History: Social Studies Licensure Track

SECONDARY EDUCATION (9-12)

Candidates who plan to seek licensure in secondary education major in the specialty areas of Comprehensive Science, and Mathematics and minor in Secondary Education. The minor is comprised of a sequence of professional courses and field experiences that prepare candidates for the acquisition of knowledge and skills necessary to teach in secondary schools. The sequence of courses required in the Secondary Education minor also is required for licensure in the secondary education majors of English Education and History Major - Social Studies Licensure Track.

Candidates majoring in these specialty areas who plan to acquire licensure for teaching in secondary schools need to make contact early in their academic careers with School of Education faculty to ensure they are meeting all of the necessary licensure requirements.

Alumni Profile: Celsa DeJesús

Class of 2007.

I have become a Social Studies teacher at Henderson Independent High School in Salisbury and love it!  I completely don't see how you (Dr. Kruse) and Dr. Thompson do it! I have truly developed an appreciation for all of the classes that I took.  However, I digress.  Pfeiffer University was incredibly helpful to me.  I had the chance to learn a lot of things not only in the classes, but also through all of the extracurricular activities that I participated in.

Alumni Profile: David McGrew

Since leaving Pfeiffer I've had several jobs but the job I've held longest (well, almost the longest...) and the one I've enjoyed the most is the one I have now. Since 1993 I've been a licensed tour guide in Washington, DC. Most of my clients are 8th graders and I'm convinced there will be a special place in Heaven for those of us who deal with 14 year olds. In 2005 I was honored by my colleagues as the "Guide of the Year" and in 2008 I earned the designation of Certified Master Guide. Both are bestowed by the Guild of Professional Tour Guides of Washington DC, on whose Board of Directors I have served for 10 of the last 12 years. I am currently co-chair of the CMG program, which is akin to being Dean of Students.

 I have absolutely found my "spot." I am where I ought to be. I have incredible historical material to work with and people are actually anxious to learn about their Nation's Capital. I'm starting my 18th year and I wouldn't want to be anywhere else! I wish I could trace all this love of history back to Pfeiffer but it goes back further. I loved it from the beginning. There wasn't one day ever when I was a good student and Gene Earnhart could testify to that. But I know that Drs. Cotton and Earnhart kept the flame alive in me til I was ready -- at mid-life -- to carry the torch.

History - Degree Requirements/Courses Offered

Majors

HISTORY
36 Semester Hours Minimum
Required Courses (18 SH)
HSTY 221	U.S. History to 1865	HSTY 233	Civilizations of Europe I
HSTY 222	U.S. History since 1865	HSTY 236	Civilizations of Europe II
HSTY 231	Civilizations of Asia	HSTY 501	Research in History
	OR
HSTY 232	Civilizations of Africa and the Middle East
	OR
HSTY 235	Civilizations of Latin America
Additional Courses (18 SH) must be selected from the offerings in History at 300-level or above. At least one course from American history and at least one course from European history. At least two courses at the 400 level.
Optional Courses (up to 6 SH) may be selected from the related courses listed below:
ART 310	Art History Survey I (Pre-Hist 1500)
ART 410	Art History Survey II (1500-Present)
ECON 525	History of Economic Thought
ENGL 317	American Literature to 1865
ENGL 318	American Literature since 1865
ENGL 319	Topics Literature (with permission of advisor-depending on topic)
ENGL 325	British Literature I
ENGL 326	British Literature II
ENGL 330	Contemporary World Literature
ENGL 354	Myth and Literature of the Ancient World
ENGL 357	World Literature in Translation
MUSC 433	Music History I
MUSC 434	Music History II
PHIL 301	Founders of Ancient Philosophy
PLSC 305	Modern Warfare and Politics
PLSC 306	International Intelligence and Espionage
PLSC 401	Comparative Politics
PLSC 402	Modern Political Thought
PLSC 406	The American Presidency
RAPT 318	History of Christianity
NOTE: Foreign languages are highly recommended for those considering graduate study in History.
HISTORY MAJOR: SOCIAL STUDIES LICENSURE TRACK (101 SH (26 SH will satisfy General Education requirements))
Required in History (21 SH)
HSTY 221	U.S. History to 1865	HSTY 233	Civilizations of Europe I
HSTY 222	U.S. History since 1865	HSTY 236	Civilizations of Europe II
HSTY 231	Civilizations of Asia	HSTY 411	Current Events
	OR	HSTY 501	Research in History
HSTY 232	Civilizations of Africa and the Middle East
	OR
HSTY 235	Civilizations of Latin America
9 semester hours must be selected from the offerings in History. At least one course from American history and at least one course from European history at 300 level  or above. At least two courses at the 400 level.
6 semester hours must be selected from the following:
ENGL 317	American Literature to 1865
ENGL 318	American Literature since 1865
ENGL 319	Topics in Literature (with permission of advisor-depending on topic)
ENGL 327	British Literature I
ENGL 328	British Literature II
ENGL 330	Contemporary World Literature
ENGL 354	Myth and Literature of the Ancient World
ENGL 357	World Literature in Translation
PHIL 301	Founders of Ancient Philosophy
Required Social Studies Classes (27 SH):
CHEM 201	Science, Technology and Modern Society I
CHEM 202	Science, Technology and Modern Society II
ECON 221	Principles of Macroeconomics
ECON 222	Principles of Microeconomics
GEOG 202	World Regions
PLSC 201	American Politics
PSYC 221	General Psychology
SOCY 301	Introduction to Sociology
Education Courses for Secondary (9-12) Programs (38 SH):
EDUC 205	Introduction to Teaching
EDUC 306B	Learner & Learning I - Secondary
EDUC 321	Problems & Research in Education
EDUC 322	Diversity in Education
EDUC 360	Technological Applications for Educators
EDUC 406B	Learner & Learning II - Secondary
EDUC 500	Secondary Methods, or EDUC 500B
EDUC 500L	Secondary Methods Laboratory
EDUC 503	Senior Seminar & Field Experience
EDUC 540	Student Teaching-Secondary
Minor
HISTORY
27 Semester Hours Minimum
Same courses required for the Major with the exception of HSTY 501 Research in History I plus three additional history courses, 400 and above.

Courses Offered

HSTY 221	United States History to 1865	F	3 SH
Colonial foundations; national origins; constitutional development; territorial and economic expansion; cultural development; civil discord and war.
HSTY 222	United States History since 1865	S	3 SH
A continuation of HSTY 221 Reconstruction; industrial growth; the rise of progressivism; involvement in world affairs; changing social and economic patterns.
HSTY 231	Civilizations of Asia	F	3 SH
The people, institutions, events, issues, and ideas which shaped Asia from the rise of civilization to the present. The course will focus on India, China and Japan.
HSTY 232	Civilizations of Africa and the Middle East	S	3 SH
The people, institutions, events, issues, and ideas which shaped Africa and the Middle East from the rise of civilization to the present.
HSTY 233	Civilizations of Europe I	F	3 SH
The people, institutions, events, issues, and ideas which shaped Europefrom the rise of civilization to 1789.
HSTY 235	Civilizations of Latin America	F	3 SH
The people, institutions, events, issues, and ideas which shaped Latin America from the rise of civilization to the present
HSTY 236	Civilizations of Europe II	S	3 SH
The people, institutions, events, issues, and ideas which shaped Europe from 1789 to the present.
HSTY 303	North Carolina History	UD	3 SH
Social, political, and economic development from colonial times to the present. Prerequisite: Declared major or minor in History, Social Studies, or Education.
HSTY 311	Current Events: The Present in Perspective	S	3 SH
Significant current events, issues, or movements such as the growth of Islamic fundamentalism, global terrorism, the Arab-Israeli conflict, economic crisis in the European Union, China's emergence as a world power, the Iranian nuclear program, and climate change are studied in their historical context. Events in the United States are covered, but the focus of the course is international. A research/service project may be required.
HSTY 313	Ancient Greece and Rome	F odd	3 SH
A political, social, cultural and economic survey of the Greek and Roman worlds.
HSTY 316	History of England since 1688	S odd	3 SH
Constitutional, political, social, cultural, and economic developments from the “Glorious Revolution” to the present.
HSTY 340	The Civil Rights Movement	F odd	3 SH
An in-depth look at the modern Civil Rights Movement with a focus on the years 1954-1968. The course will consider not only the development of the major leaders and organizations that struggled against the Jim Crow system of the American South, but also the local people who supplied the "foot soldiers" of the movement. Attention will also be given to the precursors of the movement as well as the after effects that continue to the present.
HSTY 345	The American South	S even	3 SH
A survey of the history of the southeastern United States from the pre-colonial period to the present. The course looks especially at two themes--the development of the South as a distinctive region in the United States and the level of influence (political, cultural, economic) the region has had on the country at large. Students will explore these issues through the interpretive lens of race, class, gender, and the environment.
HSTY 390	Topics in History	UD	3 SH
These one-semester reading, research and discussion courses will be offered at the discretion of the History program faculty or in response to popular demand by students.
HSTY 401 (WI)	African-American History	F even	3 SH
An examination of the African-American experience in the United States from 1619 to the present. Slave narratives, the writings of Booker T. Washington, W.E.B. DuBois, and other prominent African-Americans, and recent documentaries will bring to life the horrors of slavery and the struggle for equality. A research project is required.This is a writing intensive course. Prerequisites: HSTY 221 and 222 or permission of the instructor.
HSTY 405 (WI)	Civil War and Reconstruction	S odd	3 SH
The causes and consequences of the abortive “Southern War for Independence”; social, economic, and political developments in the disunited states during and after the war; problems of racial adjustment; constitutional and political change during Reconstruction. A research project is required. This is a writing intensive course. Prerequisites: HSTY 221 and 222 or permission of the instructor.
HSTY 408 (WI)	Europe 1815-1914	F odd	3 SH
Interpretive survey of European history from the Congress of Vienna to the outbreak of WWI. Social, economic, and political transformation. Prerequisite: HSTY 236 or sophomore standing. A research project is required. This is a writing intensive course.
HSTY 409 (WI)	Europe 1914-Present	S even	3 SH
Interpretive survey of European History from World War I to the present. This is a writing intensive course. Prerequisite: HSTY 236 or sophomore standing (HSTY 222 recommended).
HSTY 419 (WI)	The American Revolution and Early Republic	S even	3 SH
A study of the causes of the American Revolution, the British North American colonies' War for Independence, the Confederation government, the drafting and implementation of the Constitution, the early presidencies of Washington, Adams, and Jefferson. While much of the course will explore the history of the "Great Men" of the early United States, attention will be given to the social history of this era--namely what has been termed the "unknown" history of the Revolution and Early Republic. The class will consider how the massive change wrought from 1763-1808 influenced the margins of American society. A research paper is required. This is a writing intensive course.
HSTY 423 (WI)	The Vietnam Era	S odd	3 SH
A close look at American society during the 1960's and early 1970's with special emphasis on the conduct and consequences of the Vietnam War. Historical readings will be augmented by novels and films. A research project is required. This is a writing intensive course. Prerequisite: HSTY 221 and 222 or permission of the instructor.
HSTY 427	Museum Internship	UD	1-3 SH
Internship in conjunction with the Stanly County Historic Preservation Commission designed to give students practical experience in a museum setting. Interns will have the opportunity to learn techniques of research, collections management, and museum educa tion. Students should register for HSTY 427 for 1 semester hour of credit, HSTY 427A for 2 semester hours of credit, and 427B for 3 semester hours of credit. Prerequisite: HSTY 300 and permission of Department Chair in consultation with supervising faculty.
HSTY 428	Life in Medieval England	F even	3 SH
An exploration of the ways people in all levels of Medieval English society lived and thought. Each student will be responsible for researching and discussing with the class the life of a particular kind of medieval person (i.e. noble, knight, lady, merchant, priest, nun, peasant, etc.) and for writing a fictionalized autobiography of his or her person. Prerequisite: HSTY 233 or permission of the instructor.
HSTY 430 (WI)	Revolution in the Modern World	F even	3 SH
A study in comparative history and in the concept of revolution. The course will deal with the French, Russian and Chinese revolutions as well as several more recent revolutions. A research project is required. This is a writing intensive course. Prerequisite: HSTY 221, 231, 232, or 233 or sophomore standing.
HSTY 490 (WI)	Topics in History	UD	3 SH
These one-semester reading, research and discussion courses will be offered at the discretion of the History program faculty or in response to popular demand by students. They include such topical courses as: History of the American South, Immigration and Ethnicity, and Pre-Revolutionary America. Research projects are often required in these courses.
HSTY 501 (WI)	Research in History	F	3 SH
Students undertake an intensive course of study in a topic of special personal interest. Classroom exercises and discussions, oral presentations, peer evaluations, and extensive work with primary and secondary materials prepare students to write a prospectus for an article-length paper worthy of publication or presentation at an undergraduate conference. This is a writing intensive course. Prerequisite: Senior standing or permission from instructor.

 

 

History (HSTY)

The History curriculum provides a broad spectrum of courses covering all periods of history in all areas of the world. There are few specifically required courses in the History major and students have the opportunity to design majors (with the approval of the Department Chair) that best meet their own career goals or personal interests.

Graduates in History may continue their studies in graduate or law school or may choose to pursue careers in teaching, government, foreign service, journalism, archival work, or business.

Alumni Profile: Janet Bennett Deaton

Class of 1996.

I obtained my master’s degree in reading from UNCP and was a curriculum specialist for several years, but with the budget cuts, the position was not renewed. I am currently teaching History, Civics and World, at East Montgomery High School. I love history so I am enjoying being back in the classroom.

Welcome to the Department of History and Political Science

The Department of History and Political Science offers a broad spectrum of courses that meet General Education requirements and that guide interested students to degree completion in the following majors: History, Political Science, and Pre-Law. In addition, we offer a Social Studies Track that directs students through the proper sequence of courses required in the state of North Carolina to teach in a public, secondary school.

While the department’s majors prepare students well for teacher certification, graduate school, or law school, the majority of the students currently in our programs are not necessarily looking toward those ends. We like to suggest that a major in our department can set a student up to do anything. Our courses stress and support critical and analytical thinking, writing, oral communication, and independent research. Classes reflect the depth and breadth of topics in History and Politics—from general surveys of the United States, Europe, and the World, to more detailed investigations of the social, political, economic, and military realities of our collective past. Major fields are designed so that students have the ability to pursue coursework that fits into their particular interests once they navigate the few required introductory courses.

Our current and former students have had great success presenting papers at regional conferences, taking advantage of local museum internships and the Capital Hill Internship Program in Washington, D.C., and participating in the many international travel opportunities sponsored on campus. These experiences have served them well in their post-graduate lives. Please take time to read some of their stories posted here.

 

Faculty: Michael Thompson

Michael D. Thompson, Professor of History
Chair, Department of History and Political Science

It has been an incredibly rewarding experience to teach at Pfeiffer since the Fall 2000 semester. My principle responsibilities include teaching the general education survey of United States History and the advanced and research courses in American History. Topics range from the American Revolution and Early Republic to the Civil War and Reconstruction to the Vietnam Era. The classes that I am especially proud of are the few that I have developed in tandem with professors in Pfeiffer’s Language and Literature department—The Civil Rights Movement and The American South. Both topics reflect my past research and ongoing passion.

Away from Pfeiffer, I enjoy spending my time running, watching English Premier League soccer, traveling, and volunteering at the YMCA of Greater Charlotte. All of these I am able to do alongside my wife, Molly, and my daughters, Elly and Sarah. One of my most significant accomplishments that ties together work and service has been the development of an educational program for middle and high school students in Charlotte called “Creating a Usable Past: A Study of the Civil Rights Movement.” In Spring 2009, while on sabbatical, through a partnership with the Stratford Richardson YMCA, I created a travel and learn program for young people. You are welcome to take a look at some of the many locations where organizers and participants have made an effort to tell our story.

Creating a Usable Past
This blog traced the partnership between the Stratford-Richardson YMCA and Pfeiffer University historian, Michael Thompson, as they seek to engage young people in the study of the Civil Rights Movement and ways to use lessons from the past to transform their present and future lives.

• Creating a Usable Past Blog
  
• Creating a Usable Past Facebook Page
• Twitter Feed

 

History Curriculum

HISTORY

36 Semester Hours Minimum

Required Courses (18 SH)

HSTY 221 U.S. History to 1865 HSTY 233 Civilizations of Europe I

HSTY 222 U.S. History since 1865 HSTY 236 Civilizations of Europe II

HSTY 231 Civilizations of Asia HSTY 501 Research in History

or

HSTY 232 Civilizations of Africa and

the Middle East

or

HSTY 235 Civilizations of Latin America

Additional Courses (18 SH) must be selected from the offerings in History at 300-level

or above. At least one course from American history and at least one course from

European history. At least two courses at the 400 level.

History/109

Optional Courses (up to 6 SH) may be selected from the related courses listed below:

ECON 525 History of Economic Thought

ENGL 317 American Literature to 1865

ENGL 318 American Literature since 1865

ENGL 319 Topics Literature (with permission of advisor-depending on topic)

ENGL 325 British Literature I

ENGL 326 British Literature II

ENGL 330 Contemporary World Literature

ENGL 354 Myth and Literature of the Ancient World

ENGL 357 World Literature in Translation

PHIL 301 Founders of Ancient Philosophy

PHIL 302 Founders of Modern Philosophy

PLSC 305 Modern Warfare and Politics

PLSC 306 International Intelligence and Espionage

PLSC 401 Comparative Politics

PLSC 402 Modern Political Thought

PLSC 406 The American Presidency

NOTE: Foreign languages are highly recommended for those considering graduate study in History.

HISTORY MAJOR: SOCIAL STUDIES LICENSURE TRACK (101 SH (26 SH will satisfy General Education

requirements))

Required in History (21 SH)

HSTY 221 U.S. History to 1865 HSTY 233 Civilizations of Europe I

HSTY 222 U.S. History since 1865 HSTY 236 Civilizations of Europe II

HSTY 231 Civilizations of Asia HSTY 411 Current Events

or HSTY 501 Research in History

HSTY 232 Civilizations of Africa and

the Middle East

or

HSTY 235 Civilizations of Latin America

9 semester hours must be selected from the offerings in History. At least one course from American

history and at least one course from European history at 300 level or above. At least two courses at

the 400 level

6 semester hours must be selected from the following:

ENGL 317 American Literature to 1865

ENGL 318 American Literature since 1865

ENGL 319 Topics in Literature (with permission of advisor-depending on topic)

ENGL 327 British Literature I

ENGL 328 British Literature II

ENGL 330 Contemporary World Literature

ENGL 354 Myth and Literature of the Ancient World

ENGL 357 World Literature in Translation

PHIL 301 Founders of Ancient Philosophy

or

PHIL 302 Founders of Modern Philosophy

Required Social Studies Classes (27 SH):

CHEM 201 Science, Technology and Modern Society I

CHEM 202 Science, Technology and Modern Society II

ECON 221 Principles of Macroeconomics

ECON 222 Principles of Microeconomics

GEOG 202 World Regions

PLSC 201 American Politics

PSYC 221 General Psychology

SOCY 301 Introduction to Sociology

110/History

Education Courses for Secondary (9-12) Programs (38 SH):

EDUC 205 Introduction to Teaching

EDUC 306B Learner & Learning I - Secondary

EDUC 321 Problems & Research in Education

EDUC 322 Diversity in Education

EDUC 360 Technological Applications for Educators

EDUC 406B Learner & Learning II - Secondary

EDUC 500 Secondary Methods, or EDUC 500B

EDUC 500L Secondary Methods Laboratory

EDUC 503 Senior Seminar & Field Experience

EDUC 540 Student Teaching-Secondary

 

Faculty: Juanita Kruse

I earned my Ph.D. in History from Miami University in 1982 and have been teaching at Pfeiffer ever since. My primary field of study is nineteenth and twentieth century Europe, with particular emphasis on Britain. I'm also very interested in medieval England and have created a class called Life in Medieval England which allows students to explore the lives of Medieval English people through their own research. My current reading is largely focused on the ancient world as I am preparing to teach a new class on Ancient Greece and Rome. I have found much of my time increasingly absorbed over the years in reading world history and trying to find ways to make it interesting and understandable to freshmen. I teach Civilizations of Asia, Civilizations of Africa and the Middle East, Civilizations of Europe I and II, and most recently, Civilizations of Latin America.. My current obsession is with finding good pictures to illustrate these classes. History is so much more than names and dates. Pictures of art, architecture, artifacts and people help bring these civilizations to life.

During the school year, I don't find time for much but my work, but during the summer I pursue other interests as well. Chief among those are reading novels, travel, hiking, and taking pictures. The picture above is me from August to May. The one below is more characteristic from May to August, and with it, I included a "friend" my sister and I encountered last summer in Glacier National Park (a fabulous place to hike).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Faculty: Tom Hyde

Professor Thomas Hyde worked in Washington, D.C. as a Congressional staff member in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1978 to 1984.  Dr. Hyde assisted one member on issues of American Foreign Policy and World Politics. For another member, Hyde assisted with oversight of the Federal Election Commission (campaign finance law) and the budgets of all of the Standing Committees of the U.S.  House of Representatives.  Dr. Hyde’s goal is to translate his real world experience into the content of his Political Science and Pre-Law courses.  Hyde’s hobby is film and he has developed a number of courses using movies to explore a variety of political issues such as espionage, world politics, American politics and law and justice.

Current Student: Nicole

Nicole Springer, senior history major, is participating in an internship at the Pfeiffer University Archives with Archivist Jonathan Hutchinson in spring 2011.

Graduate School plans: Nicole is considering graduate school in library science or entering a paralegal program.

Current Student: Leslie

Leslie Driver is a senior history major and member of Phi Alpha Theta, National Honor Society in History.   She recieved the 2010 Edna Stitt Robinson History Award.  Asked to describe her time at Pfeiffer, she wrote “I have had a wonderful experience at Pfeiffer University.  My instructors have given me valuable tools to be able to excel in my studies.  I have learned a great deal and feel that I am certainly prepared to enter into a graduate program.  The History Department has offered a structured and understanding environment, and I have made life-long friends and connections there.  In the Spring of 2011, I plan on entering into an internship at the Rowan Museum, and I am very excited about it.  I will be assisting the Director and the Education Coordinator in their duties.  I will also attend events hosted by the museum and help set up exhibits.  I look forward to the doors this experience will open for me.  I hope to obtain my Masters Degree after graduating from Pfeiffer.”

Current Student: Ashley

Ashley Thompson is a junior psychology major who takes history classes for the love of the subject.  She plans to minor in history or to pursue a double major, although her ultimate goal is graduate school in psychology.  Ashley took HSTY 428, Life in Medieval England, in the fall of 2010 and did her research project on the life of a medieval weaver.  Students in this class choose a medieval person at the beginning of the semester and write a fictionalized autobiography of their person based on the required reading and on further research in both primary and secondary sources.  The class agreed that Ashley’s story of the trials and tribulations of a fourteenth-century weaver was one of the best.   At the end she provides an annotated bibliography explaining how she used her sources to inform her story.  We hope you will enjoy her story and her scholarship.

 

 

 

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The city has grown eerily quiet as of late with only the occasional cough and moan from people in neighboring houses. The black birds are circling the city and calling out as if they are mocking our misery. As I sit down to write this account of my life, I fear that it may be the last thing that I do, for the signs of death are upon me and there is naught to do.

My life began in the town of Lincoln in the year of our Lord, Thirteen Hundred and Five. It has always been relatively easy for my parents and me to remember the year of my birth for it was only a few years before Edward I died and his son Edward II ascended the English throne. I was the first son given to Henry Edison and Madeline, and I would often hear the words "miracle child" when my parents would describe me to others. I would learn later that this was because I was the first child that the Lord delivered to my mother alive. My Christian name was proclaimed Tristan by the local church, St. Andrew's, and my last name was deemed Thomson after my father.

My father was in the business of wool as a clothier, and was, therefore, one of the wealthier citizens of the town. As a clothier, my father would purchase large quantities of wool and pay other people to spin and card, dye, weave, full, and shear it. He would then take the finished piece of cloth and sell it for a higher price than he had paid to manufacture it. However, it wasn't until I was much older that I actually understood all of the details of his job and why it made as much money as it did because as a child one tends not to think of such things, and I was no different in that respect.

As a child, I can recall having mock battles with other boys in the town using wooden swords. My opponent and I would face each other and then the battle would commence. Our wooden swords would clash into each other's, blow after blow, until one of us was knocked to the ground, dropped our sword, or was poked in the belly by our opponent. I wasn't as good as some of the other boys so I would often times lose in this game, and come home from playing with fragments of wood still slightly lodged in the palms of my hands. Even so, this did not discourage me for sword fighting was probably my favorite pastime. Thinking back on my childhood makes my eyes wet with water because such activities are things that my children will never get to enjoy and partake in. There was yet another activity that my gang of friends (Bartholomew Baker, Marcus Shoemaker, and Joseph Jackson) and I would do to pass the time. We would go on bird hunts. Armed with stones and a sling, we would scour the town looking for any unsuspecting bird that could fall victim to our childish play. At first, it was agreed upon by all of us to practice on the outskirts of the town so that we would be less likely to harm anyone. I distinctly remember the first time one of my stones made contact with one of these harmless creatures. God forgive me. The stone went whipping through the air from my sling and hit the pigeon with a thud that knocked it back. Curiosity got the better of me, and I had to go over and inspect the bird before we left. Its grey and white feathers were strained with blood and those lifeless brown eyes seemed to stare straight through me and into my soul. A great chill ran over my body and into my bones, and it is my belief that I lost my innocence of childhood in this very moment. Now I must admit that this was a rather cruel game that we played, but it provided a way to pass the time, and I even started to grow quite fond of it after awhile. My parents raised me to be polite and a gentleman, but not even their good teaching could prevent me from indulging in rowdy play. I knew that I would be severely beaten if my parents ever found out about me throwing stones at birds, but it wasn't until the age of eight that I stopped this practice due to a tragic event.

One day, Bartholomew, Marcus, Joseph, and I were roaming the city when we spied a black bird sitting on the roof of one of the stone houses. Since it was larger and different than any of the other birds which we had killed before, an argument broke out over whom was going to be the one to cast the stone. In the end, I got to be the first one to throw my rock because I was a year older than the rest of the gang. I looked around to ensure that no one was watching, and then aimed at the bird and let the rock fly from my hand; however, it fell short of the bird and the roof, and went flying into the house's cloth covered window. I turned to look at the rest of them with a pale face and wide eyes, and we all ran home. The next day, I learned that my stone had hit Margaret, who was the wife of John Carpenter. She had been killed, and no one ever found out who did it. This is a secret that has been weighing heavily on my soul for a long time, and may God forgive me for it. Perhaps it is this event that caused the suffering I have experienced since then; God punishing me for my wrong doings as a child.

Soon after this event, my father paid for me to be enrolled in school which took place in St. Andrew's Monastery. This was an environment in which I thrived because it got my mind off of the event with Margaret. It was also gratifying for me because I also enjoyed learning how to decipher the written word and write things down. I also became very knowledgeable in calculating numbers, a skill which became useful as I matured. In that same year, God blessed my family with a baby girl. I, along with my parents, was not allowed to attend the baptism service at the church. Instead, we stayed at home and my mother prepared the celebratory dinner that would follow the ceremony. When my sister returned home with her godparents (Sally Fisher, Joan Baker, and Bernard Weaver), she had been christened Emma. I would later name my precious daughter after her. Oh poor angelic Emma, how I wish I could have saved you.

It was the year of our Lord, Thirteen Hundred and Fifteen, when the Great Rains began to fall upon not only Lincoln, but all of England. Crops started to fail, and there was a steady increase in the price of corn and other food items, but this was not the worst of it. The following year, the rains increased to the point that people began to evacuate the town because of the floods which were consuming the town; my family was among those who left. I was ten years of age and my sister was two at the time. My parents and I packed all of our belongings into a wooden wagon, hitched our horse to it, and set our course south from Lincoln. I remember asking my father where we were going, and he simply said that he did not know.

The rains continued to fall unceasingly, which caused traveling to be slow and tedious since the roads were thick with mud. My mother, who was afraid of the worst, resigned to rationing out our food, and only allowed everyone a single meal a day. All of our bread was gone after two weeks, and we ran out of other food items as well, so my father decided to stop on the next city. It took us several more days to reach the city of Spalding, and by this time we were all exhausted and hungry. We found sanctuary in the monastery that night. They provided us with weak beer, stew, and a place to shelter ourselves from the never-ending rain. Our horse was put up in the stable, and we were taken to our humble accommodations. It was a cold and damp room with rushes on the floor, and several other families appeared to be sitting and lying down on the floor. It was hard to pick out any more details than that since the only light was coming from the monk's candle. After he left and shut the door behind him, the thing which enabled me to see anything was the light from the moon streaming through the window. While trying to sleep, I heard some strange noises coming from close by. When I turned to investigate I noticed two forms under a blanket moving, moaning, and grunting. It would be several more years later, during my apprenticeship, when I would finally understand what went on beneath that blanket.

The sun arose the next morning announcing that it was time for us to get up and move on. Autumn was approaching and we all knew that we needed to find a new place to stay for the oncoming winter. There was no time to waste. Mother went with Emma to the market to purchase some food for the journey. Prices had risen a little since the last time we had been to the market, but we were still able to afford to buy food without selling anything. Father and I readied the horse and cart, and we went down the road out of Spalding as soon as mother and Emma returned. Months went by and we were still traveling down the road. Father had managed to sell the rest of his cloth after we had left Spalding so we had some more money now.

After traveling six months, we arrived in Hitchin, and it was not a moment too soon, for the snows started falling during the last couple of weeks of our travel. My father said that it would be a good place to stop permanently since it was apparently prospering; there were several stone houses, a church being rebuilt (which I would later learn was St. Mary's Church), and the town had a river running through. In the process of finding a place to stay, we stumbled across a man who seemed to be a troubled soul worn down with age; his name was Arthur Carpenter. We learned that he lived alone, for his second wife had recently died in childbirth, and neither of his wives had bore him any children. Arthur was a kind man, and after speaking with my father for awhile he looked over at me and my two year old sister, and I could see his eyes swell with pity for the children he would never have, and the wife he had lost. He turned to my father and said that we could come and live with him until he died.

It was quite an unusual arrangement, but my father and mother did their fair share of duties for Arthur and around the house. It was in the spring of the following year when Arthur died. I don't know how he died, but I awoke one morning and saw his lifeless body on the floor staring up at the ceiling with his once warm hazelnut eyes; I was reminded of the pigeon. Unbeknownst to me at the time, Arthur had made out a will several months before his departure to God that left all of his property to my father.

The only unusual thing about Arthur's funeral was that he had made his own coffin in anticipation of his death. A couple of monks came by the house and washed his body, anointed him with perfume, placed a shroud around him, and placed the body in the coffin. The coffin was then taken to the church with father, mother, Emma, and me following behind it. This is the first time I ever had someone close to me die, but it certainly would not be the last. Once we arrived at the chancel the procession stopped and the priest said a few words in Latin, sprinkled the body with holy water, and then we joined in the saying of The Lord's Prayer before the Absolutions were given for Arthur's sins. We then proceeded to the cemetery, monks leading the way with crosses and candles, where the priest made a cross over the burial spot, sprinkled the ground with more holy water, and dug a shallow ditch in the shape of a cross. He then said some psalms while the grave was being dug, and then the coffin was lowered down.

As the year continued on, things got worse not only for my family, but also for the rest of England. The prices of everything in the market doubled, and it was nearly impossible to get meat. People killed their livestock, if it wasn't destroyed by disease, in order to have food, and there was talk of cannibalism as the famine drug on. Father wasn't able to make enough money to support the family during this time because no one was able to buy cloth. It was easy enough to buy the wool and prepare it because people needed the money and would work, but not enough were buying the finished product for him to make a profit. Therefore, mother had to ration out our food even more than she had before. She prepared more soups than she had in the past, and bread was nonexistent. Father also had to kill our horse because there was no way for us to feed him and ourselves; we needed the meat. The worst part of the famine came in late winter in the year of our Lord, Thirteen Hundred and Sixteen.

The smell of the town worsened as more people died and remained unburied. People were starving and I would see their fragile emaciated bodies anytime I ventured outside, and thieves were everywhere. Three decided that they would attack and raid our house, and in a way they succeeded. We were all present when they came barging into the house with their stones and knives. Mother grabbed three year old Emma and ran to the corner of the room hugging her. My father pulled out his knife from under his tunic and rushed towards one of the men and stabbed him once in the belly and again in the chest. He had caught the thief by surprise. Another lanky and dirty figure charged towards my father with his knife. I reached and pulled my own knife out, rushed forward, and stabbed the man in his leg. He turned his head to the roof and let out a gruesome howl of pain which gave my father enough time to stab him in the chest. The third man was nowhere to be seen and neither was my sister. Mother was unconscious in the corner with a bloody gash on her head from a rock. I never saw Emma again. May God bless her soul, for I fear the worst became of her, and that she was eaten by that vile man. Father, mother, and I had meat that night.

Another year went by before the rains ceased to fall and the famine receded. The prices of food decreased and the masons continued to work on the church. Father's business once again picked up, and we had money and food to eat. However, things within the family did not return to normal after the loss of Emma. We were all worried about her salvation since she had not been found and buried in consecrated grounds. My father thought that I needed more schooling, so I was once again enrolled in school, so that I might one day become a craftsman or merchant. It wasn't until the year of our Lord, Thirteen Hundred and Twenty-One, that I started my apprenticeship at the age of sixteen.

Since my father was in the wool business, he knew the master weaver of Hitchin quite well, and convinced him to take me on as an apprentice since he didn't have one. The man's name was Jonathon Weaver. I distinctly remember being quite upset at my father for forcing this apprenticeship upon me because I wanted to be a master carpenter, not a weaver. However, I did not voice my disappointment and frustration, for it would have been useless and would probably have ended in a beating for disrespecting and disobeying my father. Before I could start learning the art of weaving, I was required to do a series of things.

First, there needed to be a contract drawn up between Jonathon and myself that dictated the arrangements of my apprenticeship and how my father was to pay him. It was written that I could not gamble with my master's money or spend it on things such as prostitutes and fine clothing. I was also not allowed to get married until after my apprenticeship term of ten years, and fornication was strictly forbidden; especially with any female living in Jonathon's household. With much regret, I must say that I was unable to live up to this part of the contract, and therefore gave in to the temptations of the flesh and hired a prostitute to relieve myself; I did this several times, but guilt eventually got the better of me, and I went to the priest for absolution of my sins.

After the contract had been signed by all parties, I was to go to the guild to be inspected. What it seemed like they were really interested in was making sure that I was the appropriate age and could read and write. My body was also examined for any abnormalities or defects that would cause me to be unable to perform my tasks. The emphasis was on being able to read and write though. I was required to write something down on a clay tablet and then to read something that one of the members wrote down. Perhaps father pushing me to be in school so many years was a good thing because otherwise I probably would not have been able to pass this test with as high of marks as I did.

The last thing required of me was participation in a ceremony and in which I pledged an oath in public to the entire guild. At the ceremony, all of the guild wardens and masters were dressed in beautiful and bright livery that completely astounded me, and I remember thinking to myself that I was going to learn how to make the cloth for clothing such as this. Upon the Lord God, saints, and gospels, I swore to obey my master and the guild and to fulfill my apprenticeship to the end of my term. When all of the formalities were complete, I was then able to begin my apprenticeship with Jonathon Weaver and move into his house.
I was surprised to learn that he was the only male in his house, for his wife, Sally, had bore him only three daughters, Mary, Claire, and Ellen. Mary was the eldest at eighteen years of age, and was the most beautiful of all of her sisters with her long curly brown hair that blew ever so elegantly in the wind. She was also the first person I had met with blue eyes, and oh how beautiful they were when they glistened in the sunlight. I wanted her for my own, but I knew that it was forbidden and that she would probably be married off to another man soon. It is because of Mary that I went to my first prostitute, and I continued to go every so often until she was married and I began to feel guilty for the sins I had committed.

During the next five years of my life, I spent every day learning the art of weaving. Jonathon treated me like the son that he never had, and his companionship helped to fill the void within my soul that had been created upon the disappearance of Emma and the estrangement of my father and mother. At first it seemed impossible to learn how to weave, and I remember feeling so foolish for ever thinking that it was solely a woman's task. The loom was larger and more complicated than I had originally anticipated it being. The frame consisted of two wooden poles that the twisted fabric, generally wool, would be stretched between. The thread was then put through a slot in the heddles, which in turn were between the shafts, and the shafts were moved along by the clever use of pulleys causing the tread to separate. Next there was the weft in the shuttle that went across the threads, and it was amazing to me that with all of these parts and mechanics Jonathon managed to move so gracefully. His feet would move up and down on the peddles at the bottom of the loom which caused the pulleys at the top of the loom to move the shaft and heddles, and his hands would elegantly move up the tread turning it into a piece of cloth. It seemed like magic to me.

At twenty-one years of age, I was finally promoted to journeyman status. Finally, I was able to make things of my own. I must admit that at first my adventures with the loom did not go very well, but I had the best teacher, and he helped me see my mistakes so that I would not make them. He showed me how to unravel the thread if I made a mistake because wool was too valuable to go to waste for one error. Not only did I get to weave on my own now, but I also received other responsibilities as well. I was even allowed to go to a wool fair to sell some of our products. Unfortunately, I was only able to do this once since the king prohibited the sale of wool to foreigners except in certain places later that year. Jonathon allowed me to occasionally go and purchase some wool that had already been spun. It is during this time that I learned about the process that wool goes to before it arrives at the weaver to finish. Generally sheep were sheared in early summer, and their fleeces were then sorted by quality - good or medium or coarse. It was then carded to remove any knots or bugs or debris that might have gotten trapped in the wool. Finally, it was taken to the spinners to be turned into yarn. Sometimes the yarn would then be dyed, but not always. Dyeing of the cloth was something that could essentially be done at any time during the process that the wool went through.

In the year of our Lord, Thirteen Hundred and Thirty-Three at the age of twenty-eight, Jonathon decided that he had taught me all that he could, and that I was ready to be granted the title of a Master Weaver. My apprenticeship had ended up being longer than the contract originally stated, but I didn't mind it since I was learning and perfecting my craft. I also enjoyed living with Jonathon and his family, but I was ready to start a life of my own. What I looked forward to most after my apprenticeship was marriage, but before I could find a woman my mother died, and my father followed soon after. I inherited his house, money, and belongings; therefore, I was now a fairly wealth man. It wasn't until the following year that I met my wife, and just thinking about her and that moment brings tears to my eyes.

Perhaps it was because Elizabeth reminded me so much of Mary that I was attracted to her. Elizabeth turned out to be the daughter of a clothier that I had met a few times when he would pay me to weave his thread. Therefore, I went to his house and began to discuss marrying his daughter, and in the end he agreed to the decision, and we were married in the spring of the next year. A contract was drawn up between us that specified what her dowry would be, and it stated that she would bring cash and some farmland into the marriage. Then, we were able to proceed to the wedding ceremony to be betrothed.

Elizabeth's first pregnancy resulted with the infant dying, but her second pregnancy gave me Emma. A couple of years later, my wife's farmland was sold to enable us to have more money when our second child was born, in the year of our Lord, Thirteen Hundred and forty. Samuel was born three years after the Great War between France and England broke out, and the king raised the tax on wool. I also began to notice that there were more foreigners coming into England for the woolen industry, mainly people from Flanders. It probably had something to do with the king because he issued a declaration that once again said that England was not allowed to import cloth or export wool, and he offered protection to any foreign cloth workers that might want to come to England. Oh precious Emma and Samuel. Just a year ago I remember seeing them play outside on the grass. What I wouldn't give to have those days back.

Eight years later I sit here writing this alone. My darling wife and precious children were all lost to this Great Pestilence that is sweeping the country. First it affected Samuel. He began to develop something similar to tumors under his armpits that started to swell until they were about the size of an egg, and then black spots began to spread from only on his arm to all over his body. Poor Samuel began to vomit and cough up blood; he was dead within a few days, and then the Pestilence came for Emma and Elizabeth. Emma went quickly and in her sleep, but Elizabeth was made to suffer. She developed tumors in her groin area and began to smell extremely fowl. Her face was scorching hot to the touch; she could not sleep, and she was constantly crying from the pain in her chest. I sat by her bed and held her hand all night long as I watched her slow decay and eventually die.

The tumors have no appeared on my body as well, and I know not how much time remains. There seems to be no one that can withstand this dreadful plague that is sweeping across the land, for it must be the will of God that England suffer so for all her wrong doings. Then again, maybe it is I that is being punished, for I am no saint, nor am I good man. I am merely a man that has lived his life in the way that the Lord handed it to me. There are many things that I could have done to better myself, but I have asked the priest for Absolution, and he has given it to me. Soon I will be with the Lord God, and all will be well.

 

Bibliography

Ashley, W.J. "The Early History of the English Woollen Industry." American Economic Association 2, no. 4 (1887): 13 - 85.

This article gave me a lot of information about how the industry works. It talks in great depth about how the king of England wanted to try and get more foreign works from Flanders to come to England to train the craftsmen. England had the best wool, but Flanders had some of the best producers, and they were the major consumers of English wool. I also used information about the organization of the wool industry.

Blair, John and Nigel Ramsay. English Medieval Industries. Continuum International Publishing Group, 2001.
This was probably one of my most useful sources about weaving that I found. This included the types of looms that were used in the various time periods, and it also included which areas in England had the best quality of wool. It also went in depth about process that the wool has to go through from the shearing of the sheep to the selling of the finished product. It also contained information about how much money wool would cost in certain areas which was useful for determining how much my person was going to have to pay for his wool, and his overall wealth.

Boccaccio, Giovanni. The Decameron. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 1977.

This was my primary source. The only thing that I really used it for was to get first hand accounts of what the plague looked like, and the symptoms that people were experiencing. I also used it to see what people's initial reactions to the plague were. For example, what they thought the cause was, and how they viewed it. The people of the time saw it more as punishment from God and not caring who it killed.

Gasquet, Francis Aidan. The Great Pestilence. London: Simpkin Marshall, Hamilton, Kent & CO, 1893.

This source gave me some of the same information as my primary source, except for the fact that this one went more in depth about explaining the symptoms of the plague and how long it would usually take for people afflicted to die. It also talked about how it spread from the mainland to England and the people's reaction.

Gies, Joseph and Frances. Life in a Medieval City. New York: Harper Perenial, 1969.
I used this source to get more information about the funeral and marriage rites. It was also helpful for learning about what a typical housewife of a wealthier man would be required to. I also used information about "big business" to help me understand the rules and how my weaver might have functioned once he finished his apprenticeship. I also used information about how wealthier people generally lived.

Heer, Friedrich. The Medieval World. New York: New American Library, 1961.

I used this book to get a better understanding of everything that was happening during the time period that my person was alive. I didn't want to leave out any major event in the world. This book also gave me information about how the class system would work, and where my master craftsman would fall in this society.

Lucas, Henry S. "The Great European Famine of 1315, 1316, and 1317." Speculum 5, no. 4 (1930): 343 – 377.

I got all of my information about the Great Famine from this source. It talked about how the prices didn't really increase until 1316 because this is when stocks were depleted, and the price of everything was doubled. The lower class was the worst off, and they often times had to resort to such things as: eating leaves, acorns, dogs, cats, dung, and their own children. The source mentions that cannibalism was very common during this time.

Plumb, J.H., Frederic A Youngs Jr, Henry Snyder, E.A. Reitan, and David Fahey. The English Heritage. Missouri: Forum Press, 1978.

This is the book that I got all of my political information from. It goes in depth about the kings of the time and the various policies that they passed, and about the Hundred Years' War. It also talked briefly about the wool trade in England, and mentioned that the king banned wool fairs in 1328 except for in certain locations. He wanted to reduce the amount of wool that was being sold to foreigners.

Power, Eileen. Medieval People. New York: Harper & Row, 1963.

I got the information about a clothier from this book. It talked about how the clothier would be on of the wealthiest people in a town. He would purchase the raw wool himself and then pay other people to spin, dye, full, and weave it. Ultimately, he would sell the final product at a much higher price than he had paid to have it manufactured. Clothiers were generally found in the countryside away from the influence of the guild, but not always. As you can see in my story, I had the father living in a town with a weaver's guild in it.

Zimmern, Dorothy M. "The Wool Trade in War Time." The Economic Journal 28, no. 109 (1918): 7 - 29.

I used this source to understand what happens to the wool industry when England goes to war. A good portion of it was about the twentieth century and could not be used, but there was some stuff at the beginning. It also gave me some more information about the process of producing cloth, which was helpful. The main thing that seems to always happen when war comes is that taxes are increased, and restrictions are sometimes placed on the export and import of wool and cloth.

Current Student: Amber

Amber Covington, senior history major and member of Phi Alpha Theta, National Honor Society in History, will be spending Spring Semester, 2011, in Washington, D.C., participating in an Archives Center Internship at the National Museum of American History. She will be working on a project that involves re-housing materials in the Scurlock Studio Records with archivist Vanessa Broussard Simmons and a team of interns.  This collection documents an African American photographic studio in Washington, D.C., from 1911 to 1994. They will be responsible for re-housing, arranging and describing the photographs and negatives in portions of this collection. Amber is also a 2010 recipient of the Minority Awards Program that includes a stipend and collaborative projects with other recipients.

Graduate school plans:

Next fall Amber plans to attend North Carolina Central University in Durham, North Carolina, to pursue a graduate degree, Master of Arts in Library Science with a concentration in Archives and Records Management.

Current Student: Adrienne

Adrienne Huneycutt, senior history major and member of Phi Alpha Theta, National Honor Society in History, spent the spring semester of 2010 in Washington, D.C., participating in the Capitol Hill Internship Program.  Asked to describe her experience, she wrote, “My internship was at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in the Geoarcheology department. I worked with Dr. Stanley who has done some really interesting work in Egypt and Italy. My internship description was to participate in the study of submerged Greek and Roman ancient sites in the Mediterranean (Egypt and Calabria, Italy). While my major was not one desired for the internship, I was able to correspond with Dr. Stanley, and he asked for me to join in his research. I had to choose between the Smithsonian and the District Court, and of course I chose the Smithsonian. My main job was to analyze core samples taken from the Nile delta and look for color band variations which could mean that the environment and the delta/river system throughout time had changed course or massive droughts or things of that nature had occurred. While there I was able to sit in on lectures given by visiting experts and attend special events. I went behind the scenes for the opening of the new Human Evolution Hall, and that was really amazing to see scientists installing exhibits and handling artifacts to make something to help educate America. I was given security clearance which got me in and out of many of the Smithsonian buildings without any of the tourist hassle. I really enjoyed the trips planned by the Smithsonian to other museums such as the Holocaust Museum before its doors opened to the public that day, the Capitol building, or to Mt. Vernon. The CHIP program made it possible for me to see things that I would normally never see or think about seeing, to make great friends, and it was actually a huge growing up process.”

Law School Plans: “I'm currently (as I type) applying to law schools all over NC so I'm not sure where I'm going yet, and my specialization will depend on where I decide to go. I'm leaning towards corporate, international, and environmental law. This summer I'm hoping to get another internship with a lawyer nearby to gain some experience, advice, and insight into law.”