Course Syllabus

JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "HS-RS 321 H"
COURSE NAME: "Pirates, Runaways, Witches and Rebels - The Underside of the Colonial Atlantic World - HONORS (This course carries 4 semester hours of credits. A minimum CUM GPA of 3.5 is required)"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Spring 2020

SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Gene Ogle
EMAIL: [email protected]
HOURS: TTH 10:00-11:15 AM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES: Prerequisites: One previous history course. Co-requisites: EN 110; Recommended: Junior Standing
OFFICE HOURS:

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
History Research Seminar: 300-level history courses designated by the prefix HS-RS indicate courses being offered as Research Seminars. These courses are writing-intensive and help to train students to carry out original research by guiding them through the preparation of a significant research paper. History majors are encouraged to take these before their senior year, and especially before the semester in which they prepare their thesis.
Today, we often celebrate pirates, runaway slaves, witches, and frontiersmen as adventurous spirits, rebels against oppression, and pioneers of a more egalitarian world. In their own time, they were condemned as blood-thirsty, unnatural, and in some cases, literally demonic. Both views have validity, neither captures how they experienced their lives, nor their historical significance. In this course, we will attempt to come to a better understanding of their lives and significance by exploring the basic features of their daily lives and mental universes, the political, social, and gendered norms against which they rebelled, and the varied roles they played in the development of the early modern Atlantic World. We will also grapple with the difficulties historians face in reconstructing the lives of people who left few written records themselves, but about whom much was written. To this end, we will examine a variety of methods that scholars have employed to better understand these people and their world.

Satisfies "Early Modern History" core course requirement for History majors.

SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:
There will be two class meetings a week. This course will primarily be run as a seminar in which we discuss the assigned readings and your research projects.

We will determine the additional components for the Honor's variant of this course during the first two weeks of the semester--these may take the form of additional readings, discussions and short papers or of a more substantial research assignment.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

In successfully completing this course, you will further develop your abilities to:

Evaluate/analyze differing scholarly arguments/ interpretations of historical problems (including ethnohistorical approaches)
Understand how context and audience contribute to shape historical interpretation/perspective
Formulate a research question about a historical topic
Assemble and critically evaluate primary and secondary sources
Be aware of the importance of finding, using and producing reliable information
Respect academic integrity and ethical standards
Effectively communicate information and ideas orally and in writing in accurate, polished, and persuasive English

TEXTBOOK:

Book Title	Author	Publisher	ISBN number	Comments
True-Born Maroons	Bilby, Kenneth	University Press of Florida	978-0813032788	Available at the Almost Corner Bookstore
The Devil in the Shape of a Woman: Witchcraft in Colonial New England	Karlsen, Carol	W. W. Norton	978-0393317596	Available at the Almost Corner Bookstore
Outlaws of the Atlantic: Sailors, Pirates, and Motley Crews in the Age of Sail	Rediker, Marcus	Beacon Press	9780807034101	Available at the Almost Corner Bookshop

REQUIRED RESERVED READING:

NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:

NONE

GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:

Assignment	Guidelines	Weight
In Class Participation	This course will primarily be run as a seminar in which we discuss the assigned readings. As such, your active participation in our discussions is absolutely necessary to making the course work well. The high percentage of your grade that will be based on your participation reflects that fact. You should bring a question based on the readings that you believe we should discuss to each class. On occasion, additional brief in class or out of class reaction papers may be assigned as components of your participation grade. Please note that behaving in ways that create distractions for other members of the class (including the professor) will lower your participation grade. Such behavior includes, but is not limited to: messaging, checking social media, catching up on e-mail, watching on-line videos, playing games, reading non-class related materials, studying for other courses, shopping on-line, and generally any activity that detracts from your or any other classmate's full participation in what we are doing in the classroom.	20%
Reaction Papers (3-4)	In each of the reaction papers (approximately two double-spaced pages in length, and see the course schedule for due dates), you will develop a brief but coherent and well-supported argument regarding the readings for the day on which the paper is due. In these papers, you should not summarize the reading, but rather develop a main thought of your own building on those readings. Ways of developing such arguments include, but are not limited to: critiquing some part of the argument of a secondary source, testing some part of the argument of a secondary source through the analysis of a primary source, comparing and contrasting different readings, or developing a point made by one of the authors more fully and in doing so explaining more of what it may tell us about the subject under discussion. Your grade for these reaction papers will be determined by the strength and focus of your analysis, the persuasiveness of your argument (including quality of writing), and the originality of your thought.	20%
Research Paper (including draft, revision, and presentation, 12-15 pages)	For the research paper (12-15 pages), you will explore a topic appropriate for the course chosen in consultation with me. Your paper should build on both primary and secondary sources, and in preparing it, I will guide you through the processes of preparing a first draft and revising that draft to produce a stronger final paper. You also will present this paper to the rest of the class for discussion. For these discussions, each of you will also review at least one of your colleagues’ papers, providing both a written review (for the author and for me) and an oral commentary during the discussion of her/his paper in class. The grade on this assignment will be determined by the strength of your analysis and research, the persuasiveness of your argument (including quality of writing), and the originality of your thought.	30%
Final Exam	The final exam will be composed of two essay questions I will give you the week before the exam. You will answer one of those questions. The exam will be open book and open notes. Your grade on the exam will depend upon the analytical strength and persuasiveness of your arguments, your capacity to discuss the material we cover in the course as a whole, your command of the course readings, and the factual accuracy of your answers.	30%

-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
AWork of this quality directly addresses the question or problem raised and provides a coherent argument displaying an extensive knowledge of relevant information or content. This type of work demonstrates the ability to critically evaluate concepts and theory and has an element of novelty and originality. There is clear evidence of a significant amount of reading beyond that required for the course.
BThis is highly competent level of performance and directly addresses the question or problem raised.There is a demonstration of some ability to critically evaluatetheory and concepts and relate them to practice. Discussions reflect the student’s own arguments and are not simply a repetition of standard lecture andreference material. The work does not suffer from any major errors or omissions and provides evidence of reading beyond the required assignments.
CThis is an acceptable level of performance and provides answers that are clear but limited, reflecting the information offered in the lectures and reference readings.
DThis level of performances demonstrates that the student lacks a coherent grasp of the material.Important information is omitted and irrelevant points included.In effect, the student has barely done enough to persuade the instructor that s/he should not fail.
FThis work fails to show any knowledge or understanding of the issues raised in the question. Most of the material in the answer is irrelevant.

-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:
See above on participation.

ACADEMIC HONESTY
As stated in the university catalog, any student who commits an act of academic dishonesty will receive a failing grade on the work in which the dishonesty occurred. In addition, acts of academic dishonesty, irrespective of the weight of the assignment, may result in the student receiving a failing grade in the course. Instances of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Academic Affairs. A student who is reported twice for academic dishonesty is subject to summary dismissal from the University. In such a case, the Academic Council will then make a recommendation to the President, who will make the final decision.

STUDENTS WITH LEARNING OR OTHER DISABILITIES
John Cabot University does not discriminate on the basis of disability or handicap. Students with approved accommodations must inform their professors at the beginning of the term. Please see the website for the complete policy.

SCHEDULE

Important Course Policies

All assignments must be submitted in the form of both hard and electronic copies (e-mail them to me as .pdf, .doc, or .docx files).

All late work will be penalized by at least one letter grade. No late work will be accepted following the final examination.

Any documented case of academic dishonesty on any assignment will result not only in a failing grade for the assignment in question but also in a failing grade for the course as a whole. Please remember that, as the University's policy states, "Plagiarism can be deliberate or negligent; students are responsible for ensuring that any work submitted with their name on it is properly referenced." If you have questions about how to cite material properly, refer to the appropriate sections of the MLA Style Manual or Chicago Manual of Style--if you have questions as to whether particular pieces of material should be cited, ask me. Note that submitting work that you have previously submitted (or plan to submit) for credit in another course is also a form of academic dishonesty, unless you obtain explicit approval from both instructors to do so. For this course, no such double submission is allowed. Please note that your papers may be submitted to turnitin.com to check their content for plagiarism.

Accessing Shared Documents on MyJCU and Other Course Readings

1. Go to the internal web site (MY JCU).
2. After you have logged in, click on the course post-it for Spring 2020, HS RS 321H. Then click on shared files.
3. Please note that handouts in the form of pdf documents may not open with some internet browsers (in particular there seem to be incompatibilities with Chrome). If a source doesn't open, try another browser; if the problem persists please e-mail me.
4. Be sure to check the handouts page frequently for changes and updates. Similarly, I will post messages on the MyJCU board should I need to contact you in between class meetings (e.g., in the case of an unexpected class cancellation).
5. All other course readings are either in the form of the books listed above or available on-line through the links on this syllabus.
6. J-Stor Readings--While on campus, you should be able to access these readings simply by clicking on the links on the syllabus. On the page that appears, you can find links to download the full article as a PDF file or to print it out. Off-campus you may need to go to the website for the Frohring Library, click on the link for "Databases" and "J-Stor" and then if need be search for the article manually.

Course Schedule (Please note that the following is subject to change--any updates will be made to the on-line syllabus, available on the University's webpage: http://www.johncabot.edu/academics/courses/course-schedules-syllabi.aspx.)--LAST UPDATED JANUARY 19

Part I: Introductions

1/21. Introductions: What is "history from below"? What is the Atlantic World?

1/23. Introductions, Part 2
Strauss, "The Dilemma of Popular History," 130-149 http://www.jstor.org/stable/650823
Beik, "The Dilemma of Popular History," 207-215 http://www.jstor.org/stable/651034
"A Brief Overview of the Early Modern Atlantic World From Below," (Excerpt Rediker, Villains of All Nations) (Shared Files, MyJCU)
Recommended: Strauss, "The Dilemma of Popular History: Reply," 215-219 http://www.jstor.org/stable/651035

Part II: Patriarchs, Goodwives, and Witches

1/28. Beliefs: Witches and Witchcraft
Karlsen, xi-xv, 1-45 (Preface, Ch. 1)
Primary Sources on New England Witchcraft Beliefs, from Godbeer, Richard, The Salem Witch Hunt: A Brief History with Documents, 37-38, 40-44, 50-51, 54-61 (Shared Files, MyJCU)
During this and next week, we will schedule individual meetings to start developing research topics.

1/30. Backgrounds: Who 'Became' Witches?
Karlsen, 46-116 (Chs. 2-3)
Begin Primary Sources on Salem Witchcraft Trials, from Godbeer, The Salem Witch Hunt, 66-73, 76-80, 108-109, 112-113, 128-131, 134
(Shared Files, MyJCU)

2/4. Gender, Religious Belief and Witchcraft
Karlsen, 117-181 (Chs.4-5)
Review Primary Sources on Salem Witchcraft Trials, from Godbeer, The Salem Witch Hunt, 66-73, 76-80, 108-109, 112-113, 128-131, 134
(Shared Files, MyJCU)

2/6. What Do Witch-Hunts (and Witches) Reveal About Colonial New England?
Karlsen, 182-221 (Ch. 6)
Mather, "A Discourse on Witches," in Kors and Peters, eds., Witchcraft in Europe, 400-1700, 367-370 (Shared Files, MyJCU)
Norton, "Conclusion," in In The Devil's Snare, 295-304 (Shared Files, MyJCU)

2/11. Understanding Witches and the "Possessed"?
Required: Karlsen, 221-257 (Ch. 7, Epilogue)
Required: Norton, "Interpreting the Behavior of the 'Afflicted Girls,'", in In The Devil's Snare, 305-308 (Shared Files, MyJCU)
Required: Roper, "Oedipus and the Devil," in The Witchcraft Reader, 324-335 (Shared Files, MyJCU)
Required: "The Public Confession of Ann Putnam," in Godbeer, The Salem Witch Hunt, 176-177 (Shared Files, MyJCU)
Recommended: Reis, Damned Women: Sinners and Witches in Puritan New England, 1-3, 9-10, 131-137, 151-152, 163 (Shared Files, MyJCU)
Reaction Paper 1 Due

Part III: Seaborne Empires, Privateers, and Pirates (NOTE--THE FOLLOWING SECTION WILL UNDERGO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES DUE TO CHANGES IN AVAILABLE READING)

2/13 Were Privateers Pirates?: Imperial Rivalries, Religious Conflict, and Plunder

Lane, Pillaging the Empire, 3-8,33-61 (Shared Files, MyJCU)

Drake and Nichols, "Drake's Raid on Nombre de Dios" (Shared Files, MyJCU)

2/18. Buccaneers and the "Golden Age" of Piracy
Lane, Pillaging the Empire, 96-130 (Shared Files, MyJCU)
Exquemelin, "Exquemelin on the Buccaneers" (Shared Files, MyJCU)
Dampier, "William Dampier on the South Seas" (Shared Files, MyJCU)

2/20. A Closer (And Different) Look at the "Golden Age"

TBA (Originally Rediker, 1-37 (Chs. 1-2)

Preliminary Bibliography and Paragraph Outlining Research Topic Due

2/25. Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea: Sailor's Lives and the Social Origins of Piracy
TBA (Originally Rediker, 38-59 (Ch. 3))
Rediker, Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, 77-84, 94, 110-111, 153-162, 211-217 (Shared Files, MyJCU)

2/27. "Brethren of the Coast?": Pirate Justice and Politics
TBA (Originally Rediker, 60-102 (Chs. 4-5))
Snelgrave, "Captain Snelgrave's Captivity, 1719," 78-85 (Shared Files, MyJCU)
Johnson, "Articles of Bartholomew Robert's Crew/Pirate Articles," 91-94 (Shared Files, MyJCU)

3/3. "Brethren of the Coast?" Part 2: Gender and Sexuality Beneath the Jolly Roger
TBA (Originally Rediker, 103-126 (Ch. 6))
Johnson, "The Life of Mary Read" and "The Life of Anne Bonny," 106-118 (Shared Files, MyJCU)
Charlevoix, "On Mateloge" (Shared Files, MyJCU)

3/5. "A First War on Terror?": The End of an Era Revisited
TBA (Originally Rediker, 127-176 (Chs. 7-8, Conclusion))
Johnson, "The Life of Captain Teach," 42-56 (Shared Files, MyJCU)
Johnson, "A short ABSTRACT of the Statute and Civil Law, in Relation to Piracy," 337-340 (Shared Files, MyJCU)
Reaction Paper 2 Due

March 9-13. SPRING BREAK

Part IV: Plantations, Runaways, and Maroon Societies

3/17. Oral History, Anthropology and the Jamaican Maroons
Required: Bilby, 1-65 (Chs. 1-2)
Recommended: Bilby, xi-xix

3/19. Out of Africa and Out of Slavery
Required: Bilby, 69-128 (Chs. 3-4)

3/24. Survival
Required: Bilby, 129-180 (Ch. 5)
Required: Edwards, "Observations on the...Maroon Negroes of the Island of Jamaica," in Price, ed., Maroon Societies, 230-245 (Shared Files, MyJCU)

3/26. Making War, Making Peace
Required: Bilby, 181-213, 247-288 (first sections of Ch. 6, Chs. 7-8)
Required: Edwards, "Observations on the...Maroon Negroes of the Island of Jamaica," in Price, ed., Maroon Societies, 230-245 (Shared Files, MyJCU)
Recommended: Bilby, 213-246 (remainder of Ch. 6)

3/31. The On-Going Struggle, Part I
Required: Bilby, 341-378 (Ch. 10, first sections of Ch. 11)
Recommended: Bilby, 289-340 (Ch. 9)
Draft of Research Paper Due

4/2. The On-Going Struggle, Pt. II
Required: Bilby, 378-421 (Remaining Sections of Ch. 11, Ch.12, Epilogue)
Reaction Paper 3 Due

Part V: Your Research

4/7. Research Presentations and Discussions

4/9. Research Presentations and Discussions

4/14. Research Presentations and Discussions

4/16. Research Presentations and Discussions

4/21. Research Presentations and Discussions

4/23 and 4/28 Film Screening and Reading TBA

4/30. Perceptions Today: Rebels, Rejects and/or Romantics?
Ritchie, "Living With Pirates," 411-418 (Shared Files, MyJCU)
Purkiss, "Modern Witches and their Past," in The Witchcraft Reader, 379-384 (Shared Files, MyJCU)
Final Draft of Research Paper Due

Final Exam--TBA (Final Exam Period May 4-8)