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UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA – DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY & GEOGRAPHY - SPRING SEMESTER 2017
HIST 3383:
The Middle Ages
CRN 25017
Instructor: Michael S. Springer, Ph.D.
Meeting Time: 11:00-12:15 TH
Location: LAR 226
Instructor Contact Information: My office is LAR 202I, which is located in the History and Geography
department on the second floor (northeast corner) of the Liberal Arts building. Office hours for Spring
Semester 2017 are MWF 11:00-12:00 and TH 10:00-11:00. I also am available outside of these posted times
by appointment. I can be contacted by phone at 974-5453 or by email at [email protected] to set an
appointment.
Course description: This course offers a study of Europe from the fall of Rome to the Renaissance (c.5001350).
About the course: Through the readings, lectures and discussions students will explore the history of
Europe from c.500-1350, from the fall of Rome to the Renaissance. The course focuses on key political,
economic, social, cultural and intellectual developments during the period including the formation of
medieval kingdoms, the rise of Christianity, medieval kingship and feudal society, the Holy Roman
Empire, crusades, and the role of towns and cities. In addition to studying key movements and events,
students will also consider important historiographical debates among scholars who study the period.
Prerequisites: It is assumed that students in the course are capable of taking an informed and critical
stance towards the reading materials and lectures.
Course objectives: Through the lectures, reading materials, assignments and exams, students will:
• Explore and discuss the key figures and events that shaped the medieval era in Europe including
the fall of the Roman Empire, the Byzantine Empire, the Merovingians and Carolingians, feudal
society, family and social life, and warfare and the Crusades.
• Identify key characteristics that distinguish the Middle Ages from the Classical and Modern ages;
• Trace change over time in this period and to identify the impact of the Middle Ages on our
modern world;
• Analyze and evaluate historiographical debates related to the study of the Middle Ages;
• Read and discuss primary and secondary literature related to the time period;
• And improve critical thinking, analysis of primary documents, presentation, and writing skills
through the course assignments and exams.
Required Reading: The following books are required for the course and can be purchased at the
university bookstore or are available online:
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Backman, Clifford. The Worlds of Medieval Europe. 3rd Edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press,
2015. ISBN 9780199372294.
Becher, Matthias. Charlemagne. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2005. ISBN 0300107587.
Beer, Frances. Women and the Mystical Experience in the Middle Ages. Toronto: Boydell Press, 2006.
ISBN 0851153437.
Holt, J. C. Magna Carta. 3rd Edition. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2015. ISBN
9781107471573.
Additional online reading materials are also required and are listed in the schedule below. Links to the
readings can be found on the course D2L page.
Assignments and Grading
Coursework and assessment are as follows:
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3 in-class book discussions
2 exams
1 Group Medieval Food presentation
Group Project – Magna Carta
▫ Magna Carta in-class discussion
▫ Group research questions
▫ Secondary Literature assignment
▫ Group Presentation and Poster
1 final exam
150 points
200 points
100 points
25 points
25 points
50 points
100 points
100 points
The following grading scale will be employed:
A
B
C
D
F
675-750 points
600-674 points
525-599 points
450-524 points
0-449 points
In-Class Book Discussions: We will have in-class book discussions for the three monographs assigned
for the course (Becher’s Charlemagne, Beer’s Women and the Mystical Experience in the Middle Ages, and
Holt’s Magna Carta). A worksheet with questions on the book will be handed out one week prior to the
in-class book discussion. Student grades for the discussions will be based on participation and the
completed worksheet. Please see the schedule below for the dates for each book.
Exams: This course has three exams; two “mid-term” exams during the course and one final exam at the
end of the semester. All tests may contain multiple choice, true/false questions, short answer
identifications (IDs), and/or essays. The questions will come from the required reading material, lectures,
and discussions. I will provide a study guide one week before the exam. Test dates are listed in the
schedule below, and please bring a blue book to class on the scheduled exam day. Make-up quizzes and
exams will only be given with an acceptable reason for the absence and with proper documentation (such as a
doctor’s note). Make-up exams are provided by the Department of History and Geography during the final weeks of
the semester. The dates and times of the make-up exams will be announced in class. It is your responsibility to
contact the course instructor to schedule make-up quizzes and exams.
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Group Medieval Food Presentation: This semester students enrolled in the course will participate in a
group project where students will research medieval recipes and prepare a dish to present to the class.
Further instructions about this assignment will be handed out in class.
Group Project – Magna Carta: Students in this course are required to complete a group project on the
Magna Carta. This assignment will consist of four parts: an in-class discussion of the Magna Carta, a
group research question assignment, a secondary literature assignment, and a group poster presentation.
For more information on these parts please see the Group Project – Magna Carta handout provided in
class.
Course Policies
Expectation of Work: It is expected that a full-time college student will spend time each week in class
attendance and study out of class approaching a 40-hour work week. A person employed on a full-time
basis should not simultaneously expect to maintain a full-time class schedule.
Late Work Policy: Out of fairness to the students who observe the assignment deadlines, late work will
not be accepted in this course. (The only exception is the exams and quizzes, which can be taken on the
date and time scheduled for make-up exams by the Department of History and Geography. The course
instructor will notify the class of the scheduled date and time for make-up exams once scheduled by the
department.) Assignments, quizzes, and exams should be completed by their due dates, and no work
(except for the final exam) will be accepted after the final class meeting on Friday, 28 April 2017.
Attendance Policy: Attendance at lectures is compulsory and role will be taken each day. You are
allowed a maximum seven absences during the semester. More absences will affect your ability to
successfully complete the coursework and exams. For the eighth absence, and for each subsequent one
thereafter, the instructor will deduct five points from your participation grade for the course. Please be
aware that exams are over reading, class lectures, discussions, and presentations. If you must miss any of
these, be sure to get any notes and handouts from another student in the class. I will not provide these for
you.
Expectation of Conduct: The classroom is a place for students to learn and to explore new ideas. Your
education at UCO is also an important part of your career development. Therefore, I expect all students to
observe the following courtesies in the classroom:
• No reading newspapers, books, magazines, Facebook, or other internet pages in class. The inclass time is for lecture and discussion, not for these other distractions.
• The use of laptop computers, computer notebooks, or iPads is not allowed unless approved
by the course instructor.
• No cell phone use in class. Do not send or read text messages, check your voicemail, surf the
internet, or make phone calls. If you choose to bring your phone to class, please make sure it
is turned off and placed in your pocket or book bag. If your cell phone is on your desk I will
ask you to put it away.
• Conduct yourself in a professional manner. This means no shouting, yelling, or other
disrespectful behavior.
• Dress appropriately for the classroom. Avoid hats that hide your face, sunglasses, pajamas,
etc. Remember, you may need a recommendation letter from me some day and how you
behave in the classroom will influence what I can write.
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I do not mind eating and drinking in class, as long as it is not disruptive and does not prevent
others from hearing the lectures. If it is too noisy, I will ask you to put it away or to leave the
room.
Discussion and debate is healthy and an important part of the learning process at a
university. Please be sure to treat everyone with respect even if you disagree with his or her
viewpoint. A classroom must be a safe environment for all students, so I ask that you treat
the instructor and all students with respect.
Plagiarism: UCO subscribes to the Turnitin.com plagiarism prevention service. Students agree that by
taking this course, all required assignments may be subject to submission for textual similarity review to
Turnitin.com for the detection of plagiarism. All submitted assignments will be included as source
documents in the Turnitin.com restricted access references database for the purpose of detecting
plagiarism of such assignments. Use of the Turnitin.com service is subject to the Terms and Conditions of
Use posted on the Turnitin.com website. Turnitin.com is just one of various plagiarism prevention tools
and methods which may be utilized by your faculty instructor during the terms of the semesters. In the
UCO Student Handbook, there is a process for contesting any plagiarism allegations against you.
Transformative Learning: This course contributes to UCO’s mission to help students learn by providing
transformative experiences so that they may become productive, creative, ethical, and engaged citizens
and leaders contributing to the intellectual, cultural, economic, and social advancement of the
communities they serve. The course addresses the five core areas of transformative learning:
1. Students will develop leadership skills by examining organizing and directing small
group presentations and discussions in class.
2. Participants in this course will build discipline knowledge through research, creative,
and scholarly activities such as the book projects and discussions they will carry out
during the semester.
3. The course will emphasize service learning and civic engagement through a discussion of the
political history of the West in the Middle Ages, and the historical context of civic responsibility
and the changes brought about between c.450 and c.1350.
4. Students will develop global and cultural competencies by studying the history of Medieval
Europe and its impact on the Modern West.
5. Finally, this course addresses health and wellness by encouraging a healthy environment for
scholarly debate and discussion.
To view the Student Information and Syllabus Attachment, visit the Academic Affairs website
(http://www.uco.edu/academic-affairs/index.asp) and click on the link for the Student Information Sheet
for Academic Year 2016-2017. This document provides important information including deadlines for the
semester, information about withdrawing from classes, and the university’s inclement weather policy.
Schedule
Please Note: The schedule listed below is a general outline for the course and is subject to change at the
instructor’s discretion.
Week 1
Course Introduction
Required Readings:
▪ Backman, The Worlds of Medieval Europe, chapters 1 & 2
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Jan. 10
Course Introduction
Jan. 12
The Roman World
Week 2
Transitions: The Origins of Medieval Europe
Required Readings:
▪ Backman, The Worlds of Medieval Europe, chapter 3
▪ Magna Carta (http://avalon.law.yale.edu/medieval/magframe.asp)
Jan. 17
The Fall of Rome and the Rise of Germanic Kingdoms
Jan. 19
Magna Carta Research Group Meeting
Read the Magna Carta in preparation for today’s class meeting. Please read the
instructions found in the Group Project – Magna Carta handout for additional tips to
prepare for today’s class meeting. You will sign-up today for working groups for the
Group Project – Magna Carta.
Week 3
Legacy of the Roman Empire
Required Readings:
▪ Backman, The Worlds of Medieval Europe, chapter 4
▪ Metzger, “Magna Carta: Teaching Topics for Historical Significance.”
▪ Begin reading Becher, Charlemagne
▪ Ibn Ishaq, “Selections from the Life of Muhammad,” (www.fordham.
edu/halsall/source/muhammadi-sira.html)
Jan. 24
The Franks and Byzantines
Jan. 26
Magna Carta Research Group Meeting
Today we will discuss Scott Alan Metzger’s article “Magna Carta: Teaching Topics for
Historical Significance.”
Week 4
A New Europe
Required Readings:
▪ Backman, The Worlds of Medieval Europe, chapter 5
▪ Continue reading Becher, Charlemagne
Jan.31
The Church in the West
Feb. 2
Merovingians and Feudal Society
Week 5
The Carolingian Empire
Required readings:
▪ Backman, The Worlds of Medieval Europe, chapter 6
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▪ Becher, Charlemagne
Feb. 7
Book Discussion #1: Becher’s, Charlemagne
Today we will discuss the Group Medieval Food Presentation assignment.
Feb. 9
Magna Carta Research Group Meeting
Discuss research questions. Please see the Group Project – Magna Carta instructions
for additional tips to prepare for today’s discussion.
Week 6
The Changing Face of Europe
Required Readings:
▪ Backman, The Worlds of Medieval Europe, chapters 7, 8, & 9
Feb. 14
New Kingdoms: France and the Holy Roman Empire
Group Magna Carta Research Questions due in-class. Please see the assignment
instructions for additional information about this assignment.
Feb. 16
Magna Carta Research Group Meeting
Come prepared to report on the historical context of the Magna Carta. Due in class:
Secondary Literature assignment. See the assignment instructions for additional
details about this assignment.
Week 7
Religion in the High Middle Ages
Required Readings:
▪ Backman, The Worlds of Medieval Europe, chapter 10
Feb. 21
Popular Religion in the 11th and 12th Centuries
Feb. 23
Exam #1
Week 8
The Medieval Church continued
Required Readings:
▪ Backman, The Worlds of Medieval Europe, chapters 11 & 12
Feb. 28
A Religious and Political Crisis: The Investiture Controversy and Papal Monarchy
Mar. 2
Medieval Art and Architecture
Week 9
Urban Europe
Required Readings:
▪ Backman, The Worlds of Medieval Europe, chapters 13 & 14
▪ “Statutes of Gregory IX for the University of Paris 1231,”
(http://legacy.fordham.edu/halsall/source/UParis-stats1231.html)
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March 7
The Rise of Medieval Cities and Universities
March 9
Magna Carta Research Group Meeting
Book Discussion #2: Holt’s Magna Carta
Week 10
Spring Break – No Classes
Week 11
A Changing European Society
Required Readings:
▪ Backman, The Worlds of Medieval Europe, chapters 15 & 16
March 21
Group Medieval Food Presentations
March 23
Magna Carta Research Group Meeting
Each group should come prepared to present a draft of your posters for feedback from
other class members.
Week 12
Women in the Late Middle Ages
Required Readings:
▪ Frances Beer, Women and Mystical Experience in the Middle Ages
March 28
Mystics and Mysticism/Hildegard of Bingen and Margery Kempe
March 30
Book Discussion #3: Beer’s, Women and Mystical Experience in the Middle Ages
Week 13
Christianity and Judaism in the Middle Ages
Required Readings:
▪ Backman, The Worlds of Medieval Europe, chapter 19
April 4
Jewish-Gentile Relations
April 6
Exam #2
Week 14
Poster Presentations: The Magna Charta
Required Readings:
▪ Backman, The Worlds of Medieval Europe, chapters 17 & 18
April 11
Group Poster Presentations
April 13
Group Poster Presentations
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Week 15
A Turning Point: The Fourteenth Century
Required Readings
▪ Backman, The Worlds of Medieval Europe, chapter 17 & 18.
April 18
The Great Plague
April 20
The Great Schism
Week 16
Impact of the Fourteenth Century
Required Readings:
▪ Backman, The Worlds of Medieval Europe, chapter 20
▪ Pico della Mirandola, “Excerpt from the Oration on the Dignity of Man,”
(www.historyguide.org/intellect/pico.html)
April 25
Political Transformation: The 100 Years’ War and the Rise of Nation States
April 27
Cultural Transformation: The Renaissance
Finals Week
May 4
The Final Exam is scheduled for Friday from 11:00-12:50 in LAR 226.
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