The four main themes of this course are answers to the question, "What makes Europe distinctive compared with other parts of the world?" 1. The Nation State. The idea of the State or sovereign authority takes on a new significance when it is attached to a nation or a people who have an idea of a common origin and identity. This idea was developed first and most powerfully in Europe. 2. Citizenship. When a nation is made up of citizens, they feel a greater commitment to the community. 3. The scientific method enables one to ask questions about the universe and the nature of human beings, and to obtain answers that work well in practice. 4. Developed Broadly Based Public Finance. The idea that government can mobilize the wealth of a whole people.Lecture 1 Jews in the Ancient World
Lecture 2 Jews and the Diaspora
Lecture 3 Ancient Greece
Lecture 4 Greek Science, Philosophy, and Culture
Lecture 5 Rome as a City-State
Lecture 6 Augustus and the Fall of the Roman Empire
Lecture 7 The Birth and Spread of Christianity
Lecture 8 Western Christianity after Augustine
Lecture 9 The Challenge of Islam
Lecture 10 Feudalism and Western Kingship
Lecture 11 The Church's Bid for Power
Lecture 12 Origins of the Modern State
Lecture 13 Italian City-States and Public Finance: The Nature of Money, Trade, and Finance
Lecture 14 The Renaissance