Greenberg: T Th 2.40-4.00 in Seabury 12B

Reger: M 1-3.30, F 11-12 in Seabury 405

Greenberg: 2371

Reger: 2393

Place: McCook 205 (except February 2 in Terrace Room B and 9 in the Library Training Room)

Time: Wednesdays, 6.30-9.30 pm

Web Syllabus: http://www2.trincoll.edu/~greger/hist482.html

Slavery has been a feature of most human societies throughout history. This course is designed to help students research and write a major paper on a topic related to the general theme of the course in fulfillment of the History Department’s requirement for a senior exercise for history majors. Selected readings, a roundtable, and discussions introduce some of the ways historians have approached the topic; films present some of the ways historical slavery has been presented by non-historians. The majority of students’ time in the course of the semester will be devoted to work on the paper.

The chief task of this course is to research and write a major original paper on a topic related to slavery developed by you in consultation with the faculty teaching the course and other Trinity History faculty, if appropriate. Papers should rely on primary source material and represent your own effort to tackle an important historical problem. The final paper should consist of 40-50 pages divided into several chapters, typically including an overview of the problem, a review of previous historical research, and a presentation of your own findings, followed by a brief conclusion and full bibliography. The papers will be written on the following schedule:

1. Select a topic. Select a preliminary topic before February 2. You are encourgaed to consult with C. Greenberg or G. Reger for help in making a selection.

2. Present your topic briefly at the February 2 meeting after the Roundtable. You should be able to point toward the main primary source material you will be using. Be prepared for questions (though we certainly do not expect you necessarily to be able to answer them at this point).

3. Preliminary written proposal is due by 4 pm on Friday, February 4, in either Greenberg or Reger’s box in the History Department Office (22 Seabury). This one to two page document should outline the question you will be addressing, describe the primary source material you will use, and place your topic in the larger debates about slavery as an historical institution.

4. Initial oral presentation. You will have roughly five (5) minutes on February 23 to present your topic, and we as a group 5-10 minutes to discuss it. You should welcome this as an opportunity for feedback that will help you refine your topic. Each presentation should include a statement of the problem you are working on; why it is interesting historically; the main primary source material on which you will rely; and a brief sketch of previous scholarship. Please also have a preliminary bibliography for distribution.

5. Draft of chapter 1 due March 15.

6. Draft of chapter 2 due April 5.

7. Final presentations. You will have roughly 20 minutes on April 19 or 26 to give a final oral presentation of your paper.

8. Final written versions are due on Monday, May 3.

In addition, we will be doing some (very limited) common reading, and will devote two sessions (March 1 and March 8) to special topics.

Please note carefully: Frequent and thoughtful contribution to classroom discussion, including discussion around your classmates’ oral presentations (February 2, February 23, April 19, and April 26), is essential for success in this course.

David Brion Davis, Slavery and Human Progress

Schedule of Classes

Jan 19. Introduction

Jan 26. Discussion of first section of Davis, pp. 5-101.

Feb 2. Roundtable; presentation of initial ideas for topics. Written proposal due Friday, February 4. Note: This class meets in Terrace Room B.

Roundtable participants include: Jonathan Elukin (mediaeval Europe), Cheryl Greenberg (US), Ronald Kiener (mediaeval Islam and the Middle East), Michael Lestz (China and East Asia), Susan Pennybacker (Britain and Anglo-American), Gary Reger (Greece and Rome).

Feb 9. Library session: meet in Library Training Room

Feb 16. MIDSESSION. Classes do not meet.

Feb 23. Interim presentations

Mar 1. Topic I: Slave as object, slave as human in a comparative contxet (work with sources)

Mar 8. Topic II: Slave revolts (work with sources)

Mar 15. Movie I

Mar 22. SPRING VACATION. Classes do not meet.

Mar 29. No class. Work on papers.

Apr 5. Movie II

Apr 12. No class. Work on paper

Apr 19. Final presentations I

    Presenters: Erin Caplice, Peter Collins, Runjan Dhar, Kimberly Niadna, Thom Peck, Faisal Sheikh, Maria Sulit.

Apr 26. Final presentations II

    Presenters: Sarah Gordon, Thomas Grieg, John Griffin, Gillian Koenig, Christopher Loutit, Donald Metznik, Brett Miles, Jon Rosen.

Final paper due: Monday, May 3