Europe since 1815

History 102 Main Page, updated 15 March
–> go to current week.

HISTORY 102-005 (35344) SPRING 2024
INTRODUCTION TO EUROPEAN HISTORY II
A Transnational Approach, 1815-2015
-> Instructor: Nicholas Evangelos Levis (NEL)
-> Classes in person, 29 Jan to 20 May 2024, Queens College
-> Mon & Wed, 10:45AM-12:00PM, Kiely Hall 317
-> Office Hours: After classes & by appointment (e-mail me).
-> If needed: ZOOM (ID 830 4834 0072 – Pass 787177)
GRADING & ASSIGNMENTS
Course Rules & Guidelines
Print Syllabus
-> Will not be updated; always check current week.

***

Texts & Reference

TIMELINES
-> A study guide for the course. Start by learning the 7 key dates in the first post.

***

Course Schedule

FIRST WEEK – Classes Mon 29 Jan, Wed 31 Jan
COURSE INTRODUCTION

  • See you in class on Monday, 10:45 am!
  • Optional: bring $2 cash for course expense contribution.
  • This week you are encouraged to bring a portable computer if you have one. (Next week all electronics are banned from class.)
  • Have you read the Welcome and registered for the Forum? If not please go back and do so now. You will need an approved membership for the following links.
  • BEFORE CLASS ON WED 31 JAN
    Visit the following two Forum pages before (best by Tuesday evening, so that the Instructor can read it):
    1. Introduce Yourselves and do the memory exercises. (This is easy and covers the first 5% of your course grade.)
    2. Start studying the maps page. (We will have a geography test in Week 4, on Wed 21 Feb.)
  • THURSDAY EVENING 7PM OPTIONAL –
    HOMEWORK BY ZOOM
    This is an optional meeting to start the reading for next week with the Instructor. It will be recorded and uploaded for those who can’t make it.

WEEK 2 – Classes Mon 5 Feb & Wed 7 Feb
FRENCH REVOLUTION & NAPOLEONIC ERA

WEEK 3 – Only 1 class this week: Wed 14 Feb!
INDUSTRIALIZATION & SOCIAL CHANGE, ca. 1800-1850

WEEK 4 – No Class on Mon 19 Feb
Classes Wed 21 Feb & Thu 22 Feb
THE RESTORATION AND THE NATIONS, 1815-1848

  • Reading before class: Ch. 4, “The Restoration and the Nations” – Part I before class on Wed./Thu. (Part II to be completed by next week.)
  • MAPS TEST in class, Wed 21 Feb, based on Mapping Europe and TIMELINES, 1815-Present. It will be easy.
    The 20-30 minute test will have three parts:
    —> 1. You will be given this blank map of “Europe in 1815” and a printed list of the 8 largest powers, which you will fill in on the map.
    —> 2. You will be given this blank map of Europe in 2015 (“Political”) and asked to fill in a list of up to 10 of the countries, unfairly not including those smaller in area than Greece or Ireland (hint).
    —> 3. There will be a mix-and-match to connect key events to the first 7 dates listed at the top of TIMELINES (1789, 1815, 1848, 1871, 1914, 1945, 1991).
  • NO THURSDAY EVENING SESSION THIS WEEK.

WEEK 5 – Classes Mon 26 Feb & Wed 28 Feb
RESTORATION, Part II

OWA #2 due 7 pm Fri 1 March
On Part II of Ch. 4: Restoration vs Nations
(Reading for this week)

  • 2024 is a Leap Year – Happy extra day!
  • Wednesday follows a Monday schedule, so it makes no difference for us.
  • THURSDAY AT 7 PM: Optional homework session returns.
    –> unfortunately canceled

WEEK 6 – Classes Mon 4 Mar & Wed 6 Mar
STATES & SOCIETIES IN 1820s-1850s

  • Thursday evening, 7 pm: Optional remote homework session. We will be reading sections assigned for next week. Note new link.
    -> ZOOM (ID 830 4834 0072 – Pass 787177)

WEEK 7 – Classes Mon 11 Mar & Wed 13 Mar
STATES, SOCIETIES & WARS, 1840s-1880s
Circumstances have forced CLASSES BY ZOOM.

  • Reading: Chapter 6, Building Nations, 1848-1880s
    -> Recorded version of the reading (start at 2:05)
    Passcode: 3F*T#2EA
  • OWA #3 by Tue 12 Mar at 7 pm.
  • Wednesday, in class: Discussion of Midterm and “Big Paper” project start. (You will be expected to submit a low-stakes printed proposal for it by 25 March in class, and to meet with me to discuss your subject and plan, see Grading & Assignments.)
  • By Thursday: Will post the study guide “Map of 1914” with the answers for the maps section on the Midterm.
  • No optional reading session this week.

*** Breaking News: Revolution! ***
*** The People of History 102 Have Spoken ***
*** See e-mail of Wed 13 Mar for details ***

WEEK 8 – Classes Mon 18 Mar & Wed 20 Mar in person again
UNIFICATION WARS AND THE POST-1871 POWERS

  • Did you miss last week’s classes? It’s important you catch up. See links to the recordings from Mon 11 Mar (Passcode: 3F*T#2EA) and Wed 13 Mar (Passcode: .4%&Ex7a).
  • Reading: Following the class vote for the “In-Depth” program, we continue with Chapter 6, Building Nations, 1848-1880s, starting from Section 4 until the end.
  • The 1914 World Map (with essay) gives you all of the answers for the Map section of the Midterm (5 pts on the test and toward your course grade).
  • OWA #4 is the review for the short essay part of the Midterm Exam. It lists all of the options that will be offered. The OWA is good separately for 4 pts, and due Tue 19 Mar at 7 pm.
  • MIDTERM in class, Wed 20 Mar.
  • “Big Paper” project has started! Single-page proposals due by next week, Mon 25 Mar.

======== CURRENT WEEK ========

WEEK 10 – Classes Mon 1 April & Wed 3 April
This week and next we will cover…
EUROPEAN IMPERIALISM, 1815-1914

***

WEEK 11 – Classes Mon 8 Apr & Wed 10 Apr
LATE VICTORIAN WORLD, 1870s-1914
BEGINNING OF THE GREAT WAR, 1914-1917

  • Reading before classes: TBA
  • OWA #5 (tba) this week will be due Tue 9 Apr at 7 pm.

***

WEEK 12 – Classes Mon 15 Apr & Wed 17 Apr
THE GREAT WAR

  • Reading: Classical Fascism, Axis Wars.
  • OWA #6 (tba) this week will be due Tue 16 Apr at 7 pm.
  • The “Big Paper” will be due, printed and submitted in class, by Wed 17 Apr at the latest.

***

SPRING BREAK – No classes Mon 22 Apr to Tue 30 Apr

***

WEEK 13 – Class on Wed 1 May (May Day) only
Subjects for the last three weeks:
WORLD WAR II AND THE HOLOCAUST, 1937-1945
RECONSTRUCTION & DECOLONIZATION, 1945-1960s
EASTERN & WESTERN EUROPE, 1950s-1980s

***

WEEK 14 – Classes on Mon 6 May and Wed 8 May

  • Reading TBA
  • Online Writing Assignment #7 (tba) this week will be due Tuesday evening at 7 pm.

***

WEEK 15 – Classes on Mon 13 May & Wed 15 May
EUROPE AFTER THE WARS

  • Reading TBA
  • Make sure to submit your online Student Course Evaluations by the deadline (TBA by CUNY).

***
We lost a week – Will this be the Final?
REVIEW & DISCUSSION

  • Reading TBA

***

FINAL EXAM – Wed 20 May 2024, 11:00AM-1:00PM
In the same room as always.

  • Review material will be posted here and covered in class.
  • Final Exam will draw from readings & assignments in the entire course through Week 15. The exam will be adapted to what we have actually covered in this course. There is no need to ask me about it before May.
  • Very likely, in Week 15 I will provide at least one short-essay option you will be able to complete in advance of the test.

———————–
GRADING SUMMARY
-> 100-point system, 105 points total available
-> Extra credit possible for extraordinary work
-> For full info see Grading & Assignments page

  • Introduce yourselves: 5 pts.
  • Online writing assignments (required to do 5 of 7): 20 pts.
  • Course Engagement, Rules, surprise quizzes: 15 pts.
  • Maps Test (Wed 21 Feb): 10 pts.
  • Midterm (Wed 18 Mar): 10 pts.
  • Papers and Class Presentations: 30 pts.
  • Final Exam (Mon 20 May): 15 pts.

Grading Scale: A 100-95; A- 94-90; B+ 89-86; B 85-83; B- 82-80; C+ 79-76 C 75-71; C- 70-68; D 67-60; F below 60. Note: A+ is awarded only in extraordinary cases, such as for students who are inspired on their own to write full-length original research papers.

x