HIST 2F90 - Money and Power in the Atlantic World, 1400-1850

Brock University 2024-25

Syllabus Version: September 1, 2024

Instructor: Trudy Tattersall
Teaching Assistant: Trudy Tattersall 
Contact Information: Please use the Messages tool in Brightspace to email members of the teaching team.
Student Hours Via MS Teams: We are always happy to meet with students, and find that those who do take the time to visit with us, generally have better outcomes on their assignments. We will be setting up regular "drop in" sessions via MS Teams, and will update this page when they are confirmed, but we are also frequently available by arrangement. Just send us an email, and we can set up a time!  You can access our MS Teams channel via the Web Content icon on Brightspace.  Check it out...click the link and leave a comment to say hello, if you wish!

Times and Locations: There are no scheduled lectures or seminar meetings. However, there are weekly online readings and assignments, and you must plan time throughout each week during the academic year to work on these. It is your responsibility to keep up with assignments and stay on schedule. Unless otherwise noted, new Lessons start on Mondays at 8 am, and close on Fridays at 6pm.

This course explores the practice of history through an examination of the early modern Atlantic World. We will combine an emphasis on traditional historical practices with digital research tools, and with frequent access to digitized archival sources.

All readings are available via hyperlink at the end of each lesson page. There are no require textbooks to purchase.

Reading Expectations:

Here’s an important note: In 2nd-year history courses it is common to read 40 to 60 pages per week. In this course we will not assign this much in the first few weeks, but we will increase the reading load as the course progresses. See the note about workload expectations that is included in the Introductory Lesson.

Course Communications:

This course will not work if you are not checking its online resources regularly. This includes checking this online textbook AND the Brightspace Announcements. You should use the Messages tool, and select email to write the instructor or other students. You are also welcome to "visit" the instructors via Teams; you can find out how to use Teams by going to the Sharepoint through my.brocku.ca. To arrange a phone or video discussion, please send an email first to arrange a time.

TIP: When you write to anyone in the course in Brightspace Messages, please make sure to choose the email option, NOT instant messages. E-mail  addresses appear in the in the drop-down address options, and the Subject Line will also begin with "HIST-2F90-D01-S01-ASY >". Please add your specific subject after this, and keep the course identifier in the Subject Line.

Note: Before you ask a question about the course, please make sure you try to answer it yourself by reading the syllabus and other course materials carefully. The instructors reserve the right to ignore frivolous messages.

        * * * Remember: Make sure that you check your Brightspace Announcements regularly!!! * * *

Forum Discussion Instructions

Description

Discussions are the heart of this course. Your grades will reflect the regularity and most especially the quality of your Discussion contributions. Posts should strive to build conversations – that is, they should engage, and offer thought-provoking commentary and questions for deepening the discussions. New posts should engage with the reading material and posts from other participants, and should always bring out evidence from the readings. The point is to analyze our sources through discussion, and to build and develop the conversation with other students to that end.

Brightspace places you in a group of approximately 15-20 students. This will be your discussion group for the entire year. Each week, everyone is expected to contribute to the discussion in their Forum. You read documents every week in preparation for the discussion group, so be aware of what you need to do to prepare, when you’re expected to comment, and plan your time accordingly. Also plan to read all the previous posts for the week’s Forum before you post anything new. When we grade your work, we’ll expect that you’ve done this.

Unless otherwise noted, each week’s Forum will open officially on Monday morning (although there is a soft opening that happens on Saturday for those of you who like to work ahead) and close at 5pm Friday of that week.

• You are required to provide at least ONE post and ONE response each week. (In other words, at least twice per week.)
• Plan to post at least once EARLY in each Forum so that you and others in your group can develop a rich discussion online. (You’ll all learn more this way!) 
• In other words, be sure to post on time so that others have time to read, think and respond.
• The strongest posts will also show evidence that you’ve read the previous discussion for the week.
• How long should my posts be? Most posts should be in the range of 100 to 200 words, 300 at most. Sometimes, you may need to say more, others less. But generally, whatever number of words you write, you should be answering one (or more) of our questions, using evidence from that week’s sources, and engaging with your classmates. You do not have to write LONG posts. Some students seem to think they get grades per word. NO! Quality, not quantity.
• You have a limited time to complete your discussion contribution in the week’s Forum. If you do not post within the time allotted, you will not get credit for that week. 
• You will be evaluated not on your opinions but on how well you make use of evidence. Read, then write about what you read. That's what most of this course asks of you.

NOTE: We wish to encourage early posting, and we want all of you to be engaging with one another regularly in the Forum discussions. A good basic post examines the viewpoint of the author(s), works with the evidence in the source(s), and situates the source(s) you are using as evidence in a broader framework.

People who post at least once before the end of the day on Wednesday of each week and whose posts meet the other standards for good contributions will generally earn the strongest grades.

Tip: take notes as you read, and as you go outline evidence and analysis for what yu think are three or four good takeaway points from the readings. Then, go to the Discussion, explain one or two of those points. If others have already posted, try to build on those posts. How do you build? Add evidence that supports, or disagrees, with what's been said. Explain why your analysis is different.

Few of our questions for discussion in the Forums have simple, correct answers. Therefore, try to establish positions or arguments based on evidence in the assigned sources, rather than simply stating facts or opinions.

What is a good post?
 

A good post should:
(a) answer the big question (not totally, but should get at the question)
(b) should make a point, an argument
(c) should support that point with evidence from the readings
(d) should lead with the argument (make your point, then show the evidence that supports)

There will be variations, of course, especially on responses to your classmates. But always use evidence. 
 

What is a good response?

Good responses should:
(a) engage with your colleagues in meaningful, thoughtful dialogue
(b) agree or disagree with their interpretation of evidence -- BUT provide further reasons for your response, and if your analysis is the same, don't just say you agree, explore why - maybe pointing to different evidence.
(c) Come back later; look for responses to your post(s). Respond to them; maybe another of those three or four points you developed before posting can now be useful. 
(d) ask for clarification, once again based on good reasons
(e) challenge your colleagues in a friendly way to provide more examples / take their thoughts further
(f) In ALL instances, support these reasons with evidence from the readings

What is not a good post?

A few things we often see that are not useful:
(a) recounting details of the sources as if their meaning is obvious - discuss and analyse evidence, don't merely recount it
(b) posting late as if you're the first to post, which almost invariably means you're saying things that have already been said. Think of this like you were in a seminar: you make a nice comment, the prof nods approvingly, you feel good - two minutes later the guy across the table says the exact same thing. Are you impressed? Do you think the prof is? In our Discussions, don't be that second guy.
(c) posting a mini essay that aims to answer all of the questions for the week! You have been in rooms when one person dominates the conversation...don't be that person! Remember, the discussion is like an online version of a seminar; not the online version of a short essay. Aim for 150-200 words.
(d) simply agreeing with a person's post or restating what they say. Respond to what other have written. You will, no doubt, have to repeat some details/content to get to your point, but that point should build on what others have said, not merely repeat it. 
 

How many times should you post?

Twice per lesson should be a minimum. But don't imagine that five gets you bonus points. You're also evaluated on the quality of your posts.
 

Discussion Assessment

• A Range - Thoughtful, timely and excellent contributions (at least two each week, with one of these usually in the first half of the week) that stimulate discussion and provide insightful comments with solid grounding in the sources and other students’ comments for the week.
• B or C Range - Effective contributions that invite comment and demonstrate some knowledge of the sources and other students’ comments. Again, most students who receive grades in the B range will post twice a week before Friday. (These are clearly on the right path, but could still be improved.) Those who wait until Friday to post  can expect to earn a C+ at best.
• D Range - Little or no effort given to posting, and / or the contribution was divergent from the discussion and the readings, and / or the post demonstrated little effort to engage with other students’ ideas.
• F - No contribution.

Because student contributions are so important for the course, your Forum engagement grades will be determined on the basis of not just regular posts in the weekly discussion activities but by creating engaging, thought-provoking commentary and responses to questions that we provide, as well as by initiating new discussion threads that show creative and critical engagement with the topics.

Remember...

History is not the past; the past is gone, it's over. History is what we make of the traces of the past that remain to us in documents, oral tradition, archaeology, and material culture. We can only access the past through honest use of evidence. Without evidence, we're just making stuff up.

Late Submission Policy:

Unless otherwise outlined, the penalties for late submission of assigned coursework are 10% of the assignment grade for the first day late and 5% per day thereafter, unless accompanied by medical documentation, or documentation of other serious reasons. See Medical Exemption Policy and the medical health certificate at
https://brocku.ca/registrar/wp-content/uploads/sites/45/Medical-Certificate.pdf .
 

Reminder:

Relationship between regular online participation and grades:

Forum discussions are the heart of this course. Your grades will reflect the regularity and most especially the quality of your weekly contributions. Posts should strive to build conversations – that is, they should engage, and offer thought-provoking commentary and questions for deepening the discussions. New posts should engage with the reading material and posts from other participants, and should always bring out evidence from the readings. The point is to analyze our sources through discussion, and to build and develop the conversation with other students to that end.

We will provide you detailed instructions for Forum discussions via Brightspace Announcements.

Important dates:

(check the section on important dates in the relevant online University calendar)

• Friday, January 10, 2024, is the date by which you will be notified of 15% of your course grade.
• Friday, January 17, 2024, is the last date for withdrawal from the course without academic penalty.

Academic  Policies

Academic Integrity:

The principle of academic integrity, particularly of doing one’s own work, documenting properly (including use of quotation marks, appropriate paraphrasing and referencing/citation), collaborating appropriately, and avoiding misrepresentation, is a core principle in university study. Academic misconduct is a serious offence. Students should consult Section VII, “Academic Misconduct”, in the “Academic Regulations and University Polices” entry in the Undergraduate Calendar, available at  http://brocku.ca/webcal to view a fuller description of prohibited actions, and the procedures and penalties.

Plagiarism software:

You will submit most of your assignments through Turnitin.com, a phrase-matching program online. See the assignment details on Brightspace for more information. If you have a good, principled reason for objecting to uploading your assignments to Turnitin.com, please notify the instructors before the end of Week 3 to discuss alternative ways to submit your assignments. Alternatives will include some mechanism for you to demonstrate your adherence to the principles of academic integrity.

Academic Accommodation:

As part of Brock University's commitment to a respectful work and learning environment, the University will make every reasonable effort to accommodate all members of the university community with disabilities. If you require academic accommodations related to a documented disability to participate in this course, you are encouraged to contact Services for Students with Disabilities in the Student Development Centre (4th floor Schmon Tower, ex. 3240, https://brocku.ca/health-wellness-accessibility/sas/). You are also encouraged to discuss any accommodations with the instructor well in advance of due dates and scheduled assessments.

Academic Accommodation due to Religious Obligations:

Brock University acknowledges the pluralistic nature of the undergraduate and graduate communities such that accommodations will be made for students who, by reason of religious obligation, must miss an examination, test, assignment deadline, laboratory or other compulsory academic event.

Students requesting academic accommodation on the basis of religious obligation should make a formal, written request to their instructors for alternative dates and/or means of satisfying requirements.

Medical Exemption Policy:

The University requires that a student be medically examined in Health Services, or by an off- campus physician prior to an absence due to medical reasons from an exam, lab, test, quiz, seminar, assignment, etc. The Medical Certificate can be found at: https://brocku.ca/registrar/wp-content/uploads/sites/45/Medical-Certificate.pdf.