HIST 435 Fall, 2006

European Expansion Overseas, 1400-1800

Mondays and Wednesdays, 12:00-1:15 VMMC 22

Prof. Sue Peabody, peabody@vancouver.wsu.edu

Office: Multimedia Building, 202D (360) 546-9647

Office Hours: Mon/Wed, 1:30-2:00 and Thursdays, 4:15-5:00 and by appointment

Department Number (inclement weather, etc.): (360) 546-9441

Themes

This course looks at the lives of explorers, soldiers, settlers, and missionaries from Portugal, Spain, the Netherlands, France and England, as well as the people and societies they encountered in the Africa, the Americas, and Asia during 400 years of exploration and colonization. The emphasis will be on how Europeans' expectations, cultures, and institutions shaped what they found in the foreign lands they "discovered," conquered and colonized. We will also analyze how the peoples native to America and Africa viewed the European intruders. To what extent was it possible for Europeans to cross cultures ‑-by "becoming Indian" or for non-Europeans to assimilate into European beliefs and ways of life? We will analyze how these cultural concerns interrelated with the biological, economic, and social realities of the 15th through the 18th centuries.

Required Books (Prices are approximate)

Blussé, Leonard. Bitter Bonds: A Colonial Divorce Drama of the Seventeenth Century 1558762531. $18.95

Clendinnen, Inga. Ambivalent Conquests: Maya and Spaniard in Yucatan, 1517-1570, 2^nd ed. 0521527317 $20.00.

Equiano, Olaudah. Equiano's Travels. 048640661X $2.00

Hammond Historical World Atlas, 0-8437-1391-7 $10.95. An extremely valuable personal reference book. Highly recommended for purchase.

Coursepack: Your required course-packet is being sold online through University Readers (www.universityreaders.com).  See “Assignments,” below, for more information about accessing these materials. About $12.00.

Grades

15% Class Participation (including Attendance)

40% Think Questions

20% Preview & Bibliography

25% 8-page Research Paper

To get a good grades in this class:

q Come to class every week or email the instructor if an unavoidable conflict comes up.

q Complete all reading assignments in time for class, as indicated on syllabus.

q Submit all writing assignments on time.

q Work with the writing center staff to make sure that your papers have a clear thesis and organization.

q Participate in class discussions.

Written Assignments

Think Questions

During the semester you must submit four short written assignments (1-2 pp., typed), called “Think Questions.” These are designed to get you thinking about an issue before a class discussion.

The best essays will have a thesis and support it with evidence from the reading assignment. Simple parenthetical citations (author, page number) are sufficient for the Think Questions.

There are five Think Questions listed under “assignments,” below. You are REQUIRED to turn in four of these.

Extra Credit

If you submit more than the required number of Think Questions (4), I will either a) replace the lowest grade(s) on previous Think Questions with the new, higher grade (s) or b) add extra points to your class participation grade.

Due Dates

All written assignments are due in class the day of the assignment. Late assignments will be marked down one letter grade for each day that they are late. E.g. An assignment due February 3 that receives a "B" but is submitted on February 4 will receive a final grade of "C." But see "Revisions," next.

Revisions

You may revise and resubmit Think Questions, the preview, and the bibliography. If the revised piece is an improvement on the original, the higher grade will replace the lower one. All such revisions are due NO LATER THAN the last day of classes.

Grades

Grades for writing assignments are based on the following criteria:

A = An intelligent, insightful, clear, and well organized essay that shows a sophisticated awareness of historical argumentation (i.e., that history is a written discussion with evidence offered to support a thesis).

B = Mostly correct, well written, this essay is solid but does not sparkle with independent thinking or analysis

C = This essay contains some errors of fact or interpretation and/or numerous stylistic problems

D = This essay does not show evidence of much effort or contains unforgivable errors

F = Usually reserved for plagiarism or for papers that have been submitted several days late

Preview, Bibliography, & Research Paper

The Preview, Bibliography, and Research Paper will all utilize a single travel narrative written by a European between the years 1400 and 1800. The purpose of the paper is to analyze how the traveler’s cultural and personal background shaped his or her perspective when voyaging into unfamiliar territory. What kinds of things did the traveler focus on or omit as a result of his or her upbringing or station in life? How did the author interpret or translate alien practices for readers?

For footnotes and bibliographic form, please use "Chicago Style." For guidance, see: Kate L. Turabian, A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations, (6th edition, chapter 11, styles "N" and "B"). The WSU-V library and the Writing Lab have several copies. They are also usually on sale at the bookstore. If you don’t own a copy you should seriously consider investing in one.

Be sure to use libraries from 4-year institutions (WSU Vancouver, WSU Pullman, PSU, etc.). If your rely primarily on non-university libraries (e.g. Clark College, Vancouver Public Library), your grade will be correspondingly lower.

The Preview is a short (2 pp., typewritten, double-spaced) essay answering as many of the following questions as you can, based upon the book itself or any introductory material. At the top of the page, write a complete bibliographic citation of the book you have chosen (i.e., author, title, place of publication, publisher, date) in standard bibliographic form (e.g. see Turabian, A Manual for Writers..., 6th edition, 11.3, B. On permanent reserve in the Library: LB2369 .T8 1996).

Who wrote the book?

When did the author live?

What are the circumstances of the author's life? (E.g. profession, class, age when book was written, nationality, religion)

What are the circumstances of the author's travel? Where did he or she go? Why?

How might the author's circumstances shape, limit, or bias his or her observations?

In what ways is the author likely to be most reliable? What areas does he or she seem to overlook?

What areas will you need to research in order to better understand the author's bias or perspective?

(For example, if the author is a Dominican missionary, you may need to research more about the Dominican order. If the author is a French soldier, you may need to know more about the French military. In all cases, you should seek to learn more about the country where the author came from at the time period that the author lived [e.g. 17th-century Scotland].)

Note: A common problem that many students run into is that some travel narratives appear to be very accurate and it is hard to identify a bias or perspective, particularly in the 18th century. This is, in part, because the Scientific Revolution and the Enlightenment (17th to 18th centuries) encouraged travelers to take very accurate "scientific" observations. In such cases, this preference for "factual" information be considered a bias in and of itself. Ask yourself, "what is left out?" It may include emotionality, observations regarding spirituality (particularly the author's), attention to women's roles in society. In your bibliography, you may want to research books on the Scientific Revolution or the Enlightenment.

The Bibliography should consist of at least ten books or articles (in standard bibliographical form) that you hope will help you to inform you about the research areas you outlined above. Note: You will probably not actually use all of these in your final paper, but the titles will indicate to me the research directions that you are currently following. Remember, all books and journal articles should come from 4-year colleges and universities (e.g. WSU Holland, PSU).

The Paper will be 8 pages long, double-spaced. Its purpose is to integrate what you have learned about the author and the circumstances of the voyage with how the author describes the place that he or she visits. In other words, how does the author's perspective shape, limit, or form the account of the voyage? Take into account not only the author's individual personality and circumstances, but what you have learned about European society (and the society that the author visits) at the time of the encounter.

Your paper should have a thesis that is supported by evidence from both the travelogue itself (the primary source) and what historical experts have told you about the place and time you have chosen to study (secondary sources). The paper should include proper citations of evidence from both kinds of sources (including at least four secondary sources).

Consider these questions:

Primary Source

· Is the author a reliable observer? Why or why not? Under what circumstances is the author more or less reliable?

· Are there particular episodes or examples that show the author's bias?

· What subjects does the author write about? Why does the author think these are important topics?

· What subjects does the author overlook? What is the significance of these omissions?

· --What do you think is the presumed audience of the travelogue?

Secondary Sources

· --Is the author's perspective typical for someone of his or her background?

· --Can you provide additional information about the people encountered by the author that shed light on any experiences or misunderstandings?

· --Have audience read or used this account in ways unintended by the author?

A truly excellent paper will integrate both description and explanation of the author's perspective in an original and thought-provoking way. It will also take into account alternative interpretations of the evidence (where appropriate) and offer your rationale for rejecting these interpretations.

Examples of papers from previous semesters may be found on reserve in the library for HIST 435.

Class Policies

Attendance is required at all class meetings, including field trips. If you cannot attend a class due to illness or other personal emergency, you may obtain an “Excused Absence” by notifying the instructor prior to the class session. Leaving a message by voice mail is sufficient to obtain an Excused Absence. Please note that whether or not an absence is excused, you are responsible for learning what happened in class and mastering that material (e.g. obtaining notes from a reliable classmate).

Tardiness disturbs the teacher and your classmates. Furthermore, it can affect your work in the class. I usually make important announcements at the beginning of class (e.g. announce the location of exams, change assignments). If you miss these announcements, there is no guarantee that information will be repeated later. On occasion, tardiness is unavoidable. If you find yourself arriving late to class, please take your seat with a minimum of commotion. Three late arrivals constitute an unexcused absence. (Note: if your work schedule necessitates regular late arrivals, please clear this with me in advance).

Reasonable Accommodations are available for students who have a documented disability. Please notify the instructor during the first week of class of any accommodations needed for the course. Late notification may cause the requested accommodations must be approved through the Student Services Office, 546-9567.

Plagiarism and Cheating are serious offenses that may be penalized severely. You are plagiarizing or cheating if you:

v present someone else’s words or ideas as your own, in writing or in speaking

v present ideas without citing the source

v paraphrase without crediting the source

v use direct quotes with no quotation marks

v use direct quotes without footnotes or other textual citation of the source

v present work in a group project that is not your own or the work of the group

v submit the same paper for credit in more than one course without discussing this option with the instructors

v submit material written by someone else as your own (this includes purchasing a term or research paper)

v submit a paper or assignment for which you have received so much help that it is no longer your own work

v do not do an equal part of the work on a group project

v copy someone else’s exam or graded homework

v refer to a text, class notes, or other materials during an exam without being authorized to do so

v purposefully allow another student to copy your work or submit work you have written as his/her own

v collaborate with others on a take-home exam, or spend more time than that specified by the instructor on a take-home exam.

Reading and Writing Assignments

Week 1	8/21	Buy your coursepack: www.universityreaders.com. You will need your Coursepack by 9/4 to complete the reading assignment. “I didn’t order the coursepack in time” is not a valid excuse! Please select the STUDENT BUY NOW button located within the top-right corner of every webpage to be taken to University Readers' online store.  From there, you will be prompted to choose your state, institution, and course number from a pull-down menu. Easy-to-follow instructions will lead you through the rest of the purchasing process.  Payment can be made by all major credit cards and even by electronic check.  Once payment is confirmed, your course-packet will be mailed to you for FREE within 24 hours (and most of the time same day).  You will also be given instructions on how to download a FREE digital reading supplement so you can get started on your required readings right away.  If you have any difficulties, please e-mail orders@universityreaders.com or call 800-200-3908.
	8/23	Read on-line from the University Readers Coursepack: www.universityreaders.com. Polo, Marco. The Travels of Marco Polo. Pp. 242-255.
Week 2	8/28	PERSONAL TRAVEL NARRATIVE DUE (Required for all students) Late assignments will be marked down one whole grade for each day late. In 2 pages, typewritten, doublespaced: Briefly describe your first impressions upon visiting a new and unfamiliar place. For example, you may write about your first visit to a large city if you grew up in the country, or about the countryside if you are from the city (or a foreign country, or another part of the U.S.). Try to remember your first reactions to a place that was very different from anything you had encountered before. If you kept a journal, you may quote from it. Here are some things to think about as you write your description (you don't need to answer all of these questions in your essay): · What struck you as strange or unusual? · If you spoke to people, what difficulties did you have in communicating? Were there any misunderstandings? · Did you jump to any odd conclusions about the people or the place that you later found out were wrong? · Why were you there? Did you go to this place willingly or unwillingly? How did your attitude affect your experience? The strongest papers will have an introduction, body, conclusion, and a thesis that ties the parts together.
	8/30	Read on-line from the University Readers Coursepack: www.universityreaders.com. Wyatt MacGaffey, “Dialogues of the Deaf: Europeans on the Coast of Africa” in Implicit Understandings, 249-267
Week 3	9/4	Labor Day: No Class
	9/6	Coursepack: “Christianity in Kongo” (1491)
Week 4	9/11	Coursepack: Columbus, Christopher. “Journal of the First Voyage of Columbus,” Pp. 126-157, 174-179, 196-205, 222-229
	9/13	TQ#1: In what ways was Columbus influenced by Polo’s account and the Portuguese explorers’ experiences along the West African Coast? How reliable is Columbus’ account of his journey?
Week 5	9/18	Ambivalent Conquests, 3-71
	9/20
Week 6	9/25	Ambivalent Conquests, 72-128
	9/27	VIEW IN CLASS: “The Mission” with Robert DeNiro and Jeremy Irons
Week 7	10/2	Ambivalent Conquests, 131-192 VIEW IN CLASS: “The Mission” with Robert DeNiro and Jeremy Irons
	10/4	TQ #2: There are many similarities and differences between the stories told by the book Ambivalent Conquests and the film, The Mission. What do you think are the most important of these and why are they important?
Week 8	10/9	Mary Rowlandson, The Narrative of the Captivity and the Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson (1682) (16 pp. printed) http://www.library.csi.cuny.edu/dept/history/lavender/rownarr.html
	10/11	Vaughan, Alden T. “From White Man to Redskin: Changing Anglo-American Perceptions of the American Indian.” American Historical Review 1982 87(4): 917-953. Accessible on-line through JSTOR.
Week 9	10/16	Shoemaker, Nancy. “How Indians Got to Be Red.” American Historical Review 1997 102(3): 625-644 Accessible on-line through JSTOR.
	10/18	Aubert, Guillaume. “`The Blood of France’: Race and Purity of Blood in the French Atlantic World” The William and Mary Quarterly 61:3 (July 2004). Accessible on-line through Griffin, select “History Cooperative.”
Week 10	10/23	Peabody, Sue.“`A Nation Born to Slavery’: Missionaries and Racial Discourse in Seventeenth-Century French Antilles” Journal of Social History (Fall 2004). Accessible on-line through the Project Muse database.
	10/25	TQ #3: Four historians (Vaughan, Shoemaker, Aubert, Peabody) have written about the historical development of the idea of race from different perspectives. Choose two of their essays. In what ways do they agree? What are there fundamental disagreements? Compare and contrast.
Week 11	10/30	Leonard Blussé, Bitter Bonds: A Colonial Divorce Drama of the Seventeenth C., preface and chaps. 1-5
	11/1
Week 12	11/6	Leonard Blussé, Bitter Bonds: A Colonial Divorce Drama of the Seventeenth C., preface and chaps. 6-10 and afterword
	11/8	TQ #4: How did the Dutch colonial establishment in Batavia differ from the Spanish conquest of the Yucatan? OR The story of European expansion overseas has, until very recently, focused primarily on the male perspective. Why is this and what do primary accounts by women (such as Mary Rowlandson) or secondary works about women in colonial settings (like Bitter Bonds) add to our understanding of the process of European conquest and colonization?
Week 13	11/13	PAPER PREVIEW AND BIBLIOGRAPHY DUE
	11/15	The Life of Olaudah Equiano, (Note, Preface, chapters 1-4)
	11/20-11/25	Thanksgiving Break
Week 14	11/27	The Life of Olaudah Equiano, (Note, Preface, chapters 1-9)
	11/29
Week 15	12/4	The Life of Olaudah Equiano, (chapters 10-12, Appendix)
	12/6	TQ #5: In what ways is Olaudah Equiano typical of an African slave in the eighteenth century? In what ways is his life unusual or a-typical? How do you explain the ways in which his life deviated from traditional roles for a slave?