TOPIC IISTATEMAKING

OVERVIEW: This topic, which covers a period roughly from 1500-1700, deals mainly with two
interconnected lines of developmentthe growth of the so-called Atlantic Economy and the further
development of states. In particular, four major points in the political/economic growth of Europe are
put into focus:
Major economic progressmore trade, new forms of commercial exchange, expanded
economic opportunitiesarising in part from the new mentality and in part from the origins
and development of trade with areas outside of Europe, especially the Americas and Asia;
The growth of the statea geographically better-defined area with significant structures
and institutions (laws and judicial systems, taxation, a standing military, representative
bodies, bureaucracies) maintaining stability, unity and defense, the strength of this state
largely dependent upon its economic vitality and the quality of its leaders;
In many of these states, the consolidation of power in the hands of a monarch (absolutist)
whose state apparatus included an expanded bureaucracy, the concentration and control of
military power, multiple sources of revenue, but especially the ability to assess and collect
taxes;
In the exceptional states of England and the Dutch United Provinces (the Netherlands), the
growth of representative and constitutional forms of government.
TOPIC CONTENT OBJECTIVES
To understand why and how the economy expanded and how commercial economies
impacted states during the 1500s-1600s;
To understand the new mechanisms for trade and the impact that growing trade had on
Europe politically and socially as well as economically;
To define and differentiate between absolutist and constitutional monarchies;
To examine how and why various countries of Europe came to develop in one of these two
ways;
To understand how various rulers maintained absolutist monarchies (or failed to);
To understand how highly developed states and powerful rulers interacted with one another in
economic competition and warfare;
To examine the factors contributing to the relative strength or weakness of states;
To build a vocabulary of terms and a knowledge of specific important persons, places and
events pertaining to the era of Statemaking
TOPIC SKILLS OBJECTIVES
To learn to approach sources critically and to be able to gather sufficient relevant information
from secondary and primary sources in order to support the thesis of the research paper;
To continue to develop skills relating to analyzing historical evidence and sources; making
historical connections, chronological reasoning and historical argumentation.
You must have access in class in either electronic or print form all text handoutsespecially
those of a bullet-point, list, outline or chart format.
Think about the topic review assignment from the beginning of the topic! Keep the thematic
objectives in mind.
NOTE WELL: Remember that assignments are made on the basis of their internal, historical
coherencenot a set number of pages. As a result, assignments vary greatly in length. Plan ahead
and know when youll have to read ahead to avoid overly long assignments. And remember to write a
prcis for every document!

Oct. 2

The Atlantic Economy/Economic Expansion: Mercantilism

Review McKay (summer reading) 449-56; and Merriman, 35-42
READ carefully Merriman 165-71
TH: Commercial Revolution
DOC: von Hornick (precis)

What major shift occurred in the trade routes during the 16 th century and why? What was the impact
of this shift on the various states of Europe--who benefited? who was harmed? For what reasons did
crop production increase, and what were the consequences of the increase? What contributed to the
expansion of trade? How did manufacturing increase? What contributed to the expansion of trade?
In what ways did trade become global? (Please note that I strongly disagree with the use of the
term global economy at this point!) What was the price revolution? What states, groups or
classes were impacted by it and how?
Oct. 5

Spain: Rise and Decline

Merriman 171-78 (Rise of Spain); 198-207 (Decline of Spain)
TH: Timeline of Spanish Development
DOC: Morosini (prcis)

How did Spain come into existence? What methods did the Spanish monarchs use to centralize and
extend their power? Who competed with them for power? What were the strengths and weaknesses
of the Spanish economy? How did the ascension of Charles I (V of the HRE) to the Spanish throne
extend Spains power and influence? What problems did it cause and why? What were the
achievements of Philip IIs reign? What were the causes of the Revolt of the Netherlands? Why did
Spain have difficulty putting down the revolt? What were the various causes of Spanish economic
decline? What steps did Count-Duke Olivares take to try to rejuvenate Spain? What additional
problems did the Spanish crown encounter in the 1600s? What were the artistic achievements of this
age in Spain? What was Spains status at the middle of the 17th century?
Oct. 6

Spain (cont.) ;The Rise of England and the Early Stuarts

Merriman 180-90 (begin with para beginning Henry VIII)
TH: English Constitutional History in the 17th Century
DOC: James I (read only)) Parliament (read only)have access in class

How did Henry VIII add to monarchical power? How did he get a better grip on royal finances?
What issues plagued the reign of Edward VI? What were the issues of the reign of Mary Tudor (aka
Bloody Mary)? How did Elizabeth I act to resolve the religious issues of England? Who were the
two religious groups that resisted Elizabeths religious settlement and why? What were the problems
and benefits arising from Elizabeths unmarried state? How was government structured by Elizabeth?
For what reasons did England emerge as a commercial and economic power? By what different
means was agricultural production increased? On what other bases did Englands economy grow?
What were the key elements of demographic change?
Oct. 7

The English Civil Wars

Merriman 208-21
TH: English Constitutionalism Powerpoint Part I (have access in class)
TH: The Three Sides of the Civil Wars
Perry, Hobbes, Leviathan 20 (precis)

What were the issuesconcrete and conceptualthat arose between the early Stuart kings (James I

and Charles I) and parliament? What religious divisions and differences exacerbated the political
tensions? What specifically did Puritans oppose that directly threatened the crown? Why did
Scotland revolt and what were the consequences of the revolt? Who were the sides leading up to
the Civil War and what were their positions on issues? What was the nature of the actual fighting of
the Civil War? Of the organization and financing of the armies? Where (geographic/groups) did
support come from for each of the sides (be sure to look at map as well as text)? How and why did
the parliamentary side come to be divided? Who were the radicals? What was the outcome of the
conflict between parliament and its army?
Oct. 9

The Restoration and Glorious Revolution

Merriman 222-31
TH: English Constitutionalism Powerpoint Part II (have access in class)
Perry, English Declaration of Rights 24 (have access in class, no precis); Locke 54
(prcis)

What was the nature of the Puritan Republic, and how did it come into being? Why did it fail, and
what replaced it? Why were the Stuarts restored? How truly significant was the outcome of the civil
war? Why were the restored Stuart kings Catholic leanings a source of tension and fear? How did
parliament respond to Charles pro-Catholic actions? Who were the Tories and the Whigs? What did
each stand for? Why was James II even more frightening to parliament than his brother? For what
reasons was the Dutch stadholder a good choice to replace James? Why was it a glorious
revolution? What was the significance of the Bill of Rights? Of the Glorious Revolution?
Sometime between Oct. 8-13 you must have an appointment and bring in as many annotated
bibliography cards and research notes cards as you have done to dateMINIMUM 5 AB cards
and 40 research notes cardsfor a one-on-one conversation about your paper.
Oct. 12

The Dutch Republic

Merriman, review 198-201; read 231-41; Review McKay (summer reading) 455-46
Alt text: Dutch Society, Economy and Government
ARTS PRESENTATION: Art of the Dutch Golden Age

How was the Dutch Republic governed? What were the republics economic strengths? What was
the republics policy on religious toleration? Characterize Dutch culture and explain how it reflected
societal values. For what reasons did the Dutch decline in economic and political power?
Oct. 13

Absolutism/Mercantilism: Political and Economic Theories of the 1600s; Origins of

Absolutism in France
Merriman 242-52
TH: Age of Kings
Perry, Bossuet 18 (prcis)

What is the definition and nature of absolutism? What characteristics did the absolutist states of the
late 1600s share?
Oct. 20

Absolutism in France
Merriman 140-45; 252-61
DOC: St.-Simon (prcis)

How did Henry IV stabilize the realm after the wars of religion and how did he lay the foundations of
absolutism? What were Louis XIIIs and Cardinal Richelieus contributions to absolutism?

What was the fronde? What were its causes and consequences? How did Louis XIV take charge
and restore the power of the crown? What was the economic theory/policy supported by Louis and
why? What were the assumptions and goals of this policy? What characterized the absolute nature of
Louis rule? For what purposes was Versailles built? What was the nature of French social relations
and culture during Louis reign? With what religious groups did Louis have to deal? What were his
policies towards them? What formal or informal limitations existed on Louis absolutism?
Oct. 21
Russia
Merriman 268-77
TH: Russian Chronology 300-1800; Conditions Affecting Russian Development
DOCs: Reforms of Peter the Greatplease skim and make sure to have access to the
documents in class
How did Muscovy expand under Ivan IV? How did Ivan IV rule and administer his vast lands? What
was the Time of Troubles? What was the nature of Russian serfdom and how did it impact the
economy of Russia and the lives of the peasants? What was the nature of the Church-State
relationship in Russia? When and how did Sweden power and Swedish absolutism reach their
height? Why did they collapse? What were Peter the Greats goals? How did he attempt to
modernize and reform his state? What were his key innovations and reforms? What was the price of
his reforms for the people of Russia? How did he build his absolutism? How did Russia begin to
enter European power politics?
Oct. 23

Absolutism in Prussia: Balance of Power

Merriman review 245-47; read 265-68 (Prussia); 261-62; 277-83 (balance of power)
DOC: Frederick William (write a prcis)
ARTS PRESENTATIONThe Baroque in Service to Absolutists

What were the origins of the Prussian state strength? How was power shared or divided between the
monarch and the nobles? How was the administration organized? What were the roles and status of
the military? How did it help shape the state?
Oct. 26

TEST (Review Assignment due)