During this course, I learned about the history of Europe as far back as the first major cities in Mesopotamia to the events of the modern world. The assignments of this course included a museum report discussing a piece of Greco-Roman art, a research paper discussing an important figure in European history, and tests for each unit. I have included my museum report and research paper below. This course helped me to understand how many modern developments came to be and the important historical figures who influenced the world we live in today. This course helped me to learn about the difference between primary and secondary sources and how to analyze important historical figures through the information provided by these sources. In connection with my Spanish major, we discussed how the Reconquest of Spain led to the rise of Catholicism as the main religion in the country, which would later spread to Central and South America during Spain’s colonization of these areas, which are still mostly Catholic to this day. This course also taught me how to use Chicago style citations, adding to the citations I can use when writing paper. Overall, this course was valuable in developing my skills as a historian and as a writer, skills which have continued to help me in my major as I learn about how the Spanish language and culture were influenced by past events and as I continue to expand my skills as a writer. (Course completed Fall 2020, this reflection completed 3/31/23)
The following PDF is the syllabus for the course, listing the various topics covered during the semester.
Hist.-127H-Syllabus-PDFThe research paper describes an important historical figure in European history and their contributions. My paper is written on Voltaire, a french Enlightenment thinker who advocated for increased freedoms for oppressed groups, including women and Native Americans, and for the separation between religion and reason.
Voltaire-Research-Paper-Final-Draft-PDFThe museum report describes a piece of Greco-Roman art on display at the Chrysler Museum of Art using the distinguishing qualities between Hellenic and Hellenistic art covered in the course.
Hist.-127H-Museum-Report-PDF