Libertie, Egalite, Fraternite

Check out the companion site to the French Revolution documentary. It has a host of interesting links, trailer(s), and even a historical game.

You will use the timeline found at the site to complete the Critical Thinking component of the video worksheet.

Reframing the Past: Global Declarations

When in the course of traditional discussions about the Declaration of Independence, it becomes necessary to break free from the contents of customary lessons that govern the way we see and study the past. At least this is what Harvard historian David Armitage argues, in part, in his fantastic study The Declaration of Independence: A Global History, published in 2007.

We've previously discussed the European background to the Declaration, making connections to the ways in which it influenced the French Revolution. Now, with David Armitage's help, I want to consider the document in a global perspective.



At the annual meeting of the American Historical Association in Washington, D.C. in early 2008, I had the good fortune to attend a lunch at which Armitage addressed this topic. Armitage is a delightful and witty speaker, and his talk covered the basic contents of his book.





Hence, I want to think about the Declaration in these ways, fleshed out in class discussion:


1. its universal/universalizing claims
2. "international" idea of the nation-state
3. the universal physicality of the document itself
4. the "declaration" genre of literature
5. declarations as anti-colonial protest
6. identify world-historical moments of declarations of independence

Be sure to scan Armitage's list of declarations of independence. Also, here's an early reflection on the universal dimensions of the Declaration, as well as an interesting review of the book from Itinerario and another from the Boston Globe. Here's a nice biographical portrait from the Harvard Gazette.

Believe It or Not: The Protestant Interest and Eighteenth Century Religious History

In our concluding discussion of the eighteenth century, we will analyze Thomas Kidd's idea of "the Protestant interest" as it relates to North America, Europe, and the globe. (I will also compare this to Luke Clossey's conception of global Jesuits from his recent book.)

Consulting notes from lecture/discussion, and from Spielvogel, read the specified portions from Kidd's book The Protestant Interest here.

Since "revolution" one of this semester's key themes, and since religious history will continue to inform our discussion of Europe's past, Kidd's conceptualization is helpful as we discuss historical context, change over time, and the migration of ideas.

The Past Remains the Present: Copernicus Found

Scientists recently discovered what they think are the remains of Nicholas Copernicus.

Researchers said Thursday they have identified the remains of Nicolaus Copernicus by comparing DNA from a skeleton and hair retrieved from one of the 16th-century astronomer's books. The findings could put an end to centuries of speculation about the exact resting spot of Copernicus, a priest and astronomer whose theories identified the Sun, not the Earth, as the center of the universe.

Read the full story here.

Vermeer

...is here, here, here, here, and Vermeer blog here.

Absolutely Comparative

As you prepare the comparative absolutism chart for tomorrow's discussion (again, according to the 6 traits of an absolutist ruler we outlined in class), I've provided some very helpful links.

As a reminder, you will consult notes from our previous discussion of Louis XIV, Suleyman, and Ieyasu Tokugawa. Read pp. 461-3 about Peter the Great, and follow the links below to obtain additional details. It is also a good idea to read and/or review the relevant portions of chapter 15 as it pertains to Louis, Peter, and Suleyman.


You may wish to review the documentary segments about Suleyman here and here (the first 5 minutes of this link). These clips come from the the PBS documentary Islam: Empire of Faith. In addition, follow this link to read more about Suleyman's reign.








As for Ieyasu Tokugawa, find the link to episode 2 ("The Will of the Shogun") from the PBS documentary Japan: Memoirs of a Secret Empire.








Finally, here are some "great" links for Peter, to be consulted only after reading the relevant portions of ch. 15. Here's a site that covers much of his reign (read about the domestic, military, and government reforms as well), and another site with contemporary observations about Peter.

American Politics in European Perspective

In preparation for our current events discussion tomorrow, here's a suggested list of European news sources where you might find articles/analysis about the U.S. Presidential election.

London Telegraph

The Economist

The Brussels Journal

Courrier International

EuroZine

Deutsche Welle

EUbuisness

EUobserver

Radio Free Europe

London Spectator

Transitions Online

Der Spiegel



If you find other helpful and reputable news sources, please leave the URL in comments.