Lecture and Seminar Programme
Topic 1 Geography and Prehistory
Islands, rivers, historical parts of the country, origin of their emblems, the English Channel, history of the Tunnel, “Narrow Seas”, lowland and highland, plants, the most ancient inhabitants, Homo Sapience Neanderthals, Neolithic Age, Iberians, long barrows, megaliths and dolmens, Stonehenge: parts, stages of construction, theories of origin.
Topic 2 The Celtic Period
The Celts in Europe, classification of languages, the Celtic group in the Indo-European family, etymology of “Britain”, the Celtic economy, strata, bards and glorified virtues, ornaments (torques), druids and druidism, the Isle of Anglesey as a Celtic “capital”, discussion on human sacrifices, doctrine of reincarnation, the Celtic heritage in the modern British culture, the modern Celtic languages, “the ghost culture”: the Phoenician or the Celtic origin?
Topic 3 The Roman Britain
First Roman invasions of the British Isles, etymology of “Albion”, Claudius in Britain, the revolt of Queen Boudicca, the Boudicca’s memorials in London, Romanization of Southern Britain (appearance of England), attempts to subdue Caledonia, Hadrian and Antonine walls, Winchester and Colchester as the Roman capitals, Britain as a Roman “breadbasket”, villas and towns, abundance of the Romans.
Topic 4 The Dark Ages and the Anglo-Saxon Period
Historical evidence (Bede, Gildas, Nannies), permeation of the Western Germans (reasons, legend of “the Angles, Saxons and Jutes”). Did the Saxons really exist? Who invited “the Anglo-Saxons”? (comparing with “the appeal of the Varangians”). Seven kingdoms, changes in economy (draining marshy areas), administrative system, etymology of “England” and “Wales”. Was permeation a conquest or a catastrophe? Why did Canterbury become the center of the British Christianity?
Topic 5 The Vikings’ Period
Definition and etymology of “the Vikings” and “the Danes”. Raid for Lindisfarne. Alfred the Great, his defense of Wessex, beginning of the English navy, Danelaw and “Danish money”. The Alfred’s enlightenment, first schools, “The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle”. England in Cnut’s Empire. “Scandinavian days” of English week.
Topic 6 Britain in the High Middle Ages
Edward the Confessor, foundation of Westminster, links with France. Normandy: the Viking’s origin of state and the French character of culture. William the Conqueror, Harold and the Battle of Hastings. Penetration of feudal system and its specific features in England. “Domesday Book” as an evidence for social history. The bilingual period: interaction of Anglo-Saxon and Old French. Henry II Plantagenet. Paradox of Richard the Lion heart: was he an English king? Eleanor of Aquitaine, Richard as an ideal knight, leading the Third Crusade, captivity and ransom. John the Lack Land, reasons for barons’ rebellion, “The Great Charter of Liberty” (conditions and social influence). The origin of the Robin Hood romances: archaeological and written evidence.
Topic 7 Britain in the Late Middle Ages
The plague age and its influence on the British history. Fading of serfdom, beginning of Parliament, joining Wales, the first Prince of Wales. The Hundred Years' War: reasons, stages, consequences. Edward III and the Order of the Garter. The Lancasters and the Yorks, “The War of the Red and White Roses”, the enigmas of Richard III. Decline of French, start of printing, William Caxton and the Great Shift of Vowels.
Topic 8 Britain in the XVI Century
Start of the modern era, concept of modern history. Changes in everyday life: using glass, new kinds of food and house ware. Rise of wool clothes, “wool churches”. Enclosures, commissions against enclosures, Tudor’s laws against tramps, “Utopia” by Moor about enclosures. New features of Henry VII’s political philosophy, building of merchant fleet. Henry VIII and Ivan IV: typical rulers of Renaissance? Concept and importance of Reformation, doctrine of Protestantism comparing with Catholicism. Reasons and start of Henry VIII’s Reformation. Elizabeth I: childhood and political growth, appearance and political style. Her courtiers: William Cecil, Francis Bacon, Walter Raleigh. Plot of Mary Stuart. Rise of piracy, Queen’s patronizing, geographical discoveries, Francis Drake' expeditions. War with Spain, dispelling “The Invincible Armada”: facts and legends. Old years of “kind Lizzy”. The Shakespeare authorship question.
Topic 9 Britain in the XVII Century
The new role in European culture. The Stuarts, James I, prosecuting the Catholicons and the Protestants. Did “Gunpowder Plot” take place? “Mayflower” and the first settlements in America. The Puritans’ world outlook. The Civil War, Restoration and Glorious Revolution. The financial reform. The main features of the English Enlightenment; Hobbes and Locke. Charles I, the Civil War, Cromwell’s Protectorate, Restoration. Francis Bacon and the new principles of research ("active science"). The Royal society. British prior achievements in world science. Newton: the legends of Woolsthorpe and Cambridge, main discoveries, appreciated and discussed by contemporaries and descendants. Harvey: discovery of blood circulation. Wren – “English Leonardo”. The Great Fire and the new design of London.
Topic 10 Britain in the XVIII Сentury
Britain as the launching pad of the Industrial Revolution: the topics for debate. The “Act of Union” and the formation of the United Kingdom. Britain in the War of the Spanish Succession. The monopoly for exporting slaves. Walpole and the formation of modern political system. The Society and mental traditions (attitude to children, the concept of humor). Slave trade and abolitionism. The inventions of the Industrial Revolution (Jenny-spinning, Newcomen, Watt and inventing steam-engine). Cook’s expeditions. Jenner: discovering vaccination. Satirical Enlightenment in literature and theatre. The rise of painting (Van Dyck, Hogarth, Reynolds, Gainsborough).
Topic 11 Britain in the XIX Century
The society and mental traditions: concept and examples of self-help and pluralism, the Lancastrian school movement, the Chartism. The participation in wars (the struggle with Napoleon, the Boer war). The political development: principles of the Parliamentary system, Tory and Whigs, the Victorian period, the Development of Empire. Science and technology (Brunels, Stevenson, Darwin, Faraday,). The Golden age of archeology and the British museum. Urbanism and architecture.
Topic 12 Britain in the XХ Century and in the Modern World
The changing role in the XX-century world. Participating in the World Wars. Churchill and “the miracle of Dunkirk”. The disintegration of Empire. “The Swinging 60-s”. Troubles in economy. The reforms of Thatcher. Britain’s place in the world economy. The trends of economic development. Modern political system. The Process of lawmaking. Basic political parties. The Commonwealth. The role of the monarchy. The educational system and its recent trends. British contribution to science and technology: Ernest Rutherford and the planet model of atom, Alexander Fleming and discovery of penicillin, the development of cybernetics. The world outlook and life-style through foreign evidence.
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