Integrated Humanities: Early Modern Period

A Western cultural overview covering the late Renaissance to the early modern period, extending from approximately 1600-1850. Using Susan Wise Bauer's The Story of the World as a guide, this class will focus on events such as The English Civil War, early American settlers, conquistadors and pirates, the American and French revolutions, the Industrial Revolution, the Age of Reason, and the Romantic Era. Students will analyze motivations of leaders, consequences of ideas, and causes of war. Through the study of the arts, philosophy, theology, and poetry in each time period, students will see man’s yearning for truth, goodness, and beauty throughout even the most tumultuous times. Alongside these studies, students will read The Hobbit, Treasure Island, Johnny Tremain, and The Scarlet Pimpernel following key themes of Greed and Tyranny.

This 32-week course consists of 4, 8-week quarters. Each week, students will be assigned an outline of our chapter in The Story of the World before class on Thursday. Thursday will be our recitation day - come prepared to discuss our readings. Through the course, students will read the texts listed below, write 2 research papers and 4 imitative poems, and take a quarterly exam.

Course Objectives:

1. Identify and interpret primary and secondary source documents.
2. Make connections between past and present, across the borders of literature and history.
3. Evaluate and discuss ideas, events, and problems orally and in writing.
4. Compare and contrast differing worldviews with the Biblical worldview, establishing the consequences of ideas.
5. Demonstrate proficiency in poetic analysis and use of poetic terms.

Texts:

• The Story of the World: Volume 3 by Susan Wise Bauer 978-0971412996
• The Kingfisher History Encyclopedia 978-0753457849
• The Bible
• The Hobbit by J.R.R Tolkien 978-0544174221
• The Golden Age of Piracy: A Resource Guide LINK
• The Story of Blackbeard: Queen Anne’s Revenge Project LINK
• Paradise Lost by John Milton (selections)
• Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson 978-1948132183
• Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes 978-0547614328
• The Declaration of Independence
• The Federalist Papers (selections)978-0486496368
• Immortal Poems of the English Language by Oscar Williams 978-0671496104
• The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy 978-0451527622
• Philosopher Primary Source Texts (selections will be provided): Paine, Kant, Voltaire, Rousseau, Locke
• Other Primary Source Texts (selections will be provided): Robespierre, Franklin, Jefferson, Adams

Required Materials:

• a set of 5 highlighters
• a binder for holding all printouts of primary source materials
• an elegant notebook for poetry writing
• a printer equipped with a scanner to allow students to submit handwritten materials.