The aim of the course is to provide students with an overview in the general European history of early modern times. The lecturer will describe the chronological sequence of the main historical events, and expose the different interpretations that can be given about them, also with the help of historical documents.

The topics that will be treated in the lessons are:

1. Introduction: History, Historiography, and primary sources

2. The general framework: demography, economy and society in early modern Europe.

3. The geographical discoveries (XV-XVIII cent.)

4. Politics, war and State building in early modern Europe

5. Reformation and Counter-Reformation

6. The general crisis of the seventeenth century

7. The American and French revolutions

8. The industrial revolution.

At the end of the course the students:

• will have a general knowledge on early modern European history; besides, they will have a more specific knowledge of a single topic, through the study and the analysis of texts and documents;
• will learn the historical events of the early modern age, and to communicate and to argue their ideas abour historical events and about the different interpretations of them;
• will learn how to make bibliographical research concerning history and to assume information from a history book. They will learn how to speak in public about history and to use historical arguments.

The teaching material prepared by the lecturer in addition to recommended textbooks (such as for instance slides, lecture notes, exercises, bibliography) and communications from the lecturer specific to the course can be found inside the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it

None

Teaching

Frontal lessons

Innovative teaching methods

Debate - debate moderated by the lecturer on a course topic

Course books

The study of one textbook ("manual") AND of a supplementary textbook is required.

1. Main textbook. The students can freely choose between the following:

a. Francesco Benigno, L'età moderna. Dalla scoperta dell'America alla Restaurazione, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2005 (and other editions);

b. Carlo Capra, Storia moderna (1492-1848), Firenze, Le Monnier, 2004 (and other editions. This text has to be studied only until the Napoleonic period).

c. [For the students interested in "global history" there is also the textbook: Introduzione alla storia moderna, a cura di Marco Bellabarba e Vincenzo Lavenia, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2018. It is a very complex text, and it deals also with topics that will not be treated in the lessons]

2. Supplementary textbook. The students can freely choose between the following:

a. Giampaolo Romagnani, La società di antico regime (XVI-XVIII secolo). Temi e problemi storiografici, Roma, Carocci, 2010.

b. Guido Dall'Olio, Storia moderna. I temi e le fonti. Nuova edizione, Roma, Carocci, 2017

Assessment

The examination consists of an oral interview or a written test.

Immediately after the end of the course (approximately between the last days of October and the first week of November), a written test consisting of three open-ended questions on the general part of the course only will be given.

The test is not compulsory, but is strongly recommended to all students. Those who have not passed the written test or have decided not to participate will take the oral examination in the January-February session or in a subsequent one.

The written test, with open questions, is intended to ascertain, firstly, the acquisition of general basic knowledge (names, dates, events); secondly, the ability to present historical arguments in a coherent and orderly manner, also connecting them to their precedents and developments and/or identifying analogies and differences with other historical phenomena; finally, the ability to express reasoned opinions in the historical field.

The oral test is intended to ascertain the same abilities in the context of a discussion, with different timing, methods and interactions from the written exposition

Criteria and parameters of evaluation Intermediate test: In general, the teacher will take into account the completeness, accuracy and precision of the answers, regardless of their length. Oral interview DIMENSION 1: Factual knowledge: names, dates, location in time and space of events) 1. Level 1 (insufficient) Poor knowledge of the necessary placement in time and space of events; absence or near absence of chronological and geographical references; incorrect sequence of events 2. Level 2 (18 to 22):  Inaccurate knowledge of places and dates, but good memorisation of sequence of events 3. Level 3 (22 to 26):  Good knowledge of places and dates and effective narration of events 4. Level 4 (26 to 30): Full knowledge of names, places and dates, also of secondary but relevant characters and/or events.  DIMENSION 2: In-depth knowledge: Meaning of the events and their relation to the preceding and following history 1. Level 1 (insufficient):  No or very little connection between what precedes and follows tel time the subject of question 2. Level 2 (18 to 22): Mechanical and imperfect connections, but present (e.g.: 'The Protestant Reformation was caused by the abuses of the clergy') 3. Level 3: Good connections between events before and after the subject of the question 4. Level 4: Articulate and precise connections between what precedes and what follows the subject of the question in time. Placement of the subject of the question in its context with all the necessary elements DIMENSION 3: Knowledge of the historiographical debate and different interpretations of phenomena and their relevance to the present 1. Level 1 (insufficient)  No knowledge of the existence of different interpretations of the historical phenomenon covered by the question 2. Level 2 (18 to 22): Inaccurate and general knowledge of the different interpretations of the phenomenon 3. Level 3 (22 to 26):   Correct knowledge and exposition of the different interpretations of the phenomenon 4. Level 4 (26 to 30): Knowledge of the different interpretations of the phenomenon and their theoretical and/or documentary foundations.             The final grade will be an average of the 3 dimensions.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

Teaching

Individual study

Course books

The study of one textbook ("manual") AND of a supplementary textbook is required.

1. Main textbook. The students can freely choose between the following:

a. Francesco Benigno, L'età moderna. Dalla scoperta dell'America alla Restaurazione, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2005 (and other editions);

b. Carlo Capra, Storia moderna (1492-1848), Firenze, Le Monnier, 2004 (and other editions. This text has to be studied only until the Napoleonic period).

c. [For the students interested in "global history" there is also the textbook: Introduzione alla storia moderna, a cura di Marco Bellabarba e Vincenzo Lavenia, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2018. It is a very complex text, and it deals also with topics that will not be treated in the lessons]

2. Supplementary textbook. The students can freely choose between the following:

a. Giampaolo Romagnani, La società di antico regime (XVI-XVIII secolo). Temi e problemi storiografici, Roma, Carocci, 2010.

b. Guido Dall'Olio, Storia moderna. I temi e le fonti. Nuova edizione, Roma, Carocci, 2017.

Non-attending students must also read and study one of these books:

Ottavia Niccoli, Storie di ogni giorno in una città del Seicento, Roma, Officina Libraria, 2021 (First Edition Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2000)

Raffaella Sarti, Vita di casa. Abitare, mangiare, vestire nell'Europa moderna, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2003 (and other editions)

Assessment

(the same as for attending students)

The examination consists of an oral interview or a written test.

Immediately after the end of the course (approximately between the last days of October and the first week of November), a written test consisting of three open-ended questions on the general part of the course only will be given.

The test is not compulsory, but is strongly recommended to all students. Those who have not passed the written test or have decided not to participate will take the oral examination in the January-February session or in a subsequent one.

The written test, with open questions, is intended to ascertain, firstly, the acquisition of general basic knowledge (names, dates, events); secondly, the ability to present historical arguments in a coherent and orderly manner, also connecting them to their precedents and developments and/or identifying analogies and differences with other historical phenomena; finally, the ability to express reasoned opinions in the historical field.

The oral test is intended to ascertain the same abilities in the context of a discussion, with different timing, methods and interactions from the written exposition

Criteria and parameters of evaluation Intermediate test: In general, the teacher will take into account the completeness, accuracy and precision of the answers, regardless of their length. Oral interview DIMENSION 1: Factual knowledge: names, dates, location in time and space of events) 1. Level 1 (insufficient) Poor knowledge of the necessary placement in time and space of events; absence or near absence of chronological and geographical references; incorrect sequence of events 2. Level 2 (18 to 22):  Inaccurate knowledge of places and dates, but good memorisation of sequence of events 3. Level 3 (22 to 26):  Good knowledge of places and dates and effective narration of events 4. Level 4 (26 to 30): Full knowledge of names, places and dates, also of secondary but relevant characters and/or events.  DIMENSION 2: In-depth knowledge: Meaning of the events and their relation to the preceding and following history 1. Level 1 (insufficient):  No or very little connection between what precedes and follows tel time the subject of question 2. Level 2 (18 to 22): Mechanical and imperfect connections, but present (e.g.: 'The Protestant Reformation was caused by the abuses of the clergy') 3. Level 3: Good connections between events before and after the subject of the question 4. Level 4: Articulate and precise connections between what precedes and what follows the subject of the question in time. Placement of the subject of the question in its context with all the necessary elements DIMENSION 3: Knowledge of the historiographical debate and different interpretations of phenomena and their relevance to the present 1. Level 1 (insufficient)  No knowledge of the existence of different interpretations of the historical phenomenon covered by the question 2. Level 2 (18 to 22): Inaccurate and general knowledge of the different interpretations of the phenomenon 3. Level 3 (22 to 26):   Correct knowledge and exposition of the different interpretations of the phenomenon 4. Level 4 (26 to 30): Knowledge of the different interpretations of the phenomenon and their theoretical and/or documentary foundations.             The final grade will be an average of the 3 dimensions.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.