HIST 373 surveys one of the most important periods of history, the Italian Renaissance, from the fourteenth to sixteenth centuries. Out of the late medieval catastrophes of plague, incessant warfare, and religious controversy, Italian artists, writers, and statesmen sought to revive the high culture of ancient Greece and Rome and share it with the rest of Europe. It is often considered the beginning of the modern age. Students will read a sample of writings, in translation, of Renaissance authors, artists, and cut-throat politicians. They’ll encounter famous figures such as Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo, as well as less familiar writers. Assigned readings from leading modern historians will help students gain an understanding of this important period. The illustrated Study Guide helps students through their assigned readings. Students will hone their research and writing skills by studying an aspect or person from the Renaissance in more detail through one short essay assignment (2,000 to 3,000 words) and one research essay (3,000 to 4,000 words). A final exam tests their knowledge. This course was written by Dr. E. David Gregory, Professor Emeritus of History. An AU tutor is assigned to each HIST 373 student to provide assistance and grade their assignments and exam.
Outline
Unit 1. Interpreting the Renaissance: Ideas and Issues
Unit 2. Italian Renaissance Society: Continuity and Change
Unit 3. The Italian States I: Florence and Rome
Unit 4. The Italian States II: The Maritime States and the Principalities
Unit 5. Petrarch, Humanism, and Liberal Studies
Unit 6. World Views and Philosophy: Neo-Platonism and the Ideal of the Universal Man
Unit 7. Invasion and Religion: The Florentine Crisis and the Challenge of the Reformation
Unit 8. Responses to Crisis: Political Thought and Historiography
Unit 9. The Visual Arts: Painting, Sculpture, and Architecture
Unit 10. Artists, Writers, Patrons, and Clients
Unit 11. Types and Uses of Art, Taste, and Iconography
Unit 12. Case Studies: Michelangelo, Leonardo, and Raphael
Learning outcomes
When you have completed the course, you should be able to:
discuss the debates among historians about the nature of the Italian Renaissance since Jacob Burckhardt’s pioneering and seminal interpretation of the subject
describe the political geography of the Italian states between 1350 and 1600
outline the key events in the history of Italy during the Renaissance era
explain the intellectual life of Renaissance Italy, including the Humanist and neo-Platonist movements
discuss the artistic advances made by painters, sculptors, and architects in Italy during the Renaissance era
analyze the social and economic underpinning of cultural life in Italy during the Renaissance, including the patronage system and the impact of printing technology
examine the religious, political, and domestic uses of art, changes in popular taste, and the communication of ideas and values through iconography and allegory
outline the lives and artistic careers of key Italian artists, and identify their most celebrated works
Evaluation
To receive credit for HIST 373, you must achieve a course composite grade of at least D (50 percent) and a grade of at least 50 percent on the final examination. The weighting of the course assignments is as follows:
Activity
Weight
Assignment 1: Short Essay
25%
Assignment 2: Research Essay
35%
Final Exam
40%
Total
100%
The final examination for this course must be requested in advance and written under the supervision of an AU-approved exam invigilator. Invigilators include either ProctorU or an approved in-person invigilation centre that can accommodate online exams. Students are responsible for payment of any invigilation fees. Information on exam request deadlines, invigilators, and other exam-related questions, can be found at the Exams and grades section of the Calendar.
To learn more about assignments and examinations, please refer to Athabasca University’s online Calendar.
Materials
Bartlett, Kenneth R. A Short History of the Italian Renaissance. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2013. (Print)
Burke, Peter. The Italian Renaissance: Culture & Society in Italy. 3rd ed. Cambridge, UK: Polity Press, 2014. (eBook)
Martin, Sean. The Black Death. Harpenden, UK: Pocket Essentials, 2007. (eBook)
Other Materials
All other materials, including a Course Information manual, a 12-unit Study Guide, and other assigned readings, are available online through the course home page.
Challenge for credit
Overview
The challenge for credit process allows you to demonstrate that you have acquired a command of the general subject matter, knowledge, intellectual and/or other skills that would normally be found in a university-level course.
Full information about challenge for credit can be found in the Undergraduate Calendar.
Evaluation
To receive credit for the HIST 373 challenge registration, you must achieve a grade of at least D (50 percent) on the entire challenge examination.
Athabasca University reserves the right to amend course outlines occasionally and without notice. Courses offered by other delivery methods may vary from their individualized study counterparts.