Module Identifier WH36130  
Module Title CIVIL WAR & REVOLUTION IN STUART WALES, 1603-1714  
Academic Year 2007/2008  
Co-ordinator Dr David Ceri Jones  
Semester Semester 2  
Course delivery Lecture   18 x 1 hour lectures  
  Seminars / Tutorials   10 seminars plus individual essay tutorials  
Assessment
Assessment TypeAssessment Length/DetailsProportion
Semester Exam3 Hours CLOSED EXAM  60%
Semester Assessment 2X 2,500 WORD ESSAYS  40%
Supplementary Assessment3 Hours CLOSED EXAM PLUS ANY MISSING WRITTEN WORK  100%

Learning outcomes

On completion of this module, students should be able to
Assess critically the body of historical knowledge which discusses Stuart Wales in its wider social and political contexts.

Comprehend and assess the different historical debates and analyses evident in related texts, ranging from the early modern period to recent scholarly works.

Read, analyse and assess a range of different types of historical evidence, including literary evidence.

Comprehend the historical debates and problems regarding the origins and impact of the English Civil War, the beginnings of Protestant Nonconformity and the gradual modernization of Welsh society during the seventeenth century.

Develop and lead historical debates.

Work independently and as part of a group and take an active part in group discussions. (not formally assessed)

Express understanding and discuss related issues through writing in an academic context.

Brief description

The English Civil War casts a long shadow over the course of the seventeenth century. This module will be a comparative and contextual study of Wales during the period dominated by this genuinely revolutionary event. It will examine the development of Welsh society and identity following the final unification of Wales under the Tudors; discuss the reasons for the loyal support that the Welsh gave to the monarchy during the Civil Wars; look at the development of Welsh Puritanism, and examine the first efforts to Protestantize the Welsh in a systematic manner. In the post Civil War period it will analyse the reasons why the Welsh welcomed the Restoration so enthusiastically and trace the persistence of Welsh loyalism through to the emergence of Jacobitism. As well as focusing on high politics, the course will also examine Welsh Puritan spirituality in depth; look at the social and economic structure of the country, and examine some of the cultural changes that Wales experienced in the generation after the Glorious Revolution

Aims

This module will be a detailed consideration of Wales during the age of the Stuarts. Analysing the Welsh experience of Stuart rule, it will set developments in Wales within the wider context of the gradual evolution of the `British' state. It will thus fill a current gap in the Welsh History teaching in the department and extend further the options for students wishing to study both the history of Wales and early modern Britain.

Content

Lectures
1. Introduction
2. Stuart Government in Wales
3. Welsh society and economy in the early seventeenth century
4. The Stuart Church and the birth of Puritanism
5. Welsh Puritan Spirituality
6. The War of the Three Kingdoms: Origins
7. Wales and the Civil War (i)
8. Wales and the Civil War (ii)
9. The effects of the Civil War
10. The Interregnum and the Propagation Act
11. Puritanism and Millenarianism
12. The Restoration of the Monarchy
13. The Glorious Revolution
14. Jacobitism
15. From Puritanism to Nonconformity
16. Wales and America
17. Pietism, literacy and education
18. Social and economic change: the emergence of the middling sorts and early industrialisation

Seminars
1. Introduction: the historiographical context
2. Wales under James I: government, society and economy
3. The birth of Puritanism
4. The War of the Three Kingdoms: Context
5. Wales and the Civil War
6. The Interregnum and the Propagation of the Gospel
7. The Restoration and the Glorious Revolution
8. From Puritanism to Nonconformity
9. Jacobitism and Welsh loyalism
10. The Contribution of Pietism

Module Skills

Problem solving Identify problems and factors which might influence potential solutions; develop creative thinking approaches to problem solving; evaluate advantages and disadvantages of potential solutions.  
Research skills Understand a range of research methods and plan and carry out research; produce academically appropriate pieces of written work.  
Communication Read a wide range of both primary and secondary texts; improve their listening skills during the lectures, and consequently develop skills in note taking; demonstrate and develop the ability to communicate ideas in two essays; skills in oral presentation will be developed in seminars.  
Improving own Learning and Performance Show awareness of own learning styles, personal preferences and needs; devise and apply realistic learning and self management strategies;  
Team work Understand the concept of group dynamics; contribute to the setting of group goals; contribute effectively to the planning of group activities; play an active part in group activities (e.g. short group presentations in seminars); exercise negotiation and persuasion skills; evaluate group activities and own contribution.  
Information Technology Use a range of commonly used software packages; prepare and input data; manage storage systems; present information and data; use the internet appropriately and effectively.  
Personal Development and Career planning Develop awareness of personal skills, beliefs and qualities in relation to course in progression; plan and prepare for future course / career.  

Reading Lists

Books
** Recommended Text
Coward, Barry (1994) The Stuart Age: England, 1603 1714 New York : Longman 0582067227PBK
Smith, David L (1998) A History of the Modern British Isles, 1603 1707: The Double Crown Oxford

Notes

This module is at CQFW Level 6