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WebTychoCultural History of London Sample Syllabus
Hist 217B / 317B
Course Description:
William the Conqueror brought castle, manor house, feudal structure, codes of chivalry, the Doomsday Book, and French to Saxon and Viking England. We visit the White Tower of the Normans, and the palace of King Edward I within. We have a private visit to the Monastery of Charterhouse, later an Elizabethan and Jacobean residence. We study the medieval world through the Guildhall, the church of the Knights Templars., We study both the architectural glories and the history of medieval England in Westminster Abbey. We visit the Parliament and trace medieval and Tudor influences of history and the arts. We visit either Windsor Castle or Hampton Court, and study the struggle for power between State and Church that culminates with King Henry VIII, and Queen Elizabeth I. We trace the historical development of both Parliament and of the Courts of Law through the Inns of Court. We study the struggle between king which and Parliament that resulted in the beheading of Charles I in the Banqueting House, and from that, the profound effects of the Commonwealth of Cromwell. We spend one day with Shakespeare on the Bankside, visit Southwark Cathedral, see the Globe Theater, and a Shakespeare play.
Course Goals/Objectives:
The purpose of the course is to interpret the historical important places in London, of great beauty and of architectural significance, in terms of their historical importance.
The student should be able to discuss the significance of the arts and architecture of the places we study in terms of important issues of history of the period;
- The development of the system of law through the medieval period.
- The development of a Parliament system through the medieval period.
- The development of social institutions such as the guilds and the Lord Mayor.
- The influence of the Church of Rome and its institutions in England.
- The struggle between Rome and Henry VIII; the development of a national church.
- The struggle between King and Parliament of the Civil War, and the Commonwealth
Grading Information and Criteria
HIST 217 – Participants will take three quizzes, keep a daily journal to be handed in, and complete an essay examination on the last day of the class. This course is open to all students who have successfully completed nine semester hours of university study.
HIST 317 - In additional to fulfilling lower-level requirements, participants will develop a project based on the Rutherfurd text, with written commentary, which extends the content of the course beyond the assigned text and reinforces key concepts of the course.
Pre-class Papers: Participants will submit summary notes from our textbook, the library, or internet, or a combination of the three, which discuss issues of particular interest to the participant, and will comment on those note for the class during the first session;
Full attendance for all sessions is required. However, because of unusual circumstances, and with the approroval of the Professor, make-up work may be assigned for the unexpected absence.
Military I.D. is necessary for entrance into Navy Headquarters.
Student Card: Bring your student card with you for reduced prices. Add photo if possible.
Additional costs:
Entrance fees, with student discount card, may be about £15,00
Supplementary texts, White Tower, or Westminster Abbey, may add up to some $15.00.
Shakespeare theater tickets may vary between £10.00 to £25.00, depending upon choice.
PROJECT DESCRIPTIONS:
A syllabus of the itinerary for each day will indicate the places of historical and cultural importance required for the journal.
TEXTBOOK:
All Participants: “England: A Concise History,” Halliday. Estimated $15.00
Thames and Hudson
Upper Level “London,” Edward Rutherfurd, Chapters 1 – 12 $15.00
See readings enclosed with the text.
TENATIVE SYLLABUS:
Entrance to many places depends upon special permission, which must be applied for closer to the time. The enclosed syllabus is for general reference only.
Sunday. 1500 hrs through early evening
Navy Building, 7 North Audley Building, off Oxford Street, meet in lobby.
You must have your military I.D. for entrance.
Monday: Tower of London. Palace of Henry II. History of Normans through Tudors Medieval castle construction of the Normans. Walk through City of London: Roman wall. Mithras Temple. Church of the black death. Barbican: The Museum of London,– Roman, Celt, Saxon, Viking: Full rendering medieval church and guilds of London; Tudor splendor and commerce.
Tuesday: Charterhouse - Private tour. Important medieval monastery, privatized under Henry VIII, visited by Queen Elizabeth and King James I, famous public school, today a residence. Nearby, St. Bartholomew Romanesque cathedral. Site of Peasants Revolt. Medieval Guildhall, center of wealthy guilds of London. Individual guild houses.
Wednesday: Westminster Abbey. Celebration of the history of England from the time of Edward the Confessor. Superb example of Gothic architecture. Famous English fan vaulting. The Chapter House, first home of the House of Commons. St Margaret’s Church. National Gallery – triptych Richard 1. The Tudor Portrait Gallery. Evensong, Westminster Abbey.
Thursday: Palace of Westminster (Houses of Parliament). Culmination of the development of Parliament: Medieval legends in paintings, Kings of the medieval period, the Tudor Room, St. Andrew’s chapel, first home of the House of Commons. Temple Church of the Knights Templar. The Inns of Court, Lincoln Inn, culmination of the development of a system of law.
Friday all day: Either Hampton Court or Windsor Castle (depending upon circumstances), to study, within the grandeur of the arts and architecture of the period, the struggle for power between State and Church that culminates with King Henry VIII, and Queen Elizabeth I.
Saturday: Shakespeare’s London: Southwark Cathedral. Shakespeare’s Bankside, of former theaters, bear pit, hostels and an early inn for Shakespeare traveling theater. The Globe Theater, reconstructed as it was, thanks to an American.. In the afternoon, a performance of Shakespeare at the Globe.
Sunday: Final Examination. Project reports. Class ends 1400
Themes of history that will be discussed:
- The development of a parliamentary system during this period.
- The development of a system of law during this period.
- The changing social structure during this period.
- The struggle for power to create a centralized government.
- The Church of Rome in England.
- The results of the break with the Church of Rome, Henry VIII and Elizabeth I
- The political and religion conflict between Charles I and Parliament and dissenters.
- The legacy of the Commonwealth.