History 1110
Extended Syllabus
(Western Civilization, 1500 to Present)
UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY
(Update A)
Dr. Robert J. Mueller
Spring Semester 2014
TABLE OF CONTENTS
SECTION A: General Course Information
1. Required Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2. Course Content & Outcomes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3. Method of Instruction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4. Discussion Grade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
5. Quizzes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
6. Writing Assignments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
7. Grade Breakdown . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
8. Office Hours . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
9. Academic Dishonesty. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
10. Sexual Harassment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
11. Students with Disabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
12. Reading Assignments & Schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4
4-5
5
5
5-6
6-7
7-8
8
8
8
8-9
9-11
SECTION B: Advice for Writing
1. The Essay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2. Mueller’s Pet Peeves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3. Proper Footnoting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4. Plagiarism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
13-17
18
19-20
21
SECTION C: Unit Outlines and Word Lists
Weeks 1 to 15 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23-37
SECTION D: Documents and Maps
1. How To Read a Document and Use It Effectively . . . . . . . . 39
2. Suggestions for Map Identifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
2
History 1110 Extended Syllabus
Section A
General Course Information
3
UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY
HISTORY 1110: WESTERN CIVILIZATION: 1500 TO PRESENT
Spring Semester 2014
Wednesdays, 5:15-7:45PM
LECTURER: Dr. Bob Mueller
OFFICE: USU-Tooele Regional Campus, Office 180
OFFICE PHONE & VOICE MAIL: (435) 882-6611 ext. 3180
OFFICE HOURS: Tuesdays & Thursdays 3:00-5:00, and by appt.
E-MAIL ADDRESS: [email protected]
1. REQUIRED READING:
McKay, Hill, Buckler, Crowston, Wiesner-Hanks, Western Society: A Brief History, Volume II
(Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2010)
Kishlansky, Sources of the West, Volume 2: 1600 to Present, 8th ed. (Pearson, 2012)
Marx & Engels, The Communist Manifesto (Penguin Classics)
Readings on Canvas (primary sources)
2. COURSE CONTENT & OUTCOMES:
History 1110 is a survey of the history of Western Civilization from the first appearance of the
so-called "New Monarchies" of Western European around 1500 to the end of the Cold War in the late
twentieth century. It covers the development of a unique civilization -- one that built upon the
developments introduced into medieval European society, such things as the origins of the strong
centralized state, the power and authority of the institutional Christian Church, and the rise of a more
secular society during the Italian Renaissance. We will look at changes in European government,
religion, society and intellectual life brought about by such events as the Protestant Reformation, the
Enlightenment, the French Revolution, the Industrial Revolution, the growth of such concepts as
nationalism, communism and liberalism, the Russian Revolution, the two world wars and the Cold War.
The course emphasizes the examination of primary sources as a method of developing the
important skill of analysis. In discussion, in papers and on your exams, you will be asked to reach
general conclusions through careful use of specific evidence. There will be five main outcomes when
you finish this course:
1) You will become a stronger writer and understand better how historians do their work. I do not
use midterms and finals to test how well you understand the lectures and readings. Instead I ask you to
write four term papers and take a series of short quizzes. Section B of this syllabus is a detailed
discussion about writing a strong paper.
2) You will become a more analytical thinker. The papers and terminology quizzes require you to
use analysis and reason.
3) You will learn important facts and information about particular periods of history and see how
these helped bring about the world we live in today. For example, you will understand why the Protestant
Reformation occurred and how it brought about vicious wars of religion which plagued Europe for 150
years.
4) You will see why representative democracies made their appearance and became the
predominant form of government in the world by the middle of the twentieth century.
5) You will understand the power of ideas such liberty, equality, nationalism, communism and
Nazism and how these ideas forced fundamental changes upon western civilization.
4
3. METHOD OF INSTRUCTION:
This course is a mixture of lecture and discussion. It is vitally important that you have the
material assigned for the week done by our class meeting. Always bring your Kishlansky sourcebook to
class, as well as any special readings I post on Canvas, because I will often lead a discussion of certain
primary source documents during the lecture. This is also a writing-intensive class; you will have to
demonstrate the analytical skills you practice in the discussions on your writing assignments and your
terminology quizzes.
Remember that this is an Interactive Video Conferencing (IVC) course. We handle discussion a
bit differently in such a class. I will ask questions of different sites during the lecture. Yes, this means I
will occasionally ask you to talk, but I’m such a fun (and humble) guy that this should always be a
distinct pleasure. If you are not at the site that is being questioned, please hold off answering unless I
throw open the question to the whole class. Don’t worry, I’ll give all sites the chance to participate.
Likewise, if you have a question during the lecture, I want you to ask it. But please wait for a pause in my
lecture (I stop a lot to sip my coffee) and then ask away. Always remember to announce the following
things when you address me or the class:
1) Your name
2) Your site
This way I can keep track of who is talking and it gives our video technology time to turn on and
focus on you. Yes, a camera will be on you when you speak in class. In this way I can see who is talking.
4. DISCUSSION GRADE:
Ten percent (10%) of your grade (100 points) will be based on your participation in the
discussions in this class. That does not mean simply asking a question or two. I expect you to answer
questions which I ask and make substantive comments in our weekly discussions, most of which will be
based on the weekly Canvas readings. I keep track of all the substantive comments you make on a control
sheet, so make sure you clearly state your name and site before you make your comment. That will give
me time to find your name and mark it. If you contribute regularly, you will earn a good discussion grade.
If you do not contribute, you could lower your overall grade by as much as an entire grade level (meaning
that a B+ grade on the rest of the course assignments could become a C+). The take-away message here is
to take part in the discussions during class time. To be able to do this effectively you need to keep up on
the readings, especially the primary sources.
5. QUIZZES:
There are seven quizzes worth a total of 300 points (or 30% of your total grade): two map quizzes
and five terminology quizzes. The purpose of the quizzes is to see how well you are studying the course
materials. You are to rely on your memory alone when taking them. You may not use any books, class
notes or external websites when taking the quizzes. If you are found using any of these to assist you in
taking a quiz you will be guilty of cheating and could fail the course. Each map quiz is worth 25 points
and each terminology quiz is worth 50 points.
The two map quizzes will be given in class. For each quiz I will give you a blank map of Europe
and the Mediterranean and ask you to find ten locations from the list at the end of this syllabus. Why do I
do this? It is because maps are crucial to understanding the history of western civilization. I want you to
learn the location of two kinds of places. First, you need to know basic geographical features (such as,
major rivers, mountains, islands, bodies of water and regions). Second, I want you to how to locate
important cities, regions and other political units. Maps of these geographical features and places can be
found in the textbook. A list of the possible locations I might ask on these quizzes is at the end of this
5
syllabus. Check the “Grade Breakdown” section of this syllabus for the dates of the map quizzes.
The five (5) terminology quizzes will focus on important terms taken from the lecture
outlines/word lists in Section C of this syllabus. Each term quiz has the same format. There will be five
terms given, one or two from each of the weekly lecture outlines/word lists. A good answer has two parts:
1) Identification. Identify the term in a sentence or two. Answer the questions who?, what?
where? and when? as relates to the term. The more specific details you can give, the more points you will
score. This part of the answer tests your memorization skills.
2) Historical significance. Tell me why the term is important for this course in a single sentence
or two at most. Sometimes there is an obvious reason why a person, place, or concept is significant. Or
sometimes you can tie the term to a larger theme or set of ideas in the class. This tests your analytical
ability.
The quizzes are taken on Canvas and are each timed for 15 minutes, so make sure you do your
studying before the quiz. You may take the quizzes any time over a particular two day period, but you
only can take each quiz one time. I will not grant any extensions or do-overs for any reason. Please
consult the “Grade Breakdown” section below for the days on which each quiz may be taken. Quizzes are
computerized and cannot be made up, so please make sure you take them on the days they are available.
Remember that quizzes are supposed to be done from memory. Do not make use of any course materials
or internet web sites when taking the quizzes.
6. WRITING ASSIGNMENTS:
There are three (3) term papers required for this course. Each of the three papers will be worth
200 points (20% of your overall grade). For each paper you will be expected to write an essay of no less
than 1500 words (about 5-6 full pages) on the topics below. You may write more (to a maximum of
2000 words), but papers of less than 1500 words will adversely affect your grade. I will expect formal
footnotes for this paper. Please see the “Proper Footnoting” pages in Section B of this syllabus for
more information.
Make sure your papers are typed, double-spaced, have page numbers, and 1" margins all around.
Use a 12 pitch font which will make it easy for me to read. Please write your papers using the MSWord
word processing program. This will make it easy to upload the paper into Canvas. The Logan campus,
USU regional campuses and USU education centers all have computer labs loaded with this program.
Do not use MSWorks, since my computer will not open papers written with this program. Only submit
papers which have a file suffix of “.doc” or “.docx” (the ones used by MSWord). I cannot read files
which end in “.rft” or “.odt” or any other suffix. Also, please give make the first page of your paper a
cover sheet which includes the following:
1) title of the paper,
2) your name,
3) the course name and number,
4) your site,
5) and the date.
Please consult Section B of this extended syllabus, which is called “Advice for Writing,”
before writing your papers. It contains suggestions on how to write a strong essay and reveals the
grammatical and other errors I will penalize you for on your paper. Please look at “Mueller’s Pet
Peeves” before you write each of your papers. It will give you an idea of the things I look for (or hate to
see) in a well-written paper.
Here is a hint. One of my biggest pet peeves is a poorly proofread paper. I grade off for errors in
spelling, punctuation and grammar -- and typos too. In this age of computers with spelling and grammar
6
checkers there is no excuse for a sloppy paper. Have a friend or family member proofread your paper
for you. They can often find errors that you might not see.
Finally, since these are such short papers please DO NOT include any long quotations
(meaning anything over one line across the page in length). Never quote or cite from an introduction to
a document or from the textbook. I want to see how you make use of primary sources as evidence. This
forces you to develop the skill of analysis.
All of your papers should be submitted on Canvas. The “Start Here” section of Canvas contains
information on how to do this. If you have problems posting your paper, please contact me. I will read
your papers and offer substantive criticism using Canvas.
Do not use any outside books for this paper. I expect you to only make use of course materials,
mainly the textbook, documents from the Kishlansky sourcebook, and documents I post on Canvas for
these papers. The point of these papers is to see how well you are able to use a limited set of sources as
evidence for your views. Never, under any circumstances, should you make use of internet websites
for information for your papers.
TOPIC for PAPER #1: Using the primary source readings from the first three weeks of the
course, write an essay which answers the following questions. Why did Martin Luther break with the
Roman Catholic Church? What were the most important parts of his religious message? How did the
Catholic authorities respond to his criticisms? How did England respond to the growth of this Protestant
message?
DUE DATE: Saturday, February 01 by midnight (submitted in Canvas).
TOPIC for PAPER #2: Ideas are powerful. What new ideas about government and society developed
during the Enlightenment, the French Revolution and Industrial Revolution? Why did these new ideas
lead to conflicts in Europe in the nineteenth century and even to the rise of socialism and communism?
Why were some people scared of communism and some made very hopeful by it? Please make use of
the weeks five through nine readings from the Kishlansky sourcebook and Marx and Engels’s
Communist Manifesto as your main sources of evidence for this paper.
DUE DATE: Saturday, March 22 by midnight (submitted in Canvas).
TOPIC for PAPER #3: Humanity had to endure new horrors in the twentieth century due to the
appearance of trench warfare in World War One, the Holocaust in World War Two and the excesses of
Soviet-style communism. What were the worst things that humans had to endure in each world war and
under the domination of the Soviet Union? Which of these had the greatest impact on the people of the
last century? Please use mainly the readings in Kishlansky from weeks 11 through 15 for your
evidence.
DUE DATE: Saturday, April 26 by midnight (submitted in Canvas).
6. GRADE BREAKDOWN:
Discussion Grade
100 pts
Map Quiz #1
025 pts
Map Quiz #2
025 pts
Terminology Quiz #1
050 pts
Terminology Quiz #2
050 pts
Terminology Quiz #3
050 pts
Terminology Quiz #4
050 pts
Terminology Quiz #5
050 pts
January 15 in class.
April 16 in class.
Take on Canvas on either Jan 23 or 24
(Wks 1-3)
Take on Canvas on either Feb 13 or Feb 14 (Wks 4-6)
Take on Canvas on either March 06 or 07 (Wks 7-9)
Take on Canvas on either April 03 or 04
(Wks 10-12)
Take on Canvas on either April 24 or 25
(Wks 13-15)
7
Paper #1
Paper #2
Paper #3
200 pts
200 pts
200 pts
Saturday, Feb 01 by midnight
(submit on Canvas)
Saturday, March 22 by midnight (submit on Canvas)
Saturday, April 26 by midnight
(submit on Canvas)
Your scores for the papers and the final course grade will be calculated based on the following scale:
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
CD+
D
F
Paper Scores
186-200
180-185
174-179
166-173
160-165
154-159
146-153
140-145
134-139
126-133
000-125
Course Grade
930-1000 pts
900-929
870-899
830-869
800-829
770-799
730-769
700-729
670-699
630-669
000-629
8. OFFICE HOURS:
I hold regular weekly office hours, on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons from 3:00 to 5:00PM,
which I encourage you to attend, e-mail or call into. Their purpose is to provide you with the time to meet
with me to discuss any aspect of the course, whether it be advice on the papers, study suggestions for the
quizzes, or questions about the readings or my lectures. Remember, I'm a resource at your disposal. Use
me. If my regular hours aren't convenient, make an appointment for a time which is better for you.
Students at distance sites should feel free to either call me in my office or contact me by e-mail at any
time if they have questions. The e-mail system in Canvas is a good way to get in touch with me quickly.
9. ACADEMIC DISHONESTY:
It is a sad commentary on our times but it must be said in advance, I expect you to do your own
work. Please read the section on plagiarism in Section B of this syllabus. You are responsible for
correctly citing your sources in your three papers. If you are caught cheating on a quiz or turning in work
which is not your own, you may fail the course. You will also be reported to the Judicial Officer on the
Logan campus of USU and may face expulsion from the university. Face it, it's just not worth the risk to
your future.
10. SEXUAL HARASSMENT
Sexual Harassment is defined by the Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission as any “unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical
conduct of a sexual nature.” If you feel you are a victim of sexual harassment, you may talk to or file a
complaint with the Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Office, located in Old Main, room 161, or call
the office at (435) 797-1266.
11. STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
The Americans with Disabilities Act states: “Reasonable accommodation will be provided for all
persons with disabilities in order to ensure equal participation within the program. If a student has a
8
disability that will likely require some accommodation by the instructor, the student must contact the
instructor and document the disability through the Disability Resource Center, preferably during the first
week of the course. Any request for special consideration relating to attendance, pedagogy, taking of
examinations, etc., must be discussed with and approved by the instructor. In cooperation with the
Disability Resource Center, course materials can be provided in alternative format, large print, audio,
diskette, or Braille.”
12. LECTURES AND READING ASSIGNMENTS:
Listed below are the reading assignments for the course. Please have all the reading done before
the Tuesday class meeting. I will plan discussions based on this material. “McKay” refers to Western
Society: A Brief Edition. Kishlansky refers to the Sources of the West sourcebook, and the number refers
to the document number in that book. The Weeks Two and Three Readings are found under the “Course
Materials” section of Canvas.
WEEK ONE:
Jan 08
WEEK TWO:
Jan 15
Introduction to the Course/ Criticism of Church in 1500
Reading: None
The Lutheran Reformation
Reading: McKay, Chapter 14 (Reformations and Religious Wars),
Weeks Two & Three Readings (on Canvas), Documents 1-3.
MAP QUIZ #1 (in class).
WEEK THREE:
Jan 22
WEEK FOUR:
Jan 29
WEEK FIVE:
Feb 05
WEEK SIX:
Feb 12
European Wars of Religion
Reading: McKay, Chapter 15 (European Exploration and Conquest);
Weeks Two & Three Readings (on Canvas), Documents 4-7.
TERMINOLOGY QUIZ #1 on January 23 & 24 (On Weeks 01-03 terms)
Absolutism & Constitutionalism
Reading: McKay, Chapter 16 (Absolutism and Constitutionalism in W. Europe);
Kishlansky, #75 (Cardinal Richelieu, The Political Testament)
#77 (James I, True Law of a Free Monarchy)
#81 (The English Bill of Rights)
PAPER #1 DUE Saturday, February 01 by midnight (submitted in Canvas).
The Enlightenment
Reading: McKay, Chapter 18;
Kishlansky, #93 (Rousseau, The Social Contract)
#94 (Montesquieu, The Spirit of the Laws)
The French Revolution
Reading: McKay, Chapter 21 (The Revolution in Politics);
9
Kishlansky, #100 (Abbe de Sieyes, What is the Third Estate)
#101 (The Declaration of Rights of Man)
TERMINOLOGY QUIZ #2 on February 13 & 14 (On Weeks 04-06 terms)
WEEK SEVEN:
Feb 19
WEEK EIGHT:
Feb 26
WEEK NINE:
Mar 05
Industrial Revolution
Reading: McKay, Chapter 19 (Expansion of Europe in 18th Century) &
McKay, Chapter 22 (Revolution in Energy & Industry)
Kishlansky, #106 (Chadwick, Inquiry into Condition of the Poor)
Week Seven Readings on Canvas
Reaction & Revolution
Reading: McKay, Chapter 23 (Ideologies and Upheavals)
Kishlansky, #111 (J.S. Mill, On Liberty)
#112 (Proudhon, What is Property?)
Revolutions & Marxism
Reading: McKay, none;
Marx & Engels, The Communist Manifesto, all.
TERMINOLOGY QUIZ #3 on March 06 or 07 (On Weeks 07 - 09 terms)
March 10-14 - SPRING BREAK WEEK: No classes.
WEEK TEN:
Mar 19
WEEK ELEVEN:
Mar 26
Rise of Nationalism
Reading: McKay, Chapter 25 (Age of Nationalism);
Kishlansky, #117 (Bismarck, Reflections & Speech to Reichstag)
PAPER #2 DUE Saturday, March 22 by midnight (submitted in Canvas).
Imperialism
Reading: McKay, Chapter 26 (The West and the World);
Kishlansky, #123 (Hobson, Imperialism)
#127 (Kipling, White Man’s Burden)
WEEK TWELVE:
Apr 02
The Great War (WWI)
Reading: McKay, Chapter 27 (Great Break: War and Rev) (pp.698-711)
Kishlansky, #129 (Voices from the Battle of the Somme)
#130 (Junger, Storm of Steel)
#131 (Wilson, The Fourteen Points)
TERMINOLOGY QUIZ #4 on April 03 or 04 (On Weeks 10 - 12 terms)
10
WEEK THIRTEEN:
Apr 09
The Russian Revolution
Reading: McKay, Chapter 27 Great Break: War and Rev (pp.711-725);
Kishlansky, #132 (Lenin, What Is to Be Done?)
WEEK FOURTEEN:
Apr 16
World War II
Reading: McKay, Chapter 29 (Dictatorships and the Second World War)
Kishlansky, #136 (Hitler, Mein Kampf)
#137 (Memories of the Holocaust)
#139 (Levi, The Last Christmas of the War)
MAP QUIZ #2 in class.
WEEK FIFTEEN:
Apr 23
The Cold War
Reading: McKay, Chapter 30 (Cold War Conflicts and Social Transformations);
Kishlansky, #142 (Solzhenitsyn, One Day in Life of Ivan Denisovich))
#146 (Khrushchev, Report to the Communist Party)
PAPER #3 DUE Saturday, April 26 by midnight (submitted in Canvas).
TERMINOLOGY QUIZ #5 on April 24 or 25 (On Weeks 13 - 15 terms)
11
History 1110 Extended Syllabus
Section B
Advice for Writing
12
Advice for Writing Good Essays
The Essay
An essay is a formal piece of writing that has some specific rules, just as haiku poetry has rules as
to the number of lines and syllables per line. If you do not follow the rules then you are not writing an
essay. The first thing to remember is that at its core an essay is an argument. It is supposed to prove
something. An essay is not just an excuse to repeat a lot of the stuff you’ve been reading in the course
materials or hearing in the lectures. A good essay is analytical, meaning it argues a point. You should
avoid writing a narrative, which merely retells a story. In the writing assignments, I’m not testing your
memory, but rather I’m seeing how well you are learning the skill of analysis.
Formal essays have a simple but definite three-part structure. First, they begin with an
introductory paragraph which introduces the reader to a problem or topic. It also tells the reader exactly
what the writer intends to prove. The second part is the body of the essay, where the writer presents his or
her evidence in an organized fashion. The final part of an essay is the conclusion. In a conclusion the
writer does not present any new evidence or interpretations of evidence. Instead he or she sums up the
argument they have just presented in the body.
To write a good essay you must be selective about what you discuss. Focus on the topic
question(s) which you were given. They are your roadmap to constructing a good argument. Make sure
you answer each of the questions and answer them fully. Do not go off on tangents and talk about things
not covered in the topic question(s). Bringing in irrelevant information detracts from the core of your
argument and distracts the reader. It does not earn you any extra points, so it just wastes your (and your
instructor’s) time. Make sure you know exactly what topic you are supposed to write on. A good general
rule of thumb is to read the topic question(s) three times in succession before you start writing. Even if
you think you know what the instructor wants after the first reading, make yourself read them three times.
PART ONE: The Introductory Paragraph
As the term suggests the introductory paragraph is the first paragraph of your essay. Many
students have difficulties in composing an introductory paragraph, usually because they do not know the
purpose of the introduction to an essay. On this we should be clear. The purpose of the introduction is tell
the reader what you intend to prove in the essay. It explains briefly how you intend to answer the topic
question(s). It contains specific information. How do you write an introductory paragraph that is both
strong and effective? Let us examine this systematically.
Structure
There is no one way to construct an introductory paragraph. But let me suggest a simple two-part
structure that will work for most history essays.
1) Background: First, give a small amount of background information so the reader will understand
the context of the problem or issue you are exploring. How much you write will vary with the complexity
of the issue or questions with which you are dealing. If you are answering a question on one topic, you
may not need much background information. However, a longer series of questions may call for more
13
information. The key is to provide the minimum amount of background that your reader will need to
understand your argument. For example, if you are asked to explain why Lucretia, the legendary ideal of
Roman womanhood, was so important as a role model to early Romans, your introduction might begin
with a very short description of how the Romans of the 6th century B.C. were ruled not by their own
leaders but by Etruscan kings. You might also mention that Lucretia’s story helps explain why the
Romans overthrew the monarchy and instituted a new form of government called the republic. This
background material will make your core argument more understandable to the reader.
2) Thesis: Second, tell the reader exactly what you intend to prove in the essay. This is delivered in
a thesis statement, a clear and concise declarative sentence (or set of sentences) which outlines the
general argument that will be made.
The Thesis Statement
The thesis statement is considered by many to be the single most important part of an essay. Many
students come to the university thinking they know how to write a thesis statement because they follow a
simple rule they learned in high school. That rule is to take any question asked and turn it into a statement.
For example, you are asked, “why was Lucretia considered such an important role model to early Roman
women?” The typical high school strategy would be to turn this question into a statement like, “Lucretia
was considered to be an important role model to early Roman women.” But look at how weak a statement
this is. It tells the reader nothing. The question asked you to explain why Lucretia was a role model. Your
reader is expecting you to give some specific reasons. For a thesis statement to be effective you need to
give some specific examples which help answer the question(s) asked. These examples do not need to be
long or drawn out or include anything from the actual documents you intend to use as evidence – that is
the purpose of the body of the essay. But you do need to provide some short specific examples.
Another common mistake made by some students is to tell the reader what they will do in the
essay, instead of what they will prove. For example, they might include a statement which says, “In this
essay I will show why Lucretia was considered to be such an important role model for early Roman
women,” or “By examining documents from the sourcebook it will be shown why Lucretia was a role
model for Romans.” The problem with both of these statements is the same as the one mentioned in the
paragraph above; they do not say anything specific. You need to provide some actual specific examples.
Let’s look at some possible thesis statements and judge their strengths and weaknesses.
Examples of Thesis Statements
1) Below Average Thesis. “Lucretia was seen as a role model because she was a good housewife
and because she killed herself after being violated by a man.” This is a below average thesis because it is
so vague. While it does give two reasons why Lucretia was a role model, it does not explain them or
give any specific details. It begs more questions than it answers. Why was being a good housewife
important? What made her a good housewife? Why was her death significant?
2) Average Thesis. “Lucretia was seen as a role model because she let herself be raped to protect her
family honor. This led her husband and his friend to use her as a reason why the Romans should
overthrow the king.” This is an average thesis because it is limited and a bit vague. It gives one reason
why Lucretia was seen as a role model, but only one. It also does not include much detail for the reader
about why honor might be significant. Nothing at all is said about Lucretia’s importance as an example of
duty towards the family.
14
3) Above Average Thesis. “Lucretia became a role model for Roman women because of her
concern for duty and honor. She was hardworking in the home, weaving clothes and maintaining the
customs of hospitality. She was willing to die rather than let the king’s son sleep with her, and let him
violate her in order to prevent him from dishonoring her family.” This is a good thesis because it provides
two clear reasons, but it is still vague about the linkages between duty and hard work in the home and
between honor and the rape.
4) Excellent thesis. “The story of Lucretia, although a myth, gave the Romans a role model for ideal
female behavior. She showed the importance of duty to the family through her careful attention to
household management. She worked hard at weaving late into the night alongside her servants, when the
wives of other men were out partying. Lucretia also exemplified the importance of the Roman virtue of
honor by submitting herself to rape at the hands of the king’s son rather than see her family dishonored.
She also maintained her own honor by killing herself after the rape so her example could not be used as an
excuse by women of loose morals to justify their own infidelities.” This is an excellent thesis because it
offers two specific reasons why Lucretia was seen as a role model and provides many specific details.
A strong, clear thesis is essential in any essay. It tells the reader exactly what you intend to prove.
Your reader will judge your entire essay by how well or how poorly you defend this thesis. The defense of
your thesis is done in the next section of your paper – the body.
PART TWO: The Body
The second part of an essay is the body, where you support the argument laid out in your thesis by
presenting evidence in an organized fashion. This is by far the longest part of the paper. Here you
methodically prove your thesis, not just by making general statements, but by presenting specific
evidence from various sources. What exactly do I mean by evidence? Well, if you make a statement
about a person, idea or event and do not back it up with some form of proof, then you are simply
expressing a personal opinion. It may be right or it may be wrong. Without evidence your reader cannot
tell the difference. And frankly, opinions are a dime a dozen in our world today -- just look at the huge
number of talk shows or news programs with pundits expressing their often contradictory views. Any
uninformed person can have an opinion. One purpose of a college essay is to help you develop informed
opinions. What makes an opinion informed? It is when it is based on an analysis of evidence. You
perform this analysis in the body of the paper. How do you organize this section? Again, there are many
ways to do so, but let me offer some suggestions.
First, focus on the topic question(s) and let them guide the organization of your essay. Think about
what the instructor is asking you to prove. In most college courses there is not just one correct answer to
the topic question(s). There are often different approaches to the same question(s). For a history essay
most instructors want to see how well you use evidence to back up or support an argument. There are two
kinds of evidence.
a. Primary source evidence involves documents (letters, government papers, books, paintings
and illustrations, etc.) from the time you are studying. It is the strongest form of evidence because it
involves the thoughts, ideas and interpretations of people from the time you are studying.
b. Secondary source evidence includes the writings of people who came well after the time you
are studying. They are usually written by scholars who use primary source documents to form an
interpretation of people and events from the past. Textbooks are a good example of a secondary source.
So are the introductions to the documents found in most sourcebooks and document readers. They are
15
considered inferior to primary sources because they involve a certain degree of guesswork by the scholar.
Two different scholars can look at the exact same documents and sometimes reach widely different
interpretations of what they mean or how significant they are. That is why you should always rely on
primary sources first when you are arguing your thesis. Do not just rely on what some other person has
said. When grading your use of evidence I give most credit for your use of primary source documents and
very little for use of secondary sources, like the textbook or the introductions to documents. For the
essays required in this course secondary source information is considered so weak that you should avoid
making much use of it. And never, ever, for any reason, should secondary sources be quoted in your
papers.
Before you write the body of your paper it is a good idea to make an outline of the main points of
your argument. Consider the evidence you want to use to support these points. Remember to focus on
primary source evidence. Try to make the best use possible of your documents. Some students seem to
think that a document is only good for one specific example. This is not true. In fact, some documents,
especially lengthier ones, are filled with multiple examples which will support your argument. Use them.
This may be through presentation of direct quotations. If you do quote, keep your quotations short. Do not
include quotations over one line in length. They do not have to include a whole sentence. You may quote
just certain phrases or short sections of a sentence. When you quote, please remember that the quotation
must be set off with quotation marks. You will sometimes encounter specific examples that are too long
to quote, in which case you need to briefly paraphrase the example, meaning put it in your own words.
Be careful in how you paraphrase. Just changing a few words in a quotation is not paraphrasing. Most
paraphrases sum up and condense a long example into a sentence or two.
Every point you make in your argument should be supported by specific evidence. Look at the
documents in your sourcebook or weekly readings for examples which illustrate the point you are trying
to make. Be selective. Include strong examples which support your thesis. Don’t just include
paraphrases. If there is a short quotation (nothing over one line in length) from a document that really
expresses your point, put it in the essay. Very importantly, after you present your evidence, you must
cite your source for it. This is called giving a citation. It does not matter whether you are giving a
quotation or just paraphrasing an author’s ideas. If you use an idea which is not your own, then you must
cite where you got it from. There are three common forms of citation: a footnote (which appears at the
bottom of a page), an endnote (which appears at the end of the essay) or a parenthetical note (which
appears in parentheses directly after the evidence is presented). For this course I will ask you to include
footnotes in all of your papers. Students often ask me how many citations they should have in a paper and
if every paragraph has to have some citations. My answer is that I cannot say how many you will need. It
is completely dependent upon how much evidence you present. The more specific examples you can
show to support your argument, the more citations you will need. And since every paragraph (except for
your introductory paragraph and concluding paragraph) is supposed to be presenting evidence, then each
one must contain citations showing where your evidence comes from. In this way a reader can check out
your sources if they so choose. If you do not cite your sources, then you are guilty of the academic crime
of plagiarism, passing off someone else’s ideas as your own. See the final page of this section on writing
for a more detailed explanation of plagiarism.
As I suggested earlier, take the time to outline your argument. The best way to organize the body
of your essay is to use a wonderful device called the paragraph. Use a separate paragraph for each main
point you wish to make. This does not mean that every single idea should have its own paragraph. Rather,
all the ideas related to each main point should be organized in distinct paragraphs. Remember to include
primary source evidence to support your point. Don’t be afraid of paragraphs which may be long, even a
16
page in length. But avoid one and two sentence paragraphs. They usually show sloppy thinking or
demonstrate that you have not fully developed that particular point.
PART THREE: The Conclusion
The conclusion is usually the last paragraph of your essay. Its purpose is to remind the reader of
your thesis and how you proved it. You should not introduce any new evidence or information in the
conclusion. Use it to sum up your argument. Explain the main points of your thesis and remind the reader
briefly what your evidence for each point was. Because you are not introducing any new evidence, it is
very uncommon to find a footnote in the conclusion.
As I mentioned above, this is not the only way to write an essay. Rather it is just one model, but
one which has proven to be effective for many students. If you are unfamiliar with writing essays for a
history course, I very much suggest you make use of this model. It will help you write an essay which is
organized and focused on primary source evidence.
17
Mueller’s Pet Peeve’s
Before submitting your papers please proofread them. Use this checklist.
1) Make sure you have a strong thesis statement which says what you will prove in
the essay.
2) Make sure you have a conclusion which sums up your argument.
3) Make sure your sources are cited properly after using a quotation or a
paraphrase.
4) Do not use contractions.
5) Do not ask rhetorical questions.
6) Do not use colloquial phrases.
7) Beware of run-on sentences.
8) Beware of sentence fragments.
9) Spell out all numbers under 100.
10) No one or two sentence paragraphs.
11) Do not use quotations longer than one line.
12) Never, ever quote from the textbook or the introduction to a document.
18
PROPER FOOTNOTING
First, let’s go over a little terminology. A footnote refers to a note in an essay or paper which
appears at the bottom of a page. An endnote is a note which appears at the end of a paper. Because most
word processing programs (such as Microsoft Word or Corel’s Wordperfect) make it easy to construct
either kind of notes, and since footnotes are far easier to follow when reading a paper, I will ask you to
include footnotes (and not endnotes) in your paper(s) for this class. Historians use a particular kind of
footnoting, popularized by the University of Chicago in its Chicago Manual of Style. It is sometimes
known as Turabian style, after Kate Turabian who wrote a famous book, A Manual for Writers of Term
Papers, Theses, and Dissertations, which condensed the original 900+ page book into a mere 300 pages.
My goal is to further condense these rules down to just a few pages, including only the most common
rules for citation of sources.
There are two main kinds of footnotes:
1) Reference footnotes: These are used to identify one’s source for a quotation or idea used in a paper
or to make cross-references. These are the most common kind of footnotes expected of college students.
It is the kind of footnote I want to see in your papers.
2) Content footnotes: These are used to make less significant comments on the argument or on a
particular source which are seen as important but might detract from the main argument if left in the text.
They are also used to acknowledge individuals who have assisted the author in his or her research. These
are not necessary in the papers for this course.
REFERENCE FOOTNOTES
The basic rules of reference footnoting are relatively simple. A reference footnote should be used
any time a writer uses a quotation from another author or a paraphrase (puting into one’s own words) of
an idea, concept or story from another writer. In essence, whenever you use the intellectual property of
someone else, either a quotation or a paraphrase, you should use a reference footnote immediately after
the quotation or idea. This is known as giving a citation or “citing one’s sources.” There is a particular
style for correctly giving a citation.
The first time you make use of a source in a footnote you should give a full citation. This includes
the author’s name, the title of the work, publication information and the page or pages on which the
quotation or information is to be found. Every time afterwards when you cite this source you should give
a short citation. This includes only the last name of the author and the page number, if this is the only
work of that author which you are using in your paper. If you are using two or more works by the same
author then you must distinguish between them by also including a short version of the title. Let’s look at
a few examples of proper citation for sources from books and articles.
EXAMPLE #1: (for a book with multiple authors)
Full citation:
John P. McKay, et al, Western Society: A Brief History : Volume II, (Boston & New York: Bedford/St.
Martin’s, 2010), 203.
Short citation:
McKay et al, 203.
19
[Nota bene: the term et al is short for the Latin phrase et alia, meaning “and others.” Thus it is not
necessary to name all the authors of a textbook.]
EXAMPLE #2: (for a document by a known author in Weekly Readings on Canvas)
Full citation:
Martin Luther, “Luther on the Nature of Man,” in History 1110 Week Two & Three Readings, 2.
Short citation:
Week Two & Three Readings, 2.
EXAMPLE #3: (for a document by a known author in a sourcebook)
Full citation:
Cardinal Richelieu, The Political Testament, in Mark Kishlansky, ed., Sources of the West: Readings in
Western Civilization: Volume 2 (Pearson, 2012), 6.
Short citation:
Kishlansky, 6.
EXAMPLE #4: (for a document by an unknown author in a sourcebook)
Full citation:
“The Declaration of the Rights of Man,” in Mark Kishlansky, ed., Sources of the West: Readings in
Western Civilization: Volume 2 (Pearson, 2012), 114.
Short citation:
Kishlansky, 114.
20
PLAGIARISM
One of the most common violations of academic honesty is plagiarism. Misunderstanding of this
subject is especially apparent among undergraduates. The following statement should help clarify the
matter.
A writer’s facts, ideas and phraseology should be regarded as his/her property. Any person who
uses a writer’s facts, ideas or phraseology without giving due credit is guilty of plagiarism. Information
may be put in a paper without a footnote or other form of citation only if it meets all the following
conditions:
1. It may be found in several books on the subject.
2. It is written in the words of the student.
3. It is not paraphrased from any particular source.
4. It therefore belongs to common knowledge.
Generally, if you write while looking at a source or even while looking at notes taken from a
source, a citation should be given. Whenever any idea is taken from a specific work, even when you write
the idea entirely in your own words, there must be a footnote giving credit to the author. Of course,
methods of documentation vary, and it is possible to cite a source in the text itself or in an endnote instead
of a footnote. For the short essays you encounter in my course, citation by means of a page reference in
parenthesis is recommended. The point is that you should give credit when due and that the credit be
given in a manner specified by the instructor.
You are entirely responsible for knowing and following the principles of paraphrasing. You
should never retain a sentence pattern and substitute synonyms for the original words nor retain the
original words and alter the sentence pattern. In other words, paraphrasing means changing both the
words and the sentence pattern. Frequently, a source should be cited even if no words are put in quotation
marks.
All direct quotations should be footnoted. Even when you use only one unusual or key word from
a passage, that word should be placed in quotation marks and cited. When using sources, remember that
the very act of using a book or an article should be considered as a pledge that the material will be used
according to the principles stated above.
21
History 1110 Extended Syllabus
Section C
Unit Outlines and Word Lists
22
Week #1
Introduction/Criticism of the Church in 1500
I.
Introduction to the Course
II.
Criticism of the Church in 1500
III.
Erasmus & Christian Humanism
------------------------------------------------------------------------salvation
pope
cardinals
bishops
Great Schism
Council of Constance (1415)
general council
dispensations
indulgences
remission
Purgatory
grace
vernacular
Erasmus of Rotterdam
Praise of Folly
23
Week #2
The Protestant Reformation
I.
The Lutheran Reformation
A. Germany in 1500
B. Martin Luther
C. The Ninety-Five Theses
D. Frederick the Wise
E. The Impact of Luther
II. John Calvin and Geneva
--------------------------------------------------------------------Great Schism
Council of Constance
dispensation
indulgence
Purgatory – grace
Diet – Seven Electors
Wittenberg
sola fides
sola scriptura
Johann Tetzel
“priesthood of all believers”
Frederick the Wise
Saxony
Emperor Charles V
pastors/doctors
elders/deacons
Consistory
predestination
Huguenots
Lord’s Supper
Eucharist
24
Week #3
European Wars of Religion
I.
The Counter or Catholic Reformation
A. Ignatius of Loyola & the Jesuits
B. Council of Trent
II. The English Reformation
A. Henry VIII (1509-1547)
B. Edward VI (1547-1553)
C. Mary I
(1553-1558)
D. Elizabeth I (1558-1603)
“The Protestant Wind”
Spiritual Exercises
Society of Jesus
Pope Paul III
annulment
Catherine of Aragon
Anne Boleyn
Supreme Head
Parliament
statute law
Archbishop Thomas Cranmer
Book of Common Prayer
repeal
Marian Exiles
Puritans
Religious Settlement of 1559
Spanish Armada
King Philip II of Spain
25
Week #4
Absolutism and Constitutionalism
I. Social Order in France in 17th Century
II. The Theory of Absolutism
III. The Road to Absolutism
A. Henry IV
B. Louis XIII & Cardinal Richelieu
C. Louis XIV
IV. Constitutional Monarchy in England
A. James I
(1603-1625)
B. Charles I
(1625-1649)
C. The Interregnum
(1649-1660)
D. Charles II
(1660-1685)
E. James II
(1685-1688)
F. William & Mary
(1688-1702)
estates
Estates General
nobles of the sword
nobles of the robe
taille = a land tax
provincial governors
parlement
edict
La Rochelle
intendants
The Fronde
Versailles
lit de justice
ship money
Arminianism
Oliver Cromwell
dispensing power
Test Act
Glorious Revolution
Triennial Act
26
Week #5
The Enlightenment
I.
The Enlightenment
A. Philosophes
B. Growth of Literacy
C. Popularizers
D. Salons
E. Diderot's Encyclopedia
II. The Big Three
A. Charles de Secondat, Baron de Montesquieu
B. Voltaire (Francois Marie Arouet)
C. Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Age of Reason
rationality
Bernard de Fontenelle
Plurality of Worlds
Madame Geoffrin
Denis Diderot
The Spirit of Laws
separation of powers
Candide
state of nature
natural law
The Social Contract
general will
sovereign
27
Week #6
French Revolution and Napoleon
I. French Peasantry in the Eighteenth Century
II. French Revolution
A. Financial Crisis
B. Estates General to National Assembly
C. Declaration of the Rights of Man
and Citizen
III. Reign of Terror
IV. Napoleon Bonaparte
A. The Directory
B. The Consulate
V. Emperor Napoleon
VI. Congress of Vienna
seigneurial system
Safety
Old Regime
guillotine
Seven Years War
levee en masse
“doubling the third”
Thermidorean Reaction
Abbe Sieyes
Napoleonic Code
King Louis XVI
guerrilla warfare
Oath of the Tennis Court
The Grand Army
Fall of the Bastille
General Winter
Marquis de Lafayette
Battle of Waterloo
Great Fear
status quo ante
liberty, equality, fraternity
Flight to Varennes
Maximilian Robespierre
Committee of Public
28
Week #7
Industrial Revolution
I.
Industrial Revolution in Britain
II. Agricultural Revolution
III. New Inventions
IV. Social Consequences
capitalism/capital
entrepreneur
drill seeder
turnips/clover
enclosure acts
wages
fly shuttle
spinning jenny
water frame
Richard Arkwright
cotton gin
Eli Whitney
steam engine
James Watt
factory system
The Rocket
Manchester
“putting out” system
Edwin Chadwick
time clock
First Factory Act (1802)
29
Week #8
Reaction and Revolution
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
Romanticism
Classical Liberalism
Radicalism
Socialism
Nationalism
A. Germany
VI. Forces of Reaction
Ludwig von Beethoven
genius
Volk
Volksgeist
laissez-faire economics
free trade
tariff
Jeremy Bentham
republicanism
Robert Owen
New Lanark
Louis Blanc
social workshops
J.G. Fichte
Louis XVIII -- Charles X
white terror
Burschenschaft
Count Clemens von
Metternich
Carlsbad Decrees
The Corn Law
Peterloo Massacre
The Six Acts (1819)
30
Week #9
Revolutions and Marxism
I. Forces of Reaction
II. Revolutions of 1830
A. France
B. Great Britain
III. Revolutions of 1848
IV. Marx and Marxism
Charles X of France
July Revolution
King Louis Philippe
Robert Peel
bobbies
pocket borough
Old Sarum
Reform Bill of 1832
Factory Act of 1833
Louis Napoleon
realism
Auguste Comte
Friedrich Engels
means of production
The Communist Manifesto
bourgeousie
proletariat
dialectic
“inevitable”
class struggle
31
Week #10
Rise of Nationalism
I.
Unification of Italy
A. Guiseppe Mazzini (1805-1872)
B. Camillo di Cavour (1810-1857)
C. Guiseppe Garibaldi (1807-1882)
II. Unification of Germany
A. Otto von Bismarck (1815-1898)
B. Schleswig-Holstein
C. Austro-Prussian War (1866)
D. Franco-Prussian War (1870)
Kingdom of Sardinia
Piedmont & Savoy
Risorgimento
King Victor Emmanuel
Crimean War (1856)
Battle of Magenta
Red Shirts
Zollverein (customs union)
Junker
“constitutional struggle”
“blood and iron”
Helmuth von Moltke
Kaiser Wilhelm I
Reichstag
32
Week #11
Imperialism
I.
Imperialism
A. Social Darwinism
B. Colonialism
II. Road to World War I
A. Alliance System
B. Arms Race
C. Balkans Crisis
colonialism
new imperialism
sphere of influence
Social Darwinism
Charles Darwin
Origin of Species
“white man’s burden”
Cecil Rhodes
Africaaners
Boer War
“sick man of Europe”
Alsace-Lorraine
Balkans
Triple Alliance
entente cordiale
Triple Entente
Wilhelm II
Admiral Mahan
Serbia
Franz Ferdinand
Sarajevo
Black Hand
33
Week #12
The Great War (WWI)
I.
Schlieffen Plan
II. Changing Face of War
A. New weapons
B. War at Sea
III. The Butcher’s Bill
IV. Treaty of Versailles
risk fleet
Black Hand
Sarajevo
Franz Ferdinand
Gavrilo Princip
“blank check”
mobilization
Battle of the Marne
Battle of Masurian
Lakes
machine gun
artillery shell
mustard gas
grenade
trench warfare
Verdun (1916)
Battle of the Somme
u-boat
Lusitania (1915)
Woodrow Wilson
armistice
Fourteen Points
self-determination
war guilt clause
34
Week #13
Russian Revolution & Interwar Years
I.
Revolutionaries
A. Vladimir Ilyich Lenin
B. Bolsheviks & Mensheviks
II. Revolution of 1917
III. Bolshevik Revolution
IV. Joseph Stalin
A. Five Year Plans
B. Purges
----------------------------------------------------------------mir
Policy
Duma
planned economy
Leon Trotsky
collectivization
Masurian Lakes
Alexander Kerensky
November Revolution
nationalization
Red Army
war communism
Red Terror
U.S.S.R. (Union of Soviet
Socialist Republics)
(NEP) - New Economic
35
Week #14
World War II
I. Hitler and the Nazi State
II. Road to WWII
III. Axis Triumphs
IV. Nazi Invasion of Russia
V. Entrance of the U.S into WWII
National Socialist German
Workers Party (Nazi)
Weimar Republic
Mein Kampf (My Struggle)
hyperinflation
Reichstag
Führer
Gestapo
Maginot Line
Anschluss
Czechoslovakia
Sudetenland
Munich Conference
Neville Chamberlain
appeasement
blitzkreig
Non-Aggression Pact
Phoney War
Battle of Britain
Winston Churchill
Battle of Stalingrad
Pearl Harbor
“pocket battleships”
Battle of Midway
air superiority
island hopping
Normandy Invasion
Hiroshima/Nagasaki
36
Week #15
The Cold War
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
The United Nations
Origins of the Cold War
Korean War
The Communist World
Collapse of Communism
General Assembly
Security Council
Kremlin
Truman Doctrine
containment
Marshall Plan
Berlin Airlift
NATO
People’s Republic of
China
Gen. Douglas MacArthur
Boris Yeltsin
Demilitarized Zone (DMZ)
Nikita Khrushchev
Cuban Missile Crisis
Leonid Brezhnev
detente
Mikhail Gorbachev
perestroika
glasnost
37
History 1110 Extended Syllabus
Section D
Document & Map Section
38
HOW TO READ A DOCUMENT AND USE IT EFFECTIVELY
The long essays you will write on your exams in this course and on Paper #2 will test your ability
to use primary source documents as evidence. Primary source documents are written works, whether
letters, religious writings or any kind of government paperwork, which come from the actual time we are
studying. For History 1110 most of our primary sources are found in the Kishlansky sourcebook. Primary
sources are crucial to the study of history because they are the strongest evidence a historian can use to
interpret a period of time. Why? Because these documents are like windows which look out into another
time. They let us hear the voices of the people of the past. Historians have to read documents and
understand what is important in them before they can use them to write about a person, event or period of
time. Since historians are individuals, sometimes they disagree about what a document means or what in
it is important. This is why different historians can read the same documents and sometimes come up with
a different interpretation, or explanation, of why things happened. History is not written in stone; there is
no one right interpretation of history, only stronger or weaker arguments. What makes a particular
argument strong or weak? The answer is evidence. The best arguments make the best use of primary
sources as evidence.
How can you learn to make good use of primary sources? The secret is to know how to read a
document effectively. The best way to do this is to answer four questions about it:
1) Author? Who wrote the document? Was the author one person or a group of people? Who was the
author? Was it a man or a woman, a slave or free man, a rich person or poor? Answer these questions and
you may begin to learn why they wrote what they did.
2) Audience? Who was the document written for? Was it for one person or a particular group of people?
Knowing the audience helps you understand why the document was written in the way it was, and why it
says certain things and not others.
3) Purpose? Why was the document written? This is a much harder question to answer. You need to
know the author and the audience to have a chance to answer this one. Sometimes the document comes
out and tells you the reason, but often you have to speculate (a fancy word for “guess”) on the purpose.
The more you know about the document, the better chance you have of guessing the purpose for its being
written.
4) Importance? Why is this document important? What is the most significant thing it tells us? This is
the hardest question of all to answer because different documents have different importance to different
people. The key here is to discover what is most important about the document so YOU can use it for
your purposes. In the case of the documents in our course reader you need to understand what they tell
you about the main themes (or objectives) of this course. Answering the first three questions helps you
determine the answer to this last one.
Remember, the goal is to really understand the documents in the course reader. Ask the above four
questions about each one of these documents. Write down your answers. When you write a paper in this
class, think about how you can arrange your evidence in a carefully constructed argument. Each document
will contain multiple examples which you can use as evidence. Make sure you use each document and use
it fully -- pull more than one example from it.
39
SUGGESTIONS FOR MAP IDENTIFICATIONS FOR HISTORY 1110
SEAS
Greece
Versailles
Adriatic Sea
Ireland
Vienna
Aegean Sea
Italy
Wittenberg
Baltic Sea
Netherlands
Bay of Biscay
Poland
RIVERS
Black Sea
Portugal
Danube River
Caspian Sea
Prussia
Elbe River
English Channel
Russia
Euphrates River
Irish Sea
Scotland
Nile River
Mediterranean Sea
Serbia
Oder River
North Sea
Spain
Po River
Tyrrhenian Sea
Switzerland
Rhine River
Turkey
Seine River
Thames River
ISLANDS
Corsica
CITIES
Crete
Athens
MOUNTAINS
Cyprus
Berlin
Alps Mtns.
Sardinia
Geneva
Balkan Mtns.
Sicily
Istanbul
Caucasus Mtns.
Jerusalem
Pyrenees Mtns.
POLITICAL UNITS
Lisbon
Taurus Mtns
Albania
London
Austria-Hungary
Madrid
SPECIAL REGIONS
Belgium
Moscow
The Balkans
Denmark
Paris
The Crimea
Egypt
Plymouth
Palestine
England
Rome
Piedmont-Savoy
Finland
Sarajevo
Saxony
France
Stalingrad
Syria
Germany
40