Western Civilization IIIa: Europe from 1600-1918

Course Description: This course focuses on the development of Western Civilization by examining the history, language, and culture of significant nations and ideologies from Early Modern Europe until the end of the first World War, with a focus on Western Europe in general and England in particular. The course begins with the Thirty Years’ War in continental Europe and the accession of James Stuart to the English throne in the British Isles, explores the emergence of European nations as world powers due to the expansion of trade and establishment of European colonies, discusses the major changes in European society resulting from the Age of Revolution, and concludes by examining the entrance of Europe into the 20th century and the accompanying crisis of the Great War. Topics of interest for the course include the changing religious landscape of Europe resulting from the Protestant Reformation and the Thirty Years’ War, the rise of the modern nation-state during this period, and the ways in which these events shaped Western Civilization throughout the 20th century and into the present day. In addition to the historical approach taken by this course, the impact of linguistic, cultural, and artistic developments on the civilization in which we currently live are considered. The course emphasizes lecture, student participation, and essay writing—discussion is highly encouraged.

Course Objectives: By the end of the course,

1. The student will be able to construct and express, both verbally and in writing, a coherent framework for the development of Western Civilization in Europe from the Early Modern Period until the conclusion of the first World War.

2. The student will be able to trace features of contemporary Western culture and the present-day geopolitical landscape of Europe to events that occurred from the Early Modern Period to the early 20th century.

3. The student will comprehend and be able to express, both verbally and in writing, the reasons underlying major events in Europe between 1600 and 1918 and to connect those events with one another to form an overarching conception of the development of Western Civilization during this time.

4. The student will be able to take and defend a position of his or her own choosing regarding a significant topic related to the history, language, or culture of the European world during this timeframe using sound reasoning and argumentation.

Prerequisites: Western Civilization I: The Classical World and Western Civilization II: The Medieval World