Western Civilization II: The Medieval World

Course Description: This course focuses on the development of Western Civilization by examining the history, language, and culture of significant peoples and states in the Middle Ages, with a focus on Western Europe in general and England in particular. The course begins with the rise of the Carolingian dynasty in continental Europe and the emergence of Anglo-Saxon kingdoms in England in approximately the 8th century AD, explores the rise of and conflicts among various nations in Europe throughout this period, highlights the changes in society and culture that occurred due to the development of new technologies, and concludes with a brief look at the Protestant Reformation and the resulting transformation of European society. Topics of interest for the course include the movement of peoples to establish the foundations of modern Europe, the geopolitical interactions among various secular and religious powers that reshaped the map of Europe during this period, and the foundation that these events established for present-day Western Civilization. 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 from the fall of the Roman Empire until the emergence of Early Modern Europe.

2. The student will be able to trace the emergence of Western cultures, languages, and nations in their roughly contemporary forms to developments that occurred in the Middle Ages.

3. The student will comprehend and be able to express, both verbally and in writing, the reasons underlying major events in the medieval period 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 medieval world using sound reasoning and argumentation.

Prerequisites: Western Civilization I: The Classical World