A103 An Introduction to the Humanities
Block 3: History, Classicism and Revolution
Caspar David Friedrich Online
Jacques-Louis David Online
Rousseau Association
The Siege and Commune of Paris, 1870-1871
Contents
UNITS 8 AND 9: INTRODUCTION TO HISTORY, PART 1: ISSUES AND METHODS
UNIT 8: ISSUES IN HISTORY
What is history?
Why study it?
Primary and secondary sources
The past has gone for good
Searching out the sources and working out a strategy
The immense variety of primary sources
The fragmentary and opaque character of primary sources and the implications of their fallibility for the production of history
Subjectivity in history
Is history culturally determined?
The place of controversy in history
Technical terms, conceptual terms, collective nouns and cliches
The family from Roman Britain to the present: myths, sources and issues
UNIT 9: METHODS IN HISTORY
Basic questions to be asked of any primary source
Witting testimony and unwitting testimony
Understanding the past 'from the inside'
Handling primary sources
Facts in history
Essential contextual knowledge of the French Revolution
History: definition, aims, achievements and value
UNITS 10 AND 11 ROUSSEAU AND DEMOCRACY
PART 1: ROUSSEAU's ARGUMENT
REASON TO REVOLT
Philosophy
Rousseau and the French Revolution
The problem of legitimacy
PROVING THE POINT
Rousseau's argument that might does not equal right
THE FUNDAMENTAL PROBLEM
The particular will, the will of all and the general will
FROM THE STATE OF NATURE TO THE CIVIL STATE
Moral liberty
The social contract
PART 2 INVESTIGATING THE ARGUMENT
THE 'REMARKABLE CHANGE IN MAN'
IN SEARCH OF THE GENERAL WILL
How do we know the general will?'
'FORCED TO BE FREE': ROUSSEAU AND TOTALITARIANISM
A simple mistake
The irresponsible citizen
Honourable disagreement
ANOTHER SIDE TO EVERY ISSUE
PART 3 FROM ROUSSEAU TO DEMOCRACY
EMBRACING DIVERSITY
Pluralism
POWER TO THE PEOPLE
MINORITY MATTERS
The classical ideal
ROUSSEAU AND US
UNIT 12 ART, HISTORY AND POLITICS: DAVID AND FRIEDRICH
INTRODUCTION
WAYS OF LOOKING
Looking at form
Historical looking
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF STYLE
Style, religion and politics
Romanticism
Politicizing Romanticism
CONCLUSION
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