The West and The World, 16th Century to the Present CHY4U The West and The World, 16th Century to the Present

Course Description Major trends in Western Civilization and World history 16th century until present Relationship between West and other regions of the world Development of modern social, political, and economic systems Critical thinking, historical roots of contemporary problems

Units of Study Unit 1- Historiography: How we do history Unit 2- The World Reinvented (1480-1715) Unit 3- Enlightenment and Revolution (1700-1815) Unit 4- Modern Europe (1815-1914) Unit 5- A World At War (1914-1945) Unit 6- A New World Order (1945- Present)

“Big Ideas” Ideas have profoundly changed history and relationships between the West and the World have been fraught with misunderstanding and mistrust Develop Historical Empathy Apply critical thinking skills to unique historical situations

How will you be assessed in this course? Four categories Knowledge, application, thinking, and communication Six learning skills Responsibility, Organization, Independent work, Collaboration, Initiative, Self-Regulation Train, Practice and Perform

Greek word meaning Inquiry, Knowledge acquired by investigation HISTORY Greek word meaning Inquiry, Knowledge acquired by investigation

What is History?

What is History? What happened in the past? Why did it happen? What can it tell us today? What was the impact of a person, idea or event on society/world? What is significant in history? What gives something significance?

Perspective and Bias What really happened?

Perspective A perspective is a viewpoint from which a person sees an event Bias A perspective is biased if it unfairly prejudices the result in favour of one person or group

Bonaparte Crossing the St. Bernard Pass, Jacques-Louis David (1801)

Napoleon Crossing the Alps, Paul Delaroche (1850)

Historiography The study of the way History has been Written There are a number of different ways to view History

How do we find answers? Primary Sources: Examples: Letters/diaries Music Autobiographies Photos/Paintings Maps Government document Artifacts/remains Interviews Stories Buildings Newspapers

Secondary Sources Written by outsiders, after the fact Examples Histories Newspaper editorials Biographies Research papers Scholarly articles Novels Scientific studies Textbooks/ Encyclopedia Books Websites Movies

Problems doing history Sources not accurate People lie/exaggerate the truth Sources are biased or aimed at an audience or apologizing for the past The same information can be interpreted differently Presentism (viewing the past from the present) and placing our values on it and validate us.

How to Overcome Problems Focus Question. Research/Hypothesis. Test hypothesis through research and analysis. Conclusions.

Focus of Historians Political History Economic History Social History Intellectual History Cultural History Women’s History Feminist History

Major Schools of History Chronicle-the-story of history. Drum and Trumpet-great men and nations. Progressive/Liberal History-onward and upward. INTELLECTUAL HISTORY- ideas have consequences. Social History-the common folk. Marxist History- by Karl Marx- Economics explains all aspects of society Feminist History- role and power of women in history Women’s History-role of women in history.

History as Justice

Frontier Thesis

Marxist

Postmodernism

Post-Colonialism

Narrative

Feminist Historiography

The Pattern of History

Is History Progressive? Views of History: Progressive, moving forward Cyclical, history repeats itself Progressing Spirally, combo of first 2 Chaotic, too random to measure progress

Medieval Historiography

Cyclical

Biological

Progress

Challenge and Response

Hero – “Great” man

Radical/Critical

History from Below

Why is History Relevant? “History is more or less bunk.” -Henry Ford

We need to develop criteria of progress What is “Progress”? We need to develop criteria of progress

Criteria: Technological advancements Good economy Quality of life Democracy …

Aspects of Medieval Worldview Notion of a divine plan – world a product of God’s intelligence Idea of hierarchy or “Great Chain of Being” Dualism – spirit on one hand and matter on the other

Allegory – literary examples to find the higher spiritual or moral meaning Providence – accidents don’t happen; God sees all Teleology – all things have an inherent purpose or goal

The Renaissance A cultural transformation Means “rebirth” 1350-1600 in Western Europe Began in Italy Intense creativity = differed from the past With the Renaissance, the modern age begins in Europe

Society Art Politics Education Writers and artists Recover learning of Ancient Greece and Rome Reject the “Medieval Period” (467-1350) Initiated transition to modern age

Renaissance Worldview More Secular Valued Worldly life Expanded knowledge Advocated humans to develop their best potential in THIS world Therefore, Man became an INDIVIDUAL, not just part of a group