|
|
|
|
Christopher
Columbus and the Great Age of Discovery
HIST 351: Fall 2007
Instructor: Ronald
Fritze
Credit: 3 hours.
Office hours: Unless I am in class or a meeting, I will be working in my office Monday through Friday from 8:00-4:30.
Office: Pabst House
Telephone: 233-8184; email: ron.fritze@athens.edu (Feel free to contact me either by phone or
email. Email will probably get you a
prompter response).
For Website
at Planet Clio, go to: http://corndancer.com/fritze/discovery2/disc2_home.html
This
site has the syllabus posted along with instructions for assignments.
Textbooks:
Alfred Crosby, The Columbian Exchange:
Biological and Cultural Consequences of 1492
Ronald Fritze, New
Worlds
Natalie Zemon Davis, Trickster Tales
Mathew Restall, Seven
Myths of the Spanish Conquest
Peter C. Mancall, Travel Narratives from the Age of Discovery: An Anthology
Course Description: This class will survey the era of European
expansion from 1400-1600 with a focus on the career of Christopher
Columbus. It will also study the
ancient and medieval background of the early modern expansion of Europe and the
biological, cultural, social and economic impact of the discovery of the
Americas and the sea-road to Asia.
Course Objectives:
1. Students
will gain a working knowledge of the main events of the Age of Discovery and
their chronological order.
2. Students
will become familiar with the individuals who played an important role in the
Age of Discovery.
3. Students
will become acquainted the secondary literature and the reference materials
dealing with the Age of Discovery and write a critical book review.
4. Students will sample and evaluate primary sources from the Age
of Discovery.
5. Students
will conceive, research, and write a research project dealing with some topic
related to the Age of Discovery.
6. Students
will use their knowledge to evaluate and to critique films and documentaries
related to the Age of Discovery.
Class Attendance: Coming to classes is an integral part of the
learning experience. Students need to
try to make every class meeting. If they cannot make it to class they need to
inform the instructor ahead of time, if possible. They definitely need to explain their absence, after the fact, if
they did not explain it beforehand.
Four absences, both excused and unexcused will result in the student
being dropped from the class.
Academic
Misconduct: For
definitions and procedures regarding academic dishonesty and plagiarism, see
your Student Handbook.
Examinations and
Quizzes: (midterm= 20%; take-home final=10%, and
quizzes= 40%) The tests in this class will consist of reading quizzes on
the Davis, Mancall, Fritze, Crosby, and Restall books. The reading quizzes will be objective and/or short answer questions. The midterm exam on 31 Oct. will be over the lectures and the readings. The midterm will be essay and possibly some objective questions. The take-home exam will be due on 5 Dec and
if possible should be type-written and not longer than 8 pages. Late penalty will be a whole grade each day
the paper is not turned in by 4:30 pm.
Grading: This
class will consist of 500 total points.
100
(20%) major project
100
(20%) midterm
50 (10%) take-home final on Columbus film
festival
50 (10%) book review of Columbus biography
25 (5%) Mancall assignment and quiz
175
(35%) quizzes (7 or each quiz equals approximately 5%)
_______________
500
(100%) total
450
and above= A
400-449= B
350-399= C
300-349= D
Class
Participation: Students are expected to come to class and
be prepared to discuss the various topics at the appropriate times.
Research Project: See separate handout or document on website.
Schedule:
Aug. 20 Introduction
of course readings and assignments. Rediscovering
America video.
22 Legendary and Pseudo-Discoverers of the
New World.
27 Video
comparison: Vikings in America and In Search of: Vikings.
29 Discussion
of documentaries
Quiz
One on New Worlds, chs. 1 and 2.
Sept.
5 Shape
of the World: Staking a Claim video and discussion.
10 Geographical Knowledge of Antiquity and
Medieval Europe.
Quiz Two New Worlds, chs. 3 and
4.
12 Geographical
Knowledge of Antiquity and Medieval Europe.
Pick topic for major research project and turn in title.
Quiz
Three New Worlds, chs. 5 and 6.
17 Geographical Knowledge of Antiquity and
Medieval Europe
19 Lecture
on Spain, Portugal and the Mediterranean world in the Middle Ages
Turn
in reviews of Columbus biography.
24 Discussion groups on Columbus and his
biographers.
26 Lecture
on Spain, Portugal, and the Mediterranean World in the Middle Ages. Hand in bibliographies for research
projects.
Oct.
1 Lecture on Spain, Portugal, and the Mediterranean World in the Midddle Ages.
3 Early
Portuguese explorations. Quiz on Mancall.
8 Early
Portuguese explorations.
10 Early English and French Explorations of
the Americas.
Quiz Four
Trickster Travels
15 Early
English and French Explorations of the Americas.
Quiz
five on Crosby, chs. 1-3, and progress reports on research projects.
17 Intellectual and Cultural Consequences
of the Discovery of America.
22 Intellectual and Cultural Consequences
of the Discovery of America.
Quiz
six Crosby, chs. 4-6.
24 Seeds of Change video
29 Finish up lectures and quiz seven on Seven Myths of the Conquest
31 M A J O R E X A M
Nov. 5 Christopher
Columbus (Frederic March version, 1941)
7
14 1492
26 Research
papers and projects due.
28 Christopher Columbus: The Discovery
Dec.
3 Finish films.
5 Take home final due; Project presentations.
12 Finals Day: Project Presentations.
Last day to drop or withdraw: 13 Nov.