HIST 289 WEEK 3 Assignment Instructions
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School
University of Maryland, University College *
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Course
289
Subject
History
Date
Dec 6, 2023
Type
Pages
3
Uploaded by redzslm
Week 3
Cause and Effect & Quantitative History
In Week 3, we begin with Cause and Effect and its limitations in
producing sustainable explanations for the past. The rest of the
readings provide examples of the need for a more thorough and deeper
understanding than simple cause and effect. Periodization as well as a
variety of approaches to history - such as social history, gender history,
subaltern history, post-colonial history, ethnohistory and labor history -
exemplify the problematic simplicity of cause and effect style
approaches to history.
Tilly argues for the use of interdisciplinarity in writing history to enrich
the way historians interpret the past. Hanagan introduces us to the use
of quantitative evidence, which will be familiar from the Burke reading
on the
Annales
school last week. Fogel offers a case study for this
approach, using the economic impact of railroads in American history.
Stearns examines the question of periodization and why historians
struggle with defining eras. Burke provides an introduction to
the
Annales
school of thought, which has informed social historians for
decades. Palmer provides a similar introduction for Marxism, an
economic approach to history.
Estimated Time
Over the next week, you should spend approximately 14-17 hours to
fully engage in the materials and
complete all activities.
Please note this is an estimate
. The actual time each week will vary depending
on your circumstances.
Week 3 Checklist
Again we reach back to past Discussions, this time to analyze Cause and
Effect in Discussion 1. The driving questions here will be:
What is the principle of cause and effect, and why is it a fundamental
feature of creating history? In reviewing the historical approaches we
have studied so far, what do each of these approaches view as the core
causes of historical change? How is periodization useful to and limiting
to historical analysis?
Discussion 2 will look at the Quantitative Approach which we have
from the Social Sciences. After examining the pros and cons of this
approach, this Discussion will ask:
Given your take on the readings this week and last, what do you see as
causing historical change: people (either individuals or social groups) or
historical structures. Why?
The goals of these Discussions are to prepare you for the Final
Assessment Paper and use these approaches in future research.
The Categorizing Sources Exercise will lay the foundation for historical
research by ensuring that you understand the source differentiation
discussed in Week 2.
Complete the following by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time, the last day of the
academic week.
•
Read
the Week 3 Learning Resources.
•
Participate
in Week 3 Discussion 1.
•
Participate
in Week 3 Discussion 2.
•
Download
Readings That You Have Found Useful in This Course.
If you are taking HIST 309 & 495, you will want to use these
readings in your Final Research Paper.
•
Complete
the Categorizing Sources Exercise.
Your
Initial Post
should be up by the fourth day of the academic
week
at 11:59 p.m.
Your
Peer Responses
should be posted by the last day of the academic
week
at 11:59 p.m.
Weekly Learning Objectives
•
Analyze cause and effect as a historical phenomenon.
•
Demonstrate understanding of periodization.
•
Examine the social sciences approaches, or quantitative history.
•
Apply your developing understanding of how history is created to
assess whether people or social structures cause historical
change.
Across UMGC, course materials are interchangeably referred to as Readings,
Required Readings, and Learning Resources.
o
Cause and Effect
o
Stearns, "Long 19th Century? Long 20th? Retooling that Last Chunk
of World History Periodization"
o
Tilly, "Interdisciplinary Contacts and Influences," in Encyclopedia of
European Social History, vol. 1: Methods & Theory/Period
o
Cliometrics
o
Hanagan, "Cliometrics and Quantification," in Encyclopedia of
European Social History, vol. 1: Methods & Theory/Periods/Regions,
N
o
Fogel, "A Quantitative Approach to the Study of Railroads in
American Economic Growth: A Report of Some Preliminary Findings"
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