HISTORY 4436.01W
THE FRENCH REVOLUTION AND NAPOLEON
Lectures: Tues. and Thurs.,
Office Hours: Tues. and Thurs., 10:00 am – 11:00 am, 1:00 –
3:00 pm, TLC 3217, and by appointment
Phone Number: (678) 839-6039
REQUIRED TEXTS:
Connelly, The French Revolution and Napoleonic Era
Burke, Reflections
on the Revolution in
Beaumarchais,
The Barber of
Palmer,
Twelve Who Ruled
Von Clausewitz, The Campaign of 1812
The
late eighteenth century to the fall of Napoleon in 1815 was a time of exciting
social, political, economic, military, intellectual and scientific change. It was dominated, of course, by the outbreak
of Revolution in
LEARNING OUTCOMES: Because students in their first years of college are intellectually challenged for the first time in their lives, and cut their permanent mental teeth, it is neither wise nor necessary to give them educational pabulum for easy digestion. The advantage to students in this kind of course is fivefold:
First, they will learn a great deal about the late 18th and early 19th centuries, a period of time that contributed much to the formation of the modern world and Western culture in a wide range of categories: politics, society, economics, religion, warfare, government and thought.
Second, they will be challenged to be as good as they can be at something that is not easy, but which is rewarding and satisfying.
Third, they will develop critical skills of analysis, reasoning and written expression which—apart from helping them to master the substantive aspects of this course—will provide them with useful skills at the end of the day that can be applied in practical ways. This will give them a legitimate retort when people (parents or peers) ask snidely what they are going to “do” with “history.”
Fourth, they get their –or someone’s—money’s worth out of this course.
Fifth, they will develop an understanding of how this period of great ferment helped to mould the modern world in which they live, and to divest them of any sense of historical events unfolding as inevitable consequences. For nothing in history is inevitable. That is the ultimate historical truth.
These objectives will be met by various means: engendering critical thinking through the analysis of contemporary sources; presenting history as an account of the human past by scrutinizing the significant role of individuals who imposed their personality on the larger context; and exploding the myth of inevitability by demonstrating the importance of contingencies within history as men and women in positions of power made choices according to personal perspectives. In addition, Hist. 4436 has been designated as one of the department’s Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) classes. Hence, students will undertake a considerable amount of writing. This will consist of informal and formal assignments that are intended to stimulate “writing to learn” (WTL), as well as “writing to communicate” (WTC).
Generally, the course will proceed in a chronological pattern, though some thematic considerations will cross such simple lines. Class time will be devoted primarily to lectures, but consideration also will be given to the primary texts. Student participation is encouraged at all times, therefore, particularly in class discussions of assigned readings, questions arising from lectures and even essays the students are developing. Naturally, this aspect of the course depends upon student effort and willingness.
STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES:
One mid-term exam of 75 minutes’ duration, to be written in class on Thursday, 2 March (unless otherwise changed). This exam is worth 20% of the final grade and will cover the first half of the course material.
A final exam to be written on Tuesday, 9 May at 11:00am-1:00 pm. This exam is worth 20% of the final grade and will cover the second half of the course material. It is neither cumulative nor comprehensive in scope, though a question may ask students to consider a broad theme covered by the course.
NOTE: Both exams will be based upon a combination of readings, lectures and discussions. The student who relies only upon lectures or only upon readings will not do well. So regular attendance at class is essential. Students are expected also to read the Connelly and Palmer texts at their own pace; assigned pages will not be given out.
Two
analytical essays of 6 to 8 pages in length, due in class (not by email) on Thursday, 16 February, and Tuesday,
28 March, respectively. Each essay
is worth 15% of the final grade. The papers are to be based on a theme taken
from one of the primary texts assigned for the course, either Beaumarchais’ Barber
of Seville/Marriage of Figaro, Burke’s Reflections on the Revolution in
France,
One book review to be written on Palmer’s Twelve Who Ruled This paper is to be from 5 to 8 pages in length. Due in class (not by email) on Thursday, 20 April, it will be worth 20% of the final grade.
Participation of up to 10% will be awarded at the discretion of the instructor, based upon student performance in class discussions and completion of various WCL assignments to be assigned during the semester. The latter will consist of brief in-class essays, short document summaries, etc., which will be assigned but will not receive a grade.
The Analytical Essays (WTL and WTC): For each essay, students will choose a theme
from one of the primary sources, either Beaumarchais,
The Review Essay (WTC) will evaluate Palmer’s book on the
Terror. The paper is not a book report
that merely summarizes the text, but an analytical discussion that identifies
the author’s thesis, and examines the development of that thesis, the use of
sources and the author’s interpretations based on the evidence. The purpose is to evaluate the strengths and
shortcomings of the book, its argument, and its contribution to scholarship in
the field. A superficial
narrative—however detailed—will be considered unsatisfactory.
All papers are to be type-written in standard, grammatical English
on 8 ½” by 11” paper, and to use acceptable forms of academic apparatus (i.e.,
citation of sources, etc.). So be
careful to revise and proofread your work before final
submission to correct needless typographical or spelling errors and other silly
mistakes. To that end, because this is a
WAC class, which seeks to enhance writing skills, all students will be required
to work with an assigned instructor in the
A Word About Deadlines: Much
of the value of the preparation of an essay is lost if there is not time for
careful criticism and consideration of the criticism before the next written
assignment is due. Hence, students are
expected to consult with the instructor in the
COURSE GRADES:
Mid-term exam 20%
Final exam 20%
Review Essay (WTC activity) 20%
Analytical Essay 1 (WTL and WTC activity) 15%
Analytical Essay 2 (WTL and WTC activity) 15%
100%
The foregoing is a rough profile of the composition of student grades for the course—it is not to be regarded as a rigid framework. If a student starts off poorly and improves, that will be taken into account. If a student goes straight downhill after a brilliant beginning, well…, that also will have to be considered.
BETWEEN ME AND THEE: My office door is open to students. If you want to stop by to chat about the course, please do. If you want to drop in just to chat, do that also. Above all, should you have any difficulties in understanding the course material, whether from the readings or lectures, by all means see me. If you are having problems, it is best to get a drop on them early instead of when it becomes too late.
GOOD LUCK, AND ENJOY THE COURSE!
GUIDE TO WRITING BOOK REVIEWS/CRITIQUES
Reviews, and specifically book reviews, play a vitally important role in the evaluation not just of history, but of other fields, as well (e.g., English, Political Science, Sociology, Cinema, Literature, etc.). They are part of the elaborate apparatus by which new views in history or other subjects, even facets of popular culture (e.g., movies and novels), are subjected to close critical scrutiny. The purpose of a book review or “critique” is to evaluate a volume of non-fiction or fiction for a larger reading audience on the basis of its own merits, by examining precisely what the author has promised to do and whether that promise has been fulfilled. The reviewer’s responsibility, therefore, is to identify those prominent features of a text that make it a genuine contribution, however large or small, to the field, or that interfere with or prevent its attempt to make a contribution. The reviewer’s responsibility is also to present a balanced view, on the understanding that no book is perfect, but contains strengths and weaknesses, too. Both areas should be dealt with, and depending upon how much the one outweighs the other, the review will be generally positive or generally negative. Few reviews praise a book without some criticism at least, while it is rare for a volume to be rejected as completely without value.
THREE PRELIMINARY WORDS OF CAUTION:
First, review the book that is written, not the book that you would like to have been written. There is nothing more unjust to an author or more useless to a wider reading audience than a critique that faults a book for not dealing with a subject according to the way that a reviewer thinks it ought to be read. In such cases, the reviewer is simply pandering to personal interests or deliberately trying to find fault with a book because of professional jealousy or myopia. Remember, there is more than one approach to an historical problem, and more than one interpretation. This is the source of historical controversy that keeps the field active and exciting.
Second, do not criticize an author for matters beyond his or her control. When reviewing a book, attempt to understand why certain material that you had expected to find was not included, or why the author approached the topic in a particular way. Any author must make choices as to what to include in a text and what to exclude; how to organize the discussion; which focus to take that best presents the research and interpretation; and what audience is targeted. There maybe very good reasons why a book was written in the manner that it was. Often the author must meet the requirements of the publisher with regard to length, style, content and so forth, too, as a condition for publication of the book. The author’s choices for handling the topic in a certain manner may differ from the way you would proceed, but this does not invalidate them. In other words, try to understand the motivation that lay behind an author’s approach before criticizing the work or offering suggestions as to how to improve it.
Third, do not follow mechanically, without variation, the suggestions on procedures and content listed below. Develop your own organization; develop your own approach. Depending on the page or word length assigned for the review, you may have more or less time to explore the many features of a book. If space is limited, then you must proceed immediately to the most important points, both good and bad, that will form the meat of your evaluation. This sometimes means concentrating on only the volume’s prominent features and leaving the rest behind. If, however, you are given more space, then you may develop your review more fully, looking not only at the primary issues but also the secondary issues of the book. In any case, you must learn to Illustrate, Generalize, Analyze!
To familiarize yourself with the art of reviewing, you should read a variety of reviews in any of the scholarly journals shelved in the library. This will help you in learning to write your own.
PROCEDURE: Book reviews allow students in particular to demonstrate their mastery of the techniques of critical reading and critical analysis of the written word. This is what separates the review from a simple report, which does little more than summarize the contents of a volume. It is vital, consequently, to follow certain general procedures when undertaking the exercise. To begin with, read the book well in advance of the date the review is due, taking a few notes as you read. And read it without prior assumptions; in other words, read it “cold.” After finishing the book, consider it as a whole, and write down any ideas that occur to you. Put it aside for about a week, and then write the review, using both the book and your notes. Revise it carefully, and then revise it again.
It is important to allow time for consideration, reconsideration and preparation. An essay, including a book review, is not a bit of make-work; it is an integral part of the learning process, developing the student’s understanding of the course of history and the way in which historians interpret it. Broadly, it is also an exercise that teaches students how to read critically, think clearly, organize their thoughts consistently and write with precision, expression and effectiveness. In other words, it develops useful life skills that can be improved with practice and applied in practical ways. More immediately, it is an important element in the evaluation of a student’s performance.
Much of the value of the preparation of an essay or book review is lost if there is not time for careful consideration of the topic or revision of early drafts. In other words, good writing means not just asking the right questions of one’s sources, it also means good rewriting.
CONTENT: A review should contain (1) a summary of the book and (2) a critical evaluation. The two may be interwoven or presented separately, but the summary should be brief, especially when presented separately. The review should address in one form or another the following questions:
1. What is the book about?
Does the book have a theme or themes? In particular, what is the central Thesis (argument) that ties author’s research and interpretation together? The Thesis must be identified, whether it is explicitly stated somewhere in the text (usually in the introduction), or only implied through the author’s approach. Does the author sustain it or lose sight of it? Also, is the thesis stimulating? Compelling? Misleading? Justified? Convincing? How does the author support the thesis?
Related to these issues is the author’s purpose. Is this identified in the text (usually in the introduction, but not always)? And does the author accomplish that goal? Or has the author simply set up a “straw man” than can be knocked down easily to “prove” a point?
State (concisely) the topics or subtopics covered. Conversely, what aspects of the subject are not discussed and for what reason?
2. What is the author’s point of view?
What are the author’s assumptions or frame of reference? Does the author state or demonstrate any point of view that caused him or her to evaluate the source material in a certain manner? (E.g., is the author writing a book on economic or social history from a Marxist point of view, or a political history from a Whiggish perspective?)
Understanding this will allow you to place the author’s work in a certain context, which will help you, in turn, to understand his or her approach and interpretations more effectively. This will also aid you in determining whether: 1) the author has remained “objective” (insofar as this is possible), while offering a particular perspective on the subject under examination; or 2) the author’s personal biases affected his or her interpretations not supported by the evidence.
N.B.: Always remember that there is nothing more insidious to good research and the judicious use of historical evidence than ideology masquerading as scholarship. Beware of those authors who use “history” to distort the record of the past for particular political or ideological ends.
3. Is the book reliable?
Who is the author? What are his or her qualifications for writing the book? Has this person authored other books? What opinions have scholars and critics of the author’s publications (i.e., if relevant)? From what sources did the author acquire information?
In other words, what are the author’s qualifications for writing the book? Is the author trained professionally in history? American Studies? Political Science? Sociology? Journalism? When appropriate, give an indication of his or her academic affiliations, both past and present (if known), and other publications, both book- and article-length..
N.B.:
It is sometimes be valuable to read the reviews written by other
scholars of the book in question, especially if it has been in print for more
than a year. To locate critiques consult
such publications as the Book Review Digest, the New York Times Book
Review (Index, 1899-1973), indexes to the major journals, and for more
recent books, History: Reviews of New
4. What sources were consulted for the book, and how was the evidence used?
Did the author rely especially heavily, for example, on either primary materials (both published and archival), secondary sources, or on one source in particular? Is the bibliography exhaustive, does it include all of the major works, or are there significant gaps? Is the book footnoted/endnoted? Do the sources consulted support the author’s major thesis? Is there any indication of “stacking” evidence to support the author’s point of view?
N.B.: If possible, some of the primary and secondary source material used by the author should be examined to ensure that this has been used properly and not quoted out of context or altered in any way. Also, did this person consult the whole historical record (insofar as possible), or merely a portion of the record, which may distort the author’s interpretations?
5. Is the material well presented?
Is the book well written? Is it well organized? Is the writing clear or difficult to follow? Does the author assume too much or too little general knowledge on the part of the readers? What sort of reader does the author seem to be aiming for—the scholar, the student, the general reader, or some combination of the three? Are terms adequately explained, or can the author presume that the audience knows their meaning already? Does the author make history live, or is the book dull and without colour? Does it have too much colour, too much “romance” and not enough substance?
Because writing style can affect dramatically an author’s meaning, not just his or her readability, ask yourself whether the style fits the topic of the book? Does the author use “loaded” words?
6. What is the value of the book?
Did the book contribute to your knowledge of, and interest in, the subject and period of history with which it deals? How does it facilitate understanding of the historical problem considered? What contribution does it make to the field? Does it supplement what other scholars have said about the subject? Does it offer new insights or interpretations?
Would you recommend the book to others? Give reasons for your opinion. Remember that an evaluation must be based on discussion and example. Simple superficial statements about liking or not liking a book tell the audience nothing.