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RYERSON UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY

HST 211 Century of Revolution: Europe 1789-1914 Winter 2011

Instructor: Dr M. Greig
Office: JOR 514
Telephone: 979-5000, ext. 6134
E-mail: mgreig@ryerson.ca
Office Hours: Monday 3-4 pm, Friday 11 am-12 pm, 3-4 pm, at other times by appointment.

This is a one semester, lower-level liberal studies course.

Course Description

This course begins with Europe collapsing into chaos. In 1789 revolution broke out in France,
and by the middle of the 1790s most of Europe had been dragged into war against France. This
general European war, which would come to be known as the Napoleonic Wars, would last for
over twenty years, and would only end with the final defeat of Napoleon at the battle of
Waterloo in 1815. In the wake of the French Revolution and the Napoleonic wars a gathering of
the representatives of the nations of Europe was convened in Vienna with the aim of re-
establishing the old order in Europe. The conservative order which they imposed on Europe at
the Congress of Vienna did succeed in keeping the general peace for a time. But the old
aristocratic leaders left over from the eighteenth century were swimming against the tide of
economic, social and political change that was now coming with the modern era. We will look
at the industrial revolution and the rise of the new ideological movements of liberalism,
socialism, Marxism and nationalism. In the face of such overwhelming challenges, the
conservative order collapsed with the revolutions of 1848. In the second half of the century we
will continue to trace important political, economic and social movements, such as the
unification of Italy and Germany, the rise of the women's movement, the emergence of
positivism (a cult of science and progress), the challenge to Christianity and the new
imperialism. Finally, this course ends with Europe once again in crisis and plunging headlong
back into a general war in 1914.

Course Organisation

Students will be required to write one test on Friday, February 18, 2011 (which I will grade
and return by March 4th) and submit one research essay (due Monday, March 14, 2011).
Students are also required to attend three or four seminars (held during class time). There will
be a final exam held during the scheduled examination period.

Lectures

Since students will be coming to this course with diverse backgrounds in the study of history the
lectures will be structured to provide both basic facts and an analysis of important themes. We
have much to cover in a short period of time. Although I do not teach from the textbook you are
encouraged to read the relevant chapters from the course textbook to supplement the lectures.
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Seminars

At the beginning of the term the class will be divided into several seminar groups and each
group will meet three or four times during the term to discuss some of the problems and issues
covered in the course. Specific readings will be assigned for each seminar meeting. The
seminars are designed to help students better understand material and themes covered in the
lectures and to encourage student interest and participation in the learning process. Everyone
will be expected to attend and contribute to all meetings of his or her group. Marks will be
given for participation only – attendance alone will not gain you any marks! Seminars
constitute 10% of the final grade, so you should consider them compulsory.

Final Exam

The final exam will be held during the exam period in April. It is worth 40% of your final
grade. It should be noted that the questions on the mid-term test and the final exam are based on
the material covered in the lectures and the seminars. It will be virtually impossible to pass
this course if you have not regularly attended the lectures and the seminars.

Required Texts (These are available in the Ryerson Bookstore.)

Noble, Strauss, et al, Western Civilization, vol. C (6th ed).

Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, The Communist Manifesto
Frederic Morton, A Nervous Splendour

Grade Breakdown

Mid-term test 25% Seminars 10%

Essay 25%
Final Exam 40%

Notes:

• All students are required to adhere to all relevant university policies, such as the Student
Code of Academic Conduct (including Academic Integrity) and the Student Code of
Non-Academic Conduct. For more information consult: www.ryerson.ca/senate/policies
• Students shall inform the instructor, in advance, when they will miss an exam, test or
assignment deadline for medical or compassionate reasons. When circumstances do not
permit this (eg. in an emergency) the student must inform the instructor as soon as
possible. Alternate arrangements will only be made on the basis of circumstances that
are both legitimate and unforeseeable. Some examples of circumstances that typically
fail to meet one or both of these conditions are: extra-curricular activities, employment
obligations, multiple deadlines and computer malfunctions.
• If, owing to unforeseen circumstances, any alteration in the course assignments, test,
deadlines, or the evaluation scheme is deemed necessary it shall be discussed in class
prior to being implemented.
• Essays in this course will be submitted to Turnitin.com. Students who do not want their
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work submitted to this plagiarism detection service must, by the end of the second week
of term, consult with the instructor to make alternate arrangements. In accordance with
Ryerson’s Course Management Policy, if an instructor has reason to suspect that an
individual piece of work has been plagiarised, the instructor is permitted to submit that
work in a non-identifying way to any plagiarism detection service
(www.ryerson.ca/senate/pol145.pdf).
• The instructor reserves the right to conduct an oral exam on the contents of any
submitted assignment.
• You will have the opportunity to evaluate this course in an on-line survey sometime
during the term. Your participation in this anonymous survey is strongly encouraged.
• All Ryerson students are required to have and regularly monitor a Ryerson e-mail
account for the purposes of all official communication (including communication about
this course). Please consult your Ryerson calendar for further details.
• All students have a right to appeal their grade in this course. More information about the
appeal process can be obtained from the calendar, your programme adviser, or from the
Chair of the History Department.