Forces of Modernization

This lesson we will build out of the Zeitgeist Project. Having deconstructed the 19th century we now need to rebuild it and see if we can connect these singularly explored topics and see what the connective threads may be. Our goal is to establish the causal relations between these what may seem to be disparate events and topics.

First Cut: "What just happened?"

Brainstorm a list of the century's key events, ideas, persons.

Generate a time line for the sequencing of these people. places and things.

Edit - Parse your "Key Events" List down to a "Top Ten" and categorize them into Political, Intellectual, Economic and Social.

Write one each on the provided post-its, then place accordingly on the white board under the corresponding category and date.

Second Cut: "Builiding a Dialectic"

Building a dialectic for the 19th Century in Europe.

Then we will manipulate the board in an attempt to create dialectic.

Which moves history between the is and the ought?

To help we will use the model of James Burke and his series Connections. A little dated perhaps in appearance but the content and history is still relevant. We will watch Connections "Eat, Drink and Be Merry". See how Burke makes the big leaps or sharp turn to argue for how something like Charles the Bold's bad credit can land a human on the moon.

Third Cut: "Making Connections"

After viewing "Eat, Drink and Be Merry" We will work building our own causal connections for the 19th Century to see how it moves from the Napoleonic Imperial Age to the fin-de-siècle.

For another take on the video see Prof. Marjan Eggermont - Prezi Seminar response: "Connections" by Djordje Zegarac.

Eric Hobsbawm: The Age of Revolution