HISTORY 378 IMPERIAL RUSSIA: FROM PETER THE GREAT TO THE REVOLUTION Semester: Spring 2007 Time:   MWF 9:30-10:20 AM Place:   M 102 Web Page: http://webs.wofford.edu/whisnantcj/

Professor: Dr. Clayton Whisnant Office: Daniel 210 email: whisnantcj@wofford.edu phone: x4550 office hours: MWF 10:30-11:30 TR 10:00-11:00

 CONTENTS         

COURSE DESCRIPTION     

Course Goals

In this course, students will examine the history of Russia from the reign of Peter the Great until the end of the Civil War, which brought to a conclusion the Russian Revolution of 1917.  The main theme of the course will be the dilemma that Westernization posed fro Russia: with it, many Russian feared losing everything that was dear to them about their culture and society; without it, Russia risked falling far behind the rest of Europe and possibly being colonized, as the rest of the world was in the nineteenth century.  We will look at the great monarchs who tried to modernize Russia--Peter the Great, Catherine II, and Alexander II--as well as those who chose to dig in their heals and resist modernization.  In the process, we will ask several questions:

• What did modernization mean for different Russians?

• What changes were involved with modernization?

• What sacrifices would have to be made?

• What difficulties were involved with modernization?

• Why was Russia ultimately unable to enact true political reform?

Contemplating these questions will ultimately lead us in the direction of considering the most fundamental problems--why did the imperial regime collapse in the midst of World War I, and why did the communists emerge as the dominant force in the midst of this revolution?

Course Objectives

To meet the goals of the course, students will have to successfully write two papers that will force them to integrate knowledge acquired from lectures and textbooks and also pass three in-class exams that will test their knowledge of a) basic terms, b) historical figures and organizations, c) key events that have shaped Western Europe in the early twentieth century, and d) the cause & effect relationships that have given shape to the course of European history between 1914 and 1945.

Courses Relationship to Department Goals

This course helps the history department reach its goals by covering the following dimensions of history widely perceived as crucial for a well-rounded view of the world:

• political developments;
• significant intellectual movements and debates;
• and the socio-cultural issue of class.

 Students will also gain some exposure to how history is practiced by

• learning how history is interpreted, and
• assessing and critiquing arguments made by historians.

Technology Skills

All papers in the class will need to be written on a Computer word-processor.  Students will also need some basic knowledge of web browsers in order to be able to find and utilize material on the on-line version of this syllabus.

Instructional Format

This course will mix together lectures with days set aside for the discussion of essays or monograph material..

 TEXTS

• Robert K. Massie, Peter the Great: His Life and World (Bellantine Books, 1992)

• Isabel de Madariaga, Catherine the Great: A Short History (Yale University, 1993)

• Peter Kolchin, Unfree Labor: American Slavery (Belknap Press, 1987)

• Ivan Turgenev, Fathers and Sons (Any addition)

• Christopher Read, From Tsar to Soviets: The Russian People and their Revolution, 1917-21 (Oxford, 1996)

• On-Line Readings.  All the reserve readings can be accessed separately by clicking on the hot text in the assignment column of the schedule below.  If you prefer, though, you can access all the readings by going to the Library's web page for this class. If you have any trouble printing these readings, see my troubleshooting tips.

The assigned reading should be done before the class for which it is assigned. 

 GRADING

Students are expected to attend the class regularly, to complete the reading on time, and to participate in class discussions.  Failure to do each of these things will result in a lower participation grade.

ATTENDANCE POLICY

Students should be aware that regular attendance is part of the participation grade.  Students are allowed one unexcused absence, but after that absences will seriously hurt the attendance portion of their grade.  If a student misses too many classes, I may exercise my right to withdraw him or her from the class after a warning.

Excused absences are those due to approved college-related activities (e.g. sporting events), documented illness, and family emergencies.  Students have the responsibility to make up missed work.

 OTHER REMARKS

All cell phones must be turned off at the beginning of class.  Do not, of course, take phone calls during class.  Please be on time.  If you must arrive late or leave early, do so as quietly and unobtrusively as possible.

Of course, all work must be yours.  Cases of suspected plagiarism and cheating will be handled by the Honor Council, as per Wofford College's Honor Code.  Plagiarism, we should note, is defined in the following way:

(1) the verbatim repetition, without acknowledgement, of the writings of another author;

(2) borrowing without acknowledging the source;

(3) paraphrasing the thoughts of another writer without acknowledgement; or

(4) allowing any other person or organization to prepare work which one then submits as his or her own.

You should pay close attention to the third definition, especially when referring to ideas borrowing from a website.  For more information, please reference my handout "Living by Wofford's Honor Code".

COURSE SCHEDULE

SECTION I: FROM PETER THE GREAT TO CATHERINE THE GREAT

SECTION II: FROM REVOLUTION TO REVOLUTION