History of England 1

obligatory courses

That for a student of English, background knowledge of the social, cultural and political history of England is essential. The course is also suitable for students of other specialisations.

An outline survey of the history of mediaeval England, with particular attention paid to social and cultural trends and developments. The course begins with a review of the geographical and economic conditions and the main themes of mediaeval English history.

An outline survey of the history of mediaeval England, with particular attention paid to social and cultural developments. The course begins with a review of the geographical and economic conditions and the main themes of mediaeval English history and goes on to examine topics in detail within the following framework, treated chronologically: changes in patterns of agriculture, manufacture and commerce; rural England: the peasant and the end of feudalism; urbanisation; the impact of changes in transport and communications; local government and guild structures; the growth of an urban middle class; the standard of living and housing; the role of schooling and learning; patterns of crime and punishment; welfare provisions; political structures, in particular the role of monarchy and the rise of parliament.

The themes examined in this context are: shifting balances of wealth and power, land versus money; the relative significance of the urban and the rural; the impact of material progress; relations between rulers and ruled, attitudes to authority, collectivism and individualism; religious belief; ideas of nation, attitudes to the outside world; senses of the centre and periphery, regionalism and centralising tendencies; attitudes to crime and punishment; war and peace; sex, gender, family and the community; education; leisure; attitudes to the past.

Nigel Saul, ed. The Oxford Illustrated History of Medieval England, OUP 199

Kenneth O. Morgan, ed. Oxford History of Britain, OUP, 2001:

Henryk Zins, Historia Anglii, Ossolineum, 2001.

"Pelican History of England" series:

- Ian Richmond, Roman Britain, 1955

- Dorothy Whitelock, The Beginnings of English Society, 1952

- Doris Mary Stenton, English Society in the Early Middle Ages, 1951

- A.R. Myers, England in the Late Middle Ages, 1952

The aim of this course is to provide students with:

1. outline knowledge about the social, cultural and political history of England; knowledge of differing experiences throughout history depending on perspectives dictated by class, race and gender;

2. the following skills:

a) ability to use varied materials on the basis of which pictures of historical development are constructed;

b) awareness that historical sources present experience from different perspectives and with different motivations;

c) ability to draw general conclusions on the basis of patterns constructed by particular events.

d) skills in detecting different perspectives and different motivations of historical writing and reconstructions;

e) social competences in recognising the historical determinants of patterns of development in contemporary British society.

Written examination assessed on the basis of:

1. knowledge about the social, cultural and political history of England;

2. ability to present ideas and interpretations clearly and logically.