About Survey of European History, 1500-1850s
This course surveys the history of Europe from the sixteenth century to the second half of the nineteenth. The course examines the major socio-cultural, political and economic forces that had their origin in the Late Middle Ages and shaped European civilization in the next historical periods. Accordingly, the principal events in European history during the Renaissance, the Protestant Reformation, and the Counter Reformation; the emergence of the modern nation-state; the scientific revolution; and the Enlightenment, the Old Regime of the eighteenth century, and the French Revolution will be the main focuses of this course. The focus of the course is on the principal economic and social features of this period, including the role of women and the family, the nature of popular and elite cultures, and the significance of intellectual changes. Moreover, examination of ideas, concepts and institutions which influenced the evolution of Europe and sustained it up to the era of the French Revolution will be presented so as to give the course a comparative framework to the Middle Ages. This course is a broad overview of the political, intellectual, social, and cultural history of Europe from the high middle ages to the end of the 19th century. It is designed to give the student a better understanding of the roots and origins of the present-day West that have shaped today’s current Western world. In addition to becoming familiar with the general tools for the study of history, students will develop the basic skills of historical writing and research. Through the analysis of historical documents, students will be introduced to different methodologies, interpretations, and approaches to history. Seminar discussions are designed to build speaking and presentation skills and help the student to formulate a logical argument.