Edit history essay

I have been debating what to do with your first paper.  Basically, you answered the questions in the Adam Smith PDF, which of course was not the assignment at all.  However, it does mean that you did a good job of breaking down the Adam Smith reading.  You didn’t talk about the Galbert of Bruges reading at all, which was half of the assignment.

So, based on what you have written, I am willing to give you a 70% on the assignment.  I will also let you re-write the assignment if you would like to get a higher grade.  If you choose to re-write the assignment, make sure you are clear what you are supposed to be doing! 

The primary source analysis paper assignment asks you to take two primary sources, attached below, and figure out how they are in conversation with each other.  The two sources are both from northwest Europe (one Flanders, which is medieval Belgium, the other Britain).  They are separated from each other in time by nearly six centuries.  Both, however, are concerned with major topics in this course: the tributary system, and how it changes.  

The first source is from a chronicle written by a monk, Galbert of Bruges, concerning the count of Flanders in the early twelfth century.

The second is an excerpt from the writings of the economist Adam Smith, writing in the mid-to-late eighteenth century.

Consider the following, as you read the sources.  What does Smith think the purpose of the tributary system (feudalism, as he describes it) was?  What does Galbert of Bruges think the purpose was? Is one of these two men in better position to judge the functions of the tributary system?  Why?  Does Smith’s understanding of the tributary system shape his description of its demise?  Why does he think it declines?

To add some more thoughts…  What are the roles and responsibilities of the elites and non-elites in the tributary system?  How do the documents describe those responsibilities?  How does Smith see that changing?  What does Smith see taking the place of those changing roles and responsibilities?

Technical details:

Papers should be 2-3 pages, double-spaced, written in a normal (Times New Roman or similar– no Arial or Lucida, I know the tricks), 12 point font.  Normal 1-inch margins all around.  There is no need for a title page, or extensive headings; just your name, your section, and a brief title is all you need.

The two primary sources, as well as any other material you use, must be cited.  Papers should also include a bibliography/works-cited page (which is not part of the 2-3 pages of the assignment).  History uses the Chicago Style, and so shall we in this class.  A link to the Chicago style guide is provided below.  We will address the specifics of citations and formatting next week in class.

http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html

Surname 1

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2018/2/20

History Questions

1. Why is Voltaire’s discussion of the Royal Exchange relevant to his discussion of religion in Great Britain?

Voltaire’s discussion on the Royal Exchange relates with the discussion of religion in Great Britain since in both cases there is harmony and respect for all the involved parties. In Great Britain, there are many religious groups such as the Episcopal and Presbyterian denominations mentioned in the discussion. Similarly in the Royal Exchange, there are many representatives from different backgrounds that have to coexist and work freely for the utility of men. Great Britain is compared to this safe haven that all types of religion cam assemble in and perform their various beliefs without fear of interference from other groups. The most important factor for a nation’s representative in the Royal Exchange is to strike the best foreign exchange deals, while for a religious denomination; the most important factor is for them to perform their religious beliefs without interference.

2. What does Voltaire think of Presbyterian ministers? What motivates them? What effect have they had on the religious and social life of Britain? What do his comments in the passage suggest about his attitude towards religious belief in general?

Voltaire thinks that Presbyterian ministers hate each other and relate with each other in cordiality. He also believes that all clergy members are motivated by the ambition to become masters in their denomination. The Presbyterian ministers aspire to have control over major ceremonies in Great Britain by incorporating religious cultures and practices in all the functions that they oversee.

The aspect of religious incorporation in people’s life is seen through marriages in Britain that are social events where a Presbyterian minister has to lead the couple in taking their marriage vows. The swearing in of members of parliament and other government officials also involves taking of an oath guided by religious principles such as lifting up of a bible. Voltaire’s attitude towards the Presbyterian ministers is definitely that of contempt since he regards to them as ambitious masters that continuously seek attention and acknowledgement from every aspect of life.

3. Why does Voltaire believe that Britain enjoys religious peace?

Voltaire believes that Britain enjoys religious peace because of their tolerant approach towards matters religion. In the discussion, Voltaire acknowledges the fact that Britain is a country with many religions that balance harmoniously with each other due to the fact that every English man is free to select their denomination. The many religious groups in Britain display their respect for each other’s religion due to the fact that they are all headed for heaven even through different passages.

1. How, according to Smith did rich men with few attractive goods available to purchase use their wealth? How did this shape the social and political order? Rich men with few attractive goods that they can trade to acquire end up consuming their wealth. According to Adam Smith[footnoteRef:1], rich men were very generous with their wealth once they had little or nothing to purchase in the period before commerce and manufacture. The wealthy in society used to hold large banquets that they invited all in the society including their servants and dependents to partake. The act of holding banquets and festivities with the surplus wealth in rich men’s possession shaped the society in both social and political ways. Socially, the rich men became popular and highly regarded in society as everyone wanted to be affiliated with them. Politically, the rich men were viewed as rulers and in aristocratic set ups they were given leadership positions in their society. [1: Smith, Adam. An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations,(1776). Methuen, 1950.]

2. Once such men began buying “baubles,” how did their relations with the poorer members of society change? How did this strengthen an emerging central government? The introduction of foreign commerce and manufacturing lead to the re-directing of rich men’s wealth to purchasing of baubles and not on the feeding of tenants on their land. The dependence of the poor on the tenants gradually decreased as they began to survive on their own without handouts from the rich. This aspect changed their relationship with the rich men that formerly acted as their administrators and rulers. The emerging central government was now able to regain control over their subjects and rule over them since their loyalty was no longer owed to their rich proprietors.

3. What does this version of history suggest about the likelihood and limits of human progress? About how such progress occurs?

The version of history described by Adam Smith reveals that change is an essential part of human progress. The change from the consumption of surplus wealth to investment into manufacturing and foreign commerce is responsible for the shape that the society has taken over the years. Utilization of wealth in a nation is an economic factor that has been used to measure human progress since the historic period. The central government in Adam Smith’s case was formed as a result of taking back the tools of production. Changing factors in a nation are, therefore, responsible for the human progress.

References

Smith, Adam. An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations,(1776). Methuen, 1950.

Citations in Chicago Style

Examples of footnote format:

Galbert of Bruges, “The Murder of Charles the Good”, in The Murder of Charles the Good Count of Flanders, ed. James Bruce Ross (New York: Harper and Row, 1967), pp.

Adam Smith, “On Baubles and the Demise of Feudalism”, (1776), pp.

Examples of bibliography format:

Galbert of Bruges. “The Murder of Charles the Good”. In The Murder of Charles the Good Count of Flanders, edited by James Bruce Ross. New York: Harper and Row, 1967.

Smith, Adam. “On Babubles and the Demise of Feudalism”. 1776.

Footnotes:

This is how you do a footnote in Word.[footnoteRef:1] If you want to do another note. [1: Adam Smith, “On Baubles and the Demise of Feudalism”, (1776), 2.
]

Works Cited

Galbert of Bruges. “The Murder of Charles the Good”. In The Murder of Charles the Good Count of Flanders, edited by James Bruce Ross. New York: Harper and Row, 1967.