Course Syllabus

• Instructor: David M. Perry
• Class Times: MWF 8:30-9:30
• Location: MAIN 009
• Office: Old Main 308
• Office Phone : (507) 646-6668
• Office Hours : MW 11:00-12:00
• Email: perry@macalester.edu
• Course URL: http://www.macalester.edu/courses/hist294viking/

Course Description

In this course we will study the Vikings in both their homelands and in the many regions to which they travelled. We will study the many ways in which the Vikings interacted with foreign peoples - as merchants, conquerors, pilgrims, colonists, mercenaries, and yes, as pirates and plunderers. In varying ways, medieval Scandinavians had a profound impact on every region to which they travelled and contact with other societies ultimately transformed the Scandinavian kingdoms. We want to understand both aspects. We will look at the spread of Christianity in the North, the stories of raiding, trading, exploration, and nation-building. Our sources will include poetry, heroic fiction, histories, artifacts, travel narratives, and myriad secondary sources. Not only will we learn a great deal about the Vikings and their impact, we will also work on the tools of studying history.

Required Texts

The following books have been made available for you at the Macalester bookstore. Please buy them.

• Snorri Sturluson, Edda
• The Poetic Edda
• The Vinland Saga
• The Oxford Illustrated History of the Vikings
• E. Rosedahl, The Vikings

There will be numerous other readings either posted online or given out in class. You are required to bring all readings due on any given day to class to aid in discussion. For online materials, this means you must print them out.

Course Requirements and Assignments

• Tests - 20% each
  • Each of these THREE tests will examine a signifiant percentage of the course material. I will be testing for knowledge, comprehension, and ability to discuss central course themes. You will be allowed one page (8.5x11) of notes for each test.
• Final Paper - 25%
  • This will be a research paper of approximately 10 pages. You will need to develop a topic related to any aspect of the Vikings or the regions in which they interacted, read both primary and seconary material, and write a well-organized research paper on that topic. We will meet individually to discuss the paper, and I will be available to read drafts and help as best I can.
• Participation and Attendance - 15%
  • Participation is more than just showing up, but it starts with just showing up. You cannot participate if you are not here. I will take attendance every day. Unexcused absences will weigh heavily against your participation grade.
    • Excused absences - severe illness with doctor's note, death in the family, acts of God, or legitimate Macalester activities (i.e. official sporting or musical events) will obviously not incur any direct penalty. You need to let me know ahead of time (for events) and you are responsible for catching up on material missed by consulting both me and your peers.
  • But participation is about more than just showing up. It's about doing the reading, being prepared to talk about it, volunteering your input, being involved in group work, preparing for discussions, and generally being an asset to the class as a whole. We will have a variety of ways in which you can participate, but none matter more than being an active member in our small-group and full-class discussions.
  • Part of the participation grade will be drawn from many informal activities assigned throughout the semester. These will be graded pass/fail, if at all, but will be taken as a sign of your preparedness and out-of-class effort.
  • If I suspect that the class is not doing the reading, I may assign additional writing assignments, pop-quizzes, or other modes of examination as necessary. Let's all hope it isn't!
  • Your participation is a large percent of your grade. You will need to earn it. Take initiative. Do not expect to speak only when directly called upon and ace this section of the class.
  • Finally, being late consistently may be counted as being absent. It will certainly lower your participation grade.

The Grade

• Test #1 - 20%
• Test #2 - 20%
• Test #3 - 20%
• Final Paper - 25%
• Participation and Attendance - 15%

Course Policies

1. Follow the policies in the Macalester College Student Handbook . If you are unsure about whether something is plagiarism or cheating, ask first.
2. No assignment, under any circumstances, will be accepted by fax or email.
3. Students must bring readings to class on the day they are assigned. Print out online materials. If we don't talk about something in class, you need to bring it to the next class too unless told otherwise.
4. Writing assignments and examinations are due at the beginning of class. DO NOT EVER SKIP CLASS TO TRY AND FINISH YOUR PAPER. Printing errors and lost data are a fact of the computer age. If you wait until the last minute and encounter technical difficulties, your paper may still be counted as late.
5. For every day a paper or project is late, you lose one full grade per day (A to B, B to C, etc.). Do not test this system. Turn your work in on time. Stapled. With your name on every page. Typed. Double-spaced. In a 12-point font. With room on the margins for comments. Printed on only one side of the paper (for ease of comments). Please! I know this seems like a hassle, but it makes grading them and reading them easier. Be merciful to my eyesight.