Nineteenth Century Europe

History 3363 — Fall 2007

G. Shanafelt

Books

John Merriman. A History of Modern Europe, Vol 2, From the French Revolution to the Present, 2nd ed.
P. M. Jones. The French Revolution, 1787-1804
Robert Heilbroner. The Worldly Philosophers
H. Rider Haggard. King Solomon’s Mines
David Fromkin. Europe’s Last Summer

The Course

A quick perusal of the class readings will reveal that the word “revolution” appears repeatedly — in politics, in economics, in the sciences. This course is about a century in which Europe underwent massive changes, changes which transformed it in many ways all out of recognition from what it had been earlier, and which created the world as we know it today whether we live in Europe or Texas. If our century is the 21st, there can be little doubt that its foundations were laid by Europeans in the 19th, and that many of the processes which began then are still working themselves out among us a century later.

Course Objectives

Students in this course will be expected to understand

1.	The origins and course of the French Revolution, and the factors which underlay subsequent revolutionary outbreaks throughout Europe in the course of the 19th century;
2.	The origins and consequences of the Industrial Revolution that began in Britain at the end of the 18th century;
3.	The major political/economic philosophies of the time (liberalism, conservatism, socialism, nationalism);
4.	European interaction with the non-European world (imperialism);
5.	The factors that led to the outbreak of the First World War in 1914.

Course Grade

It goes without saying that you’re expected to come to class having completed the weekly reading assignments. Though the course is mainly lecture in format, everything will make more sense if you keep up with the work. Your final grade will be computed as follows: 25% on each of the three noncomprehensive tests during the semester (the final examination will simply be the third noncomprehensive test), and 25% on a 5-8 page typed, double-spaced review of H. Rider Haggard’s novel King Solomon’s Mines.

Students with Disabilities

McMurry University abides by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which stipulates that no otherwise qualified student shall be denied the benefits of an education “solely by reason of a handicap.” If you have a documented disability that may impact your performance in this class and for which you may be requesting accommodation, you must be registered with and provide documentation of your disability to the Disability Services Office, located in Old Main Room 102. Arrangements will be made for students needing special accommodations.

Proposed Class and Reading Schedule

Aug 28 Aug 30	Introduction Europe in 1789	Merriman, xix-xxv, 467-468
Sept 4 Sept 6	The Origins of the French Revolution — I The Origins of the French Revolution — II	Merriman, 469-482; Jones, 3-52
Sept 11 Sept 13	The Terror The Rise and Fall of Napoleon Bonaparte	Merriman, 482-552 Jones, 53-135
Sept 18 Sept 20	The Industrial Revolution — Origins The Industrial Revolution — Results	Merriman, 553-597 Heilbroner, chs. 1-4
Sept 25 Sept 27	Liberals and Conservatives Utopians and Marxists	Merriman, 607-636 Heilbroner, chs. 5-6
Oct 2 Oct 4	First Test The Continent: Reaction and Revolution	Merriman, 598-607, 636-661
Oct 9 \Oct 11	England: Triumph of Reform 1848: Upheaval	Merriman, 661-701
Oct 16 Oct 18	Statemaking: Cavour Statemaking: Bismarck	Merriman, 702-736
Oct 23 Oct 25	Fortwürsteln: The Habsburg Monarchy Britain: Victorian Heyday	Merriman, 736-770
Oct 30 Nov 1	Tsarist Russia France: Belle Époque?	Merriman, 770-813
Nov 6 Nov 8	Second Test Economics and the “Great Depression”	Merriman, 814-857
Nov 13 Nov 15	The Coming of Mass Society Culture: From Romanticism to Realism	Merriman, 858-897
Nov 20	Imperialism	Merriman, 898-942 Fromkin, 3-110
Nov 21-23	[Thanksgiving Vacation]
Nov 27	Paper due
Nov 27 Nov 29	Diplomacy: The Forging of the Alliances The Eastern Question	Merriman, 943-973 Fromkin, 113-149
Dec 4 Dec 6	The July Crisis Conclusion: The Lamps Go Out	Fromkin, 153-305
Dec. 11	Third Test (8:00-10:00)