HISTORY 136a:
GLOBAL WARS AND REVOLUTIONS IN THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY
Professor: Hannah Weiss Muller
Email: [email protected]
Office Hours (Olin-Sang 119): Tuesdays 2:00-3:00 PM; Fridays 9:30-10:30 AM; and by
appointment
Course Description: This seminar examines the global conflicts and revolutions of the
eighteenth century as well as the exchanges of ideas, peoples, and goods in the Atlantic World.
The first part of the course addresses the interconnections between empires, assesses the
international disruptions and legacies of global war, and encourages students to think about how
contemporaries imagined the world in which they lived. In the second part of the course,
students explore the intellectual borrowings and innovations of the American, French, and
Haitian revolutions and analyze how each of these revolutions was viewed in both American and
European contexts. By using an Atlantic framework, this course emphasizes that none of these
revolutions was simply “American,” “French,” or “Haitian,” but that each played a central role in
the broader eighteenth-century narrative of global war and inter-imperial rivalry. Numerous
primary sources will be used to understand how events were viewed as they unfolded and what
kinds of documents these upheavals produced.
Learning Goals: Students will develop a strong understanding of the underlying conditions of,
and interconnections between, three revolutions; students will acquire some of the skills
necessary for engaging in comparative history; students will hone their abilities to critically
analyze and interpret a range of primary and secondary sources; students will engage in historical
research and be guided through the process of producing an original research paper.
Required Texts (available for purchase at the Brandeis University Bookstore):
Colin Calloway, The Scratch of a Pen: 1763 and the Transformation of North America (Oxford,
2007).
Laurent Dubois and John D. Garrigus, Slave Revolution in the Caribbean, 1789-1804: A Brief
History with Documents (Bedford St. Martin’s, 2006).
P.J. Marshall, The Making and Unmaking of Empires: Britain, India, and America, 1750-1783
(Oxford, 2007).
Simon Schama, Citizens: A Chronicle of the French Revolution (Vintage, 1990).
Gordon Wood, The American Revolution: A History (Modern Library, 2002).
Alfred F. Young, Masquerade: The Life and Times of Deborah Sampson, Continental Soldier
(Vintage, 2005).
A significant number of our readings will be selections and excerpts from longer works and will
be posted as PDFs or as links on Latte. These additional readings are listed below under the
“Class and Reading Schedule.” You are required to print paper copies of these documents and to
bring them to our class meetings, so please plan accordingly and budget for this at the start of the
semester. In order to receive credit for class participation, you must bring these documents with
you to class.
Communication: Please feel free to come to office hours or to e-mail me at any point during the
semester if you have questions or concerns about the course, the assignments, or history more
generally. E-mail ([email protected]) is the best way to reach me to ask questions or to set
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up an appointment. I will respond to e-mail in a timely manner (within 24 hours). Please keep
in mind, however, that I am generally not on e-mail after 8:00 PM.
Summary of Requirements: Two short papers (5-7 pages) (30%); informed class participation,
discussion guides and class assignments, and class presentations (30%); initial paragraph
proposal, annotated bibliography, draft workshop, project presentation, and final research paper
of 15-20 pages (40%). For this four-credit course, students should assume that they will spend a
minimum of nine hours of study time per week in preparation for this class (completing readings,
papers, discussion questions, preparation for exams, etc.).
Attendance: Attendance is mandatory. Students will be permitted a maximum of two
unexcused absences, after which the overall participation grade will be lowered by 1/3 of a letter
grade for each day missed. Excused absences, which require notes from University Health
Services or resident deans, must be discussed with me, and any missed work must be completed.
Repeated unexcused absences, tardiness, early departures, and conducting private conversations
in class are disrespectful to all of us and will affect your overall grade for the course.
Technology: Use of laptops and cell phones is not permitted in class (unless you have discussed
the matter with me in advance). Please turn phones to silent (not vibrate) and put them away.
Students texting during class will receive no credit for class participation that day.
Class Participation: While I will provide background information as necessary, this is primarily
a discussion-based course. The success of our meetings depends on your active listening and
thoughtful participation. Participation will be 30% of the final grade, and consistent engagement
in all discussions is expected, as is diligent and timely preparation of readings and assignments.
Your participation grade will be based on the quality of your contributions to class discussions
(which are strengthened by doing the reading, bringing assigned texts to class to facilitate
specific references, completion of discussion questions and course worksheets, and being
prepared with comments and questions to contribute to the conversation). I will grade
participation on a check plus/check/check minus basis. In order to help you organize your
thoughts before each meeting and in order to practice both formal writing and oral presentations,
we will have a mixture of assignments for our classes, all of which will factor into your
participation grade.
Class Presentations: Each of you will be asked to complete two presentations over the course of
the semester in consultation with another student in the class. In these presentations, you will be
asked to introduce a primary source by offering relevant background information about its author
and its time/place of publication, linking the source to the themes of the course more generally
and to the other assigned readings for that day, and summarizing what you believe to be its most
important insights. You will then be responsible for leading off class discussion by posing a
series of questions. These presentations should be 5-10 minutes in length. Joint presentations
will be graded on a check plus/check/check minus basis. (For more detailed guidelines, see
“Oral Presentation Guidelines and Rubric” posted on Latte.)
Discussion Questions, Course Worksheets, Free-writing Assignments: For some sessions,
you will find a brief writing assignment listed on the syllabus. For other sessions, I will post
discussion questions and course worksheets on Latte. You should be printing these off and
jotting down ideas in response to each question in preparation for class, as they will guide our
discussion. These do not need to be formal responses and can take the form of lists/relevant
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quotations/etc., but they must indicate engagement with the material. I will periodically collect
your responses and grade them on a check plus/check/check minus basis, especially if our
discussions of primary sources or the small-group discussions begin to lag.
Paper Assignments: There will be two 5-7 page papers and a final research paper (along with
formal assignments leading up to this final paper, including an initial paragraph proposal, a final
proposal and annotated bibliography, a draft and draft workshop, and an oral presentation). The
two 5-7 page papers will be based on assigned course readings, whereas the final paper will be
based on individual research. Further information will be provided for each assignment in class
and detailed guidelines will be posted on Latte. Late papers will be penalized unless an
extension has been approved, at my discretion, well in advance of the deadline. I will deduct 1/3
of a letter grade for every day (beginning at 5:00 PM) they are late (i.e. a paper due on 5:00 PM
on Thursday earning a B+ will receive a B if turned in on Friday by 5:00 PM, a B- on Saturday,
etc.).
General Notes on Grading Expectations for Papers: Good writing relies on argument,
evidence, and what William Strunk, Jr., called the “elements of style.” General characteristics of
various letter grades for papers are as follows: an A paper is distinguished by a clearly
articulated, compelling argument and/or organizing principle; a judicious use of well-digested
evidence; and an effortless command of grammar, spelling, and punctuation. A B paper is
marked by an argument that is well-crafted, but predictable; evidence that is appropriately placed
but inadequately exploited; and serviceable but not superlative prose. A C paper is characterized
by a loose or regurgitated argument; mechanical citation and support; awkward paragraph
structure, repetitive constructions, lapses into colloquialism, and overuse of the passive, adverbs,
and the exclamatory voice. A D paper is marred by assertions rather than argument; the
misreading or misuse of evidence; and simple grammatical and spelling mistakes. An F paper
lacks an argument entirely; shows no familiarity with relevant evidence; has consistent problems
with basic sentence construction; and/or does not address the assignment.
Grade Appeals: If you wish to appeal any grade with me, you must do so in writing, carefully
explaining the reasons for your appeal and submitting a copy of your work along with my
comments. You must submit grade disputes to me in person during my office hours. We will
then schedule a later appointment to discuss the issue. Please note that appealing a grade means
that the evaluation process begins again. After reviewing your appeal, I may lower or raise the
grade.
Academic Integrity: Please do your own work. Plagiarism will not be tolerated in any form.
Academic honesty, the cornerstone of teaching and learning, is the foundation of integrity, and
you are expected to be honest in all of your academic work. Academic dishonesty includes, but
is not limited to, providing or receiving assistance with coursework in ways not authorized by the
instructor, submitting an assignment produced for one course to a second course without the
approval of all instructors, and, of course, plagiarism. Plagiarism is intellectual theft; it means
presenting someone else’s work and ideas as if they were your own. Neither ignorance nor
carelessness is an acceptable defense in cases of plagiarism. It is the student’s responsibility to
cite any sources consulted – not only for quoted phrases but also for ideas and information that
are not common knowledge – and to follow the proper format for those citations.
Please consult Brandeis University Rights and Responsibilities for all policies and procedures
related to academic integrity. Students may be required to submit work to TurnItIn.com software
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to verify originality. Allegations of alleged academic dishonesty will be forwarded to the
Director of Academic Integrity. Sanctions for academic dishonesty can include failing grades
and/or suspension from the university. Citation and research assistance can be found at LTS Library guides.
Please remember that you should always ask me for assistance if you have any questions about
what sorts of materials and assistance are appropriate for assignments or if you are uncertain
about how to cite sources correctly.
Accommodations: If you are a student with a documented disability on record at Brandeis
University and wish to have a reasonable accommodation made for you in this class, please
check in with me immediately. Please keep in mind that accommodations cannot be made
retroactively.
Additional Resources: The Writing Center is a free resource available to all Brandeis students.
The Center is located in Goldfarb 232 on the Goldfarb Mezzanine. Appointments can be made
Monday through Friday from 10:30 AM to 6:00 PM. There are also drop-in sessions availabl
Monday through Thursday from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM. To make an appointment or to find out
more, please visit: http://www.brandeis.edu/writingprogram/writingcenter.
Changes to the Syllabus: I will make every effort to follow the schedule outlined below. If any
changes are required or any adjustments are necessary for snow days or other reasons, I will
announce them in class and/or on Latte as early as possible. You are responsible for complying
with any alterations to the schedule or assignments.
Class and Reading Schedule:
Fri (8/26): Introduction
Tu (8/30): The Tensions and Interconnections of Empires
Readings:
Jack Greene and Philip Morgan, Atlantic History: A Critical Appraisal, pp. 3-21 (pdf on Latte).
Peggy Liss, Atlantic Empires: The Network of Trade and Revolution, pp. 1-34 (pdf on Latte).
A Narrative of the Uncommon Sufferings and Extraordinary Deliverance of Briton Hammon
(1760) (pdf on Latte).
Assignment for class:
Complete discussion questions (posted on Latte).
Fri (9/2): The French and Indian War (1754-1763)
Readings:
Fred Anderson, The Crucible of War, pp. xvii-xxv (pdf on Latte).
Peter Marshall, The Making and Unmaking, pp. 86-118 (required text).
Richard White, The Middle Ground: Indians, Empires, and Republics in the Great Lakes Region,
1650-1815, pp. 50-60, 223-227, 240-268 (pdf on Latte).
Assignment for class:
Complete discussion questions (posted on Latte).
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Tu (9/6): The Seven Years’ War (1756-1763) (Intercontinental Conflicts and New Global
Identities)
Readings:
P.J. Marshall, The Making and Unmaking of Empires, pp. 1-12, 119-157, 207-228 (required
text).
H.V. Bowen, “British Conceptions of Global Empire, 1756-1783,” Journal of Imperial and
Commonwealth History 26:3 (1998): pp. 1-27 (pdf on Latte).
Assignment for class:
Complete “Evaluating a Secondary Source” (posted on Latte).
Fri (9/9): The Settlements and Unsettlements of 1763
Readings:
P.J. Marshall, The Making and Unmaking of Empires, pp. 157-206 (required text).
Colin Calloway, The Scratch of a Pen, pp. 3-18, 47-111, 165-171 (required text).
“The Treaty of Paris” (1763) (link on Latte to the Avalon Project).
“The Royal Proclamation” (1763) (link on Latte to the Avalon Project).
Assignment for class:
Complete discussion questions (posted on Latte).
Tu (9/13): The Aftermath of War (Changing imperial objectives in America?)
Readings:
P.J. Marshall, The Making and Unmaking, pp. 273-310 (required text).
“Parliament Debates the Stamp Act” (1765) (pdf on Latte).
“Colonists Respond to the Stamp Act” (1765-1766) (pdf on Latte).
Assignment for class:
Complete discussion questions (posted on Latte).
Fri (9/16): The Aftermath of War (Radicalism and Ministerial Instability in Britain)
Readings:
Kathleen Wilson, The Sense of the People, pp. 206-236 (pdf on Latte).
Stephen Conway, “Britain and the Revolutionary Crisis, 1763-1791,” in Oxford History of the
British Empire: The Eighteenth Century, pp. 325-346 (pdf on Latte).
Various authors, The battle of the quills: or, Wilkes, attacked and defended. An impartial
selection of all the most interesting pieces, […] in prose and verse (1768) (pdf on Latte).
Assignment for class:
Complete discussion questions (posted on Latte).
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Tu (9/20): The American Revolutionary War (Crisis and the Continental Congress)
Readings:
Gordon Wood, The American Revolution, pp. 27-52 (required text).
P.J. Marshall, The Making and Unmaking of Empires, pp. 311-338 (required text).
The Olive Branch Petition (1775) (pdf on Latte).
Excerpts from “Massachusettensis” and “Novanglus” (pdf on Latte).
Assignment for class:
Complete Worksheet #1 for Paper #1 (posted on Latte).
Fri (9/23): The American Revolutionary War (Revolution or Civil War?)
Readings:
Ned C. Landsman, From Colonials to Provincials: American Thought and Culture, 1680-1760,
pp. 149-153 (pdf on Latte).
P.J. Marshall, The Making and Unmaking of Empires, pp. 338-352 (required text).
Gordon Wood, The American Revolution, pp. 52-62 (required text).
“The Declaration of Independence” (1776) (pdf on Latte).
“Loyalists at the Outbreak of the Revolution, 1775-1776” (pdf on Latte).
Assignment for class:
Complete Worksheet #2 for Paper #1 (posted on Latte).
Tu (9/27): The American Revolutionary War (The Bitter Years of War)
Readings:
Gordon Wood, The American Revolution, pp. 64-88 (required text).
Alfred F. Young, Masquerade: The Life and Times of Deborah Sampson, Continental Soldier,
pp. 3-19, 23-32, 58-90, 93-115, 184-245, 313-320 (required text).
Assignment for class:
Browse images and titles relating to Deborah Sampson online or in the OneSearch/WorldCat
catalogues, select one image or title to discuss with class, and be prepared to offer a comment
about what this suggests about historical representation and remembering.
Paper #1 due Thursday, September 29, 2016 by 4:00 PM (hardcopy in my mailbox).
Fri (9/30): The American Revolutionary War (From Subjects to Foreigners?)
Readings:
P.J. Marshall, The Making and Unmaking of Empire, pp. 353-379 (required text).
Gordon Wood, The American Revolution, pp. 91-109, 120-129 (required text).
Stephen Conway, “From Fellow-Nationals to Foreigners: British perceptions of the Americans,
circa 1739-1783,” William & Mary Quarterly, 3rd Series 59 (2002): pp. 65-100 (pdf on Latte).
Assignment for class:
Complete “Parsing the Argument of a Secondary Source” (posted on Latte).
Tu (10/4): NO CLASS – Rosh Hashana
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Fri (10/7): Americans in Paris
Readings:
Stacy Schiff, “Franklin in Paris” (pdf on Latte).
Letters from John Adams to Abigail Adams, dated February 20, 1779, February 18, 1783,
February 26, 1783, February 27, 1783 (pdf on Latte).
Jefferson in Paris (film available for viewing at library).
Assignment for class:
Select a 1-3 minute clip from Jefferson in Paris (please identify exact times for start/end of your
clip so that we can screen easily) and come to class prepared to discuss what this clip reflects
about Franco-American relations or about the revolutionary Atlantic.
Tu (10/11): The French Revolution (From Estates-General to National Assembly)
Readings:
John Merriman, A History of Modern Europe, pp. 435-447 (pdf on Latte).
Simon Schama, Citizens: A Chronicle of the French Revolution, pp. 123-182 (required text).
Abbe Sieyes, What is the Third Estate? (1789) (pdf on Latte).
Assignment for class:
Complete “Evaluating a Primary Source” Worksheet.
Fri (10/14): The French Revolution (Consolidating the Revolution)
Readings:
John Merriman, A History of Modern Europe, pp. 447- 460 (pdf on Latte).
Simon Schama, Citizens: A Chronicle of the French Revolution, 389-425 (required text).
“Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen” (1789) (pdf on Latte).
Assignment for class:
Complete Worksheet #1 for Paper #2.
Tu (10/18): The French Revolution: The Violence of Revolution and Counter-revolution
Readings:
John Merriman, A History of Modern Europe, pp. 460-478 (pdf on Latte).
Simon Schama, Citizens: A Chronicle of the French Revolution, pp. 619-639, 668-675, 767-792
(required text).
Maximilien Robespierre, “On the Principles of Political Morality” (1794) (pdf on Latte).
Assignment for class:
Complete Worksheet #2 for Paper #2 (posted on Latte).
Paper #2 due Thursday, October 20, 2016 by 4:00 PM (hardcopy in my mailbox).
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Fri (10/21): The Limits of Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité
Readings:
Laurent Dubois, A Colony of Citizens: Revolution and Slave Emancipation in the French
Caribbean, 1787-1804, pp. 1-8, 222-236 (pdf on Latte).
Olympe de Gouges, “Declaration of the Rights of Women and the Female Citizen” (1791) (pdf
on Latte).
“Petition of the Jews…to the National Assembly” (1790) and “Admission of Jews to Rights of
Citizenship” (1791) (pdf on Latte).
Assignment for class:
Free-writing: How does Olympe de Gouges or how do the petitioners frame their arguments
(focus on one source)?
Tu (10/25): NO CLASS – Brandeis Monday schedule in effect.
Fri (10/28): Reaction to the French Revolution in Britain, Europe, and America
Readings:
Edmund Burke, Reflections on the Revolution in France (1790), pp. 3-4, 27-30, 33-40, 44-45,
60-68, 80-85, 109-112, 140-149, 171-172, 194-195, 216-218 (pdf on Latte).
Thomas Paine, Rights of Man (1791), pp. 59-69, 86-89, 98-108, 147-153 (pdf on Latte).
Assignment for class:
Complete brainstorming exercise (posted on Latte).
Initial Proposal and Bibliography due to me ([email protected]) and to Laura
Hibbler ([email protected]) by Sunday, October 30th by 11:00 PM (guidelines
posted on Latte).
Tu (11/1): Research Day (Class meets in Vershbow Classroom, Goldfarb Mezzanine Level,
Brandeis University Library).
Fri (11/4): The Problem of Slavery
Readings:
Christopher L. Brown, “The Politics of Slavery,” in The British Atlantic World, pp. 214-232 (pdf
on Latte).
Christopher L. Brown, Moral Capital: Foundations of British Abolitionism, pp. 209-258 (pdf on
Latte).
Laurent Dubois and John D. Garrigus, Slave Revolution in the Caribbean, 1789-1804, pp. 49-56
(“Le Code Noir” and “Prophecies of Slave Revolution”) (required text).
Assignment for class:
Complete discussion questions.
Tu (11/8): The Haitian Revolution (Uneasy Alliances)
Readings:
C.L.R. James, Black Jacobins, pp. 3-5, 20-26, 33-44, 59-61, 62-84 (pdf on Latte).
Laurent Dubois and John D. Garrigus, Slave Revolution in the Caribbean, 1789-1804, pp. 7-22,
63-85 (“Letters from the Slave Revolt in Martinique,” “Address to the National Assembly,”
“Decree and Instructions of the National Assembly,” “Letter to Those Who Love Mankind,”
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“Letters from the Uprising of Vincent Ogé,” “Observations on the Origin and Progression of the
White Colonists’ Prejudice against men of Color,” and “Law on the Colonies” (required text).
Assignment for class:
Complete discussion questions (posted on Latte).
Fri (11/11): WRITING DAY and Peer Responses on Proposals.
Final proposal and annotated bibliography due (these can be e-mailed to me).
Tu (11/15): The Haitian Revolution (Revolutionary Colony)
Readings:
Laurent Dubois and John D. Garrigus, Slave Revolution in the Caribbean, 1789-1804, pp. 24-35,
89-102, 108-112, 115- 118, 120-135, 138-142, 147-153 (“History of the Revolution of SaintDomingue,” “Letter to the Marquis de Gallifet,” “Reports from the Insurrection,” “Letters to the
Commissioners,” “Preface to The Slavery of Blacks,” “From The Friend of the People,” “The
National Assembly Law of April 4,” “Account of the Slave Revolt,” “Decree of General
Liberty,” “Insurgent Responses to Emancipation,” “The Abolition of Slavery,” “Proclamations,”
“The Plantation Policies of Etienne Polverel,” and “A Refutation of Some Assertions”) (required
text).
Assignment for class:
Complete discussion questions (posted on Latte).
Fri (11/18): The Haitian Revolution (Independent Republic)
Readings:
Laurent Dubois and John D. Garrigus, Slave Revolution in the Caribbean, 1789-1804, pp. 35-40,
167-170, 175-180, 186-196 (“Constitution of the French Colony of Saint-Domingue” “Napoleon
Bonaporte Letters,” “Letter to Delpech,” “The Haitian Declaration of Independence,” and “The
Haitian Constitution” (required text).
Franklin W. Knight, “The Haitian Revolution and the Notion of Human Rights,” Journal of the
Historical Society 5:3 (2005): 391-416 (pdf on Latte).
Assignment for class:
Please bring questions on your draft-in-progress to class.
Tu (11/22): Draft workshop in class
Instructions for the draft and draft workshop posted on Latte.
Fri (11/25): NO CLASS – Thanksgiving
Tu (11/29): Student presentations and discussion of topics
Fri (12/2): Student presentations and discussion of topics
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Tu (12/6): Conclusion (Towards an age of revolutions?)
Readings:
C.A. Bayly, “The World Crisis, 1780-1820,” in Imperial Meridian, pp. 164-192 (pdf on Latte).
Peter Linebaugh and Marcus Rediker, The Many-Headed Hydra: Sailors, Slaves, Commoners
and the Hidden History of the Revolutionary Atlantic, pp. 248-353 (pdf on Latte).
Assignment for class:
Complete Final Discussion Questions.
Final Research Paper due Friday, December 9, 2016 by 4:00 PM (hardcopy in my
mailbox).
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