History 4491E: Medieval Villages, Medieval Worlds

Course Description

Students will reconstruct a fourteenth century medieval English village and study the lives of its inhabitants in this methodology research oriented seminar course. Questions to be considered include the nature and significance of violence, co-operation, governance, familial socioeconomic strategies, work, women’s roles and living standards. No knowledge of Latin or medieval history are required

Required Textbooks:

Britton, Edward. The Community of the Vill: A Study in the History of the Family and Village Life in Fourteenth-Century England. Macmillan of Canada, 1977.

Hatcher, John and Mark Bailey. Modelling the Middle Ages: The History and Theory of England’s Economic Development. Oxford University Press, 2001 (paperback) Available electronically online at Weldon Library.

Raftis, J. Ambrose. Warboys: Two Hundred Years in the Life of an English Village. Pontifical Institute of Mediaeval Studies, 1974. Available electronically online at Weldon Library.

Other secondary readings are found in the library as well as online (either e-book or e-journal) or on our WebCT OWL class site. All primary sources can be downloaded from our WebCT OWL class site.

Evaluation:

Seminar Participation

10% (5% each term)

Annotated Bibliography

20% (10% each term)

Individual Participation in Group Reconstruction of Village’s Individuals

20%

Individual Reconstruction of Village’s Families & Outsiders

5%

2nd Term WeeklyAnalyses

20%

Research Paper (12 to 15 pages)

20%

Class "Conference" Presentation

5%

Also from this web page:

General Information