HIS 202 - History of the British People to the Restoration
COURSE DESCRIPTION AND OBJECTIVES:
This course covers from the Roman period to the Stuart period. It is a general survey of the various epoch and phases of the English people at home and abroad. It can serve as both a general introduction to the study of history and a specific introduction to the study of English history in the modern period. Students are encouraged not just to :learn the facts," but to consider all sources and make up their own minds. In other words, think for themselves.
The objectives of this course are to:
- To teach each student the background to the formation of the English nation and the evolution of its government.
- Each student should develop an appreciation for and be able to identify several examples of their cultural, social, political, religious, and economic heritage through a study of developments in these areas.
- To aid each student in evaluating the events England has participated in during its history.
- Each student should be able to analyze both domestic and foreign policy during the period of study.
- To encourage the student to read and study sources other than just class notes and the assigned texts.
- To teach place location for Great Britain and its commonwealth.
Its purpose is also to teach you critical thinking, reading with comprehension, and the arts of skillful research, organization, and assimilation of facts. But its ultimate goal is even more than that. History teaches you thinking skills which will be valuable later in life. When you learn to read history, how to research the past, and how to write a summary of your findings, you are mastering career skills as surely as if you were taking a course in real-estate law or restaurant management. The ability to see the present in relationship to the past is a skill needed not only by academic and public historians, archivists, historical novelists, and documentary producers; it is an essential preparation for almost any career. Understanding the past can be its own reward, but it pays off in other ways as well. In fact, people who think that history is irrelevant run the risk of history making that judgment of them. The ultimate purpose of any good history course is to teach you how to think. I will not simply summarize the book but will supplement it with a slightly different view. It is up to you to do the reading, thinking, and understanding. I will not do your thinking for you! I will not give you a list of things to memorize for the test!
COURSE OUTLINE:
This course uses a cross disciplinary approach pairing this course with ENG 222. Through this type of approach common themes can be stressed. (See chart below for these common themes). The student, on completion of this pair of courses, will have a deeper understanding and appreciation of our American heritage and literature, as well as a better understanding of how that literature and history relate to each other.
English Literature (ENG 221) and English History (HIS 202)
A-- Common Themes:
- The Emergence of the English Nation.
- This unit will focus on the shaping of the English national identity, from early Anglosaxon days to the Norman invasion and its aftermath. It will examine the different classes and estates forming the nation, the role of the Church, and of the monarchy, and the various tensions among them.
- The English Renaissance.
- Here England is examined during the strong Tudor monarchies when it is increasingly influenced by the continent: its philosophies, religions, literature, and art.
- The English Commonwealth
- England is examined during a period of strife here as King and Commons strive for supremacy and religions openly clash with one another.
B -- Themes as they relate to ENG 221:
- The Emergence of the English Nation. After a look at ancient England, the Roman period will be explored. This leads into the Anglo-Saxon Conquest and England's conversion to Christianity and the development of a degree of unity in the realm. The Norman Conquest and its aftermath takes the course into the conflicts and monarchies of Medieval England. England's growth, wars, and expansion will be emphasized. Special attention will be given to internal conflicts and discontentment which led to the development of early ideas on limited government, representative government, and the emergence of a uniquely English society and government: This section will cover the emergence of Modern England from the Anglo-Saxon period to the Norman French blending. It will examine the shaping of different classes and estates, looking at the tensions arising between the them, King, nobles, commons, and Church, listening to the distinctive English voice being formed.
- Suggested writers: Beowulf, Piers the Plowman, Chaucer, Malory.
- The English Renaissance: This period cover the strong monarchies and the beginnings of the commonwealth. The English voice has become more cosmopolitan as it interacts more with the continent and as, in literature at least, the Renaissance arrives.
- Suggested writers: Shakespeare, Marlowe, Spenser, Jonson, Webster, Sydney, Wyatt, Raleigh, Drayton
- England in Revolution and Change. This period brings about the demise of the Tudor state. The new Stuart Monarchs are unable to peacefully settle the open religious conflict and a civil war results in a brief abolition of the monarchy and a creation of a commonwealth. The English soon grow tried of the puritanical suppression of English customs, values, and traditions, and welcome back the restoration of the monarchy in 1660. but they reject a tyrannical king and the Glorious Revolution ensues: This period is one full of strife, subtle and open, between religion, between the classes, and between King and Commons. The English voice is at times full of wit, at other times full of passion.
- Suggested writers: Donne, Herbert, Marvel, Herrick, Crashaw, King, Milton
SAMPLE WRITING ASSIGNMENT:
Option One: Each student will be required to read one book of at least 200 pages on a subject pertaining to English History from 1660 to the present. The following instructions must be followed: The review must be at least five pages and no more than six pages. It must be typewritten, and double-spaced with one-inch margins on all sides. Quotes must be no more than three lines and must be reproduced exactly. Quotes and significant ideas you borrow must attributed to their pages. use Benjamin, A Student's Guide to History as your general model. Include this outline in the text of your review. 1. Purpose of the author (thesis) 2. Summary of Content. 3. Types of sources used by the author. 4. Writing style of author. 5. Did the author prove their thesis? 6. Author's conclusion. 7. Your conclusion and an evaluation of how this book helped you to better understand the subject.OR
Option Two: Read a novel by a great English author of at least 200 pages. The author must have lived and wrote during our period of study. In 203 the author must have lived and flourished from 1660 to the present. If the author is mentioned in the texts, they will be acceptable. Several acceptable authors are mentioned earlier in this syllabus. If you have any doubts, check with me. If a novel is chosen, the following points should be covered and in this order. Rules regarding length, etc. are the same as option one. 1. Several paragraphs about the life of the author. Also tell why this author should be considered a great English author. 2. Summary of the story told in the book. 3. At least two or three short quotations which illustrate the writing style of the author. 4. A good analysis on how you benefited from reading the book.
The final grade for your review (both options) will also depend upon
- direct response to the assignment,
- content (ideas and specific illustrating details) and understanding of subject material,
- understanding of concepts,
- clarity of expression and clear organization of thoughts,
- powers of analysis,
- did the paper reflect your personality or does it read like it was copied from a book?
- use of correct grammar, spelling, and syntax, and
- documentation (giving the page numbers from when excerpts from the book are used.
Proofread your work as errors will count against you. Have someone else read your paper. Minor corrections may be made on the final copy if done neatly in black ink.