History 3230
Extended Syllabus
(Early Modern European Civilization)
UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY
Dr. Robert J. Mueller
Spring Semester 2014
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
SECTION A: General Course Information 1. Required Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
2. Course Content & Outcomes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
3. Method of Instruction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
4. Discussion Grade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
5. Quizzes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-5
6. Writing Assignments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6
7. Grade Breakdown . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
8. Office Hours . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
9. Academic Dishonesty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
10. Sexual Harassment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
11. Students with Disabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
12. Lectures and Reading Assignments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-10
SECTION B: Advice for Writing 1. The Essay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-16
2. Mueller’s Pet Peeves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
3. Proper Footnoting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-19
4. Plagiarism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
SECTION C: Unit Outlines and Word Lists
Weeks 1 to 15 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22-35
SECTION D: Map Section 1. Suggestions for Map Identifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
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History 3230 Extended Syllabus
Section A
General Course Information
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UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY
HISTORY 3230: Early Modern Europe Spring Semester 2014 Tuesdays & Thursdays, 1:30-2:45PM
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 appointment.
E-MAIL ADDRESS: [email protected]
1. REQUIRED READING: Jonathan Zophy, A Short History of Reformation Europe: Dances over Fire and Water
(Prentice Hall, 1997). [ISBN 0-13-181561X]
Robert J. Mueller, ed., The History 3220 Reader
(Found in Canvas under “Course Materials”)
2. COURSE CONTENT & OUTCOMES: History 3230 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 death of Louis XIV in 1715. 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. From this medieval
starting point we will examine the religious controversies which sparked the Protestant Reformation and
the Wars of Religion. Intertwined with this religious history will also be political developments,
especially the development of constitutionalism in England and absolutist theory in France. Finally we
will look at social and intellectual changes brought on by the Scientific Revolution. 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 four main outcomes by the time you finish this course:
1) You will become a stronger writer. I do not use midterms and finals to test how well you
understand the lectures and readings. Instead I ask you to write a series of four term papers and take short
quizzes. In Section B of this syllabus there is a detailed discussion about writing strong papers.
2) You will become a more critical thinker. The papers and terminology quizzes require you to use
and develop the skill of analysis. Analysis is the ability to reach into a mass of material and pull out only
what is relevant for a certain project or assignment. You will learn to have informed opinions backed up
by evidence.
3) You will understand important facts about early modern European religion, government and
society. In the area of religion you will learn why many Protestant sects split off from the Roman
Catholic religion in the sixteenth century, why Protestants and Catholics fought religious wars against
each other, and why religious toleration eventually began. In terms of government you will understand
how both constitutional and absolute monarchies arose, and how Parliament in England rose to power.
4) You will understand how societies change over time. In 1500 Europe had one religious faith and
all countries were ruled by a centralized monarchy. By 1700, however, there were many Christian
faiths and several countries which had representative institutions helping the king govern. You will
learn to see the “stepping stones” of change.
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3. METHOD OF INSTRUCTION: This course is a mixture of lecture and discussion. It is vitally important that you have the
reading material assigned for the week done by our Tuesday class meeting. Always bring your course
books to class, especially the History 3230 Reader (found on Canvas under “Course Materials”),
because I will lead a discussion of certain primary source documents during each lecture. These
discussions are important to your understanding of the class and its objectives. Please bring questions
to these discussions. I want to hear your opinion on the topics we discuss. These discussions help us
get into the minds of early modern Europeans.
Remember that this is a distance education 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 until 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, and
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.
This is also a writing-intensive class; you will have to demonstrate the analytical skills you
practice in the discussions on your writing assignments.
4. DISCUSSION GRADE:
Fifteen percent (15%) of your grade (150 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 primary sources we read. 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 and a half (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 those in the History 3230 Reader.
5. QUIZZES: There are six quizzes worth a total of 250 points (or 25% of your total grade): two map quizzes
and four terminology quizzes. The purpose of the quizzes is to see how well you are studying the
course materials. . I expect you to rely on your memory alone when taking these quizzes. 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 may fail the course.
The two map quizzes will be given in class. For each quiz I will give you a blank map of
Europe and the Mediterranean Sea) and ask you to find ten locations on the list located at the end of
this syllabus. Why do I do this? It is because maps are crucial to understanding the history of Europe. 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
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know 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 syllabus. Check the “Grade Breakdown” section of this syllabus for the
dates of the map quizzes.
The four (4) 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 one or two day period,
but you only can take the 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 four (4) term papers required for this course. Each of the papers will be worth 150
points (15% 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 “Proper Footnoting” on pages 18-19 of this syllabus for more
information.
Make sure your papers are typed, double-spaced, have page numbers, and have 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 with a file suffix of “.doc” or “.docx” which are those 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. Also, you may want to consult
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“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 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 and the documents from the History 3230 Reader 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: Please write an essay which answers the following questions. What
problems in the Catholic Church were reformers like Erasmus and Martin Luther responding to with
their writings? What were the main points of Martin Luther’s religious message? Why was it
considered to be so radical? How did his religious message change everyday life for Germans? Please
make use of appropriate documents from the first four weeks of the History 3230 Reader as evidence
for this essay.
DUE DATE: Saturday, February 08 by midnight (submitted in Canvas).
TOPIC for PAPER #2: Martin Luther’s teachings were very successful inside the
German-speaking lands of the Holy Roman Empire. Outside of this region, however, not everyone
agreed with his ideas. How did the ideas of Ulrich Zwingli in Zurich, John Calvin in Geneva and the
monarchs in England differ from Luther? Please make use mainly of documents from the weeks five
through seven readings in the History 3230 Reader as evidence for this essay.
DUE DATE: Saturday, March 01 by midnight (submitted in Canvas).
TOPIC for PAPER #3: The sixteenth and seventeenth centuries were a time of changes. What
were the most important religious changes which the Catholic Church made in response to the
Protestant Reformation? How did the Scientific Revolution and the witchcraft trials change the way
people thought during this period? How might the Scientific Revolution have had an impact on ending
the witch-hunts in Europe? Please make use mainly of documents from the weeks eight through ten
readings in the History 3230 Reader as evidence for this essay.
DUE DATE: Saturday, April 05 by midnight (submitted in Canvas).
TOPIC for PAPER #4: Why did Parliament come to rule in England by the end of the
seventeenth century? Why did England stay a Protestant nation with a Protestant national Church?
Why didn’t France become a constitutional monarchy? Please make use mainly of documents from the
weeks eleven through fifteen readings in the History 3230 Reader as evidence for this essay.
DUE DATE: Saturday, April 26 by midnight (submitted in Canvas).
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7. GRADE BREAKDOWN: Discussion 150 pts Map Quiz #1 25 pts January 30 (in class)
Map Quiz #2 25 pts April 17 (in class)
Terminology Quiz #1 50 pts Take on Canvas on January 23 or 24 (Weeks 1-3)
Terminology Quiz #2 50 pts Take on Canvas on February 20 or 21 (Weeks 4-7)
Terminology Quiz #3 50 pts Take on Canvas on March 27 or 28 (Weeks 8-11)
Terminology Quiz #4 50 pts Take on Canvas on April 24 or 25 (Weeks 12-15)
Paper #1 150 pts Saturday, February 08 by midnight (submitted on Canvas)
Paper #2 150 pts Saturday, March 01 by midnight (submitted on Canvas)
Paper #3 150 pts Saturday, April 05 by midnight (submitted on Canvas)
Paper #4 150 pts Saturday, April 26 by midnight (submitted on Canvas)
Your scores for the four papers and the final course grade will be calculated based as follows:
Paper Scores Course Grade A+ 146-150 none
A 140-145 930-1000 pts
A- 135-139 900-929
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B+ 130-134 870-899
B 125-129 830-869
B- 120-124 800-829
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
C+ 116-119 770-799
C 110-115 730-769
C- 105-109 700-729
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
D+ 101-104 670-699
D 095-100 630-669
D- 090-094 none
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
F 000-089 000-629
8. OFFICE HOURS: The purpose of office hours is to provide you with the time to meet with or call me to discuss
any aspect of the course, whether it be advice on the papers or quizzes or questions about the readings
or my lectures. Please take advantage of my office hours by calling me, writing me by e-mail or
showing up in person. I work for you. And remember, you can always send me e-mails at any time
with your questions or comments. I can give you a quick response this way.
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 four papers. If you are caught cheating on a quiz or turning in
work which is not your own, you may fail the course. You may also be reported to the Judicial Officer
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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 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 meets. I will plan discussions based on this material.
WEEK ONE:
Jan 07 & 09 Introduction & Criticisms of the Roman Catholic Church – Part I
Reading: Zophy, Chapters 1; History 3230 Reader, Week 1.
WEEK TWO:
Jan 14 & 16 Criticisms of the Roman Catholic Church – Part II
Reading: Zophy, Chapters 2-3; History 3230 Reader, Week 2.
WEEK THREE:
Jan 21 Martin Luther King Holiday – no class (Monday Schedule)
Jan 23 Martin Luther’s Revolution
Reading: Zophy, Chapters 4-5; History 3230 Reader, Week 3.
TERMINOLOGY QUIZ #1 on January 23 or 24 (On Weeks 1 - 3 terms)
WEEK FOUR:
Jan 28 & 30 The Impact of Luther’s Revolution
Reading: Zophy, Chapter 6; History 3230 Reader, Week 4.
MAP QUIZ #1 in class on Thursday, January 30.
WEEK FIVE:
Feb 04 & 06 Ulrich Zwingli and John Calvin
Reading: Zophy, Chapters 7 & 8; History 3230 Reader, Week 5.
PAPER #1 DUE Saturday, February 8 by midnight (submitted in Canvas).
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WEEK SIX:
Feb 11 & 13 The English Reformation -- Part I: Henry VIII
Reading: Zophy, Chapter 9; History 3230 Reader, Week 6.
WEEK SEVEN:
Feb 18 PRESIDENT’S DAY HOLIDAY: No Class (Monday Schedule)
Feb 20 The English Reformation – Part II: Edward VI & Mary
Reading: Zophy, Chapter 11; History 3230 Reader, Week 7.
TERMINOLOGY QUIZ #2 on February 20 or 21 (On Weeks 4 - 7 terms)
WEEK EIGHT:
Feb 25 & 27 The Catholic or Counter-Reformation
Reading: History 3230 Reader, Week 8
PAPER #2 DUE Saturday, March 01 by midnight (submitted in Canvas).
WEEK NINE:
Mar 04 & 06 The Scientific Revolution
Reading: History 3230 Reader, Week 9.
SPRING BREAK: Week of March 10-14 - No classes.
WEEK TEN:
Mar 18 & 20 European Witchcraft Trials
Reading: History 3230 Reader, Wk 10.
WEEK ELEVEN:
Mar 25 & 27 The Hapsburgs & the Dutch Revolt
Reading: Zophy, Chapter 12; History 3230 Reader, Week 11.
TERMINOLOGY QUIZ #3 on March 27 or 28 (On Weeks 08 - 11 terms)
WEEK TWELVE: Apr 01 & 03 Elizabeth I and the Puritans
Reading: Zophy, Chapter 10; History 3230 Reader, Week 12.
PAPER #3 DUE Saturday, April 05 by midnight (submitted in Canvas).
WEEK THIRTEEN: Apr 08 & 10 Absolutism in France
Reading: History 3230 Reader, Week 13.
WEEK FOURTEEN: Apr 15 & 17 Constitutionalism in England: Part I (James I to the English Civil War)
Reading: History 3230 Reader, Week 14.
MAP QUIZ #2 in class on Thursday, April 17.
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WEEK FIFTEEN: Apr 22 & 24 Constitutionalism in England: Part II (Civil War to Glorious Revolution)
Reading: History 3230 Reader, Week 15.
PAPER #4 DUE Saturday, April 26 by midnight (submitted in Canvas).
TERMINOLOGY QUIZ #4 on April 24 or 25 (On Weeks 12 - 15 terms)
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History 3230 Extended Syllabus
Section B
Advice for Writing
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Advice for Writing Good Papers
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
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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 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
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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.
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.
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.
15
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
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.
16
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 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 a 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 over one line in length.
12) Never, ever quote from a 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.
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. You
do not need to include these kinds of footnotes in your 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 (putting 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 a single author)
Full citation: Jonathan W. Zophy, A Short History of Reformation Europe: Dances over Fire and Water (Upper
Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 1997), 19.
Short citation: Zophy, 19.
19
EXAMPLE #2: (for a document by a known author in a document reader)
Full citation:
Erasmus of Rotterdam, “The Praise of Folly”, in Robert J. Mueller, ed., The History 3230 Reader
(Logan, Utah: Utah State University, 2014), 15.
Short citation: Mueller, 15.
[Nota bene: Each time you make use of a new document from the reader, you need to give a full citation.
After that you can give the short citation whenever you reference that document.]
EXAMPLE #3: (for an anonymous document in a document reader)
Full citation:
“A Lutheran Church in Practice,” in Robert J. Mueller, ed., The History 3230 Reader (Logan, Utah: Utah
State University, 2014), 31.
Short citation: Mueller, 31.
[Nota bene: Each time you make use of a new document from the reader, you need to give a full citation.
After that you can give the short citation whenever you reference that document.]
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 3230 Extended Syllabus
Section C
Unit Outlines and Word Lists
22
Weeks #1 &2
Criticisms of the Church
I. The Structure of the Church
II. Criticisms of the Institutional Church
A. The Black Death
B. The Avignon Papacy
C. Lay Piety and Mysticism
1. Catherine of Siena
D. The Great Schism
E. The Renaissance Popes
III. Erasmus & Christian Humanism
soteriology
sacraments
secular clergy
regular clergy
simony
canon law
dispensations
indulgences
Purgatory
lay piety movements
Beguines
mysticism
Council of Constance
excommunication
HRE Sigismund
Pope Martin V
papal bull
Pope Pius II
The Tale of Two Lovers
Pope Alexander VI
Vanozza Catanei
Cesare Borgia
nepotism
The Adages
23
Week #3
Martin Luther’s Reformation
I. The Lutheran Reformation
A. The Problem of Indulgences
II. Martin Luther
III. Luther's Theology
A. sola fides and sola scriptura
B. Address to the Christian Nobility of
the German Nation
C. Frederick the Wise
Wittenberg
Ninety-Five Theses
plenary indulgence
Johann Tetzel
Archbishop of Mainz
Fugger bank
justification
Cardinal Cajetan “priesthood of all believers”
diet
Diet of Worms
HRE Charles V
Wartburg Castle
Junker Jorg
iconoclasm
Andreas Carlstadt
popery
24
Week #4
Impact of Luther
I. Definition of Terms
II. Supervision of the Lutheran Church
III. Church Organization and Government
IV. The Reformation in the Cities
V. The Place of Women
Protestant
Diet of Speyer
evangelical
German Peasants’ War
liturgy
Deutsche Messe
Edict of Worms
Schmalkaldic League
Preacher
religious houses
monks/nuns
Philip Melanchthon
Katharine von Bora
Katharine Zell
25
Week #5
Zwingli and Calvin
I. Ulrich Zwingli and Zwinglianism
II. Protestant Disagreements and Disunity
A. The Eucharist
III. John Calvin
IV. The Institutes of the Christian Religion
V. Calvin's Geneva
VI. Impact of Calvinism
magisterial reformers
Swiss
Confederation/canton
Zurich
transubstantiation
consubstantiation
double predestination
“the elect”/election
reprobate
evidences
William Farel
pastors
doctors
elders
deacons
Consistory
Michael Servetus
Huguenots
26
Week #6
The English Reformation – Part I
I. Henry VIII (1509-1547)
A. The King’s Great Matter
B. Reformation Parliament
1. Act of Appeals (1533)
2. Act of Supremacy (1534)
C. Dissolution of the Monasteries
Catherine of Aragon
Anne Boleyn
Annulment
House of Commons
House of Lords
statute
King-in-Parliament
Thomas Cromwell
Supreme Head
visitation
Smithfield martyrs
27
Week #7
The English Reformation – Part II
I. Edward VI (1547-1553)
A. Thomas Cranmer
1. Book of Common Prayer
III. Mary (1553-1558)
A. Repeal of statutes
B. Burning of martyrs
doctrine & liturgy
communion tables
John Dudley, Duke of
Northumberland
Philip II of Spain
recantation
auto de fé
Bloody Mary
Bishops Latimer & Ridley
Calais
28
Week #8
The Catholic or Counter Reformation
I. The Catholic Reformation
II. Reform in the Religious Orders
A. The Observance Movement
B. Capuchins
C. Society of Jesus (Jesuits)
III. The Council of Trent
Anti-Christ
non-residents
Observant
Bernardino Ochino
Ignatius of Loyola
Spiritual Exercises
Cardinal Contarini
Pope Paul III
The New Piety
St. Teresa of Avila
mysticism
29
Week #9 The Scientific Revolution
I. Medieval View of Nature and the Universe
A. Ptolemy -- Cosmology
B. Aristotle -- Physics & Mechanics
II. The Copernican Revolution
A. Nicholas Copernicus
B. Galileo Galilei
C. Johannes Kepler
D. Sir Isaac Newton
E. Sir Francis Bacon
Almagest
geocentric model
crystalline spheres
The Great Philosopher
four elements (essences)
mutable/immutable
quintessence
retrograde motion
epicycle
perspective
Leonardo da Vinci
heliocentric model
empirical evidence
Tycho Brahe
laws of planetary motion
Principia
laws of universal
gravitation
scientific method
hypothesis
induction
Watchmaker God
deism
30
Week 10
European Witchcraft Trials
To Be Announced
31
Week #11
The Habsburgs & the Dutch Revolt
I. The Election of Charles V
II. The Problems of Empire
III. The Dutch Revolt
A. Geography & Political Organization
of the Netherlands
B. Philip II of Spain
C. William the Silent
Charles & Ferdinand
archduke
Flanders
Spanish Netherlands
Antwerp
Amsterdam
florin
Jakob Fugger
Ottoman Turks
Suleiman the Magnificent
Bohemia
Schmalkaldic League
Peace of Augsburg (1555)
liberties
Escorial
States General
House of Orange
Holland The Peace of Religion (1578)
Dutch Republic
Twelve Years Truce
32
Week #12
Queen Elizabeth and the Puritans
I. The Image of the Queen
II. Elizabethan Settlement of Religion (1559)
III. Puritans and Parliaments
IV. The Spanish Armada
VI. Assessment
William, Lord Burghley
Marian Exiles
moderate Puritans
Edmund Grindal
prophesyings
Peter Wentworth
Cope’s Bill and Book
Sir Philip Sidney
Penshurst
Count of Medina Sidonia
Sir Francis Drake
Cadiz
deep water port
Duke of Parma
fireships
Protestant Wind
Elizabethan Renaissance
William Shakespeare
Christopher Marlowe
Edmund Spencer
33
Week #13
Absolutism in France
I. Social Order in France in 17th Century
II. The Theory of Absolutism
A. Impediments to absolutist rule
III. The Road to Absolutism
A. Henry IV
B. Louis XIII & Cardinal Richilieu
C. Louis XIV
IV. Louis XIV's Absolutism
estates
Estates-General
nobles of the sword
nobles of the robe
taille (land tax)
gabelle (salt tax)
duelling
sovereign
La Rochelle
parlements
edict
Marie de Medici
Armand du Plessis
intendant
Cardinal Mazarin
The Fronde
The Sun King
Edict of Fountainbleu
lit de justice
lettres de cachet
William of Orange
Triple Alliance
balance of power
John Churchill, Duke of
Marlborough
Battle of Blenheim
34
Week #14
Constitutionalism in England: Part I
I. James I (1603-1625)
II. Gunpowder Plot
III. George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham
IV. Charles I (1625-1649)
V. The Personal Rule (1630-1641)
VI. The English Civil War (1642-1649)
Guy Fawkes
Henrietta Maria
tunnage & poundage
Arminianism
Archbishop William Laud
crypto-Catholicism
ship money
The Grand Remonstrance
Arrest of Five Members
cavaliers
roundheads
Oliver Cromwell
New Model Army
Battle of Naseby
commonwealth
regicide
interregnum
35
Week #15
Constitutionalism in England -- Part II
I. Charles II (1660-1685)
II. The Popish Plot & Exclusion Crisis
III. James II (1685-1688)
IV. The Glorious Revolution
V. William and Mary
Restoration
Great Plague (1665)
Great Fire of London Sir Edmund Bury Godfrey
James, Duke of York
John Locke
Two Treatises on
Government
suspending power
Test Act
dispensing power
Declaration of Indulgence
“warming pan baby”
Bill of Rights
Triennial Act
prime minister
36
History 3230 Extended Syllabus
Section D
Map Section
37
SUGGESTIONS FOR MAP IDENTIFICATIONS FOR HISTORY 3230
SEAS
Adriatic Sea
Aegean Sea
Baltic Sea
Bay of Biscay
Black Sea
Caspian Sea
English Channel
Irish Sea
Mediterranean Sea
North Sea
Tyrrhenian Sea
ISLANDS
Corsica
Crete
Cyprus
Sardinia
Sicily
POLITICAL UNITS
Denmark
Egypt
England
Finland
France
Greece
Holy Roman Empire
Ireland
Italy
Netherlands
Ottoman Empire
Portugal
Russia
Scotland
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
CITIES
Amsterdam
Antwerp
Athens
Cadiz
Constantinople (Istanbul)
Dover
Florence
Jerusalem
La Rochelle
London
Madrid
Moscow
Paris
Rome
Venice
Vienna
Wittenberg
RIVERS
Danube River
Elbe River
Nile River
Oder River
Po River
Rhine River
Seine River
Thames River
MOUNTAINS
Alps Mtns.
Balkan Mtns.
Caucasus Mtns.
Pyrenees Mtns.
Taurus Mtns
SPECIAL REGIONS
Bohemia
The Balkans
Flanders
The Palatinate
Saxony