HIST2006 Introduction to World History: The Middle Ages
Semester 1 (2024-2025)
Lecture TimeTuesday, 14:30 - 16:15
VenueRoom 304, Lee Shau Kee Building (LSK 304)
LanguageEnglish
Lecturer James MORTON (39431531 / james.morton@cuhk.edu.hk)
Teaching Assistant Mar Lorence TICAO (mar.ticao@link.cuhk.edu.hk)
Introduction
‘Medieval’. In English, this word often conjures up negative images: violence, disease, superstition, ignorance, the ‘Dark Ages’ of European history. Coming after the glories of the ancient Roman Empire but before the advances of the modern world, people often assume that the Middle Ages (c. 500–1500) were a period of decline and isolation. But is this really true? This course will provide a broad survey of medieval world history, with a focus on Europe and its connections to Africa and Asia. You will learn how medieval Europeans inherited and built on the achievements of the ancient Greeks and Romans, becoming part of a wide, cosmopolitan world that reached as far as India and China.
Each week, we will explore a particular period and theme through a lecture and class discussion. You will then have the chance to read academic literature by experts on each topic and explore related issues in conversation with other students in tutorial sessions. We will cover a wide range of topics from religion and culture to politics and economics. By the end of the course, you will have a firm understanding of the basics of the Western Middle Ages and understand how it fits into the broader history of medieval Eurasia.
Learning Goals
This course has three main goals:
- To teach you the fundamentals of medieval world history: key dates, events, places, states, beliefs, innovations, etc.
- To familiarise you with the most important debates and methodological approaches in the history of medieval Europe and its relationship with the rest of the world.
- To help you develop the fundamental skillset and sensibility of a historian: how to understand primary sources, how to think critically about historical narratives, and how to effectively communicate your analysis to others.
Need Help?
It’s ok to ask for it! I know that you have probably not studied this subject before. If you have any difficulties with the readings, assignments, discussions, or any other aspects of the course, let me know and I will be happy to help you – that is what I am here for. You can always email me, come to my open-door hours, or just ask a question in class.
| Email: | james.morton@cuhk.edu.hk |
| Open-Door Hours: | Friday 14:00–17:00 |
| Fung King Hey (KHB) 123 |
Course Schedule
| Date | Topic |
| 3 Sep |
1. Introduction: The Middle Ages |
| K. Patrick Fazioli, The Mirror of the Medieval: An Anthropology of the Western Historical Imagination (New York, 2017), ch. 2: ‘Mirror of the Medieval’. | |
| 10 Sep |
2. Romans and Barbarians |
| Ralph W. Mathisen, ‘“Becoming Roman, Becoming Barbarian”: Roman Citizenship and the Assimilation of Barbarians into the Late Roman World’, in Migration and Membership Regimes in Global and Historical Perspective: An Introduction, edd. Ulbe Bosma, Gijs Kessler, and Leo Lucassen (Leiden, 2013), 191–217. | |
| 17 Sep |
3. From Rome to Byzantium |
|
Andrew Louth, ‘Justinian and His Legacy (500–600)’, in The Cambridge History of the Byzantine Empire c. 500–1492, ed. Jonathan Sephard (Cambridge, 2008), 99–129. |
|
| 24 Sep |
4. Muhammad and the Rise of Islam |
|
Chase F. Robinson, ‘The Rise of Islam, 600–705’, in The New Cambridge History of Islam. Vol. 1: The Formation of the Islamic World, Sixth to Eleventh Centuries, ed. Chase F. Robinson (Cambridge, 2010), 173–225. |
|
| 1 Oct |
Public Holiday – No Class!
|
| 8 Oct |
5. The Carolingian Renaissance |
|
Johannes Fried, The Middle Ages (Cambridge, MA, 2015), ch. 3: ‘Charlemagne and the First Renewal of the Roman Empire’.
|
|
| 15 Oct |
6. The Viking Age |
|
Anders Winroth, The Conversion of Scandinavia: Vikings, Merchants, and Missionaries in the Remaking of Northern Europe (New Haven, 2012), chs. 2–4. |
|
| 22 Oct |
7. Feudalism and Chivalry |
|
Richard Abels, ‘The Historiography of a Construct: Feudalism and the Medieval Historian’, History Compass 7.3 (2009): 1008–1031. |
|
|
Peter Sposato and Samuel Claussen, ‘Chivalric Violence’, in A Companion to Chivalry (Woodbridge, 2019), 99–118.
|
|
| 29 Oct |
8. Church and State in the Investiture Contest |
|
Frank Furedi, Authority: A Sociological History (Cambridge, 2013), ch. 5: ‘Medieval Authority and the Investiture Contest’.
|
|
| 5 Nov |
9. The Crusades |
|
Jonathan Phillips, The Crusades, 1095–1204 (London, 2014), ‘Introduction.’
|
|
|
Andrew A. Latham, ‘Theorizing the Crusades: Identity, Institutions, and Religious War in Medieval Christendom,’ International Studies Quarterly 55.1 (2011): 223–243.
|
|
| 12 Nov |
10. Trade and Exploration |
|
Steven A. Epstein, An Economic and Social History of Later Medieval Europe, 1000–1500 (Cambridge, 2009), ch. 3: ‘Trade 1000–1350’.
|
|
| 19 Nov |
11. Medieval Education and Intellectual Culture |
|
Graeme Dunphy, ‘The Medieval University’, in Handbook of Medieval Culture: Fundamental Aspects and Conditions of the European Middle Ages. Volume 3, ed. Albrecht Classen (Berlin, 2015), 1705–1734.
|
|
| 26 Nov |
12. The Fourteenth Century: Crisis and Transformation |
|
Christopher Allmand, The Hundred Years War: England and France at War c.1300–c.1450, 2nd ed. (Cambridge, 2001), ch. 6: ‘War, People, and Nation’.
|
|
|
Christopher Dyer, Making a Living in the Middle Ages: The People of Britain 850–1520 (New Haven, 2002), ch. 8: ‘The Black Death and its Aftermath, c.1348–c.1520.’
|
|
| T.B.A. |
Final Exam
|
Assessment Overview
Your performance in the course will be assessed on the cumulative basis of different types of assignments (described in more detail below) and your attendance. The weighting of the assignments is as follows:
| Map and Timeline Quiz | 10% |
| Reading Quizzes (x2) | 20% |
| Class Participation | 20% |
| Final Exam | 50% |
Your final letter grade will be determined by your overall course percentage. You will not be graded on a curve. Grades will be assigned according to the following set thresholds:
| A | 90% | C+ | 65% |
| A- | 85% | C | 60% |
| B+ | 80% | C- | 55% |
| B | 75% | D | 50% |
| B- | 70% | F | <50% |
Grade Descriptions
| A | Exceptional: Exceeds expectations. Demonstrates impressive knowledge, clarity, analytical ability, and a firm grasp of course material. |
| A- | Strong: Has most of the qualities of A-grade work but has some minor areas for improvement. |
| B (+/-) | Good: Shows a solid understanding of course material. Has some flaws in writing or argumentation and may contain minor errors or misunderstandings. |
| C (+/-) | Satisfactory: Demonstrates an acceptable level of knowledge but suffers from lack of clarity, misunderstandings, historical errors, or weak argumentation. |
| D | Unsatisfactory: Achieves the minimum passing grade but fails to meet most expectations of knowledge and argumentation. |
| F | Fail: Does not meet basic expectations of knowledge, understanding, and/or timeliness in submission. |
Course Readings
Each week you will be assigned approximately 30–40 pages of reading, which you should complete after the relevant lecture. This will consist of articles and book chapters by experts in medieval history that explore important aspects of the week’s theme. All required course readings will be posted on the Blackboard course website at the beginning of the semester. You will not need to acquire any course materials yourself.
For a general introduction to the subject, I can recommend the following (non-compulsory) books, all of which are available in the CUHK library or online:
Abulafia, David. et al., edd. The New Cambridge Medieval History, 8 vols. Cambridge, 1995–2005.
Crone, Patricia. Pre-Industrial Societies: Anatomy of the Pre-Modern World. London, 2015.
Madigan, Kevin. Medieval Christianity: A New History. New Haven, 2015.
Wickham, Chris. Medieval Europe. New Haven, 2016.
Winks, Robin W. and Teofilo F. Ruiz. Medieval Europe and the World: From Late Antiquity to Modernity, 400–1500.Oxford, 2005.
Quizzes
There will be a total of three short quizzes during term time: one map and timeline quiz, and two reading comprehension quizzes. These will last about 20 minutes each. At the start of term, you will receive a sheet with a list of 20 historical terms and 20 geographical terms; you will need to research and learn each of these terms for the map and timeline quiz, which will be held in the last lecture on 26th November. The reading quizzes will be held in the second and fourth tutorials of term and will ask you to answer short questions to test your general understanding of the ideas, arguments, and concepts in the readings; you do not have to memorise specific details.
Tutorials and Class Participation
In addition to weekly lectures, there will be four tutorials during the term. These will be focused on discussing the content and ideas of the assigned homework readings. Active participation in class discussions is an important part of the course and your learning experience. Although the main opportunity for discussions will come during tutorial sessions, you will also have the chance to make comments and ask questions during lectures. Discussion participation in both tutorials and lectures will comprise 20% of your course grade.
To be clear, participating in discussions means that you will actually have to speak. Sitting in silence is not participation and will not count towards your participation score. But don’t worry! You don’t have to be an expert (or even knowledgeable) about a topic to join in the discussion. Any kind of contribution, even if it is just a simple comment or a question, will count as participation and will thus add to your course grade. So, don’t be shy!
Final Exam
The course will end with a final 3-hour exam held during the exam period at the close of term. This will consist of a set of 3 primary source analysis questions and one essay question (you will be able to choose from a selection of five topics). These will test your understanding of the main themes and concepts that we have studied in lectures and readings.
The primary source questions will present you with excerpts of primary source texts that we have read in class; you will then have to explain historical details about the source, its content, and why it is significant. The essay questions will require you to draw on your overall knowledge and understanding of the course themes to produce a persuasive argument supported by relevant historical evidence. I will give you more details about the exam (and advice on how to answer the questions) later in the term.
World History Seminar
This term, the History department will be holding the sixth series of its World History Seminar. This will take place online on Zoom every two weeks for a lecture by a leading world historian. At the end of the lecture, members of the audience will have the chance to engage in a Q&A with the speaker. A complete schedule of events, with topics, dates, and times, will be released soon.
Since this seminar has a clear relevance to our course, I would like you to attend no fewer than three meetings of the World History Seminar. You should also ask at least one question during one of the Q&A sessions. Your attendance and participation in this seminar will form part of your overall participation grade for this course.
Attendance and Absences
You are expected to attend all lectures and tutorial sessions. For every class that you miss without my approval, 1% will be deducted from your final course grade. If you have a valid reason for being absent from a lecture or tutorial (such as a doctor’s appointment), please contact me as soon as possible to ask for permission.
Tutorials Schedule
Four interactive tutorial sessions have been arranged for HIST2006. These meetings are designed to foster discussions on the content and ideas from the assigned homework readings. Active participation in these discussions is a key element of the course and contributes significantly to your learning experience.
The tutorials will take place on the following dates:
- Session 1: September 17, 2024 (Week 3)
- Session 2: October 15, 2024 (Week 7)
- Session 3: November 5, 2024 (Week 10)
- Session 4: November 26, 2024 (Week 13)
There will be two groups, and the venues are as follows:
- Mid-day group (12:30 – 14:15): LHC 103
- Late afternoon group (16:30 – 18:15): UCC C2 (Sessions 2 & 3) and UL Digital Scholarship Lab (Session 4)
Plagiarism and Academic Ethics
Studying at university requires a high standard of professionalism and honesty in your academic work and personal conduct. This falls under the broad category of academic ethics, which I take very seriously (and so should you). I expect you all to behave in an honest and respectful manner in class and in your assignments. Unethical behaviour, including plagiarism, will not be tolerated. You can find more information on university policy at http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/policy/academichonesty/.
If you are unsure about the definition of plagiarism or academic ethics, feel free to ask me and I will be happy to discuss it with you in more detail.
Policy on A.I. Use
The use of generative A.I. tools is closely related to issues of plagiarism and academic ethics. While there are legitimate ways to use A.I. to help you learn, it is important that you do not use A.I. instead of learning. You are allowed to use A.I. to aid in your personal study if you wish, but you should be aware of its limitations and problems: it has not studied our course material, it makes constant mistakes, and the quality of its output is worse than you might realise. Always make sure to double-check what an A.I. tells you against reputable, peer-reviewed, academic sources. You may not use A.I. to produce any of your graded assignments for this course.
Also, please do not use A.I. to write emails to me. If you send me an A.I. email, I will not respond.
Add/Drop Period
During the second and third weeks of term (9th–20nd September), students are allowed to change their course enrolments by adding and dropping courses. You are welcome to either add or drop this course during that period for any reason. Please note that it is not possible to drop the course after the add/drop period unless there are exceptional circumstances (e.g. if a medical emergency or similar makes it impossible for you to continue the class).
Grade Appeals
You can find information on the grade appeals process here: http://www.res.cuhk.edu.hk/en-gb/general-information/procedures-for-dealing-with-student-complaints.
I deal with grade appeals on a case-by-case basis. I am happy to correct your grade if there has been a technical error or oversight. Otherwise, you should be aware that grading is entirely at my discretion. I do not accept appeals just because a student disagrees with their grade.
Open Door Hours
I try to set aside time every Friday afternoon between 2 and 5pm for ‘Open Door Hours’, when students can come and see me in my office without an appointment. This is a chance for you to come and talk to me about anything you want, even if it is not related to the course. If you cannot make it on Friday afternoon, you are always welcome to make an appointment to see me at another time. Just send me an email and I will arrange a time to speak with you in my office (Fung King Hey Building, Room 123).
Attention is drawn to University policy and regulations on honesty in academic work, and to the disciplinary guidelines and procedures applicable to breaches of such policy and regulations. Details may be found at http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/policy/academichonesty/.
With each assignment, students will be required to submit a signed declaration that they are aware of these policies, regulations, guidelines and procedures.
- In the case of group projects, all members of the group should be asked to sign the declaration, each of whom is responsible and liable to disciplinary actions, irrespective of whether he/she has signed the declaration and whether he/she has contributed, directly or indirectly, to the problematic contents.
- For assignments in the form of a computer-generated document that is principally text-based and submitted via VeriGuide, the statement, in the form of a receipt, will be issued by the system upon students’ uploading of the soft copy of the assignment.
Assignments without the properly signed declaration will not be graded by teachers.
Only the final version of the assignment should be submitted via VeriGuide.
The submission of a piece of work, or a part of a piece of work, for more than one purpose (e.g. to satisfy the requirements in two different courses) without declaration to this effect shall be regarded as having committed undeclared multiple submissions. It is common and acceptable to reuse a turn of phrase or a sentence or two from one’s own work; but wholesale reuse is problematic. In any case, agreement from the course teacher(s) concerned should be obtained prior to the submission of the piece of work.
