Students

MHIS221 – The Age of Revolution: Europe from the Reign of Terror to the First World War

2017 – S1 External

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff
Kate Fullagar
Lorna Barrow
Credit points Credit points
3
Prerequisites Prerequisites
12cp at 100 level or above or (3cp in HIST or MHIS or POL units)
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description
How did the eighteenth-century dream of a more enlightened, rational society end with the bloodbath of the French Revolution? How was Europe reconstructed after Napoleon’s continent-wide dictatorship? Why did this effort also, eventually, end in the horror is war? This unit explores such questions, tracing the revolutionary effects of Europe’s experimentation with democracy, its discovery of fossil-fuel efficiencies, and its efforts to rethink the place of religion, women, the poor, and much else in society. The European nineteenth century witnessed the rise of what would later appear pillars of modernity, including left-right politics, nationalism, and secular science. It also, however, produced the very things that would threaten it from the inside out: an overweening sense of racial superiority and various forms of political and cultural extremism.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • 1. Understand and explain some chief threads of European History from 1789-1914
  • 2. Understand and explain the relationship of Europe to the rest of the world through the long 19th century
  • 3. Produce written work on multiple aspects of European history based on primary and secondary sources
  • 4. Construct historical arguments through cogent writing with appropriate references
  • 5. Engage with staff and students in classroom discussions and present ideas orally and respectfully.

General Assessment Information

The essay and exam are to be submitted via TURNITIN only. No hard copies necessary. Please check time required for submission carefully. Find the turnitin portal on the MHIS221 iLearn site.

Students are expected to submit all online (TURNITIN) work double-spaced, appropriately formatted with wide margins, and proof-read for spelling and grammatical errors. Every essay also needs a title and page numbers. Essays must include footnotes and a bibliography of all sources cited, including full publication details for all printed sources and the full URL and last date accessed for all electronic sources.

I will endeavour to return all assignments marked via turnitin within two weeks of submission. Work is assessed according to MHIS 200 level rubrics, to be found at the end of the Reader.

Ask me early for a legitimate extension if you really need only an extra day or so. If you need longer you will need to apply for special consideration. Any work submitted late without an extension will be penalized two percentage points (2%) for every calendar day late, with the exception of the Take-Home Examination. Take-Home exams submitted late will not be graded and will receive zero.

Applying for Special Consideration

Students applying for Special Consideration circumstances of three (3) consecutive days duration, within a study period, and/or prevent completion of a formal examination must submit an on-line application with the Faculty of Arts. For an application to be valid, it must include a completed Application for Special Consideration form and all supporting documentation. See https://ask.mq.edu.au/.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Seminar Participation 10% No Ongoing
Seminar Quizzes 10% No Ongoing
Blog posts 20% No 24 March, 14 April
Major Essay 40% No 5pm, 26 May 2017
Take-Home Exam 20% No 5pm, 16 June 2017

Seminar Participation

Due: Ongoing
Weighting: 10%

Seminar participation means not only doing all the readings beforehand but also contributing to discussion with your fellow students during our meeting. Your grade is assessed on the basis of your generosity with your knowledge to other students and your willingness to ask relevant questions and to have a go at trying to answer others’ questions. You get no points for simply turning up. Nor do you get points for ranting on irrelevant topics. You are expected to attend all 12 seminars. Absences must be documented (for example, medical certificate).

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • 1. Understand and explain some chief threads of European History from 1789-1914
  • 5. Engage with staff and students in classroom discussions and present ideas orally and respectfully.

Seminar Quizzes

Due: Ongoing
Weighting: 10%

Seminar quizzes. Each week, the lectures pose two questions that require short written answers. Internal students must bring these answers to each seminar. External students must post them to a private discussion forum during the given week. Quizzes cannot be made up later. However, only your best 9 of the 11 quizzes given will count towards your final grade.

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • 1. Understand and explain some chief threads of European History from 1789-1914
  • 3. Produce written work on multiple aspects of European history based on primary and secondary sources

Blog posts

Due: 24 March, 14 April
Weighting: 20%

Blog posts. Students post two blog posts. The first blog post should relate to topics covered in weeks 1-4 (ancien regime society, enlightenment, the French Revolution phases, Napoleon, industrialization); the second blog relates to topics covered in weeks 5-7 (liberalism, conservatism, bourgeois life, class politics, the revolutions of 1848, religion, and Darwinism). Blog posts should be around 500 words each. They should choose one topic of interest in the given group of topics, and reflect on what that topic is about and how it relates to an issue current in the present world.

Note:

  • Each post should pursue one clear idea (not a rambling stream of consciousness)
  • Emphasis should be the relationship between the past and the present
  • Each blog post must demonstrate some minimal research – at least two scholarly sources must be cited
  • You can use a conversational tone, as well as images, videos, and hyperlinks to pertinent webpages.
  • You should include acknowledgement of sources, but these can be given in short/informal form or via a hyperlink and need not be a part of the word count.
  • See examples put up in iLearn

Important: In order to pass this task, each student must also make at least one comment on another student’s post within five days of each posting. That is, students must make at least 2 comments in total (you are free to make more). Your comments are not graded but must be made by the set dates.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • 1. Understand and explain some chief threads of European History from 1789-1914
  • 3. Produce written work on multiple aspects of European history based on primary and secondary sources

Major Essay

Due: 5pm, 26 May 2017
Weighting: 40%

Major Essay (involves locating your own primary sources and analysing them with reference to several secondary sources; emphasis on independent research skills and extensive argumentation). Answer one of the fifteen questions listed on iLearn, in 2500 words. Your essay should include analysis of at least two primary sources (at least one of which MUST be self-located and not from seminar readings). It should also reference at least six secondary sources. The ‘further reading’ lists in the Unit Guide will be the best place to start your research.  

Refer to the history essay-writing guides at the back of the Reader for information about argumentation, formatting, and citation style. You must build a strong argument through every paragraph. You must present your essay with a title, wide margins, page numbers, and double-spaced. You must cite your references correctly and provide a bibliography at the end, starting on a new page.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • 1. Understand and explain some chief threads of European History from 1789-1914
  • 2. Understand and explain the relationship of Europe to the rest of the world through the long 19th century
  • 3. Produce written work on multiple aspects of European history based on primary and secondary sources
  • 4. Construct historical arguments through cogent writing with appropriate references

Take-Home Exam

Due: 5pm, 16 June 2017
Weighting: 20%

Take Home Exam. Details provided in Week 13. No extra research further than that already undertaken for the unit will be needed. Emphasis will be on wielding a synoptic approach to the period, but will place special attention on the one topic not covered by the essay questions – the fin de siecle.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • 3. Produce written work on multiple aspects of European history based on primary and secondary sources
  • 4. Construct historical arguments through cogent writing with appropriate references

Delivery and Resources

This unit is delivered via iLearn. 

All readings for this unit will be uploaded into the appropriate section iLearn. MQ no longer prints readers for purchase.

The textbook for this unit is John Merriman, A History of Modern Europe, Vol 2 (3rd edition, 2010). There will be copies in the co-op for purchase, but I will also upload PDFs of each assigned chapter onto iLearn, so if you read better online then you will not need to buy the book. Some may prefer the paper version, however.

All essential readings per week will be covered by Merriman and the Unit Reader combined. This should come to around 40 pages per week: make time each week to allow for them!!!

See Week 1 in this reader for additional suggestions.

Unit Schedule

 

WEEK

TOPICS

ASSESSMENT

1.

27 Feb

 

Introduction

None

2.

6 Mar

 

Ancien Regimes: Society and Enlightenment Thought

Quiz answers due

3.

13 Mar

 

The French Revolution: Democracy, Terror and Radical Culture

Quiz answers due

4.

20 Mar

Napoleonic Europe: Dictatorship and Defeat

 

Quiz answers due; Blog I due 24th March

5.

27 Mar

Industrialization: What, How, and the Backlash

 

Quiz answers due

6.

3 April

Bourgeois Politics and Society, 1815-1840s

 

Quiz answers due

7.

10 April

Class: Socialism and the People

 

Quiz answers due; Blog II due 14th April

 

SEMESTER BREAK

 

8.

1 May

Religion: Revivals, Persecution, and the Challenge from Science

Quiz answers due; feedback given on blogs 2nd May

9.

8 May

Workshops on Research Essays

 

Work on your essays…

10.

15 May

 

The Woman Question: Women’s Place, Women’s Rights

Quiz answers due

11.

22 May

 

Nationalism, with special attention to Italy and Germany

Quiz answers due; Major Essay due 26th May

12.

29 May

 

The Fin de Siecle I: Five Contexts

Quiz answers due

13.

5 June

The Fin de Siecle II: The Case of Vienna

Quiz answers due; essays returned 9th June

 

 

Take-Home Exam due 16th June

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central. Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Academic Honesty Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/academic_honesty/policy.html

Assessment Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy_2016.html

Grade Appeal Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/gradeappeal/policy.html

Complaint Management Procedure for Students and Members of the Public http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/complaint_management/procedure.html​

Disruption to Studies Policy (in effect until Dec 4th, 2017): http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html

Special Consideration Policy (in effect from Dec 4th, 2017): https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policies/special-consideration

In addition, a number of other policies can be found in the Learning and Teaching Category of Policy Central.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/support/student_conduct/

Results

Results shown in iLearn, or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au.

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Learning Skills

Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.

Student Services and Support

Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.

Student Enquiries

For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Graduate Capabilities

Creative and Innovative

Our graduates will also be capable of creative thinking and of creating knowledge. They will be imaginative and open to experience and capable of innovation at work and in the community. We want them to be engaged in applying their critical, creative thinking.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • 3. Produce written work on multiple aspects of European history based on primary and secondary sources
  • 4. Construct historical arguments through cogent writing with appropriate references
  • 5. Engage with staff and students in classroom discussions and present ideas orally and respectfully.

Assessment tasks

  • Seminar Participation
  • Blog posts
  • Major Essay

Capable of Professional and Personal Judgement and Initiative

We want our graduates to have emotional intelligence and sound interpersonal skills and to demonstrate discernment and common sense in their professional and personal judgement. They will exercise initiative as needed. They will be capable of risk assessment, and be able to handle ambiguity and complexity, enabling them to be adaptable in diverse and changing environments.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • 3. Produce written work on multiple aspects of European history based on primary and secondary sources
  • 4. Construct historical arguments through cogent writing with appropriate references
  • 5. Engage with staff and students in classroom discussions and present ideas orally and respectfully.

Assessment task

  • Seminar Participation

Commitment to Continuous Learning

Our graduates will have enquiring minds and a literate curiosity which will lead them to pursue knowledge for its own sake. They will continue to pursue learning in their careers and as they participate in the world. They will be capable of reflecting on their experiences and relationships with others and the environment, learning from them, and growing - personally, professionally and socially.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • 4. Construct historical arguments through cogent writing with appropriate references
  • 5. Engage with staff and students in classroom discussions and present ideas orally and respectfully.

Assessment tasks

  • Seminar Participation
  • Major Essay

Discipline Specific Knowledge and Skills

Our graduates will take with them the intellectual development, depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content in their chosen fields to make them competent and confident in their subject or profession. They will be able to demonstrate, where relevant, professional technical competence and meet professional standards. They will be able to articulate the structure of knowledge of their discipline, be able to adapt discipline-specific knowledge to novel situations, and be able to contribute from their discipline to inter-disciplinary solutions to problems.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • 1. Understand and explain some chief threads of European History from 1789-1914
  • 2. Understand and explain the relationship of Europe to the rest of the world through the long 19th century
  • 3. Produce written work on multiple aspects of European history based on primary and secondary sources

Assessment tasks

  • Seminar Quizzes
  • Blog posts
  • Major Essay
  • Take-Home Exam

Critical, Analytical and Integrative Thinking

We want our graduates to be capable of reasoning, questioning and analysing, and to integrate and synthesise learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments; to be able to critique constraints, assumptions and limitations; to be able to think independently and systemically in relation to scholarly activity, in the workplace, and in the world. We want them to have a level of scientific and information technology literacy.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • 1. Understand and explain some chief threads of European History from 1789-1914
  • 2. Understand and explain the relationship of Europe to the rest of the world through the long 19th century
  • 3. Produce written work on multiple aspects of European history based on primary and secondary sources
  • 4. Construct historical arguments through cogent writing with appropriate references
  • 5. Engage with staff and students in classroom discussions and present ideas orally and respectfully.

Assessment tasks

  • Seminar Participation
  • Seminar Quizzes
  • Blog posts
  • Major Essay
  • Take-Home Exam

Problem Solving and Research Capability

Our graduates should be capable of researching; of analysing, and interpreting and assessing data and information in various forms; of drawing connections across fields of knowledge; and they should be able to relate their knowledge to complex situations at work or in the world, in order to diagnose and solve problems. We want them to have the confidence to take the initiative in doing so, within an awareness of their own limitations.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • 3. Produce written work on multiple aspects of European history based on primary and secondary sources
  • 4. Construct historical arguments through cogent writing with appropriate references
  • 5. Engage with staff and students in classroom discussions and present ideas orally and respectfully.

Assessment tasks

  • Seminar Participation
  • Seminar Quizzes
  • Blog posts
  • Major Essay
  • Take-Home Exam

Effective Communication

We want to develop in our students the ability to communicate and convey their views in forms effective with different audiences. We want our graduates to take with them the capability to read, listen, question, gather and evaluate information resources in a variety of formats, assess, write clearly, speak effectively, and to use visual communication and communication technologies as appropriate.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • 3. Produce written work on multiple aspects of European history based on primary and secondary sources
  • 4. Construct historical arguments through cogent writing with appropriate references
  • 5. Engage with staff and students in classroom discussions and present ideas orally and respectfully.

Assessment tasks

  • Seminar Participation
  • Blog posts
  • Major Essay

Engaged and Ethical Local and Global citizens

As local citizens our graduates will be aware of indigenous perspectives and of the nation's historical context. They will be engaged with the challenges of contemporary society and with knowledge and ideas. We want our graduates to have respect for diversity, to be open-minded, sensitive to others and inclusive, and to be open to other cultures and perspectives: they should have a level of cultural literacy. Our graduates should be aware of disadvantage and social justice, and be willing to participate to help create a wiser and better society.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • 1. Understand and explain some chief threads of European History from 1789-1914
  • 2. Understand and explain the relationship of Europe to the rest of the world through the long 19th century
  • 4. Construct historical arguments through cogent writing with appropriate references
  • 5. Engage with staff and students in classroom discussions and present ideas orally and respectfully.

Assessment task

  • Seminar Participation

Socially and Environmentally Active and Responsible

We want our graduates to be aware of and have respect for self and others; to be able to work with others as a leader and a team player; to have a sense of connectedness with others and country; and to have a sense of mutual obligation. Our graduates should be informed and active participants in moving society towards sustainability.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • 1. Understand and explain some chief threads of European History from 1789-1914
  • 2. Understand and explain the relationship of Europe to the rest of the world through the long 19th century
  • 5. Engage with staff and students in classroom discussions and present ideas orally and respectfully.

Assessment task

  • Seminar Participation