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From: chelsea@dartvax.UUCP (Karen Christenson)
Newsgroups: net.college,talk.rumors
Subject: Re: Accuracy in Academia
Message-ID: <5168@dartvax.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 22-Sep-86 09:57:45 EDT
Article-I.D.: dartvax.5168
Posted: Mon Sep 22 09:57:45 1986
Date-Received: Tue, 23-Sep-86 01:43:00 EDT
References: <15485@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU> <15492@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU> <652@midas.UUCP> <171@mn-at1.UUCP> <95WDMCU@CUNYVM>
Reply-To: chelsea@dartvax.UUCP (Karen Christenson)
Distribution: na
Organization: Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH
Lines: 34
Xref: dartvax net.college:1600 talk.rumors:20
Summary: 


>>We did not cover Da Vinci, the Hapsburgs, New World Explo-
>>ration, Rise of Spain, the Protestant Reformation, or anything else.
>     
>First: This was a survey course: not everything gets covered.
>Second: What happened to independent study and intellectual curiosity.
>Three: The assignments mentioned above would, if done properly, give one
>a broad understanding of both the era in question AND a chance to see how
>different historical eras connect; how history effects us today , etc.
>     
>Draw your own conclusions as to who was the more dogmatic: you or your TA.
>/* Bill Michtom - work: (212) 903-3685                                */
>/*      WDMCU@CUNYVM (Bitnet)        Timelessness is transient        */
>/*      BILL@BITNIC  (Bitnet)                                         */

     I agree that it is a good idea to try to relate the past and the
present.  However -
     The Protestant Reformation is on my list of the top ten most significant
events of history.  The Exploration of the New World is in around the top
fifty or so, and the Rise of Spain is not real far after that (without the
Rise of Spain, you see, the Exploration would have been real different).
DaVinci is a personal favorite, but I suppose you could get by without
talking about him.  The Hapsburgs were a major influence in the shaping of
Europe, but you can mention the kings without discussing the clan.
     Any course on early modern Europe that doesn't cover the Protestant
Reformation has got one huge, gaping hole.  This is not just dogma, this is
a matter of strong historical influence.  For instance, without knowing about
the Protestant Reformation, you can't really understand the settlement of New
England and many of the ideas that we have inherited from the first settlers,
like the concept of the "City on the Hill."

						Karen Christenson
"Mostly harmless."				...!dartvax!chelsea
			Have an adequate day.