EUH 4660 U01—Modern European History

Summer A Semester, 2010

Florida International University

Dr. Jeremy Rowan

Office: DM 399
Office Phone: (305) 348-4791
Office Hours: MW 2:30-3:30
E-mail: rowanj@fiu.edu

Teaching Assistant:

Ms. Lisa Howe

Office: DM 392
Office Hours: TBA
E-mail: lhowe001@fiu.edu

Course Description: This course analyzes the political, social, cultural, and economic
history of Modern Europe from the French Revolution to the Contemporary period. The
major themes of this course focus on the transformations (and continuities) in European
society. We will study important movements, ideologies, and events such as
Industrialization, Nationalism, Liberalism and Socialism, Democracy, Imperialism, the
World Wars, the Cold War, Globalization, and European integration.

Course Objectives: EUH 4660 aims

1. To provide insight on issues dealing with social diversity by examining ways
in which European society has dealt with racial, gender, religious, and class
diversity;
2. To enhance student writing skills through the preparation of written
assignments and essay exams.
3. To foster additional student skills through the use of a variety of learning
methods in the areas of:
a. note taking in a classroom lecture format;
b. reading by using different styles of assigned readings in the form of
academic monographs, articles and primary source historical
documents;
c. integration of various historical perspectives—social, cultural,
political, and economic;
d. basic historical research using traditional print and modern electronic
sources;
e. critical thinking through classroom discussion, paper assignments,
essay exams, and oral presentation;
4. To monitor progress in student performance and provide feedback to the
student throughout the course of the semester by scheduling various measures
of evaluation approximately every three weeks.
Course Methods:

The course is primarily conducted through lectures, class discussion, collaborative

activities, and power-point/internet presentations. Students must keep well-organized
notes from the lectures, have all written assignments handed in on time, and complete all
reading assignments by the due dates. Students will be held responsible for both the
lecture material and all reading assignments.

Course Books (required) The following books will be available for purchase at the
University Book Store and can also be purchased on the internet through vendors such as
Amazon or Barnes and Noble:

The Revolutionary Career of Maximilien Robespierre by David Jordan. Chicago.

The Magic Lantern by Timothy Garton Ash. Vintage.

Mirrors of Destruction by Omar Bartov. Oxford.

The Reason Why by Cecil Woodham-Smith. Penguin.

Criteria for Evaluation:

2 exams – each worth 25% of the course grade

1 term paper – worth 30% of the course grade
Class participation – worth 20% of the course grade

All exams will be essay exams. Each exam will cover the material since the previous
exam. STUDENTS ARE TO BRING A BLUE EXAMINATION BOOKLET TO
CLASS ON THE EXAM DATES. BLUE BOOKS ARE AVAILABLE FOR SALE IN
THE CAMPUS BOOKSTORE.

The term paper:

Students will construct their research and writing assignment based on an acceptable
topic of their choosing. All students are required to present a topic, working thesis and
bibliography to the instructor during class (worth 2% of the discussion/participation
grade). A completed first draft of the paper will count for 8% of the
discussion/participation grade and the final paper 30% of the final course grade. The
paper needs to be 8-10 double-spaced pages in length with 12-point Times New Roman
font. All sources must be cited according to the Chicago Manual of Style. Students are
expected to hand in a hard copy of their writing assignment at the beginning of the class
on the due date. Electronic submissions are not acceptable. Late papers will be
penalized a letter grade for every class period that the paper is late.
Make-up Exams:

No make-up exams will be given except in cases of illness and medical emergency. A
doctor’s note must be presented upon the instructor’s request for a make-up exam to be
given. If no note is forthcoming, the instructor retains the right to refuse to administer a
make-up exam. A doctor’s or dental appointment which is a non-emergency, and which,
therefore, can be reasonably rescheduled, is not a valid excuse. Unexcused missed exams
will receive an automatic grade of 0%.

Special Notes:

1. Students are responsible for information—lectures, required texts, handouts,

as well announcements—contained in each class meeting;
2. Students with documented special learning needs may want to inform the
instructor so that accommodations may be made, or contact the FIU Disability
Resources Center (305-348-3532)

Grading:

In the course, grading will follow the scale below:

A = 100-94 %
A- = 93-90%
B+ = 89–86%
B = 85-83%
B- = 82-80%
C+ = 79–76%
C = 75-73%
C- = 72-70%
D+ = 69-66%
D = 65-63%
D+ = 62-60
F = 59% and below

Attendance Policy:

A total of six class hours (2 class periods for the summer term) will result in an automatic
withdrawal with a “W”, “WP”, or WF” if within the designated withdrawal periods, or an
automatic “F” if not. It is the students’ responsibility to initiate the withdrawal during the
designated withdrawal periods and after. Otherwise, an “F” or “F0” will be issued at the
end of the term. Students should familiarize themselves with the designated withdrawal
periods in the FIU University Undergraduate Catalogue.

Academic Dishonesty Policy

Cheating and Plagiarism

 a. Cheating is defined as the attempt, successful or not, to give or obtain
information by illicit means in meeting any academic requirements
including, but not limited to, examinations;
b. Plagiarism is defined as the use, without proper acknowledgement, of
the ideas, phrases, sentences, or larger units of discourse from another
writer or speaker.

Students are expected to know and abide by the academic dishonesty

policy as stated in the university catalogue.

Students are therefore warned: Cheating and/or plagiarism are grounds for
an automatic grade of “0” for the assignment and subsequently will be
reported to the office of Academic Affairs.

Student Behavior

All FIU students are expected to behave according to the accepted norms that ensure a
climate wherein all can exercise their right to learn. Such norms are set forth in the
undergraduate catalogue. No faculty member will tolerate classroom behavior that
violates these norms. Such behavior will be grounds for withdrawal from the class,
judicial proceedings, and/or failure of the course. If warranted, students engaging in such
behavior will be removed from class by security personnel and may be required to
undergo counseling.

Class Schedule:

Week 1:

Wednesday, June 23—Course Introduction; The Twilight of the Old Regime: 18th
Century Society and Culture; The World of the Philosophes: The Enlightenment
Reading: The Revolutionary Career of Maximilien Robespierre

Week 2:

Monday, June 28— Origins of the French Revolution; The Revolutions in France
Discussion: The Revolutionary Career of Maximilien Robespierre

Wednesday, June 30—Napoleonic Era; The Collapse of the Napoleonic Empire; The
Congress of Vienna
Discussion: Peer Review for Paper Topic/Thesis/Bibliography
Reading: The Reason Why

Week 3:
Monday, July 5—NO CLASS (Independence Day)
Wednesday, July 7— Industrialization; 19th Century Ideologies; Revolution and Reform
1815-1848

Week 4:
Monday, July 12— Unification of Italy and Germany; Rapid Industrialization;
Discussion: The Reason Why

Wednesday, July 14— Midterm Exam

Reading: Mirrors of Destruction

Week 5:
Monday, July 19— New Imperialism; The Coming of War; World War I

Wednesday, July 21— World War I; Paris Peace Conference; Interwar Years

Week 6:
Monday, July 26—World War II
Discussion: Mirrors of Destruction

Wednesday, July 28—Cold War; Post-War Europe (1945-85)

Discussion: Peer Review of Term Paper (Completed Draft Due)
Reading: The Magic Lantern

Week 7:
Monday, August 2—The Fall of Communism; Contemporary Europe
Discussion: The Magic Lantern
Final Paper Due (Hard Copy)

Wednesday, August 4—Final Exam