History/Religious Studies 497A

CELTIC BRITAIN 1500-1850

Spring Semester 1997

Class meets Tuesday-Thursday 11:15-12:30 in 317 Boucke

(Schedule Number: 173378)

Philip Jenkins Dan Beaver

The Course

This course examines the history of the British Isles during the early modern period, with a special focus on the "other nations" that came to make up Great Britain, namely, Scotland, Ireland and Wales. One emphasis of the course will be the interplay of religion, society and politics; and the critical role played by religious conflict (especially between Catholics and Protestants) in shaping and defining ethnic identity.

Grading

Grading will be based on two essay examinations, and a research paper. More details of the paper will be supplied at the beginning of the semester. Each examination will count 25 percent of the grade; the research paper carries 50 percent. Regular class attendance is of course expected.

Reading

The following books are required. All are in paperback. In addition, there will be a number of books on reserve in Pattee - detailed lists will follow.

*R. F. Foster, Modern Ireland 1600-1972. Penguin 1989

ISBN: 0-14-013250-3

*Hugh Kearney The British Isles: A History of Four Nations. Cambridge University Press 1995.

ISBN: 0-521-39655-7

*Rosalind Mitchison, Lordship to Patronage: Scotland 1603-1745. 1991.

ISBN: 0-7486-0233-X

*Jenny Wormald Court, Kirk and Community: Scotland 1470-1603. 1981

ISBN: 0-7486-0276-3

Syllabus of Classes

The course will be broadly divided as follows:

Classes 1-11 1540-1620

Classes 12-19 1620-1720

Classes 20-30 1720-1850

1. Jan. 14

Introduction

2. Jan. 16

Overview: Ireland in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.

3. Jan 21

Overview: Scotland

4. Jan 23

Overview: Wales

5. Jan 28

Land, agriculture and people.

6. Jan 30

Society in Scotland and Ireland. Towns, trade and industry in the Celtic nations.

7. Feb. 4

The persistence of Celtic language and literature

8. Feb. 6

The religious revolution 1530-1570. The Catholic resistance

9. Feb. 11

The reforms of the Tudor state.

10. Feb. 13

The Two Queens

11. Feb. 18

The Stuarts and the union of the four lands. Scottish crisis

12. Feb. 20

Irish religious conflicts 1625-1641.

13. Feb. 25

The reconquest of Scotland and Ireland. Civil war and Restoration.

14.Feb. 27

Whigs and Tories

15. March 4

Midterm examination

16. March 6

The Covenanters and the Scottish Revolution

March 10-14 SPRING BREAK

17. March 18

Uniting England and Scotland

18. March 20

The Scottish Highlands and Islands

19. March 25

Ireland and the revolutionary years.

20. March 27

The Williamite settlement and the Protestant Ascendancy.

21. April 1

The age of stability. Kingship and empire; military and colonial expansion

22. April 3

The Great Revivals

23. April 8

Cultural trends 1750-1840

24. April 10

The rise of industry 1760-1840. The Welsh experience

25. April 15

The Scottish industrial revolution. Urban growth 1760-1840

26. April 17

Political crises 1775-1820

27. April 22

The rise of Irish nationalism

28. April 24

Nineteenth century Ireland. The Famine

29. April 29

Overview and summary of themes.

30. May 1

Examination

The research paper will be due during the Final Examination Period