), and focus on thematic, problem solving or issue orientated approaches whenever possible.

History 201 actively engages students in the learning process using controversial points to stimulate discussion and exchange of ideas.  For example, in class students might be assigned to support or oppose the coming to power of Mussolini and, based on their knowledge of the readings and lecture materials, discuss the controversial program of the Fascists.

B. To require a significant amount of reading, writing, speaking and critical thinking as appropriate to the course.

History 201 requires a sizeable textbook and one or more outside reading books.  These readings encompass the latest scholarship and present differing viewpoints than those expressed in class.  Students are required to demonstrate in writing and speaking an ability to analyze, interpret, and organize information gleaned from the textbook, lectures, and from other assigned sources.  In both class discussions and writing assignments students are asked to separate and evaluate often contradictory information and opinions; critical thinking skills are developed by dealing with issues still debated today (i.e. is the coming of the Common Union healthy for continued individual European identities?; do the Europeans owe their former colonies large amounts of financial aid? etc.).  Reading beyond the textbook is required to fulfill discussion and writing assignments and these tasks are critiqued by the instructor and returned to students.  Essay exams are employed despite their time-consuming nature for they cultivate logic and organizational skills and require students to support generalizations with specific factual evidence drawn from readings, discussions and lectures.  Essay exams also move students along the path of looking beyond facile relationships for more fundamental connections of historical phenomena.

C. To promote use of computer technology.

All written assignments are required to be in a printed format-- one that requires word processing.  Students may communicate their questions about materials in the course via e-mail and they are encouraged to use the WWW to facilitate their research.

VII.  FIELD AND CLINICAL EXPERIENCES: None

VIII. RESOURCES:
The MSU Library, the Department of History, and Interlibrary Loan provide most of the resources needed for this course.  Books, both primary and secondary, and videos are usually sufficient for this 200-level course.  The world-wide-web is a resource that the instructor promotes.

IX.   GRADING PROCEDURES:
To establish high academic standards.

Modern Europe maintains high standards of academic excellence.  History 201 instructors believe students must be responsible for their education; students who actively engage in the learning process and who are encouraged to go beyond the average requirements of assignments, come away with an appreciation of the value of the learning experience.  High expectations result in student performance at higher levels.  In written assignments (10-15% of total course grade) an examination is made of how well students can organize, support generalizations, and follow a clearly-defined thesis statement. They are also evaluated on mechanics and expressive style.  In discussions (5-10% of total course grade) we evaluate students on the factual content of their point of view or presentation.  By both oral and written means instructors evaluate student discourse.  In essay exams (60-80% of total course grade) students are assessed by how well they can organize, support generalizations, and follow a clearly-defined thesis statement.  Exams and papers are marked-up and returned to students.  Essay exams ask students to bring together reading, lecture, video, and in-class discussion materials.

X.   ATTENDANCE POLICY:
Class attendance is required.  Serious penalties are imposed after several unexcused absences and students fail the course if they have excessive absences without written excuses.

XI.   ACADEMIC HONESTY POLICY:
History 201 adheres to the university and the College of Humanistic Studies Policy on Academic Honesty.  Students are informed in the syllabi that they are responsible for familiarizing themselves with these policies and that any form of cheating is not tolerated.

XII.  TEXT AND REFERENCES:
A common textbook is used in Modern Europe 201.  Text currently used is: Palmer & Colton, A History of the Modern World
In addition a wide variety of additional readings are assigned, including biographies, primary sources, monographs, and the WWW.

XIII. PREREQUISITES: None.

Last updated February 8, 2000. Designed and maintained by Kyosung Koo