CORPUS CHRISTI COLLEGE

COURSE OUTLINES

Term: 

            Fall 2009

Course Number:

                       History 100 (3) 

 

Instructor:

             Dr. Niall Christie

Course Name:

        Early Mediaeval Europe

 

Tel: (604) 822-6862 ext. 125

E-Mail: nchristi@corpuschristi.ca

Office Location and Hours: Faculty 2, Mon, 11:00 am-12:00 noon and Tue, 1:00 pm-2:00 pm, or by appointment

Class Time and Location:

         Tue & Thu, 4:00-5:30 pm

 Classroom: CCC Classroom

 

Early Mediaeval Europe

 

NOTE: If you are a student looking for a current course web page,
you are in the wrong place!

Software: Microsoft Office

 

Course Description

 

This course introduces students to the early mediaeval history of Europe, covering the period dating roughly from the decline of Rome to the year 1000 A.D. Special attention will be given to characteristic institutions and ideas in this period, including the early history of the church, the appearance of regional and trans-regional monarchies, and both intellectual and economic developments. The course will also trace the geographical expansion of the European region itself, as well as paying attention to the influence of civilizations that emerged outside the core lands of Europe, including the Muslim world and the Byzantine Empire.

 

Required Reading

 

You should read the following course texts, available from the UBC Bookstore:

 

 

You should also download and read the additional texts that I have posted on my web site. The URLs of these are indicated in the Provisional Course Outline, below.

 

There is also a large amount of relevant material at the library, including some reserve material that you will find listed under the UBC course number (HIST 363). You should pay particular attention to this material when writing your assignments.

 

Assessment

 

Assessment for the course is based on three assignments, a final examination and class participation, as follows:

 

Assignment 1 (due 6th October)                                                                   20%

(1000 words, including footnotes. Any bibliography included does not count towards required number of words; see below.)

 

Title: An Assessment of the Canons of the Council of Nicea (see below for more details)

 

Assignment 2 (due 3rd November)                                                               20%

(1000 words, including footnotes but excluding bibliography)

 

Title: Who emerged as the real winner in the wake of the barbarian invasions of the 3rd to 7th centuries: the barbarians or Christian Europe? (see below for more details)

 

Assignment 3 (due 1st December)                                                                 25%

(1000 words, including footnotes but excluding bibliography)

 

Title: To be chosen by you! See the additional guidelines below.

 

Final Examination:                                                                                          25%

 

Class Participation:                                                                                          10%

 

Examination Format

 

1.     The examination will be two and a half hours long and will be divided into two sections.

2.     In the first section I will give you 3 passages from the primary source readings (Tierney or downloaded texts) from the course. You will be required to pick two of these and write a commentary on each. In each case I will provide a question for you to respond to. Each question will be worth 30 marks.

3.     In the second section I will give you two essay questions, of which you must answer one. The two essay questions will be chosen from a set of three questions that I will have provided you with in the last class of the term. The essay question will be worth 40 marks.

4.     Examinations should be written in English, in pen.

 

General Guidelines for Assignments

 

Presentation:

 

  1. Your work should be in English, word processed or typed in a 12 point, Times or equivalent-sized (no larger than this) font. Please type or print your work on only one side of each sheet of paper.
  2. Text should be double-spaced, with a 1-inch margin all around.
  3. Pages should be numbered consecutively. The first page should begin with the essay title, your name and the due date.
  4. Pages should be stapled in the upper left corner.
  5. Your work should include footnotes and a bibliography.

 

I expect you to conduct additional, relevant research when writing Assignments 2 and 3, and in each case I expect to find at least five sources in your bibliography, of which at least three should be non-internet, scholarly sources (these numbers may be altered in consultation with me if your topic is an unusual one). Note that on-line journal archives such as JSTOR, Academic Search Premier and Proquest count as non-internet sources, as the articles that they collect were originally published in regular print format.

 

If you do use the internet for your research, you should do so with care, as not all resources on the internet are academically reliable; in particular, do not use Wikipedia! Additional guidelines on assessing the academic reliability of internet sources may be found on the internet at: http://www.library.ubc.ca/home/evaluating.

 

Note that there will be no extensions to assignment deadlines unless they are agreed with me before the deadline. Extensions will only be given for legitimate reasons. Otherwise I will reduce your mark accordingly.

 

Proofreading:

 

Please proofread your work before handing it in. I would recommend that you allow at least a day between finishing the piece of work and proofreading it (so do not leave it until the night before it is due!). Read your work aloud, as this will help you to spot any errors and awkward constructions.

 

Further Guidelines for Assignment 1:

 

For your first assignment I require you to write a text analysis of selected canons of the Council of Nicea (Tierney, pages 42-44). What are the major over-arching concerns that are expressed in the laws described? Be sure to support your answer with appropriate evidence from the text. You will be assessed on the quality of your analysis and arguments, and the clarity and effectiveness of your writing.

 

Note that while you do not need to conduct secondary research to perform well on this assignment, you may well find it helpful. If you do conduct additional research, you should include with your work a bibliography listing the sources that you have consulted.

 

Further Guidelines for Assignment 2:

 

For your second assignment you must write an essay answering the question provided above. Who emerged as the real winner in the period under discussion? You should think carefully about what it means to be a winner, and you should indicate clearly in your essay how you are understanding the term. You will be assessed on the how well you articulate and defend your arguments, as well as the quality of your writing.

 

Hint: A library subject search on "Rome--History--Germanic Invasions, 3rd-6th centuries" should direct you to some useful resources.

 

Further Guidelines for Assignment 3:

 

For this assignment I require you to think of an aspect of the course content that interests you and that you would like to investigate further, and to come and see me to discuss it. We will then use this to frame a topic for you to research and address in your third assignment. This meeting will also enable me to help you find some relevant sources.

 

Topics should be argumentative and analytical rather than descriptive; you should be thinking about why something took place (such as the conversion of Constantine) or took a particular form (such as the Rule of St Benedict), rather than simply looking at what happened. If you are truly unable to think of a topic, I will make up a title for you, but I hope that you will take this opportunity to exercise your intellectual curiosity.

 

Note that I will not accept this assignment from you if you have not agreed the topic with me before the deadline.

 

Grading

 

When assignments are returned to you, they will have been given both a percentage mark and a letter grade. Percentage marks correspond to the following grades:

 

                                    90-100                                     A+

                                    85-89                                       A

                                    80-84                                       A-

                                    76-79                                       B+

                                    72-75                                       B

                                    68-71                                       B-

                                    64-67                                       C+

                                    60-63                                       C

                                    55-59                                       C-

                                    50-54                                       D

                                    0-49                                         F (fail)

 

Class Participation

 

Class participation marks the level of your attention and participation in class activities, not merely your attendance; I expect full attendance for this course. You should arrive on time to every class, having done the reading and bringing any required written work with you. Repeated lack of punctuality or preparedness for class may result in a lowered final grade.

 

If you must be absent from a class, you should let me know in advance if at all possible (a simple e-mail will suffice). Assignments must still be handed in by the due dates, unless I have agreed an extension with you beforehand. Naturally I will understand prolonged absences as a result of illness or emergencies. You should let me know and give me appropriate documentation as soon as possible.

 

N.B. I expect mobile 'phones and pagers to be turned off in class, unless a special arrangement has been made with me prior to the class. If you wish to use a computer in the classroom, you may only do so to take notes; use of MSN or other IM programs, along with using your computer for purposes unrelated to the class, is disrespectful to your instructor and distracts the other students.

 

 

Office Hours

 

I am available for meetings at the times indicated above. If you wish to see me, but are unable to come to my office hours, I will be happy to make an appointment for another time. Please see me after class, 'phone me or send me an e-mail (the most reliable option).

 

College Policies

 

I respect and uphold all college policies and regulations. All students are advised to become familiar with the college's regulations and are encouraged to bring any concerns or questions to my attention.

 

Plagiarism:

 

Plagiarism is an academic offense and simply unacceptable in the academic culture. Severe penalties may result. It is your responsibility to make yourself familiar with the appropriate literature on plagiarism and its avoidance, some of which should be available from the UBC Bookstore. A subject search under "plagiarism" in the library catalogue will also direct you to some useful resources.

 

Provisional Course Outline

 

Please note that this outline may be subject to change. I will attempt to inform you of any changes at least a week before they come into effect.

 

I will be posting Powerpoint shows on the on-line version of this course outline for you to download ahead of each class. These will include time-lines and word-lists that will assist you with your note-taking.

 

WEEK 1

15th September           Introduction to the Course: Studying the Middle Ages (download slides)

17th September           Pre-Roman Europe; The Mediaeval Worldview (download slides)

Reading:        Cruz and Gerberding, 1-16

 

WEEK 2                    

22nd September          The Rise and Fall of Rome (download slides)

Reading:        Cruz and Gerberding, 18-33

Tierney, 3-5 and 7-9

24th September           Continuity and Change in the West (download slides)

Reading:        Cruz and Gerberding, 33-42

            Tierney, 6-7 and 9-10

 

WEEK 3

29th September           Early Christianity (download slides)

Reading:        Cruz and Gerberding, 43-58

            Tierney, 11 (bottom)-13 and 16-17

1st October                  Heresy and Orthodoxy (download slides)

Reading:        Cruz and Gerberding, 58-60

            Tierney, 11 and 18-22

 

WEEK 4

6th October                 ASSIGNMENT 1 DUE

The Church Fathers (download slides)

Reading:        Cruz and Gerberding, 61-67

            Tierney, 13 (bottom)-16 and 22-26

8th October                 The Barbarian "Invasions" (download slides)                             

Reading:        Cruz and Gerberding, 68-83

            Tierney, 34-39

 

WEEK 5

13th October               Barbarian Culture (download slides)

Reading:        Cruz and Gerberding, 83-90

            Tierney, 27-34 and 44-47

15th October               The Birth of the Byzantine Empire (download slides)

Reading:        Cruz and Gerberding, 91-104

                                                            Tierney, 40-42 and 72-76

 

WEEK 6

20th October               The Rise of Islam (download slides)

Reading:        Cruz and Gerberding, 105-16

            Tierney, 76-80

22nd October              The Early Church Hierarchy (download slides)

                                    Reading:        Cruz and Gerberding, 118-28

                                                            Tierney, 49-51 and 59-66

 

WEEK 7

27th October               The Expansion of the Church (download slides)

Reading:        Cruz and Gerberding, 128-38

            Tierney, 51-56 and 68 (bottom)-71

29th October               The Rise and Fall of the Carolingians (download slides)

                                    Reading:        Cruz and Gerberding, 139-49 and 155-57

                                                            Tierney, 83-88

 

WEEK 8

3rd November             ASSIGNMENT 2 DUE

Carolingian Culture and Life (download slides)

Reading:        Cruz and Gerberding, 149-54 and 158-64

            Tierney, 94-99

5th November             The Conversion of England (download slides)                           

                                    Reading:        Cruz and Gerberding, 165-76

                                                            Tierney, 57-59 and 66-68

 

WEEK 9

10th November           The Defense of England (download slides)         

Reading:        Cruz and Gerberding, 176-84

            Beowulf, Parts IV-VII:

http://www3.telus.net/nchristi/HIST100readings/beowulf.pdf

                                                            The Laws of King Alfred, 871-901 A.D.:

http://www3.telus.net/nchristi/HIST100readings/lawsofalfred.pdf

12th November           The Vikings (download slides)   

                                    Reading:        Cruz and Gerberding, 193-204

Three Sources on the Ravages of the Northmen in

Frankland, c. 843-912:

            http://www3.telus.net/nchristi/HIST100readings/threesources.pdf

                                                            Risala: Ibn Fadlan's Account of the Rus:

            http://www3.telus.net/nchristi/HIST100readings/risala.pdf

 

WEEK 10

17th November           Invaders from the East (download slides)

Reading:        Cruz and Gerberding, 185-93 and 204-10

                        Ibn 'Abd al-Hakam: The Islamic Conquest of Spain:

http://www3.telus.net/nchristi/HIST100readings/islamicconquestofspain.pdf

                                                            Al Maqqari: Tariq's Address to His Soldiers, 711

CE, from The Breath of Perfumes:

            http://www3.telus.net/nchristi/HIST100readings/tariqsaddress.pdf

19th November           Knights and Peasants (download slides)

                                    Reading:        Cruz and Gerberding, 212-22

                                                            Tierney, 99 (bottom)-101 and 112-14

 

WEEK 11

24th November           Economic Revival (download slides)

Reading:        Cruz and Gerberding, 222-35

                                                            Declaration of the Powers of the Count of Toul over

the City of Toul, 1069:

            http://www3.telus.net/nchristi/HIST100readings/declarationofpowers.pdf

                                                            The Lay of the Cid, Cantar 1, Parts 19-27:

            http://www3.telus.net/nchristi/HIST100readings/layofthecid.pdf

26th November           The Expansion of Christendom (download slides)

                                    Reading:        Cruz and Gerberding, 236-45 and 247-56

                                                            Tierney, 105-6 and 171-74

 

WEEK 12

1st December              ASSIGNMENT 3 DUE

Papacy and Reform (download slides)

Reading:        Cruz and Gerberding, 246-47 and 257-60

                        Tierney, 117-21 (top)

                        Ralph Glaber: On the First Millenium:

            http://www3.telus.net/nchristi/HIST100readings/firstmillenium.pdf

3rd December              Final Discussion

 

WEEK 13

8th December              START OF EXAMS - GOOD LUCK!

 

WEEK 14

18th December            END OF EXAMS

 

Copyright (c) Niall Christie 2010

Last updated 23rd July 2010