"The Rights of Women"

What arguments does Mary Wollstonecraft make on behalf of the rights of women? What contemporary trends in other aspects of 18th century life would have brought the condition of women into sharper focus as an essential topic of enlightened investigation and improvement? What might explain Wollstonecraft's relative failure to achieve her objectives in her own era? (p. 485)

Benedict de Spinoza

"The 'Natural Inferiority' of Women." What arguments does Spinoza use to support the idea of female inferiority? What was the basis of his claims and assumptions? How would you refute these arguments? What was the effect of his line of reasoning upon the roles women could play? (p. 463)

William Shakespeare: In Praise of England

Besides Patriotism, what other motives may Shakespeare have had in writing this tribute to England? What are the elements in this excerpt from Richard II that makes it one of the most famous evocations of England ever written? (p. 439)

Louis XIV, The Sun King

Quotes attributed to Louis XIV

• "L'etat, c'est moi."
• "Keep your friends close; keep your enemies closer."
• "I order you not to sign anything, not even a passport...without my command." (Declaration on acceding to full power at age 23)
• "I loved war too much. Do not follow me in that or in overspending." (Deathbead advice to his successor)

In this post, I want you to respond to these quotes by our friend Louis. How did each reflect his personality, his experiences, his aspirations as monarch? How does each reflect the different stages of his life and rule?

“The Atlantic Slave Trade” (Required Post)

Given the horrific realities of the slave trade, why were European governments and public opinion so slow to respond to its inhuman practices? What role did religion, economics, race and sheer ignorance play in ignoring the plight of the African slaves? How could any human being justify or rationalize taking part in the slave trade?

(Above: Diagram of a Slave Ship -- Click to enlarge)

Required Post: “Queen Elizabeth’s ‘Golden Speech’” (1601)

What qualities are evident in Elizabeth’s speech that would endear her to her listeners? How was her popularity connected to the events of the late 16th century? Would the members of Parliament have responded differently to a king? Why and/or why not? (p. 375)

Calvinist Social Control: Required Post

“The Role of Discipline in the ‘Most Perfect School of Christ on Earth’”: Based on the examples given here, what kinds of activities did the Calvinist Consistory of Geneva seek to root out and prevent? Why was Calvinism so determined to survey and control the personal lives of citizens? How do you think the development of such Protestant agencies of social discipline and social control made way for the development of modern institutions of order such as the police? (p.363)

Catherine Zell: A Protestant Woman (Optional)

In this letter to Ludwig Rabus, what ideas did Catherine Zell bring to the Reformation? Was she being criticized because she was a woman or because of her ideas, regardless of gender? Would her ideas have been more acceptable if put forth by a man? Why, or why not? Why were the Anabaptists unpopular and why did people and governments react strongly against them? (page 364)

Required Post: Erasmus

"Erasmus: In Praise of Folly": What do you think Erasmus hoped to achieve with his satirical attack on monastic practices? How do you think the mass circulation of his attacks would have affected popular attitudes towards the Catholic Church and its institutions?