Topic outline

  • Course Description

  • Lecture 1: An Introduction to Western Civilization

    What do we mean by "Western Civilization"? What are its main characteristics?

    Objectives

    The students should be able to identity the origins and evolution of Western Civilization. They should be able to identify its main characteristics and achievements.

  • Lecture 2: British Civilization - From the Origins to Roman Rule

    Who were the first settlers of Britain? What ages witnessed what peoples? What did these different peoples bring to Britain? The lectures intends to provide a broad overview of the Ancient Britain, from prehistory, to recorded history, to the Roman rule in the early years of the Christian Era. The lecture emphasizes the settlements and achievements of the Beaker Folk, the Celts, and the Romans.
    The period under study extends from Prehistory to 450 AD (Christian Era).

    Objectives
    The students should be able to identify the different settlers that inhabited Britain from the New Stone Age to the Antiquity and the Roman Era. They should be able to point out the main achievements brought by these people.
  • Lecture 3: Anglo-Saxon England, 450 - 1066 AD

    What happened when the Romans left England? Who were the Anglo-Saxons and what happened to the land of Britain when they invaded and settled it? The lecture introduces the Dark Ages (450 - 1066),an unstable period that started with turmoil and permanent warfare but which ended with the christianization and unification of England.

    Objectives

    The students should be able to identify the origins of the Anglo-Saxons and the different kingdoms they created in Britain. Students should be able to identify the main achievement of Kings Alfred the Great and Athelstan.  They should be able to identify the two main achievements of that period: the development of Christianity and the unification and birth of the English kingdom.

    • What happened when the Romans left Britain in 450 AD?
      Who were the Anglo-Saxons and where did they come from?
      What was the situation of the land of Britain during the Dark Ages and the Anglo-Saxon rule?
      What were the most significant milestones of English history during that period (450-1066)?
  • Lecture 4: Norman England and the Middle Ages, 1066 - 13th Century

    Who were the Normans and What achievements did their rule bring to England? The lecture provides students with a broad overview of the beginning of the Middle Ages with an emphasis on the 1st Dynasty of Norman kings and the introduction of Feudalism in England.

    Objectives

    By the end of the lecture, the students should be able to identify the changes that were brought to England by the Normans. They should be able to understand the way the feudal system worked during the Middle Ages.

    • Who were the Normans? What did they transform English land and society? How was Feudalism important in the Medieval Age (Middle Ages)? This lecture provides an overview of Norman achievements and of the characteristics of the Feudal system during the Middle Ages.

      Objectives

      The students should be able to identify the main achievements of the Norman rule of England. They should be able to understand why Feudalism came into being and how it worked in the Medieval Age.

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    • King Edward I used and developed Parliament. During those times what would become the Parliament was essentially the king's feudal council with a new name and an enlarged membership. The Model Parliament of 1295 consisted of great barons, bishops, abbots, and representatives of counties and towns.

      As early as 1258, the Barons rebelled against King Henry and they emphasized the Provisions of Oxford as a way to claim and exercise power. During the following decades, quarrels with the king led the latter to agree on the creation of a body (Parliament) that would counsel the king.

       

       

  • Lecture 5: England in the 15th Century: An Era of Transition

    • What were the characteristics of the 15th century? The lecture looks into that century of transition from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance; a century which witnessed the decline and end of the Feudal system and which witnessed the rise of a merchant bourgeoisie, the War of the Roses, and the coming of the Tudors with a centralized and powerful monarchy.

  • Lecture 6: The Religious Reformation in England (16th Century)

    • What is Anglicanism? Most of the English people are Anglicans. How was the Anglican Church established in England? What were the events that led the English monarchy (Henry VIII Tudor) to break away from the Roman Catholic church? The lecture looks into that fateful period of English history.

  • Lecture 7: Stuart England and the Civil War, Restoration,and the Glorious Revolution

    • Why did the war between the Stuarts and Parliament happen? How did Oliver Cromwell come into power? Did the Restoration fix the political and religious conflict of the 17th century? How did the Glorious Revolution bring an end to the conflict?

      The lecture looks into the critical 17th Century events which transformed the English kingdom and established a constitutional and strong parliamentary monarchy.

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