HIST 444 The Witch Hunts Syllabus

HIST/WMST 444
The Witch Hunts 1400-1800

Syllabus (For more courses on the witch hunts, click here).

Prof. Pavlac
U.S. Mail Address:
History Department
King's College
131 North River Street
Wilkes-Barre, PA 18711

Tel: (570) 208-5900, ext. # 5748
Fax: (570) 208-5988
Office: Hafey-Marian 307
Office Hours: T T 9:30-11, 2-3:15
and by appointment

Witch Hunt Main Page | Witch Hunt Simulation | Timeline | Topics

Academic Honesty | Grading Policy | Presentation Guidelines | Internet Source Evaluations

Annotation Practice

I. Description

From the fifteenth to the eighteenth the centuries, many Europeans developed a heightened concern with the phenomenon of witchcraft, seeing a new sect hostile to humanity. The end of the Middle Ages and the religious Reformation increased the intensity of the "Witch Craze." Finally, the Scientific Revolution and the Enlightenment brought an end to the hunt for powers that did not empirically exist. Through reading and discussion of primary and secondary sources, you will learn how these Europeans defined and treated their alleged witches, within the context of other economic, social, and cultural relationships. Included in this study will be the examination of new technologies and methods of rule in the rise of the modern state, and the roles of class and gender in focusing hostility on certain people, especially women.

II. Purpose

This is a History Major, European course.

Objectives for the student:

To identify the major events, persons and ideas of the history of 15th-, 16th-, 17th-, and 18th-century Europe and the West.
To develop concepts and methods which give an understanding of what influenced the attitudes and behavior of major participants in political and social situations, including analysis of class, race and gender.
To read modern editions of primary sources and explain their significance to relevant historical problems.
To practice critical and analytical skills on historical problems.
To identify and analyze significant problems and situations as they relate to the current issues and the investigation of history.

Goals for the student:

To develop a wider perspective which recognizes the political, economic and cultural interdependence of differing societies and people, and which encourages a more inclusive view of the human experience.
To heighten awareness of the specific contributions and perspectives of diverse members of society, especially marginalized women.
To appreciate the social, economic, cultural and religious developments of Early Modern Europe to our present culture and World History.
To understand the influence of the past on contemporary events and problems, or, in other words, to develop "Historical Mindedness."

General Learning Outcomes for the student:

In addition to the more content related objectives described above, this course has some general liberal learning goals. Successful completion of this course is expected to help improve your ability

To manage information, which involves such things as sorting data, ranking data for significance, and synthesizing facts, concepts and principles.
To understand and use organizing principles or key concepts against which miscellaneous data can be evaluated.
To differentiate between facts, opinions and inferences.
To frame questions so as to more clearly clarify a problem topic or issue.
To compare and contrast the relative merits of opposing arguments and interpretations, moving between the main points of each position.
To organize your thoughts and communicate them clearly and concisely in a written form and oral presentations.
To obtain practice in selecting and presenting information and arguments within a restricted environment, especially the limitations of time in exams.

III. General Requirements

1. Readings:

Kors, Alan Charles and Edward Peters, ed. Witchcraft in Europe 400-1700: A Documentary History. 2nd ed. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2000.
Oldridge, Darren, ed. The Witchcraft Reader. London: Routledge, 2001.
Summers, Montague, ed. The Malleus Maleficarum of Heinrich Sprenger and James Kramer. NY: Dover, 1971.

The books are intended both to provide you with important factual and background information before class and to be used as a review and reference work afterwards. Before class, you will read in the textbooks the chapters or pages according to the class schedule. Not all topics in this textbooks will be covered in class, but you are responsible for them on the exam and in class discussion. You should prudently take notes on, mark up, highlight and otherwise annotate your books as you study
The instructor may give quizzes and/or assign questions and brief writing assignments to test your reading and comprehension.

2. Class Participation & Attendance:

Participation and attendance are necessary because lecture and discussion provide the essentials for achieving class goals and objectives. Thus a portion of your grade (about 25%) will depend on your in-class performance. You are required to attend each class, arrive on time, remain attentive, respond to questions, ask questions and participate in any in-class projects. As part of your source commentary, you will have to give a brief report and lead class discussion.

The instructor will regularly take attendance. Absences due to college activities, emergency or extended illness may be excused by the appropriate College official. Other absences are unexcused and will lower the class participation portion of your grade. After any absence, you are responsible for making up missed work, requesting hand-outs, picking up already returned assignments, and/or borrowing notes from other students. Whether absences are excused or not, you cannot get a higher grade than the percentage of classes attended.

All students who have a learning disability, physical handicap and/or any other possible impediment to class participation and requirements should schedule an appointment with the instructor as soon as possible to discuss available accommodations. If at some point during the semester you must discontinue the course, due to poor performance illness or some other cause, be sure to follow proper procedures for withdrawal.

No magic, witchcraft or sorcery of any kind may be used in conjunction with this class, upon penalty of expulsion from and failure of this course.

For general information about expected academic honesty, click here.

3. Exams:

You will take one midterm exam and one final exam, which is comprehensive, as assigned during finals week.

Both exams will consist of short identifications quizzing knowledge of detail and significance, and essays testing your understanding of the course material through logical presentation of facts and explanation of historical trends.

You may take a missed exam at the discretion of the instructor.

Be sure to note the concerns about cheating.

4. Written Assignments:

You will have regular in-class writing assignments. These will consist of short quizzes and writing exercises dealing with the texts or other class material. Outside of class you will have to write one book annotation, an article commentary & presentation, and evaluations of several websites (Internet Source Evaluations). Some work will be used to help build and expand upon the Women's History Research site , and its Witch Hunt pages.
More instructions are on the printed syllabus.

You will also take a witch hunt simulation:

Meeting deadlines is an important aspect of assignments. Papers should be handed in to the instructor, by you yourself, at the beginning of class on the due dates assigned.

The grade of any paper you turn in late will lose at least 10% after the beginning of the first class, 20% after the second, and 35% after the third.

No late papers will be accepted after the last day of class. For general information about presentation and writing of papers click here.

Be sure to note the concerns about plagiarism.

IV. Grades:

For general grading policy, click here.

Your final grade will be based on a percentage (above 90%=A, 89%- 80%=B, etc.) of the sum of the following points: 10-20 for each quiz or in-class project; 25 for your book annotation; 100 for the website evaluations; 100 for the article commentary; 100 for the midterm exam, 150 for the final exam; and 160 for your overall class performance and attendance.

Although the syllabus presents the basic content and requirements of the course the professor reserves the right to change anything (e.g. assignments, and topics, due dates) at his discretion.

V. Class Topics:

Concepts of Witches and Witchcraft
Antiquity, Christianity and Magic
Heresy in the Middle Ages
The End of the Middle Ages and the Beginning of Modern Europe
The so-called Renaissance
The Reformation and the Wars of Religion
The Scientific Revolution and the Enlightenment
The "typical" Witch Hunt
The Role of Torture
The Malleus Maleficarum
The Witch Hunts and Women
Witch Hunts in Germany
Witch Hunts in Switzerland and the Lowlands
Witch Hunts in France
Witch Hunts in Britain
The Salem Witch Trials
Witch Hunts in Scandinavia and Eastern Europe
Witch Hunts in Southern Europe
The End of the Witch Hunts
Modern Witch Hunts