Course: European Civilization on the Threshold of Modern Times From Great Geographic Discoveries to the Thirty Years' War

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Course title European Civilization on the Threshold of Modern Times From Great Geographic Discoveries to the Thirty Years' War
Course code KHI/0568
Organizational form of instruction Lecture
Level of course Bachelor
Year of study not specified
Semester Winter and summer
Number of ECTS credits 4
Language of instruction Czech
Status of course Compulsory-optional
Form of instruction Face-to-face
Work placements This is not an internship
Recommended optional programme components None
Lecturer(s)
  • Fukala Radek, prof. PhDr. Ph.D.
Course content
1. The century of transatlantic discoveries (great geographical discoveries and the beginnings of European colonization overseas) 2. Renaissance and Humanism (the Europe of intellectuals and European lifestyle) 3. Reformation and Counter-Reformation (the confessional era of European history) 4. The Spanish Empire and Habsburg power aspirations (the Spanish "siglo de oro" - the Golden Century) 5. The origination of the United Provinces (the Netherlands as the economically most developed European region in the given period) 6. The Ottoman Empire - the leading power of Europe and Near East (from the Emirate to the Empire) 7. Strengthening central ruling power in France (Gallican, i.e. pro-French, politics and religious wars) 8. England on the way to its power position (the Tudor era - the turning point in British history; Elizabethan England) 9. The Moscow state and the first tsars (Samoderzhavie: from the Rurikoffs to the Romanoffs) 10. The Polish-Lithuanian republic union of aristocrats (Rzeczpospolita - the Golden Age of Polish history) 11. The Holy Roman Empire (its center and periphery and their close relation to the estate's political system) 12. The Brandenburg-Prussian Hohenzollern state (the implementation of centralism and absolutism) 13. The Thirty Years' War - the conflict which utterly transformed the European continent (power-political conflicts, confessional disputes and international relations) 14. The conflicts and the "general" crisis during the 17th century (the sphere of economy, demographic changes, social contrasts and scientific discoveries and inventions) 15. Mannerism and Baroque (the "mentalités", centers of culture, folk art, patrons, the phenomenon of the Baroque cavalier and his world)

Learning activities and teaching methods
unspecified, unspecified, unspecified
Learning outcomes
The lectures will mainly focus on European civilization and its elementary processes of transformation within political, economic, social, religious and cultural sectors (e.g., colonial expansion, general crisis during the 17th century, confessionalization, Renaissance, Humanism, Reformation, Counter-Reformation, Mannerism, Baroque, Thirty Years' War). Early modern times will be followed at three levels: as an issue of European history, with emphasis laid on Central Europe and emphasis on the lands of Bohemian Crown. A more detailed interpretation will also be devoted to the events and developments of Eastern Europe.
Students should thus become better orientated in early modern-time European history. Emphasized will moreover be the fields of international diplomacy and foreign and dynastic politics. Lectures will also focus on the Holy Roman Empire and its territorial aspects and home affairs.
Prerequisites
None

Assessment methods and criteria
unspecified
Students will be required to read at least five elementary monographs or popular-scientific books suggested in the course of education, and the minimum of five essays from the magazine Historický obzor (Historical Horizon). Very important will be their sense of orientation on the map - i.e., their geographical knowledge - which will also be required rather rigidly.
Recommended literature


Study plans that include the course
Faculty Study plan (Version) Category of Branch/Specialization Recommended year of study Recommended semester
Faculty: Faculty of Arts Study plan (Version): Cultural and Historical Regional Studies (A) Category: History courses - Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: -
Faculty: Faculty of Education Study plan (Version): Teaching of History for Secondary Schools (A14) Category: Pedagogy, teacher training and social care - Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: -
Faculty: Faculty of Arts Study plan (Version): History with Education Emphasis (Two Subject Combination) (A14) Category: Pedagogy, teacher training and social care - Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: -
Faculty: Faculty of Arts Study plan (Version): History (Two-Subject Combination) (A14) Category: History courses - Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: -
Faculty: Faculty of Arts Study plan (Version): History (Single Subject) (A14) Category: History courses - Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: -
Faculty: Faculty of Arts Study plan (Version): Cultural History (A14) Category: History courses - Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: -
Faculty: Faculty of Arts Study plan (Version): Teaching History for Middle School (Single Subject) (A14) Category: Pedagogy, teacher training and social care - Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: -
Faculty: Faculty of Arts Study plan (Version): History (Single Subject) (A14) Category: History courses - Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: -