Lehrman American Studies Center

COURSE OVERVIEW:

In this course we will examine Europe’s Old Regime, the Enlightenment, the French Revolution and Napoleon, nineteenth-century nationalism and imperialism, the First World War, the Russian Revolution and Stalin, the rise of fascism, the Second World War, the Cold War, and the birth of the European Union. We will seek to answer basic questions about Modern European History through lectures, readings, and oral and written analysis in class.

 

THE THEMES OF THIS COURSE:

• Since the fall of Rome in the fifth century, Europeans have dreamed of regaining civil peace and prosperity by reunifying the continent under one government. Over the last two centuries, this dream of peace has paradoxically inspired many wars, as tyrants like Louis XIV, Napoleon, Wilhelm II, Hitler, and Stalin aimed to unify Europe through military domination.

• Looking to the American Republic as an example, the liberals of the Enlightenment proposed that the best way to bring people of different nationalities together was not through conquest and centralized power but through free trade and federalized power. From Trafalgar and the First Battle of the Marne to D-Day and the Berlin Airlift, the champions of Enlightenment liberalism have prevented the unification of Europe on the statist-militarist model.

• At the beginning of the 21st century, it appears that free trade and federalism may succeed in reuniting Europe peacefully where conquest and dictatorship failed. The future of European unification remains undecided, though.

• Are there universal principles and civilizational values that all Europeans share in spite of religious, racial, and linguistic differences—a set of ideas that can keep them united under one federal government? In today’s era of global trade and mass immigration, just what does it mean to be “European,” if anything?

• Consideration of these questions will not just help us understand Europe’s past and possible future. It will also help us to grapple with a wider humanistic question of universal relevance: can human beings of different nationalities, races, religions, languages, and cultures form a political unit—whether a big one like America, a middling one like Iraq, or a small one like Lebanon—and coexist in peace through free choice and shared values, or can ethnically pluralistic nations only be united and held together through brute force?

 

REQUIRED BOOKS:

1. Eric Maria Remarque. All Quiet on the Western Front. New York: Ballantine Books, 1982 [1928].

1. Cornelius Ryan, The Longest Day: June 6, 1944 (New York: Touchstone, 1994 [1959]), 329 pages.

 

GRADE BREAKDOWN:

1. Memoranda 10%
2. Class Participation 10%
3. Quizzes 20%
4. Extra Credit Quiz 5%
5. Midterm Examination 30%
6. Final Examination 30%

Total Available Course Points 105%

 

GRADING SCALE:

A 105-92

A- 91-90

B+ 89-88

B 87-82

B- 81-80

C 79-70

D 69-60

F 59-0

 

LECTURES AND NOTE TAKING:

• Over half of our class time will be devoted to lectures. Each lecture is accompanied by a PowerPoint slideshow which provides the basic content of the lecture, accompanied by such images as maps, paintings, and photographs.

• It is the responsibility of the student to pay close attention to the lecture and take rigorous notes on it. Taking notes is one of the best ways to remember what you have read in a book or heard in a lecture. If you do not take good notes from the lectures, you will have a hard time passing this course. ALWAYS bring paper, pen, and your lecture notes to each class meeting.

 

MEMORANDA AND ASSIGNED READING:

• In addition to attending class and taking notes from the lectures, you must keep up with the assigned reading in the Remarque and Ryan books. You will need to read the assigned material closely and take extensive notes on it.

• You are also required to submit one memorandum for each of the ten weeks of reading. A course memorandum is a summation of the main points of the reading for that week. You should also include on your memo any questions you have about the week’s reading assignment. The purpose of doing memoranda is to help you remember the main points of your reading when time comes to discuss the books in class, take a quiz on the reading assignment, or study for your exams.

• Each memorandum must be at least one page in length—if handwritten, be sure to write legibly. Your memo is due at the end of the first class meeting for that week. Your first memorandum is due Thursday of next week.

• You should write your memos informally, as you would your own lecture notes; I will not be looking for grammar or style. I will grade memos on a pass/fail basis. If your memo makes clear that you have done the reading and grasped the main points of the assignment, you will receive a check on your paper. If it does not, you will receive an X on your paper.

• If it is clear that you slopped something together at the last minute, if I can’t read your writing, or if you fail to submit the memo on time, you will receive a zero for the assignment. Together, you memoranda for the ten weeks of reading assignments count for 10 points of your final course grade.

 

CLASS PARTICIPATION:

• In addition to the lectures, we will spend class time on discussions and other projects. We may discuss the week’s reading assignment or the lecture. We may also analyze paintings, music, films, material artifacts, photocopied documents, or other sources.

• Projects for the class participation grade may take the form of a one or two page informal essay or a test in which you must put place names correctly on a map or put chronological events in order. Students may also be called upon to read aloud a photocopied document which we will then discuss as a class. You should be ready for anything!

• I will always try to leave some time at the end of class for questions and answers about the lectures or the assigned reading, but you can also raise your hand and ask a question during a lecture. Remember: There are no dumb questions. Asking questions is just one means of acquiring knowledge. Talking about what you’ve learned and listening to feedback from your professor and peers is yet another way of getting a firmer mental grasp on your knowledge.

• The points available for participation in each class discussion or project will come to 10 points by the end of the semester. So please don’t be shy about speaking up in class and always be prepared to take part in our activities.

 

QUIZZES AND EXAMS:

• Over the semester, I will evaluate your progress by assigning five quizzes and two examinations. Each quiz will consist of five multiple choice questions, and you will have about 10 minutes to answer them. The questions can come from recent lectures, reading assignments, a film screened in class, or any other assigned material.

• These quizzes will not be announced in advance, so always be prepared for one by keeping up with the week’s reading assignment, paying close attention to the lecture, and taking good notes. You will be allowed to consult your own notes—but not your books—while taking a pop quiz.

• Each question on a pop quiz counts for one point of your final course grade, such that the first four quizzes will add up to 20 points of your final course grade. The fifth and last quiz counts for 5 points of extra credit. It will be the only extra credit available in this course.

• Taking these quizzes will help prepare you for the two examinations, since the format of the exams is the same as that of the quizzes. Each exam consists of 30 multiple choice questions. There is a midterm exam and a final exam. The final exam will not be cumulative. Together, the two exams count for 60 points of your final course grade.

• Unlike the quizzes, you will NOT be allowed to consult your notes during the two exams. I would encourage you to come see me during office hours if you have any questions about the exam and think you could use additional guidance in preparation for it.

 

CLASS ATTENDANCE AND MAKE-UP POLICY:

• I will take attendance at the beginning of each class meeting, but class attendance is not a requirement of this course. If you do come to class, you are required to arrive on time and to remain for the entire session. Late arrivals and early departures are very distracting to the professor and your fellow students. I will allow them only with permission granted in advance for extraordinary circumstances.

• If you are more than a couple of minutes late to class, please do not enter the classroom. I do not expect to ever be late to class myself, but if I am, consider class cancelled if I do not arrive within 15 minutes. If you think—due to other commitments—that you will have a regular problem arriving on time or staying in class the full time, then please drop this course.

• You are not required to attend classes, but you will not be able to pass the course if you miss more than a couple of classes. If you do not attend class for whatever reason, I will not provide you with outlines or notes from the lecture. You may be fortunate to find a student in class who will lend his or her notes to you, but do not count on other people’s generosity. It is entirely your responsibility to attend class and keep up with the work.

• I do not accept late work or provide make-up tests. If you are late with a memo or absent from class when I give a pop quiz or exam, you will receive a zero for the assignment. I will only consider waiving this policy under extraordinary circumstances documented by a doctor, court of law, or similar authority.

 

OFFICE HOURS:

• If class time is not enough for you to ask all of your questions and work through your problems with the course, please come see me during office hours. My office location and office hours are posted on the first page of this syllabus. You can also reach me by phone during office hours, leave a voicemail message after hours, or send an e-mail anytime, and I will try to get back to you when I can. It is always possible that I will not receive a call or an e-mail for technical reasons, so I cannot promise to get back to you. If you have a serious issue, it is best to see me in person, in my office or at the end of class.

• Please come see me if you are having trouble with your comprehension of the lectures or reading. I will be happy to provide additional guidance or tutoring during my office hours. Also, do let me know if you have any special learning needs that may require extra assistance, and I will accommodate them as best I can. If you have a need addressed by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), please notify me and the Office of Disabilities Services at 112 Curtis Hall.

• If you need to see me but cannot make it during my regular office hours, we will make an appointment at another time that is convenient for both of us.

 

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY:

• I will not tolerate cheating of any kind in my course. Cheating can consist of using notes from an outside source (such as Wikipedia) during a quiz or looking at another student’s work during a quiz or exam. It can also consist of using another person’s words in your memoranda. That includes not only another student’s words, but also words from a printed source other than the assigned reading, such as another book or an online resource.

• To avoid the risk of unintentional cheating, you should not consult online resources in studying for this course. If you do not understand something—however big or small—come to your professor, not the Internet. If you have any questions or confusions about what cheating consists of, speak with me and/or see the university handbook.

• The minimal penalty for cheating will be a zero on the assignment. Depending upon the gravity of the offense, you may also receive a failing grade for the entire course, be ejected from the course with no refund, or face suspension or expulsion from the university. Show yourself, your fellow students, your professor, and your university the respect they deserve by depending only on your own work for your grade.

• In academic year 2006-2007, the SVSU Student Association passed an honor code. It states:

“As a student of Saginaw Valley State University, I am committed to upholding a high standard of academic integrity in all of my work, inside and outside the classroom. Out of respect for my peers, professors, institutions and self, I will complete all tasks honestly and to the best of my ability.

“I am guided by my conscience as I work toward my educational and professional goals, and expect my fellow students to practice that same moral judgment.

“I take pride in my academic accomplishments and therefore will not give or receive unauthorized assistance on any assignment, project, exam, or other university requirement.

“I seek to maintain the honor of a Saginaw Valley State University degree, and I will preserve its value throughout my professional career.”

• By remaining registered in this course from the first day of class, you have tacitly agreed to accept the requirements of the university honor code. I expect all of my students to abide by the principles of the code, and I will deal harshly with any violation of them.

 

CLASS DECORUM:

• Needless to say, you must be civil and courteous your professors and peers during class. If you disrupt the learning process through distracting behavior or abusive language, you will be ejected from the course permanently, and I will determine if further disciplinary action by the university is appropriate.

• Distracting behavior includes arriving late to class, leaving class early, and talking in class. Please use the restroom before class. If you really need to use it while class is in session, please raise your hand for permission; leave and return as quietly as possible.

• I do not allow food in class. I will tentatively allow students to bring drinks and chewing gum, but I reserve the right to forbid them if they become a problem. If you wear a hat, please remove it when you take your seat at the beginning of class. Etiquette aside, I find it harder to get to know a student if his or her face is partially obscured by a hat, and I want us to get to know one another well.

• Because of the opportunities for distractions and for cheating, I do not allow the use of laptops, cell phones, ear buds, Blackberries, iPods, and other electronic devices in class. If you carry a cell phone, keep it in your pocket or bag, and be certain that you have turned it off before class starts. Having your phone go off in class is very disruptive. It is easy to forget sometimes, but repeated offenses will get you ejected from the course.

• If we treat one another with respect and do our best work in this course, we can all have a positive learning experience and possibly even a little fun along the way. I have found that the adventure of a university course can be as much of a learning experience for the professor as for the students!

 

SCHEDULE OF CLASSES:

• January 16 The Old Regime and Enlightenment
  • Start reading Remarque, 1-50
  • First memo due January 23

• January 23 The French Revolution and Napoleon
  • Remarque, 1-50
  • First Memo Due

• January 30 19th Century Nationalism and Imperialism
  • Remarque, 51-108
  • Second Memo Due

• February 6 Origins of the First World War
  • Remarque, 108-168
  • Third Memo Due

• February 13 World War One Begins
  • Remarque, 168-229
  • Fourth Memo Due

• February 20 The War to End All Wars?
  • Remarque, 231-296
  • Fifth Memo Due

• February 27 MIDTERM EXAM
  • No Memo due—Study for the Exam!

• March 5 Spring Break—NO CLASS!!!

• March 12 The Russian Revolution and Stalin
  • No Reading Due—No Memo Due
  • Note: March 14 is the last day to withdraw with a “W” grade

• March 19 The Rise of Fascist Dictators
  • Ryan, 13-64
  • Sixth Memo Due

• March 26 Origins of the Second World War
  • Ryan, 65-119
  • Seventh Memo Due
  • Note: March 28 is the last day to withdraw with a “WP” or “WF” grade

• April 2 World War Two and Holocaust
  • Ryan, 119-174
  • Eighth Memo Due

• April 9 The Victory of the Allies
  • Ryan, 177-228
  • Ninth Memo Due

• April 16 Cold War and Unification
  • Ryan, 228-277
  • Tenth Memo Due

• April 23 Catch-Up and Exam Review
  • No Memo Due—Study for the Exam!

• April 30 FINAL EXAM