Monday, February 06, 2012

Syllabus for European History 1789-1945

History of Europe 1789-1945

HIST 304

Spring 2012

Department of History

University of Ghana

J. Otto Pohl, Ph.D.

Meeting Time: 7:30-9:30 am Monday in Stat 200

Course Description: This course is a survey course covering the political, economic, and social history of Europe from the French Revolution until the end of World War II. It will focus primarily on the ‘Long 19th Century’ from 1789 until 1914. The course will concentrate on large European states such as Great Britain, France, Prussia, Austria, and the Russian Empire. But, it will also cover some events in smaller states such as the unification of Italy and the Balkan Wars. Major themes and events the course will cover are the Napoleonic Wars, industrialization, the rise of Germany, the development of democratic and socialist movements, the triumph of nationalism as the primary source of popular legitimacy for European states, World War One, the success of totalitarian movements in the 1920s and 30s, and World War Two.

Requirements: Students need to attend class regularly and do the assigned readings. Material from both the readings and the lectures will appear on the final exam. No mobile phones are to be visible during class. They are to be out of sight and turned off. Finally, I have a significant hearing loss and may have to ask people to repeat their questions or statements from time to time. You can minimize this by speaking loudly and clearly. This syllabus is tentative and subject to change.

Readings: The text for this class is David Thomson, Europe Since Napoleon, Second Edition, Revised, (NY: Alfred A. Knopf, 1982).

Grading: The grade for the class will be based upon a mid-term exam and a comprehensive final essay exam at the end of the semester. The mid-term will be worth 25% of the final grade and the final exam will constitute the remaining 70% of the grade. Attendance will count for 5% of the total grade.

Class Schedule:

Week one: Introduction and review of the syllabus.

Week two: The French Revolution and Napoleonic Wars, 1789-1814.

Read pp. 1-58.

Week three: The Congress of Vienna, 1815

Read pp. 59-103

Week four: Revolutionary ferment and explosions, 1815-1850

Read pp. 107-210.

Week five: Redrawing the map of Europe, 1851-1871

Read pp. 211-318.

Week six: The development of modern political ideologies: Democracy, Socialism, and Nationalism.

Read pp. 319-422.

Week seven: The triumph of Empire, 1871-1914

Read pp. 423-508.

Week eight: Mid-Term Exam. The Mid-Term is worth 25% of the total grade.

Week nine: World War One and its aftermath, 1914-1923

Read pp. 509-608.

Week ten: The interwar period, 1924-1939

Read pp. 609-718.

Week eleven: World War Two, 1939-1945

Read pp. 719-772.

Week twelve: Wrap up and review of semester.

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