Modern World History: 

From the 1600s to the Present Day

HIS 202:  Sections 31511 and 41511 (MW)

 

Professor Ernest Ialongo

 

 

Office:  B-317

Hours:  Tuesday and Thursday, 4-5, and by appointment

Phone:  718-319-7933

Email:  eialongo@hostos.cuny.edu

 

 

Required Texts:

 

Albert M. Craig, The Heritage of World Civilizations, Volume Two:  Since 1500, 8th Edition (Upper Saddle River, NJ:  Pearson Prentice Hall, 2008).  ISBN: 0136003222

 

Joseph Mitchell and Helen Mitchell, Taking Sides:  Clashing Views in World History, Volume 2, 2nd Edition (New York:  McGraw Hill, 2006).  ISBN 0073514926

 

Additional required documents for assignments are posted on Blackboard.

 

Course Description

 

This course will survey major events in world history.  These include the consolidation of the nation state in Europe; the Enlightenment; the American, French and Industrial Revolutions; the emergence of Socialism, Nationalism, Liberalism and Feminism; World War I, Totalitarianism,  World War II and the Cold War; and, more specifically, major developments in Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America in the modern era.

 

Goals for the Course

 

This course seeks to arm you with two specific tools as you proceed with your academic and professional careers.  First, you will have an understanding of the major ideas, individuals and events that have shaped world history, and continue to have a profound effect on the contemporary world.  Second, you will have an improved ability to communicate your ideas.  This course puts a premium on close reading of texts, critical written analysis, and class discussion and debate.  I will provide you abundant guidance throughout the semester so that you know exactly what is expected from you.  Consequently, your grade will be determined by the level of effort you put into this course.

 

General Guidelines:

 

This course is a mixture of lecture and discussion, with a fair amount of writing.  In order to guarantee that everyone gets as much out of this class as they can, there are a few guidelines you will adhere to:

 

• You are not permitted to bring children or guests to class.
• You are not permitted to eat in class, drinking is fine.
• You are not permitted to take phone calls or to text in class.  Turn off all communication devices.
• Late work will not be accepted.  An automatic zero will be given for all late work.
• Late exams will not be given.  An automatic zero will be given to you if you miss the exam date.
• You are not permitted to email work to me.  It must be submitted in class.
• If you are late to class, you will have one percentage point deducted from the total you acquire in class.
• If you are absent from class, you will have two percentage points deducted from the total you acquire in class.
• While in class you will respect your colleagues and the instructor.  Disruptive behavior will result in expulsion from class.

 

The beginning of each class will generally begin with a review of the previous class.

 

On the days when papers are due, we will be devoting the entire class to discussing the subject of that paper.

 

On the days homework is due, we will devote part of the class to discussing the homework.

 

Homework will be posted on Blackboard throughout the semester.

 

Structure of the Papers:

 

You will complete for me 3 essays analyzing controversial issues in world history from the Mitchell book listed above.  These papers are to be typed and a full 3 pages.

 

The Mitchell book offers selections from two opposing viewpoints about a particular historical issue.  The structure of your paper should be as follows:  introduce the debate between the scholars, discuss what evidence each scholar uses to prove their point, and in the conclusion evaluate which side you agree with, if any, and why.

 

A copy of a short sample paper is attached to this syllabus for your reference.  You are encouraged to submit drafts of your papers to me prior to the due date.  You are also encouraged to visit the Writing Center with a draft of your work prior to submission if you have difficulty with writing.  You will be permitted to revise your first paper.  Thereafter, the grade you receive will be your final grade.

 

Structure of the Homework Assignments:

 

Throughout the semester you will be reading primary source documents and either answering prepared questions or summarizing the main points of the document.  These documents will then be discussed in class on the day they are due.

 

Structure of the Exams:

 

The exams will be in essay format.  You will be given a list of questions about a week before the exam to prepare at home.  On the day of the exam I will choose a selection of questions from that list for you to answer.  You will answer the questions without the aid of any notes, books, or other devices.

 

We will have a review day prior to the exam, and you will be expected to bring to class an outline of your answers.  Through class discussion we will ensure that everyone knows what is expected of them when answering the exam questions.

 

Grading:

 

Mid-term exam (25%)

Final exam (25%)

3 essays (30% total, 10% each)

Homework/Participation (20%)

 

Note:  There are no extra credits in this course, and late papers, homework and exam taking are not permitted.

 

Blackboard and Homework:

 

This course has a Blackboard website attached to it.  There you will find a variety of documents associated with this course, including this syllabus.  Homework assignments will be posted there. You will have access to all your grades on Blackboard as well.

 

To access Blackboard, go to www.cuny.edu .

 

Click on “Log In” on the lower left side of the screen. 

 

You will be asked to log in with user name and password.  All students are provided with these.  Make sure you know yours.

 

Emails:

 

Periodically, I will send emails out to the entire class.  Emails will be sent to your Hostos email account which was given to you when you registered.  Get familiar with the system if you are not already.

 

 

Course Schedule	(Readings are from the Craig book, unless otherwise noted)
Monday, February 1-	Introduction
Wednesday, February 3-	Ch. 20:  State Building and Society in Early Modern Europe, I
	Homework Due:  Bossuet, "Political Treatise" (on Blackboard)
Monday, February 8-	Ch. 20:  State Building and Society in Early Modern Europe, II
	Homework Due:  "English Bill of Rights" (on Blackboard)
Wednesday, February 10-	Ch. 22:  The Age of European Enlightenment, I
Monday, February 15-	PRESIDENTS' DAY - COLLEGE IS CLOSED
Wednesday, February 17-	First Paper Due:  “Did the Industrial Revolution Lead to a Sexual
	Revolution?” Mitchell, pp. 2-19.
Thursday, February 18-	CLASSES FOLLOW A MONDAY SCHEDULE - WE MEET TODAY
	Ch. 22:  The Age of European Enlightenment, II
Monday, February 22-	Ch. 23:  Revolutions in the Transatlantic World, I
Wednesday, February 24-	Ch. 23:  Revolutions in the Transatlantic World, II
	Homework Due:  Revolutionary France and America (on Blackboard)
Monday, March 1-	Ch. 23:  Revolutions in the Transatlantic World, III
Wednesday, March 3-	Second Paper Due:  “Was the French Revolution Worth Its Human Costs?”
	***(Read pp. 20-28 for the YES side by Peter Kropotkin in the Mitchell book.  I will provide the NO side by Simon Schama or it will be available on the library's ereserve website.  Do not use the NO side from the Mitchell book.
Monday, March 8-	Ch. 24:  Political Consolidation in Nineteenth-Century Europe &
	North America, 1815-1880, I
Wednesday, March 10-	Ch. 24:  Political Consolidation in Nineteenth-Century Europe &
	North America, 1815-1880, II
Monday, March 15-	Ch. 25:  Northern Transatlantic Economy and Society, 1815-1914, I
Wednesday, March 17	IN CLASS REVIEW
Monday, March 22-	MID TERM EXAM
Wednesday, March 24-	Ch. 25:  Northern Transatlantic Economy and Society, 1815-1914, II
Monday, March 29-	SPRING RECESS
Wednesday, March 31-	SPRING RECESS
Monday, April 5-	SPRING RECESS
Wednesday, April 7-	Ch. 26:  Latin America from Independence to the 1940s
Monday, April 12-	Ch. 28:  Modern East Asia
Wednesday, April 14-	Ch. 29:  Imperialism and World War One, I
	Homework Due:  Jules Ferry on French Imperialism (on Blackboard)
Monday, April 19-	Ch. 29:  Imperialism and World War One, II
Wednesday, April 21-	Third Paper Due:  “Were German Military and Diplomacy Responsible for
	World War I?”  Mitchell, pp. 124-144.
Monday April 26-	Ch. 30:  Depression, European Dictators, and the American New Deal, I
Wednesday, April 28	Ch. 30:  Depression, European Dictators, and the American New Deal, II
	Homework Due:  Benito Mussolini, "What is Fascism?"
Monday, May 3-	Ch. 30:  Depression, European Dictators, and the American New Deal, III
	Homework Due:  Roosevelt, "Fireside Chat"
Wednesday, May 5-	Ch. 31:  World War Two
Monday, May 10-	Ch. 32:  The West Since 1945
Wednesday, May 12-	Ch. 33-34:  East Asia, Africa, and the Middle East
Monday, May 17-	LAST DAY - In Class Review

 

Sample Writing Assignment:  Note, this is only an example of how to organize your work.  Your essays will be a full 3-4 pages.

 

[YOUR NAME]

HIS 1003 MW54           

Assign #2

Topic:  Were the Witch-Hunts in Premodern Europe Misogynistic?

 

 

            Most of the witch-hunts that took place in Europe during the sixteenth and the seventeenth centuries primarily targeted women.  The issue being debated upon by Anne Barstow and Robin Briggs is whether or not gender was the key factor for this phenomenon.  According to Barstow, gender was the main reason why women were targeted, accused, and convicted of witchcraft.  On the other hand, Briggs believes that while gender played a role in it, it was only part of a system in which many other forces and factors should be considered.

            From Barstow’s point of view, the view about gender being the main factor in witchcraft accusations can be proven through several ways.  The first is simply through the numbers, which show that most of the victims of these accusations were women by an overwhelming majority overall (80-85%).  She argues that the remainder who were men were accused in many cases because they were related to women convicted of witchcraft.  Also, Barstow looks at the fact that although men were far more likely to commit crimes, the chief criminal stereotypes of witches were females.  Barstow describes the typical accused female witch as being poor, old, and single.  According to her, “the old woman was the ideal scapegoat:  too expendable to be missed, too weak to fight, too poor to matter.” (206)

            On the other hand, while Briggs agrees that gender played a role in the witchcraft craze, it was only a part of a larger system in which many forces were at play.  He argues that witchcraft was first and foremost a battle between the rich and the poor (and not male vs. female), and it’s mostly because of the patriarchal system that was in place in Church-dominated Premodern Europe that women, along with the poor, were more likely to be the accused. It is not easy for us to see it that way, he argues, because during these modern times gender has become an issue, while during those times it was merely in a bundle of shared assumptions.  He adds that social and gender hierarchies were naturally interlinked in those days.

            I agree with Barstow in her view that witch-hunts in Europe at the time were misogynistic. Briggs brings up an excellent argument when he says that women were more likely to be accused of witchcraft as they occupied a lower social place along with the poor, but why even amongst the poor it was still mostly women who were accused?  Old women were certainly targeted because of their low social standing and inability to defend themselves from their accusers adequately.  Misogyny has long been an issue in societies all over the world, and the witch-hunting craze of the 1600s is yet another example of how the victimization of women passed on from one century to the next.

 

PREP SHEETS FOR THE ESSAYS

 

The Modern World, First Paper: "Did the Industrial Revolution Lead to a Sexual Revolution?"

 

Reading:  Mitchell, Taking Sides, pp. 2-19

 

This assignment requires you to analyze a debate in world history.  In this paper you will determine whether the Industrial Revolution led to a sexual revolution.  Specifically, did the jump in illegitimate births during the Industrial Revolution mean women were expressing a more modern, liberated social and sexual identity, or did women continue in the same traditional mindset as before, but their environment became less stable, and this led to the jump in illegitimacy?

 

You are required to identify the debate in the introduction of your paper, lay out the evidence used by both sides to make their case, and then conclude with why one side is more convincing, and why the other side fails to convince you.  You may also determine that you like, or dislike, both.  In any case, make sure you provide a critical opinion on both sides, and not simply a summary.

 

For this assignment, here are the issues you must grapple with when writing your analysis of this debate and preparing for class discussion:

 

• What does Shorter specifically point to as proof that women had become more liberated?
• What type of evidence does he use?  How objective is it?
• How do Tilly, Scott and Cohen dismantle Shorter’s argument?  What evidence do they use?  How objective is it?  What alternatives do they offer for the rise in illegitimacy?
• Do the dates of publication, or the gender of the authors, in any way influence their conclusions?
• Is there any modern relevance to this debate?

 

Your papers will be in formal essay format.  Papers will be a maximum of 3-4 pages, double-spaced, typed, stapled, with 1-1.25 inch margins, using a Times New Roman, 12 point font.

 

You are encouraged to refer to the sample writing assignment in the syllabus as an example of what format to follow, and how to lay out your paper.

 

Finally, you are strongly encouraged to thoroughly read over your papers, and use the Writing Center if you need to.  Poor grammar, awkward phrases, and sloppy organization are generally the reasons for poor grades on these writing assignments.

 

 

Modern World History Second Paper:  "Was the French Revolution Worth Its Human Costs?"

 

Reading:  Mitchell, Taking Sides, "Yes" side [Kropotkin], pp. 20-28; and "No" side [Schama] on Blackboard.

 

This assignment requires you to analyze a debate in modern history.  In this paper you will determine whether the French Revolution was worth the deaths that resulted from the revolution itself, as well as the wars that followed. 

 

You are required to identify the debate in the introduction of your paper, lay out the evidence used by both sides to make their case, and then conclude with why one side is more convincing, and why the other side fails to convince you.  You may also determine that you like, or dislike, both.  In any case, make sure you provide a critical opinion on both sides, and not simply a summary.

 

For this assignment, here are the issues you must grapple with when writing your analysis of this debate and preparing for class discussion:

• What does Kropotkin specifically point to as proof that important changes took place because of the revolution?
• What does Schama point to as proof that not much changed, and some things actually got worse, because of the revolution?
• What are the dates of publication for Kropotkin and Schama?  How do these influence their conclusions?
• What can you determine of each authors’ political views?  How do these influence their conclusions?

 

Your papers will be in formal essay format.  Papers will be a maximum of 3-4 pages, double-spaced, typed, stapled, with 1-1.25 inch margins, using a Times New Roman, 12 point font.

 

You are encouraged to refer to the sample writing assignment in the syllabus as an example of what format to follow, and how to lay out your paper.

 

Finally, you are strongly encouraged to thoroughly read over your papers, and use the Writing Center if you need to.  Poor grammar, awkward phrases, and sloppy organization are generally the reasons for poor grades on these writing assignments.

 

 

Modern World History Third Paper:  "Were German Militarism and Diplomacy Responsible for World War I?"

 

Readings:  Mitchell, pp. 124-144

 

Like the first two papers, this assignment requires you to analyze a debate in world history.  In this case you must determine if the German nation was primarily responsible for the outbreak of World War I. 

 

Again, you are required to identify the debate in the introduction of your paper, lay out the evidence used by both sides to make their case, and then conclude with why one side is more convincing, and why the other side fails to convince you.  You may also determine that you like, or dislike, both.  In any case, make sure you provide a critical opinion on both sides, and not simply a summary.

 

Here are a few issues you should keep in mind while reading the essays by Berghahn (Yes side) and Williamson (No side).  Be prepared to discuss these issues, and the evidence of each side, in class on the day the paper is due.

 

• Why did Germany want war, and why was Germany most responsible for it, according to Berghahn?
• What are the responsibilities of the other nations, according to Williamson?
• Does Williamson feel any of these nations bear a greater burden than the others?
• Is it reasonable to argue that only one nation was responsible for World War I?
• Is it reasonable to argue that everybody shared equally in the lead up to the war?
• Why is this debate important today?

 

Your papers will be in formal essay format.  Papers will be a maximum of 3-4 pages, double-spaced, typed, stapled, with 1-1.25 inch margins, using a Times New Roman, 12 point font.

 

You are encouraged to refer to the sample writing assignment in the syllabus as an example of what format to follow, and how to lay out your paper.

 

Finally, you are strongly encouraged to thoroughly read over your papers, and use the Writing Center if you need to.  Poor grammar, awkward phrases, and sloppy organization are generally the reasons for poor grades on these writing assignments.