Course Syllabus

JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "HS-RS 321"
COURSE NAME: "Pirates, Runaways, Witches and Rebels - The Underside of the Colonial Atlantic World"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Spring 2022

SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Gene Ogle
EMAIL: [email protected]
HOURS: TTH 11:30-12:45 PM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES: Prerequisites: One previous history course. Co-requisites: EN 110; Recommended: Junior Standing
OFFICE HOURS: Tuesday and Thursday 10-11 a.m. and By Appointment

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:

PLEASE NOTE THAT READINGS, ASSIGNMENTS, AND SPECIFIC TOPICS DISCUSSED MAY CHANGE. FOR THE MOST UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION REGARDING THE COURSE, SEE THE COURSE MOODLE PAGE.

This course will primarily be run as a seminar in which we discuss the assigned readings and your research projects. As such, your active participation in our discussions are absolutely necessary to making the course work well.

A Note on How to Approach this Semester (and How I Am Doing So)

As was the case for the past few years, we are beginning this semester with some uncertainty as to how it will unfold. The University plans to maintain in-person classes throughout the semester (making official exceptions for students who must attend remotely) and we will begin this course with the assumption that we will be able to do so. While we will plan on streaming and recording class sessions, unless you have compelling medical reasons and have obtained permission from the University administration to attend remotely, you should plan on being in class in person—being in the same classroom together (to the fullest extent possible) does make a tremendous difference in our learning experiences both at the individual and the group levels. Still, the ways in which we may be mixing in-person and on-line interactions as well as possible unanticipated rapid transitions between them will likely present challenges to us all.

Whatever may come, I am convinced that we will have a meaningful semester in which we all learn a lot, but doing so may require even greater flexibility, consideration for one another, and self-discipline on all of our parts than is normally the case. We will all likely continue to face learning curves as we go forward and we may make judgments that afterwards we would not make again (I hesitate to call such judgments mistakes as that suggests that we know that in advance, as opposed to being things we try and then learn from).

For these reasons, please know that the ways in which I am proposing structuring classroom sessions and on-line discussion activities in this syllabus remain experimental and may change. Please share your thoughts on them and feel free to suggest approaches, ways of organizing discussions (in-person or on-line), or other activities that you believe may help you and your classmates to better engage with the course material. I cannot neglect my responsibility to set the rules for the game that is our course in ways that I believe best assure both academic rigor and fairness across the class, but you can be assured that I will value and carefully consider any suggestions you may make.

More generally, I am committed to the principle that my aims as an undergraduate history instructor should be to push (and to help) you to develop the skills, capacities, and modes of interpretation and understanding that will allow you to engage critically with the human past, the traces it has left, the ever-renewing knowledge we have of it, and its meanings for our present. My role is that of a ‘coach,’ not a performer playing a show or a talking head telling you what’s what (although sometimes I will suggest my understandings of that too). With this approach, you will without doubt learn more and develop abilities that are useful in other settings more fully than if I simply lectured and asked you to repeat that material on exams, and you will likely find what we do more interesting too. However, for this approach to work, you need to commit yourselves to the following:

1. Do the course reading (and especially the discussion reading) on a timely basis. You absolutely must complete it before the class in which we are discussing it and/or the deadline for making a related forum post (if you can finish it even earlier and thus have a bit more time to think about it, that’s even better). At times this course will involve a significant amount of out-of-class reading. I know that this may be a challenge for some of you, but we collectively need an ample amount of solid material to work with to make our discussions meaningful. Also, do know that with practice you will develop your abilities to deal with larger amounts of reading in limited time frames. If you wish, we can talk more about how to do the reading and the kinds of things you should be looking for in doing it in class.

2. Respect deadlines for discussion forum posts, and whenever possible post (and respond to classmates’ posts) sooner rather than later. While these posts do count towards your participation grade, they are not ‘homework’ that you should do to show me that you are doing the work. Rather, they are opportunities for you to develop, share, and debate your thoughts and questions about the reading and other course material with one another. We have to meet deadlines to give that interaction space to happen.

3. Maintain a respectful, professional tone in your posts and responses, but don’t be afraid to experiment with ideas and interpretations out of fear that they may be controversial (just work on clearly expressing your reasoning). On this note, I think our discussions will function best if we all work on the assumption that each of us is openly and forthrightly attempting to grapple with the complexities and ambiguities of our shared human past and its relationship to our present (and as such that the things we say and write are never intended to harm or to insult). Engaging with that past often forces us to look at the many horrid and ugly things that humans have done to and thought about (and continue to do to and think about) one another, which can be a difficult and painful experience. Frank and open discussion is the best way both to seek to understand that past and to forge civil and tolerant ways of interacting and living with it and one another in the present.

4. Give credit where credit is due, and be sure that all work you hand in is your own. I do not believe that point needs extensive discussion. Not only does plagiarism or any other form of cheating defeat the whole purpose of going to university to learn and to improve one’s abilities, it undermines the basic trust any community needs to learn and work together.

5. Try not to be too nervous about grades. We learn by practice, we all fall short of our aims sometimes, and we sometimes learn more from falling short than anything else. I purposefully keep many assignments fairly open in terms of the types of topics and arguments you may develop to give you the freedom to present your ideas and sharpen your abilities, and such freedom always entails risks. Know that I put mechanisms in place to weigh the improvement that you make over the course into the calculation of your final course grade.

6. Keep lines of communication open—if you have questions or concerns, raise them.

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
Villains of All Nations: Atlantic Pirates in the Golden Age	Marcus Rediker	Beacon Press	978-080705025-5	Available at the Almost Corner Bookshop.
The Devil in the Shape of a Woman: Witchcraft in Colonial New England	Carol F. Karlsen	W.W. Norton	978-0-393-31759-6	Available at the Almost Corner Bookshop.
True-Born Maroons	Kenneth Bilby	University Press of Florida	978-0813032788	Available at the Almost Corner Bookshop.

REQUIRED RESERVED READING:

NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:

NONE

GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:

Assignment	Guidelines	Weight
In Class Participation	Your regular participation in our class discussions will be key to making this course work, and by actively participating not only will you learn more, you’ll develop useful communicative skills and likely find course material to be more interesting. Participation also counts for a significant portion of your final course grade, and it is the only component of that final course grade in which simple effort and regular activity translate directly into a high grade. What do you need to do for this? Simply do the discussion readings on time, be ready to talk about them, and engage regularly and actively in some combination of our in-class discussions and the Moodle discussion forums for the course. For further information on the nature of our Moodle discussion forums and 'minimum' expectations for on-line participation see the course schedule (and the forums themselves on Moodle).	20%
Reaction Papers (3-4) (1 1/2 to 2 double-spaced pages/350-500 words each)	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, c. 12 pages or c. 3000 words)	For the research paper (c. 12 pages or c. 3000 words), 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.	35%
Take-Home Final Exam	The final exam will be composed of two essay questions I will give you the week before the exam is due. You will answer one of those questions in a take-home essay (4-6 double-spaced pages, c. 1000-1500 words). You are expected to cite any authors and works you use in developing your arguments. 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 (including level of mastery of course readings), and the factual accuracy of your answers. Remember that what you are being tested on is your ability to develop and present a strong, well-supported argument building on the course materials, not simply provide a 'correct' answer to the question you choose. It will be due on the last day of the final exam period.	25%

-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, thorough, and insightful engagement with the course reading and other materials.
BThis is a highly competent level of performance and directly addresses the question or problem raised. There is a demonstration of some ability to critically evaluate theory and concepts and relate them to practice. Discussions reflect the student’s own arguments and are not simply a repetition of standard lecture and reference material. The work does not suffer from any major errors or omissions and provides evidence of significant engagement with the course reading and other materials.
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 performance 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. To participate regularly, you have to be present regularly.

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

PLEASE NOTE THAT READINGS, ASSIGNMENTS, AND SPECIFIC TOPICS DISCUSSED MAY CHANGE. FOR THE MOST UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION REGARDING THE COURSE, SEE THE COURSE MOODLE PAGE.

Course Readings

The books should be available at the Almost Corner Bookshop (Via del Moro, 45) or directly from the publishers' websites in eBook form. You also may be able to find copies of them through the STAND Book Fundraiser sale at the beginning of the semester. All course readings provide the basis for our classroom and on-line discussions. You must read and think about those assigned for a particular class period and/or the deadline for making a related forum post. Otherwise, you will be unable to participate adequately and your participation grade will suffer. You should also bring this material to class on the days that we are discussing it.

Important Course Policies

All assignments should be handed in through the Moodle portal for the assignment--I encourage you to double-check on the Moodle to be sure that work has been submitted after you believe you have done so. If for some reason it is not working, send them to me as e-mail attachments.

All late work will suffer a grade penalty. No late work will be accepted following the final examination.

Any documented case of academic dishonesty on any assignment will result in a failing grade for the assignment in question and may also result in a failing grade for the course as a whole, regardless of the assignment's weight in terms of the final course grade. 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 and take-home exams are to be submitted to turnitin.com to check their content for plagiarism. I am setting up the turintin submission options so that you can see the similarity reports the service generates and resubmit your papers up until the due date.

Office Hours, Scheduling Appointments, E-mail Guidance, and So Forth

My office hours are posted on the course Moodle page along with a link for attending them--following JCU suggestions they will be carried out remotely using MS Teams this semester. If you need to schedule an appointment to speak with me, simply send me an e-mail identifying a range of times and days during the upcoming week when you are available.

Please know that I do not normally respond to e-mails during the weekend or after 6:30-7 p.m. (but do feel free to write me whenever you wish--I'll respond as soon as I can the next week or the next day). In the context of mixed on-line and in-class education, it is both more difficult and even more important for all of us to set aside time to work on other things, disconnect, recharge, and 'stay human.' I encourage you to do the same in ways that work with your schedule, and am trying to do what I can to provide as much flexibility as possible for you in structuring on-line and other out-of-class activities.

Types and Formats of On-line Moodle Discussion Forums

“Questions for the Professor” Forum: Use this forum to ask for clarifications regarding material that we discussed in class or if there is something in the readings that you feel remains unclear, confusing, etc.. Also try to read through this regularly to see if a classmate asked a question that you too have, but just hadn’t thought of yet. When you do so, if you feel that you can answer a classmate’s query, please feel free to go ahead and do so. I will review this forum the Mondays and Wednesdays before class meetings—depending on the nature of the question I’ll either respond directly in the forum or we’ll talk about it at the beginning of the next class session. (This forum closes on Monday of the following week—if you realize you have a question after it’s closed simply post your question on the next week’s “Questions for the Professor Forum.”)

“Your Discussion Questions and Observations” Forum: For each class session, you should post a question or observation about the readings that you believe would provide a good way of starting a discussion about them and the subject they treat. You should post your questions/observations by the beginning of the class in which we will be discussing the readings in question (e.g., if they are on Tuesday’s reading, make your post no later than 11:20 a.m. on Tuesday). Try to read through what is posted before class yourselves too—in that way you can better prepare yourself for whatever we end up talking about. Feel free to build on your classmate’s questions/observations, and if there’s a post you want to respond to that we don’t end up talking about in class, please feel free to continue the discussion here. There is no specific required length for your posts (if you likely need 2-3 sentences to situate and raise your question/make your prompt). This weekly forum closes on Monday of the following week, but if there’s a strand of discussion you think we should continue into the next week because it remains relevant to the next topics we are discussing feel free to start it anew in the next week’s forum. (Maximum expected time per week, not including the time needed to do the reading: 15-30 minutes)

“Reflecting on the Week, Continuing our Classroom Discussion” Forums: For this weekly forum, I will post a few discussion questions or prompts based on the week’s discussion readings and the material I anticipate us discussing in class. On occasion, as the week goes on, I may add a few of the questions/prompts that you put up on the “Your Discussion Questions and Observations” Forum. You should post at least one response to at least one of these threads and at least one response to a classmate's post each week. Of course, feel free to post as much as you like. There is no specific required length for your posts (if you likely need a few sentences to make your point effectively). This weekly forum closes on Monday of the following week. (Maximum expected time per week, not including the time needed to do the reading: 15-30 minutes)

In-Class Organizational Matters Whenever Some Students Are Either Absent or Attending Remotely

In light of the very particular nature of this semester, should any member of the class not be physically present in the classroom, we will have to record the class session. In addition, whenever any member of the class is following the day's session remotely, I will need to ask one or more of those of you who are present to monitor the MS Teams stream and inform me should a remote student raise the hand icon or intervene by means of the Teams chat. I also ask that any student(s) attending remotely turn on your webcam(s) at least at the beginning of class session, only turning them off if there are serious issues with connectivity--doing so will help us all feel that we remain a classroom community as a whole.

Accessing the Course Remotely

If you are obliged to follow the course remotely, you can find a link for accessing the course stream at the top of the course Moodle page. Clicking on the link there should then bring you to the MS Teams meeting where we will stream class sessions.

Course Schedule (Please note that the following is subject to change--any updates will be made directly to the course Moodle page. All discussion readings beyond the books listed above are accessible via the course Moodle page.

Part 1: Introductions

1/18. Introductions: What is "history from below"? What is the Atlantic World?

1/20. 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; Strauss, "The Dilemma of Popular History: Reply," 215-219 http://www.jstor.org/stable/651035

Part 2: Seaborne Empires, Privateers, and Pirates

1/25. Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea: Sailor's Lives and the Social Origins of Piracy
Rediker, 38-59 (Ch. 3); Rediker, Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, 77-84, 94, 110-111, 153-162, 211-217; Rediker, "The Sailor's Yarn;" Recommended: "A Brief Overview of the Early Modern Atlantic from Below"