Medieval History

Offered 2023-2024

  • Time: Thursdays, 12:15 – 1:45 pm
  • Tuition:
    • Seminar with writing tutorial: $75 per month (10 months, August through May)
    • Seminar only: $60 per month (10 months, August through May)
  • Location: Signal Mountain, Tennessee
  • Grades: 9-12 AND 8th grade strong readers
  • Prerequisites: Writing II or equivalent writing skills OR take Writing II in addition to this course
  • Pairing: You can pair this course with Medieval Literature!
  • Description: Students learn about the significance of medieval and renaissance culture. In addition to study of the histories, governments, economics, wars, arts, and customs of Medieval and Renaissance Christendom, the course examines how these eras shaped the United States and its Constitution.
  • Assessment:
    • All: Students must complete all readings and daily-work/commonplacing as well as oral exams.
    • Writing tutorial only: Each semester, students write two essays and complete two other written pieces and one semester project. (Students in both history and literature courses only create one project per semester.) At the conclusion of each semester, tutorial students participate in Defense Day by giving a brief presentation on one of their essays and responding to questions from the audience.
  • Books Needed: FINAL BOOK LIST WILL BE POSTED SHORTLY – PLEASE CHECK BACK. THANKS! Books will be the same as or similar to those listed below. (Hard copies are required; recommended editions/translations are listed below)
    • Gwynne’s Grammar (ISBN: 9781984897961)
    • Boethius — The Consolation of Philosophy (Recommended: Goins translation/Ignatius, ISBN: 9781586174378)
    • Geoffrey of Monmouth — History of the Kings of Britain (Recommended: Thorpe translation/Penguin, ISBN: 9780140441703)
    • Einhard — Life of Charlemagne (Recommended: Ganz translation/Penguin, ISBN: 9780140455052)
    • Asser — Life of Alfred the Great (Recommended: Keynes translation/Penguin, ISBN: 9780140444094)
    • Joinville and Villehardouin — Chronicles of the Crusades (Recommended: Smith translation/Penguin, ISBN: 9780140449983)
    • Aquinas — On Law, Morality, and Politics (Recommended: Regan, 2nd ed./Hackett, ISBN: 9780872206632)
    • Froissart — Chronicles (Recommended: Brereton translation/Penguin, ISBN: 9780140442007)
    • Vasari — Lives of the Artists (Recommended: Modern Library edition, ISBN: 9780375760365)