European History II

Course Description

This course provides an overview of European History from approximately 1500 to 2000. It discusses politics, economics and the sacred in the Renaissance and Reformation; the French Revolution; the Industrial Revolution; the creation of national identities and states; the First World War; the inter-war period; World War II; the postwar Soviet Bloc, and Western Europe in the post-war era. Instruction is via reading, class presentations and both teacher- and student-led discussions and the study of documentaries and podcasts. The key concerns of these different activities are to facilitate the in-depth exploration of important problems in modern European history and to encourage the intellectual development of each student.

Course Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Identify the outline historical ‘facts’ that have defined Europe from the Renaissance to the twenty-first century;
• Describe decisive political, economic, social and political forces which have shaped modern Europe;
• Reflect on knowledge gained in terms of alternative interpretations/explanations and students own experiences/understanding of the world;
• Analyse and contextualise historical developments in European history, identifying patterns and continuities in addition to changes;
• Offer evaluations of European history based on critical thin