9:30-10:45A     MW     BH208

A portion of the above section reserved for majors

This is the first course of a two-semester survey of the history of
the Middle Ages; the second half, B352 will be given in the spring
semester.    Most surveys of the Middle Ages concentrate on the
experience of western
Europeans between about 400 and 1500. This approach grew out of an
earlier historical tradition in which the history of Europe was seen
as being of primary importance, because Europe came to dominate the
world economically in the sixteenth century.
However, Western Europe was only one of the regions around a
shared body of water, the Mediterranean. The Byzantine Empire also lay
on the Mediterranean, as did a succession of Islamic empires and
states. The
entire Mediterranean world had been part of the Roman Empire, and thus
the "Heirs of the Roman Empire" had some common cultural antecedents,
as well as unique cultural features. While the European tradition will
predominate in this course, we'll also consider the political,
religious, and cultural developments in the Islamic/Islamist and
Byzantine regions and try to think about the three comparatively. We
will also think about points of contact and cultural exchange between
the three regions. We will read primary documents from all three
cultures. The course will culminate at the end of the eleventh
century.  Skills: The emphasis in this course will be on helping
students to develop their ability to read and interpret primary
sources (sources from
The Middle Ages themselves) and to write more effectively.  Each week,
in addition to textbook reading, we will read one or more primary
source readings and take some time to discuss these in class.
Assignments: three essays (4-5 pp) over the primary source
readings, a midterm exam, a paper (10 pp.), and a comprehensive final
examination.