Georgia Southern
University,
Department of History
History 3431A (CRN 12934) and Irish 3431A (CRN 14577)
Three Credit Hours, Fulfills European History or Irish History Requirements
Tuesday and Thursday
1107
Prof. Robert Batchelor
Office Hours: T-R 1:00
Office:
E-mail: batchelo@georgiasouthern.edu
Office Phone: 681-5607 [e-mail gets a quicker response]
Introduction:
1603 traditionally marks the point at which ‘English’ and
‘Scottish’ history became ‘British’ history, with the coronation of James VI of
In many ways, a good knowledge of modern British history is
essential to understanding not only American history but also world history. The class is a mixture of more traditional
lectures about the basics of British history since 1603 with presentations and
research projects that will allow you to go into greater depth with regard to
particular aspects of British history. By the end of the class, you will
have a basic grasp of the arc of British history since the seventeenth
century. You will also have explored
more deeply both current historical debates as well as specific original
research unique to your own interests.
Drop/Add:
There is an initial week of drop/add for classes from January 14-17. I will take attendance the first day of class to confirm your registration in the class. You will not be penalized for missing class in the first week if you add.
The final drop date is March 10.
Required Books:
1)
Linda Colley, The
Ordeal of Elizabeth Marsh, (Knopf, 2007) ISBN-13: 9780375421532
2)
Robert James Scally,
The End of Hidden
3)
Ronald Hyam,
4)
David Edgerton,
5)
Paul Gilroy, There
Ain’t No Black in the Union Jack, (University of
Assignments:
Basic Work: Three exams (2/14, 3/11, 4/22) based on the lectures and the readings. You must make at least an 75% on all three of these to make a C in the class. You can retake any of these exams on the day of the final.
Advanced Work: Four Assignments
1) A presentation on a person, place, object or event from seventeenth- or eighteenth-century British history: Due 2/5
2) A 6-8 page paper comparing the readings: Due 2/26
3) A final project: Due 4/29
4) An in-class final essay May 6.
Grading:
F: Missing assignments
D: Unable to master basic work but completed all assignments
C: Mastered basic work and completed advanced work
B: Mastered basic work and turned in quality advanced work
A: Mastered basic work and produced high-quality work for the paper and final project
Basic Rules:
College is a transition into
professional life and you are expected to behave as a professional would. You should be self-motivated,
self-disciplined and professional in your demeanor. In relation to that, there are three basic
rules for making the class function properly.
By enrolling in this class you assent to them.
Attendance:
You should miss no more than
three classes. If you miss more than
three classes, you may be dismissed from the class with a failing grade at my
discretion. You are asked to attend
actively, which means focusing on what is happening in class.
Civility:
You should feel free to
express opinions (preferably backed up by evidence) but personal attacks,
verbal or otherwise, are cause for dismissal from the class with a failing
grade at my discretion. Raise your hand
to answer questions and defer to me if two or more people are trying to speak
at once. Cel phones and pagers should be
turned off.
Honesty:
All members of the community
recognize the necessity of being honest with themselves and with others.
The integrity of the educational experience is diminished by cheating in class,
plagiarizing, lying, and employing other methods of deceit. None of these
should be used as a strategy to obtain a false sense of success. The need
for honest relations among all members of the community is essential. The
exercises in the class are designed to help you, and thus cheating is
counterproductive. Any cheating in the
class or plagiarism (using the words or work of another without quoting or
giving credit) will be grounds for failing the assignment or the class as a
whole, again at my discretion.
Commitment: All members of the community understand that to
succeed in classes, students must be active participants in their education
while understanding and complying with each course syllabus. Students
should plan on spending at least two hours of study for every one
hour in class. For example, a 15-credit-hour schedule requires at least a
45-hour commitment per week. Outside preparation and class attendance
alone do not guarantee success or the highest grades; rather, mastery of the
material and acquisition of necessary skills determine success and
grades.
Disabilities:
This class complies with the
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Students with disabilities needing
academic accommodations must register with and provide documentation to the
Student Disability Resource Center (SDRC), and provide a letter to the
instructor from the SDRC indicating what your need may be for academic
accommodation. This should be done within the first week of class.
The SDRC is located in Building 805 on
The class schedule and
procedures are subject to change at the instructor’s discretion
Weekly Requirements:
Week 1: 1/15
1/15 Introduction
1/17 Lecture 1:
Week 2: 1/22
Assignment 1 (Handout): Presentations—Due 2/5 and 2/7
1/22 Lecture 2: The Civil War, Restoration and Party Politics
1/24 Lecture 3: Finance, the New Whigs and the
Formation of
Week 3: 1/29
1/29 Discussion: Colley, The Ordeal of Elizabeth Marsh
1/31 Film: “Barry Lyndon”Week 4: 2/5
2/5 Presentations
2/7 Presentations
Week 5: 2/12
2/12 Lecture 4: “Rule Britannia”:
Nationalism,
2/14 Exam I—Lectures 1-4, Colley, Barry Lyndon
Week 6: 2/19
2/19 Lecture 5: The New Industriousness
2/21 Discussion: Hyam, Britain’s Imperial Century
Week 7: 2/26
2/26 Paper Due: Either
1)
Compare the world that Elizabeth Marsh traveled
in with the empire described by Hyam—what changes between the eighteenth and
nineteenth centuries in terms of
2) Compare Elizabeth Marsh with one of the people from the presentations (including associated texts) or Barry Lyndon—to what extent do their self-conceptions seem to share common characteristics or differ?
2/26 Lecture 6: Liberalism and Reform
2/28 Lecture 7: Education, Migration and Empire—The Spread of Englishness
Week 8: 3/4
3/4 Discussion: Scally,
The End of Hidden
3/6 Lecture 8: Home Rule, Women’s Suffrage and Labor
Week 9: 3/11
3/11 Exam II—Lectures 5-8, Hyam and Scally
3/13 Final Project Discussion and Work (can be done with a partner)—Create a unique website, research paper or other creative project that:
1) Has a clear educational goal
2) Uses primary sources regarding 19th or 20th century British history
3) Demonstrates its uniqueness in relation to other similarly themed material (three samples of which must be included with the final project)
SPRING BREAK
Week 10: 3/25
3/25 Lecture 9: World War I
3/27 Discussion: Egerton, The
Week 11: 4/1
4/1 Lecture 10: Reorganizing Empire and World War II
4/3 Lecture 11: Decolonization
Week 12: 4/8
4/8 Lecture 12: The Welfare State
4/10 Film: Saturday Night, Sunday Morning
Week 13: 4/15
4/15 Lecture 13: New Conservatism and New Labour
4/17 Discussion:
Week 14: 4/22
4/22 Exam III (Lectures 9-13,
Egerton,
4/24 Final Project Work
Week 15: 4/29
Final Project Due 4/29
4/29-3/1 Presentations of Final Projects
FINAL EXAM: May 6,