Documents back

      1. The Bayeux Tapestry: Record, Artifact, Narrative
      2. The Bayeux Tapestry (Debrecen)
      3. Medieval English Documents
      4. Documents of Colonial American History 1: Captivities
      5. Documents of Colonial American History 2: Diaries
      6. Documents of Colonial American History 3: Autobiographies
      7. Documents of Colonial American History 4: Travel Narratives
      8. Documents of Colonial American History 5: Letters
      9. Documents of Colonial American History 6: Foundation Documents (Covenants)
      10. American Federalism in Documents
      11. American Constitutions
      12. Translating Colonial American Documents (Workshop seminar)
      13. Translating Colonial American Documents (Morton's New English Canaan)
      14. Hungarian Travellers in the United States
      15. Twentieth-Century Hungarian Travel Narratives on the United States
      16. Hungarian American Fiction — A Sample

 

Translating American Colonial Documents
cult/hist, 2-5, sem, ENG, ENG&US, US, 2YP

Description: The aim of the course is to discuss in depth certain documents of colonial America and use the intimate knowledge of them in translating and annotating them. The documents will be hopefully published in the series Documenta Historica of the University. The documents to be translated are:

James Rosier: Prosperous Voyage (1605) [22pp], [front][ and

John Mason: A Brief History of the Pequot War (1637) [x+22pp.] [front]

Assignments: Translations and their critique will be done every week. Copies of the efforts (translations cum annotations) will be distributed among the participants by the translators (left in drop box by 10 am. Monday, and picked up by readers by 8 pm that day) and the translations discussed in class. (Participants should be prepared to pay for the xeroxed copies.) The revised translations should be handed in a week after the last class. Participants will also have to submit a short (4-5000 characters) paper on some aspect of the work and/or its translation.
Grading will be based on
[1]the contribution to the discussions in class (25%),
[2]on the quality (25%) and
[3]the improvement of the translations during the semester (25%), and
[4]on the paper (25%).
The workload (translation) of 4th-year participants will be twice as much as that of 2nd- and 3rd-year students. Since class activity will be vital to the success of the course, participants should be prepared that no more than two absence on whatever excuse will be allowed. The course will not take more than 12 participants.

 

 

Documents of American Colonial History 1: Captivities — [up]

Description: The course discusses Indian captivity stories, so numerous and popular in the 17th and 18th centuries, as well as some Black captivities. These latter differ in a number of respects from the former, and their discussion parallelly with the abuse whites had to suffer at the hands of Indians is hoped to generate additional insight in this genre.
Assignments to students will include short introductions to the captives/captivities in question and a 10-page end-term paper to be handed in by Tuesday, December 6, 1994. The proceedings of each class will be recorded by a participant and approved of at the next meeting. For grading, classroom activity (50%), the introduction (20%) and the end-term paper (30%) will be considered. The (at least one) introduction and the end-term paper are preconditions of grading.

Literature available for xeroxing

Mary Rowlandson (1676):HCI 41-90. (Also available in AB 232-264.) 26p.
Elizabeth Hanson (1724); Robert Eastbourn (1751); John Marrant, a Black (1770): HCI 130-150, 151-176, 177-201. 37 p.
The Manheim Anthology (1757-91): HCI 202-242. 21p.
Mary Kinnan (1791), Mrs. Rachel Plummer (1836): HCI 319-332, 333-366.˙25 p.
Mary Prince (1831): CSN 183-24˙28 p.
Nancy Prince (1850): CBWN 1-89˙45 p.
H.L. Gates: "Introduction": CSN ix-xviii. 6 p.
A.G. Barthelmy: "Introduction": CBWN xxix-lxviii. 11 p.

Weekly Schedule

1 Introduction

2 John Smith (1607): AB 171-178; Smith in Turkish captivity.

3 Mary Rowlandson (1676): HCI41-90, AB232-264.

4 Elizabeth Hanson (1724): HCI130-150.

5 Robert Eastbourn (1751): HCI151-176.; Manheim (Herbeson); Manheim (1 man vs 2 Indians

6 The Manheim Anthology (1757-91): HCI202-242. (Johonnot); (Williamson)

7 Mary Kinnan (1791): HCI319-332.; Manheim (Corbly); Manheim (Manheim); Manheim (Wyoming)

8 Mrs. Rachel Plummer (1836): HCI333-366.; Manheim (1 woman vs Indians); Manheim (Stewart)

9 John Marrant, a Black (1770): HCI177-201.

10 Mary Prince (1831): CSN183-242.

11 Nancy Prince (1850): CBWN1-89. HANDING IN END-TERM PAPERS

12 Discussion of end-term papers

13 Summing up.

The literature will include:

  • Held Captive by Indians. Selected Narratives 1642-1836. Ed. by Richard VanDerBeets. U.of Tennessee Press, Knoxville, 1973. (HCI)
  • Travels and Works of Captain John Smith. Ed. by Edward Arber. John Grant, Edinburgh, 1910. p.98 [short], pp.395-402. In Hungarian, see John Smith kapitány utazásai és cselekedetei 1580-1631. Válogatta, fordította, a bevezetőt és a jegyzeteket írta C. Cutean Éva. Kriterion, Bukarest, 1980. pp. 132-143. For his captivity in Turkey, see pp.75-102.
  • America Begins. Early American Writing. Ed. by Richard M. Dorson. Indiana UP, Bloomington & London, 1971. (AB)
  • The Classic Slave Narratives. Ed. by Henry Louis Gates, Jr. Mentor Books, New York, 1987. (CSN)
  • Collected Black Womens Narratives. Introduction by Anthony G. Barthelemy.(The Schomburg Library of Nineteenth-Century Black Women Writers) Oxford UP, New York, Oxford, 1988. (CBWN)
  • Kretzoi Miklósné: Az amerikai irodalom kezdetei 1607-1750. Akadémiai, Budapest, 1976. pp. 251-266 [254-255], 386.
  • The Bible [Egypt: Gen 37:2—Ex 15:21; Assyria: 2Reg 15:29 (cf. 1Chron 5:6, 5:26; Holach, Gozan, Media: 2Reg 17:6, 18:11, 1Chron 5:6-26, Tob 1:2, 3:7, 5:8; Babylon (597˙B.C.): 2Reg 24:8-17, Ez 3:15; Babylon (586-538˙B.C.): 2Chr 25:7, 11ff 36:20, Jer 39:9ff, 52:15ff, Is 45:14, Jer 40:1, Ps 137. Home: 2Chron 6:22, Ezra 1:1-4]

Optional:
  • J.F. Cooper: The Prairie.
  • Xantus János (Prépost˙István (közli): Xántus János levelei Éjszakamerikából. Lauffer & Stolp, Pest, 1858. [JATEK B19490; SK G.c.1195]; Xántus˙János: Utazás Kalifornia déli részeiben. Pest, 1860.
  • Karl May: A medvevadász. Regényes elbeszélés. Magyarra átdolgozta: Vágó Ferenc. Eisler. G. Kiadóhivatala, Budapest, n.d. VI. fejezet "Indián párbaj". pp.55-70.

 

Documents of American Colonial History 2: Diaries — [up]

Description: The course discusses daries from the colonial period. The main texts to be used will be the diaries of William Bradford, John Winthrop, Samuell Sewall and John Adams, preferably in their entirety. The texts are available, copying them might pose a problem. The diaries will be discussed as texts, their merits as historical, literary and other documents weighed. The main drive of the discussions will be historical, i.e. it is the events the diaries cover that we are mostly interested in, but the authors, the possible readers are also of interest. The programme: 1-2. On diaries in general; 3-4. Winthrop; 5-7. Sewall; 8-10. J. Adams, and 11-12. a curious exception: Döhla's Hessian Diary 1778-1783.
Assignments to students will include short introductions to the texts in question and a 10-page end-term paper on any aspect of the discussed texts to be handed in by May 1, 1995. The proceedings of each class will be recorded by a participant and the record (minutes) approved of at the next meeting. For grading, classroom activity (50%), the introduction (20%) and the end-term paper (30%) will be considered. The end-term paper is precondition (sine qua non) of grading.

Weekly Schedule

  • 1.- Organization.
  • 2.- On diaries in general.
  • 3.- John Winthrop's Journal, 1633, 1635. I. 97-117; 145-167.
  • 4.- John Winthrop's Journal, 1645. II. 220-263.
  • 5.- S. Sewall's Diary, Dec. 3, 1673.-Jan. 13, 1676/7 I. 1-47.
  • 6.- S Sewall's Diary, Jan.21,1690/1-March 27, 1694. I. 340-389.
  • 7.- Samuel Sewall's Diary, May 4, 1725-1729. III. 354-396.
  • 8.- John Adams' Diary, 1755. Nov. 18.-1759. Jan. 3. WJA II. 3-54.; JAD1 1-66.
  • 9.- John Adams' Diary, 1770. Jan. 16.-1771. June 3. WJA II. 226-266.; JAD1 348-365, JAD2 1-35.
  • 10.- John Adams' Diary, 1783-1796. September 8. WJA III. 374-424.; JAD3 101-249.
  • 11.- Johann Conrad Döhla's Diary, 1779. pp. 64-98.
  • 12.- Johann Conrad Döhla's Diary, 1783. pp. 217-255.
  • 13.- Concluding remarks

 

Documents of American Colonial History 3: Autobiographies — [up]

Description: The course discusses autobiographies from the colonial period. The main texts to be used will be the autobiographies of Benjamin Franklin and John Adams, preferably in their entirety. The texts are available, copying them might pose a problem. The autobiographies will be discussed as texts, their merits as historical, literary and other documents weighed. The main drive of the discussions will be historical, i.e. it is the events the writings cover that we are mostly interested in, but the authors, the possible readers are also of interest.
Assignments, grading (%), textbooks: Assignments will include short introductions to the texts in question and a 10-page (15.000 characters) end-term paper (on an aspect of the texts discussed in class) to be handed in by December 1, 1995. The proceedings of each class will be recorded by a participant and the record (minutes) approved of at the next meeting. For grading, classroom activity (50%), the introduction (20%) and the end-term paper (30%) will be considered. One introduction and the end-term paper are prerequisites (sine qua non) for grading.

The texts are available in the following editions:

  • L.H. Butterfield (ed.): Diary and Autobiography of John Adams (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1961), Volume 3, pp. 253-449 [to October 1776]; Volume 4, pp. 1-254. [1777-1780] — MTA 279458
  • B. Franklin: Autobiography and Other Writings. Ed., intr. Kenneth Silverman (Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1986) — JATE A132617
  • B. Franklin: Autobiography and Other Writings. Selected, edited, introduction by L. Jesse Lemisch. (New York: New American Library, 198?) — JATE A132616
  • The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin. (Roslyn: Walter J. Black, 1941) — In Hungarian: Franklin Benjámin: Számadása életéről. Ford. Bartos Tibor (Budapest: Európa, 1961. 2. kiadás: 1989)

Secondary literature will include:

  1. C. Van Doren: Benjamin Franklin. Biography. (Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1991) — JATE A132494
  2. Th. Hornberger: Benjamin Franklin. (Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1962) — JATE B98100

 

Documents of American Colonial History 4: Travel Narratives — [up]

Course Description: The course, the fourth in a series dedicated to the study of colonial American documents, discusses four travel narratives from the 17th and 18th centuries. The travelogues will be discussed as texts, their merits as historical, literary and other documents weighed. The main drive of the discussions will be historical, i.e. it is the events the diaries cover that we are mostly interested in, but the authors, the possible readers are also of interest. The travel narratives to be discussed all record the experiences of American travellers in the colonies, but it might be useful for the participants of the course to refer to travelogues written by foreign visitors to the [19th-century] USA. The four narratives will be: 1) A True History of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson; 2) The Journal of Madam Knight; 3) The Secret History of the Line by William Byrd II; 4) The Itinerarium of Dr. Alexander Hamilton.

1-3. Mary Rowlandson. (pp. 5-48.) Captivity narrative as travelogue
4-6. Sarah Kemble Knight. (pp. 52-75.) Gender and poetry
7-9. William Byrd II. (pp. 81-172.) Frontiersman-explorer [cf. Xántus]
10-12. Dr. Alexander Hamilton. (pp. 178-327.) Awakening, humour [cf. Nendtvitch]

Prerequisites: JATE Academic English I; preferably any of the previous courses of the series.
Assignments, grading (%), textbooks: Assignments to students will include short introductions to the topic under discussion based on their readings of the literature, which may and may not be made available by the instructor. The proceedings of each class will be recorded by a participant and approved of at the next meeting. The course will be concluded by an end-term paper (2nd & 3rd years ten-page- [15,000 characters], 4th & 5th years twenty-page- [30,000 characters] long) to be submitted both on paper and on disc by the middle of June. Classroom activity will include small (2-5 thousand characters) presentations prepared at the request of the instructor on various aspects of the subject. For grading, classroom activity (30%), the introduction (30%) and the end-term paper (40%) will be considered. The (at least one) introduction and the end-term paper are preconditions of grading.
The texts are available in Colonial American Travel Narratives, edited & introduced by Wendy Martin. Penguin Classics, 1994. UK ś8.99 USA $11.95 ISBN 0-14-039088-X.

Secondary literature will include:

    • Bercovitch, Sacvan: The Puritan Origins of the American Self. New Haven: Yale UP, 1975;
    • Bercovitch, Sacvan: The American Jeremiad. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press, 1978;
    • Turner, Frederick Jackson: The Significance of the Frontier in American History. New York: Federick Ungar, 1963;
    • Brindenbaugh, Carl (ed.): Gentleman's Progress: The Itinerarium of Dr. Alexander Hamilton, 1744. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1948. — All the above are available in the Dept. Library.
    • Martin, Wendy: "Introduction: Mapping American Life" in: Colonial American Travel Narratives, edited & introduced by Wendy Martin. (Penguin Classics, 1994), pp. vii-xviii.
    • Bölöni Farkas Sándor: Utazás Észak Amerikában. Ifjabb Tilsch János, Kolozsvár, 1834;
    • —: Napnyugati utazás / Napló. Helikon, Budapest, 1984;
    • —: Journey in North America 1831. Translated by Árpád Kadarkay. ABC-Clio, Santa Barbara, 1978;
    • Nendtvich Károly: Amerikai utazásom. I-II. Heckenast, Pest, 1858;
    • Prépost˙István (közli): Xántus János levelei Éjszakamerikából. Lauffer & Stolp, Pest, 1858;
    • Xántus˙János: Utazás Kalifornia déli részeiben. Pest, 1860.

 

Documents of American Colonial History 5: Letters — [up]

Course Description: The course, the first in a new series dedicated to the study of colonial American documents, discusses letters written by Americans before the Revolution. The course surveys the history of the genre from classical times, but most of the works discussed will be 17th and 18th century pieces. The letters will be discussed as texts, their merits as historical, literary and other documents weighed. The main drive of the discussions will be historical, i.e. it is the events the letters cover that we are mostly interested in, but the authors, the addressees are also of interest. The course will conclude with some of the monumental pieces of the genre, i.e. the Adams-Jefferson correspondence, which, although reaching into the 19th century, deserves speacial attention.
Prerequisites: JATE Academic English I; preferably any of the previous courses of the series.
Assignments, grading (%), textbooks: Assignments to students will include short introductions to the topic under discussion based on their readings of the literature, which may and may not be made available by the instructor. The proceedings of each class will be recorded by a participant and approved of at the next meeting. The course will be concluded by an end-term paper (2nd & 3rd years ten-page- [15,000 characters], 4th & 5th years twenty-page- [30,000 characters] long) to be submitted both on paper and on disc by the middle of June. Classroom activity will include small (2-5 thousand characters) presentations prepared at the request of the instructor on various aspects of the subject. For grading, classroom activity (30%), the introduction (30%) and the end-term paper (40%) will be considered. The (at least one) introduction and the end-term paper are preconditions of grading.

Weekly schedule

  • 1- Marcus Tullius Cicero to Atticus, 65BC [ad Att.1,2] (p. 30); to Quintus, 58BC [ad Q.fr.1,3] (pp. 62-65); to Atticus, 7 April, 44BC [ad Att.14,1] (pp. 196-197), 22 April, 44BC [ad Att.14,12] (pp. 197-198). In: Cicero: Selected Letters. Translated with and Introduction by D.R. Shackleton Bailey. Harmondsworth, Middlesex: Penguin Books, 1986. [JATE A132716]; Pliny, jr., II/13 (p. 136), II/14 (pp. 137-138), IV/11 (pp. 170-174), IV/12 (pp. 174-175), VI/19 (pp. 278-279), VI/20 (pp. 279-280), X/19 (p. 478), X/20 (p. 479), X/96 (pp. 530-533). In: Ifjabb Plinius: Levelek. Budapest, Európa, 1966. [JATE A53607˙(OT)]; Paul to Titus, cc. 64-65 AD.; Szt. Jeromos Pammachiushoz a műfordításról (57. sz.) (pp.87-100). In: Szent Jeromos: "Nehéz az emberi léleknek nem szeretni". A keresztény életről, irodalomról és tudományról. Budapest: Helikon, 1991.
  • 2- Alcuin to Colcu, 790 (pp. 774-774); to Ethelred, king of Northumbria, 793, after 8 June (pp. 775-777); Higbald, bishop of Lindisfarne, 793, after 8 June (pp. 778-779); to Offa, king of Mercia, 787-796 (pp. 779-780), 796, after 18 April (pp. 782-784); to Eardwulf, king of Northumbria, 796, after May (pp. 784-785); to Osbald, 796, after May (pp. 785-786); to Charles the Great, 796-797 (p. 786); to Osbert, Marcian Ealdorman, 797 (pp. 786-788); to Ćthelheard, archbishop of Canterbury, 797 (pp. 788-790); to Charles the Great, 801 (pp. 794-795); Eanbald II, archbishop of York, 801 (pp. 795-797); to Calvinus and Cuculus, 801 (p. 797). In: Dorothy Whitelock (ed): English Historical Documents c500-1042. London: Eyre & Spottiswoode, 1955.; [Charles the Great to Ćthelheard, archbishop of Canterbury and Ceolwulf, bishop of Lindsey, 796 (p. 780). In: English Historical Documents c500-1042]
  • 3- Vezir Ali Pasha to Joannes ... Molard, 29 Sep, 1616 (p. 256), 4 Oct, 1616 (pp. 256-257). In: Gustav Bayerle (ed): The Hungarian Letters of Ali Pasha of Buda 1604-1616. Budapest: Akadémia Kiadó, 1991.; ifj. Pápai Páriz Ferenc to Teleki Sándor, 25 Sept, 1715 (pp. 56-62), 6 November, 1715 (pp. 62-64), 14/25 December, 1715 (pp. 64-66), 14 March, 1716 (pp. 66-68), 22 November, 1717 (pp. 68-74). In: Hoffmann Gizella (ed): Peregrinuslevelek 1711-1750. Külföldön tanuló diákok levelei Teleki Sándornak. Szeged: JATE BTK, 1980.; Mező János to Teleki Sándor, 25 Aug, 1750 (pp. 327-328). In: Hoffmann Gizella (ed): Peregrinuslevelek 1711-1750.
  • 4- Stephen Parmenius of Buda to Richard Hakluyt, 6 Aug 1583 (pp. 168-173). In: The New Found Land of Stephen Parmenius. The life and writings of a Hungarian poet, drowned on a voyage from Newfoundland, 1583. Edited and translated with commentaries by David B. Quinn & Neil M. Cheshire. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1972.
  • 5- Rev. John Robinson to John Carver, 27 July, 1630 (p.367). In: Of Plymouth Plantation 1620-1647 by William Bradford Sometime Governor Thereof. A New Edition The Complete Text, with Notes and an Introduction by Samuel Eliot Morison. New York: The Modern Library, 1952.; Gov. Thomas Dudley to the Countess of Lincoln, 28 March 1631 (19p). In: Tracts and Other Papers, relating principally to the Origin, Settlement, and Progress of the Colonies in North America, from the Discovery of the Country to the Year 1776, collected by Peter Force. Vol. II. Washington: Peter Force, 1848 [repr. Gloucester, MA: Peter Smith, 1963].; John Winthrop to William Bradford, 20 May, 1637 (pp. 394-396), 28 July, 1637 (pp. 396-398). In: Of Plymouth Plantation.
  • 6- James Sherley to John Atwood, 14 June, 1642 (p. 414); to Plymouth Partners, 14 June, 1642 (pp. 415-417); Richard Andrews to Andrew Freeman, 7 April, 1643 (pp417-418); James Sherley to Plymouth Partners, 27 April, 1643 (pp. 419-420). In: Of Plymouth Plantation.
  • 7- Samuel Gorton to Nathaniel Morton, 30 June, 1669 (17p). In: Tracts and Other Papers, collected by Peter Force. Vol. VI. Washington: Peter Force, 1848 [repr. Gloucester, MA: Peter Smith, 1963].
  • 8- Sir Wiliam Phipps to William Stoughton, 12 Oct 1692 (pp.196-198), 21 Feb 1993 (pp. 198-202). In: G.L. Burr (ed): Narratives of the Witchcraft Cases 1648-1706. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1914.; Cotton Mather to John Richards, 31 May 1692 (pp. 35-40), to John Cotton, 5 August, 1692 (pp. 40-41), to John Foster, 17 August, 1692 (pp. 41-43), to William Stoughton, 2 Sept, 1692 (pp. 43-44), to Stephen Sewall, 20 Sept 1692 (pp. 44-45), to John Cotton, 20 Oct 1692 (pp. 45-46), to John Richards, 14 Dec, 1692 (pp. 46-50), to Robert Calef, 15 Jan, 1694 (pp. 50-52). In: Selected Letters of Cotton Mather. Compiled with Commentary by Kenneth Silverman. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State UP, 1971.
  • 9- William Byrd of Westover to Charles Boyle, 5 July, 1726 (pp. 55-56), to John Perceval, 12 July, 1736 (pp. 603-604). In: J.A. Leo Lemay (ed): An Early American Reader. Washington, D.C.: USIA, 1990.
  • 10- John Adams to Abigail Adams, 12 May, 1774 (pp. 1-2), 29 June, 1774 (pp. 2-4), 28 April, 1776 (pp. 165-168), 3 July, 1776 (pp. 190-194), 25 April, 1778 (p. 330); Abigail Adams to JA, 18 May, 1778 (pp. 330-333); JA to AA, 4 Dec, 1782 (p. 410); AA to JA, 23 Dec, 1782 (pp. 410-412); JA to AA, 28 Dec, 1782 (pp. 412-413), 13 Feb, 1783 (p. 413). In: Familiar Letters of John Adams and His Wife Abigail Adams, during the Revolution. With a memoir of Mrs. Adams. By Charles Francis Adams. New York: Hurd and Houghton, 1876.
  • 11- Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 16 May, 1777 (pp. 4-5), JA to TJ, 26 May, 1777 (pp. 5-6), TJ to JA, 21 Aug, 1777 (pp. 7-8), TJ to JA, 17 Dec, 1777 (pp. 8-9); JA to TJ, 25 Aug, 1787 (pp. 191-192); JA to TJ, 22 Sep, 1813 (pp. 378-380); TJ to JA, 28 Oct, 1813 (pp. 387-392); TJ to JA, 7 Oct, 1818 (p. 528), JA to TJ, 20 Oct, 1818 (pp. 528-529), TJ to JA, 13 Nov, 1818 (p. 529), JA to TJ, 8 Dec, 1818 (p. 530), JA to TJ, 30 Dec, 1818 (p. 531); TJ to JA, 25 Mar, 1826 (pp. 613-614), JA to TJ, 17 April, 1826 (p. 614). In: Lester J. Cappon (ed): The Adams-Jefferson Letters. The Complete Correspondence Between Thomas Jefferson and Abigail and John Adams. Chapel Hill and London: The University of North Carolina Press, 1988 [1959].; Thomas Jefferson to Roger D. Weightman, 24 June, 1826 (pp. 444-445). In: Stephen Schechter (ed.): Roots of the Republic. American Founding Documents Interpreted. Madison: Madison House, 1990.
  • 12- Summing up.

 

U.S. Federalism in Documents 3-4 years [up]

Description: American federalism is an original contribution to democratic governance. The United States is the first continental-size polity governed in a reasonably democratic, right-respecting manner. Making, as de Tocqueville said, democracy workable for the first time by balancing the advantages and disadvantages of small and large republics, American federalism has survived for more than two centuries and produced a civilization occupying a superpower position. The course, based on materials presented at the USIA-Lafayette College Institute on American Federal Democracy (Steamboat Springs, CO, June 27-July 27, 1997), intends to investigate the rise and development of American federalism through some of the most important documents in its history. In addition to primary sources and documents, the course will address some of the theoretical issues concerning federalism with the help of recent secondary literature by leading authorities on federalism.By the end of the course, the participants should be familiar with the most important aspects of federalism as well as with the documents that mark the development of American federalism in the last two centuries. The course is designed as a seminar. Sessions will start with the introductory remarks of the instructor or one of the participants, leaving 60-70 minutes for the participants to discuss the various stages and/or aspects of federalism with the help of the pre-assigned reading material. The course will be concluded with an end-term paper of 30,000 characters.
Evaluation policy: class activity 60%, end-term paper 40%.
Prerequisites: JATE Academic English I, and at least one course in American History.

Weekly Schedule with Readings
[Compulsory readings in handout master copy]

1. General Introduction [41p]

  1. John Kincaid: "Federalism." In: Charles F. Bahmueller (ed.): Civitas: A Framework for Civic Education (Calabasas, CA: Center for Civic Education, 1991), pp. 391-416 [typescript]. [33]Daniel Elazar: "From Statism to Federalism: A Paradigm Shift." In: Publius: The Journal of Federalism 25 (Spring 1995), 5-18. [8]
  2. [Optional: Daniel Elazar: "Why Federalism?" In: Exploring Federalism (Tuscaloosa: University of Alabama Press, 1987), pp. 1-114.

Covenant in Hungarian history? See chapters 5-6 in Gesta Hungarorum click]
The Hungarian Constitution (in English)

2. The Mayflower Compact [37p]

  1. Donald S. Lutz: "The Mayflower Compact, 1620" in: Stephen L. Schechter (ed.): Roots of the Republic. American Founding Documents Interpreted (Madison: Madison House, 1990), pp. 17-23. [4]
  2. Daniel Elazar: "The Political Theory of Covenant: Biblical Origins and Modern Developments." In: Publius 10 (Fall 1980), 3-30. [14]
  3. Donald S. Lutz: "Constitutions, Covenants, and Compacts." In: The Origins of American Constitutionalism (Baton Rouge and London: Louisiana State University Press, 1988), pp. 13-49. [19]
  4. [Optional: David B. Walker: The Rebirth of Federalism: Slouching toward Washington (Chatham, NJ: Chatham House Publishers, Inc., 1995), pp. 39-66. {15}]

3. The Albany Plan [16p]

  1. Thomas E. Burke: "The Albany Plan of Union, 1754". In: Roots. pp. 106-117. [6]
  2. Donald S. Lutz: "Constitutional Development during the Colonial Era." In: Origins, pp. 50-69. [10]
  3. [Optional: Rebirth, pp. 39-66.]

4. Thoughts on Government [16p]

  1. Richard B. Bernstein: "John Adams's Thoughts on Government, 1776." In: Roots. pp. 118-137. [10]
  2. Donald S. Lutz: "A Coherent American Theory of Politics." In: Origins, pp. 70-80. [6]
  3. [Optional: Samuel H. Beer: To Make a Nation. The Rediscovery of American Federalism (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1993), pp. 133-214. {42}]

5. Declaration of Independence [30p]

  1. Donald S. Lutz: "The Declaration of Independence, 1776." In: Roots. pp. 138-149. [6]
  2. Daniel Elazar, John Kincaid: "The Declaration of Independence: The Founding Covenant of the American People" (Philadelphia: Center for the Study of Federalism, 1980), pp. 1-29. [16]
  3. Donald S. Lutz: "The Declaration of Independence." In: Origins, pp. 111-124. [8]

6. The Articles of Confederation [18p]

  1. Donald S. Lutz: "The Articles of Confederation, 1781." In: Roots. pp. 227-248. [12]
  2. Donald S. Lutz: "The Articles of Confederation." In: Origins, pp. 125-135. [6]

7. The Constitution (1) [48p]

  1. Donald S. Lutz: "The United States Constitution, 1787." In: Roots. pp. 266-290. [13]
  2. Donald S. Lutz: "From Covenant to Constitution in American Political Thought." In: Publius 10 (Fall 1980), 101-133.. [17]
  3. Donald S. Lutz: "The Context of The Constitution;" "The Text of American Constitutionalism." In: Origins, pp. 137-149;] 150-170. [18]
  4. [Optional: To Make a Nation. 215-340.]

8. The Constitution (2) [6p]

  1. Donald S. Lutz: "The United States Constitution, 1787." In: Roots. pp. 266-290.
  2. Donald S. Lutz: The United States Constitution as an Incomplete Text." In: Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science 496 (March 1988), 23-32. [6]
  3. Donald S. Lutz: "The Context of The Constitution;" "The Text of American Constitutionalism." In: Origins, pp. 137-149; 150-170.
  4. [Optional: Donald S. Lutz: "Constitutionalism since 1945: An Empirical and Theoretical Overview." MS, October 1997.]
  5. [Optional: To Make a Nation. 215-340.]

9. The Federalist Papers [31p]

  1. Stephen L. Schechter: "The Federalist on Federalism, 1787-1788." In: Roots. pp. 291-334. [23]
  2. Donald S. Lutz: "Variations on a Theory of Popular Control." In: Origins, pp. 81-95. [8]
  3. [Optional: To Make a Nation. 215-340.]

10. The Bill of Rights [31p]

  1. John P. Kaminsky and Richard B. Bernstein: "The Bill of Rights, 1791." In: Roots. pp. 423-440. [10]
  2. Donald S. Lutz: "Towards a Complete Text of the United States Bill of Rights." In: A Preface to American Political Theory (Lawrence, KS: University of Kansas Press, 1992), pp. 49-88. [21]

11. Marshall's Supreme Court Decisions [21p]

  1. "Marbury v. Madison (1803)," and "McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)." In: Melvin I. Urofsky (ed.): Basic Readings in U.S. Democracy (Washington: USIA, 1994), pp. 53-60, 61-69. [9]
  2. Ellis Katz: "The United States Supreme Court and the Integration of American Federalism." In: Edmund Orban (ed.): Federalism and Supreme Courts (Bruxelles: Établissements Émile Bruylant, 1991), pp. 35-58. [12]

12. Jefferson to Weightman; Lincoln's Gettysburg Address [6p]

  1. Richard B. Bernstein: "Thomas Jefferson's Letter to Roger D. Weightman, 1826." In: Roots. pp. 441-448. [5]
  2. "Abraham Lincoln: Gettysburg Address (1863)." In: Melvin I. Urofsky (ed.): Basic Readings, pp. 162-163. [1]

13. Conclusions

Recommended readings will include:

  • Wills, Gary (ed.): The Federalist Papers by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay. New York: Bantam Books, 1982.
  • Tocqueville, Alexis de: Democracy in America. Edited by J.P. Mayer. New York: HarperCollins, 1988.
  • Donald S. Lutz: "The Preamble to the Constitution of the United States" [NGy-txt]
  • Lévai Csaba (ed.): Új rend egy Új világban. Dokumentumok az amerikai politikai gondolkodás korai történetéhez. Debrecen: Debrecen UP, 1997.
  • Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay: A föderalista. Értekezesek az amerikai alkotmányról. Budapest: Európa, 1998.
  • Archie P. Jones: "Christianity, Our Early State Constitutions, and American Federalism." In: Contra Mundum No. 10 Winter 1994 [NGy-txt]
  • Steven Alan Samson: "The Covenant Origins Of The American Polity." In: Contra Mundum No. 10 Winter 1994 [NGy-txt]
  • Andrew Sandlin: "The Federal Constitution, Product of a Christian Ethos." [NGy-txt]
  • Thomas G. West: "Religious Liberty: The View from the Founding." Originally published May 4, 1996 [NGy-txt]
  • Arthur S. Miller: "Toward a Definition of 'The' Constitution." In: University of Dayton Law Review 8:3 (1983), 633-711. [NGy-xrx]
  • Arthur S. Miller: "Myth and Reality in American Constitutionalism." In: Texas Law Review 63:1 (August 1984), 181-206. [NGy-xrx]
  • Arthur S. Miller: "Taking Needs Seriously: Observations on the Necessity for Constitutional Change." In: Washington and Lee Law Review 41/4 (Fall 1984), 1243-1306. [NGy-xrx]
  • Daniel S. Goodman: "American Constitutionalism and the Myth of the Creative Era." In: Santa Clara Law Review 29 (1989), 753-780. [NGy-xrx]

 

Hungarian Travellers in the United States — [up]

Course description: The course discusses some of the most important travelogues that Hungarian travellers wrote about their experiences in the United States. These are mostly mid-19th century works, (although for American Studies majors/minors we can cover the writings of Stephen Parmenius of Buda as well) and the authors include Bölöni Farkas Sándor, Xántus János, Haraszti Ágoston, Nendtvich Károly. In addition to booksize works, we shall also read occasional articles published in Hungarian newspapers of the same period. We shall also look at travelogues from later periods to see how (and if) the Hungarian perception of America has changed.
Course requirements will include reading the following works: Bölöni Farkas Sándor: Utazás Észak Amerikában, Nendtvich Károly: Amerikai utazásom, Prépost István (közli): Xántus János levelei Éjszakamerikából, and reading at least two or three more booksize works from the same field. An end-term paper (10-12 pages) on some aspect of the subjects under discussion will have to be submitted by December 10.
Most of the works to be discussed and much of the literature on the subject being accessible in the Vasváry Collection of Somogyi Library, it will be possible for the class, with the kind permission of the Library, to meet in the room of the Collection.

Weekly schedule will be based on the following readings:

Bölöni Farkas Sándor

Utazás Észak Amerikában. Ifjabb Tilsch János, Kolozsvár, 1834. [JATEK; SK G.c.1215; NGy]
Pachter, Mark (ed.): Abroad in America: Visitors to the New Nation 1776-1914. Smithsonian Institute & Addison Wesley Publishing Co., 1976. [NGy-xrx]
(On Bölöni Farkas & Haraszthy, see pp. 43-51.)

2 Haraszthy Ágoston

Utazás Éjszak-Amerikában. I-II. Heckenast, Pest, 1844. [JATEK B47052; SK B50363; SpC-xrx]
Sztáray Zoltán: Haraszthy Ágoston. A kaliforniai szőlőkultúra atyja. Püski, New York, 1986.
Pachter, Mark (ed.): Abroad in America. (On Bölöni Farkas & Haraszthy, see pp. 43-51.)

3 Kossuth, Lajos in America.

Lukácsy Sándor (szerk.): Rabszolga Washington sírjánál: Kossuth emigráns társainak leírása Amerikáról. Budapest, 1953. [JATEK; SK]
Balassa József, Kossuth Amerikában 1851-1852. Gergely, Budapest, 1931. 128p. [SZEK]
Faragó László: Kossuth Zarándokútja Amerikában. Békés, 1928.
Pachter, Mark (ed.): Abroad in America. (On Kossuth, see pp. 124-133.)

4 László Károly

Napló-töredék. Budapest, 1887. [JATEK 60708; SK G.e.1835];
"Levelek Amerikából". In: Vasárnapi Ujság, 1859/1 (Jan.2) 6-7.; 1859/5 (Jan.30) 54-55.; 1859/9 (Feb.27) 102-103.; 1859/22 (Máj.29) 258-259.; 1859/25 (Jún.19) 294-295.; 1859/29 (Júl.17) 343.; 1859/30 (Júl.24) 354-355.; 1859/34 (Aug.21) 402-403.; 1859/35 (Aug.28) 411-412.; 1859/39 (Szep.25) 463-464.; 1860/5 (Jan.29) 54-55.; 1860/9 (Feb.26) 105. [JATEK 59025]; in: Politikai Ujdonságok, 1860/8 (Feb.23) 119-120. [JATEK 54369]
Xántus János: "László Károly". Vasárnapi Ujság, 1868. Január 12. p.1.

5 Árvay László

Az 1848/49 évi gyászos véget ért magyar szabadságharc után kimenekült honvéd századosnak élményei a hontalanságban. Manuscript. [SK˙G.e.3586]
(Passages on pp. 172-177, 180-185, 197-198, 200-214, 217-229, 233-243, 243, 245, 248-252. not published in Lukácsy: Rabszolga)

6 Wass Samu

Kilencz év egy száműzött életéből. Szárazi és tengeri útazások Nyúgaton. I-II. Ráth Mór, Pest, 1861-1862. [JATEK 5006; SK]
Deák Farkas: Gróf Wass Sámuel emlékezete. Budapest, 1880. [JATEK˙86534]
Charles Dickens, American Notes.

7 Ács Gedeon

Mihelyt gyertyámat eloltom... Bostoni jegyzetek 1856-1863. Gondolat, Budapest, 1989.
Ács˙Tivadar: Kossuth papja: Ács Gedeon. Budapest, 1940. [JATEK˙73156] [VC 546768; NGy]
Zombori István: "A múlt századi Amerika — magyar szemmel. (Ismeretlen kézirat a Kossuth-emigrációból)". Móra Ferenc Múzeum Évkönyve 1976-77/1, pp.325-364.
Zombori István: "Idegen népek — magyar emberek. (Ács Gedeon naplójának földrajzi és néprajzi vonatkozásai)". In: Móra Ferenc Múzeum Évkönyve 1978-79/1, pp.207-231.
Frances Trollope, The Domestic Manners of the Americans.

8 Xántus János

Xántus János levelei Éjszakamerikából. Lauffer & Stolp, Pest, 1858. [JATEK B19490; SpC-xrx; SK G.c.1195]
Utazás Kalifornia déli részeiben. Pest, 1860.
Mocsáry Sándor: "Xántus János emlékezete". Emlékbeszédek a M.T. Akadémia tagjairól. IX.köt., 9.sz. 1899.
Halász Gyula: "Xántus János (1825-1894)". In: Öt világrész magyar vándorai. Magyar fölfedezők Benyovszkytól napjainkig. Grill Károly, Budapest, 1936 (reprint: Aqua, Budapest, 1993), pp.61-71. [NGY]
Ács˙Tivadar: New-Buda. Budapest, 1940. [JATEK A21206]
Bakai Lajos, ifj.: Xántus János californiai utazása. Budapest, 1943. [OSZK 144.175]
László Könnyű: John Xantus, Hungarian Geographer in America (1851-64). American Hungarian Publishers: Köln, 1965.
Könnyű László: Xántus János geográfus Amerikában (1851-1864). St Louis, 1975. [VC B40781]
Madden,˙Henry˙Miller: Xantus, Hungarian Naturalist in the Pioneer West. Paolo Alto, 1949. [SpeC.68,69-xrx; VC-xrx; NGy-xrx]
Sándor István: Xántus János. Budapest, 1970.

9 Nendtvich Károly

Amerikai utazásom. I-II. Heckenast, Pest, 1858. [JATEK 47035; SK G.c.385]
H.J.: [Review of Nendtvich's & Xántus' books]. In: Budapesti Szemle, 1858/3. 255-256. [SK G.c.182]
Ilosvay Lajos: "Nendtvich Károly emlékezete (1811-1892)". Akadémiai Értesítő VI/12 (1895. Deczember 15.) 673-686.
Szállási Árpád dr.: "Nendtvich Károly amerikai utazása 1855-ben". Orvosi Hetilap, 1984. szept. 2. 2205-2210.

10 Pulszky Ferenc & Teréz

White, Red, Black: Sketches of Society in the USA during the visit their guest [sic]. I-III. Trubner & Co., London. [VC 538704]

11 And the latest: Dlusztus Imre

"Fölpróbáltam Amerikát". Series in Délmagyarország, October 26 — November 16, 1993. Based on having read at least one contemporary travelogue from the following list:

Randé Jenő, Sputnyik New York felett. Ill. Kondor Lajos. Móra, Budapest, 1960. [SZEK˙8-48497]
Gál Zsuzsanna, Feleség voltam New Yorkban. Táncsics, Budapest, 1966. [JATEK A53591, NGY]
Harmat Endre, Hello, New York! Gondolat, Budapest, 1967. [NGY]
Helon László, Felfedeztem Amerikát. Kossuth, Budapest, 1967. [JATEK TA57139, SZEK 8-72426]
Elődi Pál, Levelek Tennessee-ből. Gondolat, Budapest, 1967. [JATEK TA57125, NGY]
Sőtér István, Vacsora Carmelben. Amerikai útinapló. Gondolat, Budapest, 1968. [JATEK A59849]
Juhász Előd, Amerikai variációk. Honolulutól Montreálig. Zeneműkiadó, Budapest, 1969. [JATEK A61924]
Boldizsár Iván, New York percről percre. Magvető, Budapest, 1971.[JATEK TA67286]
Pethő Tibor: Amerika közelről. Magvető, Budapest, 1972.[SZEK˙8-89403]
Vitray Tamás, Amerikai mozaik. Táncsics, Budapest, 1972. [JATEK A70205]
Ipper Pál, Újvilági utazások. Gondolat, Budapest, 1973. [JATEK A71918]
Rozsos Miklós: "Hátsó bejáraton" Amerikába. Útinapló. London, 1973. [OSZK OB47184]
Halász Zoltán, Képeslapok Amerikából. Útikonyv. Budapest, 1974. [JATEK A75373]
Koltai Gyula: Nem mind fénylik, ami Amerika. Hat hónap ösztöndíjjal az Egyesült Államokban. Budapest, 1977. [OSZK B83.740]
Szász János, Amerikából jöttem. Naplójegyzetek hét hónapról, amit a szerző a huszadik század hetvenes éveinek elején az Egyesült Államokban töltött. Kriterion, Bukarest, 1977. [JATEK B81149]
Kokas Klára: Amerikában tanítottam. Budapest, 1978. [OSZK B84.542]
Kálmán Zsófia, Levélcímünk: Chicago 60615... Gondolat, Budapest, 1980. [JATEK A93411; A93147]
Végh Antal: Nyugati utakon. Budapest, 1980. [OSZK˙B90.349]
Bokor Pál, Washington. MTI K., Budapest, 1985. [JATEK A113155]
Kulcsár István, Legország. New York-i levelek. Magvető, Budapest, 1985. [JATEK A112184]
Kunszabó Ferenc, Éjféli hajnal. Útijegyzetek. Magvető, Budapest, 1986.[SZEK˙8-140449]
Zsolt István, Az ott lenn Amerika. ILK, Budapest, 1986. [JATEK A115798]
Kulcsár István, Tudósítás Átlagamerikából. Gondolat, Budapest, 1987. [JATEK B117893]
Fekete Gyula, Meditáció Amerikáról. Magvető, Budapest, 1987. JATEK [A119849]
Bárdos István, Így láttam Amerikát. Szerző, Budapest, 1988.[SZEK˙8-146942]
Vecsenyi Katalin, Gyesen voltam Amerikában. Szerző, Budapest, 1988. [JATEK A120025]
Csák Elemér—Kulcsár István, A jégfüggöny lehull. Háttér, Budapest, 1990. [JATEK A127101]

12 Summing up.

 

Hungarian American Fiction — A Sample — [up]

The course attempts to find out, mostly through the works of István Eszterhás, how Hungarian literature is made in the United States, whether and how this Hungarian literature can function as a cohesive force for American Hungarians, and whether and how Hungarian language can work and be transformed into an artistic medium in that linguistic environment.
Course requirements: reading 4 or 5 novels of I. Eszterhas from the post-WW2 period, including his Kováts Mihály novel and Amerikai Magyar Regény. The course will be organized around the novels, the participants given assignments for every week. Grading will be based on activity in the classroom (60%) and on a 10 page-long paper to be handed in between November 30 and December 4. Since all the literature to be discussed can be found there, the class meets in the room of the Vasvary Collection (Somogyi Library) with the kind permission of the Keeper, Maria Korasz.

Bibliography

Béládi Miklós—Pomogáts Béla—Rónay László: A nyugati magyar irodalom 1945 után. Gondolat: Budapest, 1986. 327p.

Könnyü László: Az amerikai magyar irodalom története. Szemelvényekkel. (Második javított, bővített kiadás). Amerikai Magyar Szemle: St.Louis, 1986. 149p. [VC]

Works by István Eszterhas:

  • Háborúban nőttünk fel (Budapest, 1937)
  • Szegények szerelme (Budapest, 1942)
  • A besúgó és az apostol (Cleveland, 1952)
  • Magyar disputa (Cleveland, 1955)
  • Vérző karcolatok I. Kétszer radikális Gyuri (Cleveland, 1958)
  • Mendő Szabó Mári néni komendál (Cleveland, 1960)
  • Ünneplő halál okából (Youngstown, 1962)
  • Atlanti szaletli (Cleveland, 1971)
  • Száműzött a szabadság igájában. Tanulság és tanúság. (Cleveland, 1978)
  • Kováts Mihály hajóra száll 1-2. (Cleveland, 1980)
  • A hézag. Szatíra—regényben elbeszélve (Cleveland, 1983)
  • A bíboros és a rendőr (Cleveland, 1985)
  • Kakucsográfia (Cleveland, 1987)
  • Amerikai magyar regény (Cleveland, 1989)

 

20th-century Hungarian Travel Narratives on the United States [up]

After surveying briefly the story of the genre from the Carthaginian Hanno through Odysseus, Marco Polo to Cpt. John Smith, Thomas Morton, and Bölöni Farkas Sándor, the course will discuss the travel narratives written by Hungarians on their experiences in the USA. The will include those written on the Kossuth pilgrimage in 1928, Elek Máthé's basic work on Hungarian Americans on the eve of WW2, as well as the accounts given by those who were allowed to travel to the States between 1950 and 1989. Special emphasis will be laid on the ways the genre was or was not able to accommodate the various ends imposed on it at various points of time, under different political, economic conditions. = Participants will be asked to make presentations on various aspects of the subject based on their readings; each participant will have to read at least six travelogues + secondary literature. The course will be concluded by a written test. The proceedings of each class will be recorded by a participant and the minutes approved of at the next meeting. Classroom activity will include short papers prepared at the request of the instructor on various aspects of the subject. For grading, classroom activity (30%), the presentations (30%) and the end-term test (40%) will be considered. The (at least one) presentation and the end-term paper are preconditions of grading.

Schedule

1) Travel narratives — definition, historical survey
(Hanno, Oddysey; two short ones:
Szörényi L.: Az utazás;
Lennon-McCartney: The Ballad of John & Yoko)

2) 19th century
(Bölöni [>Király >Müller], Haraszty, Xántus, Nendtvich, Széchenyi Béla, László Károly, Kecskeméthy, etc.)

3) Early 20th century
(Vértesi 1908, Blanár 1914-20)

4-5-6) The Kossuth pilgrimage, 1928
(V = Vásáry; W = Weissenbach; LA = Lázár Andor; L = Liber; K = Kozma; F = Faragó; P = Pólya; B = Bíró [>Tóth >Miklósi >Bordás]; Zs = Zsarkó; H = Horváth Zoltán; Cs = Csókay)
+ Danner photos; film; photos of banquets in Vasvary Collection [New York, Pittsburgh, Buffalo]; background: Vasvary articles [manuscript, 1953] + contemporary articles by reporters present + Gyetvai 1925-52 — Communist demonstrations

7) Objections
(Gyetvai 1925-52; Előd [>Révész] 1967; Harmat [>Horvath] 1967; Koltai 1977)

8) Same place (same TN), nearly same time, different H
(Szász I. 1971-2; Szász J. 1972-3; Nemes Nagy 1979-80)

9) The Domestic Manners of Hungarians in America
(Gál 1966-7; Kálmán 1976-7; Vecsenyi 1983-6)

10) Quickies in the 80s
(Németi 1982; Markovits 1982)
  1. The last decade and the men from Szeged
    (    Pordány 1989; Csillag 1989-90; dr.Nagy 1991; Dlusztus 1993; Szávay 1999)
  2. Final test

Primary Bibliography: articles — books

Some secondary literature

 

The Bayeux Tapestry: Record, Artifact, Narrative [up]

Course Description: The course considers and discusses the unique 11th century embroidery from various aspects. The Tapestry will be discussed as a historical record, a source of information about the past; as a work of art, trying to create order, beauty, aesthetic value; as a narration empoying various (unusual and usual) means to tell a story. The approaches will include, among others, the structural, where the various relationships between the whole and its parts will be considered; and the intertextual, where sub/inter"texts" will be sought to elucidate othervise unintelligible "passages", etc. Special attention will be paid to the upper and lower borders, which abound in scenes and figures that have (so far) defied all attempts at elucidation. A tentative program:

  • 1-2. Close "reading" of the BT: the story.
  • 3. Problems of identification
  • 4-5. The BT as historical source
  • 6. The BT as work of art: order imposed, created, invented?
  • 7. Narration: limits and means
  • 8. Readings: Aelfgyva; Edward's burial; the quicksand; Harold's blinding, etc.
  • 9-10-11. Sub/intertexts: borders, fables, nudes —
  • 12. Summing up. — Final test

Assignments, grading (%), textbooks: Participants will be asked to make introductions on various aspects of the Tapestry based on their readings of the literature, which may and may not be made available by the instructor. The course will be concluded by a written test. Classroom activity will include small (2-5 thousand characters) presentations prepared at the request of the instructor on various aspects of the subject. For grading, classroom activity (30%), the introduction (30%) and the end-term test (40%) will be considered. The (at least one) introduction and the end-term paper are preconditions of grading.
Prerequisites: JATE Academic English 1. A couple of courses on history or literature won't hurt.

Compulsory readings include:

Varga Vanda Éva (ed.): A Bayeux-i faliszőnyeg. Documenta Historica 18. Szeged, JATE Történész Diákkör, 1994.; Jójárt Júlia—Varga Vanda Éva (eds), A Bayeux-i faliszőnyeg. Második, átdolgozott kiadás. Documenta Historica 34. Szeged, JATE Történész Diákkör, 1998.
Setton, Kenneth M.: "900 Years ago: The Norman Conquest." National Geographic 130/2 (August, 1966), 206-251.
Stenton, Sir Frank (General editor): The Bayeux Tapestry. A Comprehensive Survey. London: Phaidon Press, 1957.
Werckmeister, Otto: "The Political Ideology of the Bayeux Tapestry." Studi Medievali 17/2 (1976) 535-595.
Brooks, N.P. and Walker, H.E.: "The Authority and Interpretation of the Bayeux Tapestry." In: Proceedings of the Battle Conference on Anglo-Norman Studies 1 (1978), 1-34.
Brown, Shirley Ann: The Bayeuux Tapestry. History and Bibliography. Woodbridge: The Boydell Press, 1988.
McNulty, J. Bard: The Narrative Art of the Bayeux Tapestry Master. New York: AMS Press, 1989.
The fables of Aesop (Aiszóposz meséi, fordította Sarkady János. Bp: Magyar Helikon, 1969 [TB59200]; Aiszóposz meséi, fordította Bodor András. Bukarest: Kriterion, 1970 [A65165]); Aisopos meséi, fordította Czímer József. Bp: ABC, 1943 [T60543]; Aesopus fabulái, Pesti Gábor szerint. Bp: Magvető, 1980 [A94329]; Phaedrus, Augustus szabadosa, Aesopi meséinek öt könyve, fordította Sárváry Jakab. Bp: Aigner Lajos, 1876 [28084])

Additional literature, also available for xeroxing, will include the following:

Pál József (szerk.): Ikonológia és műértelmezés I. Az ikonológia elmélete. Szöveggyűjtemény az irodalom és a képzőművészet szimbolizmusáról. I-II. Szeged: JATE, 1986.
Chefneux, Hélene: "Les Fables dans la Tapisserie de Bayeux." Romania. Revue Trimestrielle consacré a l'étude des langues et des littératures romanes. LX. 237 (Janvier 1934) 1-35; (Fevrier 1934) 153-194.

Gibbs-Smith, Charles H.: "The Death of Harold at the Battle of Hastings." History Today X (1960) 188-191;
Bertrand, Simone: La Tappiserie de Bayeux et la maniere de vivre au onzieme siecle. Zodiaque, 1966;
Dodwell, C.R.: "The Bayeux Tapestry and the French Secular Epic." The Burlington Magazine. Volume 108 Number 764 (November 1966) 549-560;
McNulty, J. Bard: "The Lady Aelfgyva in the Bayeux Tapestry." Speculum 55/4 (1980), 659-668;
Bernstein, David: "The Blinding of Harold and the Meaning of the Bayeux Tapestry." Anglo-Norman Studies [ANS] V. Proceedings of the Battle Conference [PBC] 1982. 40-64;
Kiff, Jennie: "Images of War: Illustrations of Warfare in Early Eleventh-Century England." ANS VII. PBC 1984. 177-194;
Wilson, David M.: The Bayeux Tapestry. London: Thames and Hudson, 1985 (French translation on reserve in University Library Reading Room);
MacCormack, Katharine: "The Bayeux Tapestry: Does It Follow the French Oral Epic?" Constructions. A Journal Published by Graduate Students in French. 1985, 95-103;
Bernstein, David J.: The Mystery of the Bayeux Tapestry. London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 1986;
Cowdrey, H.E.J.: "Towards an Interpretation of the Bayeux Tapestry." ANS X. PBC 1987. 49-65;
Yapp, W.B.: "Animals in medieval art: the Bayeux Tapestry as an example." Journal of Medieval History 13 (1987), 15-73;
Brown, Shirley Ann: "The Bayeux Tapestry: Why Eustace, Odo and William?" ANS XII PBC 1989. 7-28;
Brown, S.A. and Herren, M.W.: "The Adalae Comitissae of Baudri of Bourgeuil and the Bayeux Tapestry." ANS XVI PBC 1993. 55-73;
Renn, Derek: "Burhgeat and gonfanon: Two Sidelights from the Bayeux Tapestry." ANS XVI PBC 1993. 177-198. 

 

2000 spring; Novák György
Seminar, 2nd-5th-yr GB, US,
1st-yr GB&US
Lit/Hist/Cult

American Constitutions

— [up]

Description: As emphasized by D.S. Lutz among others, the constitutional beginnings of the USA root as much in the founding, mostly covenantal, practices of the colonists as in the Founding Fathers' reading of the theoretical works of Locke an Montesquieu. The course intends to investigate the origins of the American constitutions — in plural because the American polity or "civil body politick" is based on more than the one document called "Constitution". These documents include the earliest charters and covenants as well as the Declaration of Independence, and the several state constitutions. Indeed, the course will have a look at later founding developments, such as judicial review and even Lincoln's 'Gettysburg Address'.

Assignments: Participants will be asked to write two mide-term papers (4-5.000 characters each) at the request of the instructor on various aspects of the subject. The course will be concluded by a written test. The proceedings of each class will be recorded by a participant, distributed by e-mail,and approved of at the next meeting. Classroom activity will include presentations on various aspects of the subject based on their readings. Extra (bonus) marks/points can be won by answering questions distributed by instructor through e-mail.

Grading:
3rd year: 1 presentation + classroom activity (30%); 2 mid-term papers (30%); 1 final test (40%).
4th year: 1 presentation + classroom activity (20%); 2 mid-term papers (30%); 1 final test (25%); 1 end-term paper (25%).

The presentation, the mid-term papers, the end-term paper, and the final are all preconditions of grading.

Prerequisites: JATE-AE1/JATE-AE2; one course in American history

Schedule, tentative:

  1. Constitutions, foundations — theories
  2. Charters
  3. Covenants, religious
  4. Covenants, secular
  5. Plans (Albany Plan of Union; Thoughts on Government)
  6. The Declaration of Independence (+ the constitutions of NH, SC, and VA)
  7. The Articles of Confederation
  8. The Constitution (+ state constitutions, MA)
  9. The Bill of Rights, amendments, etc.
  10. Did you say the Gettyburg Address?

Set reading (for everyone)

 The relevant primary documents usually available on the web.

 Daniel J. Elazar: The American Constitutional Tradition. 1988.

 Daniel J. Elazar: Covenant & Constitutionalism. The Great Frontier and the Matrix of Federal Democracy. The Covenant Tradition in Politics. Volume III. 1998

 Donald S. Lutz: The Origins of American Constitutionalism. 1988.

 Publius. The Journal of Federalism Fall 1980.

3rd year presentations/book reviews:

 Champlin Burrage: The Church Covenant Idea. Its Origin and Its Development. 1904.

 Peter Y de Yong: The Covenant Idea in New England Theology 1620-1847. 1945.

 Delbert R. Hillers: Covenant. The History of a Biblical Idea. 1969.

 4th yr presentations/book reviews:

 Daniel J. Elazar: The American Mosaic. The Impact of Space, Time, and Culture in American Politics. 1994.

 Daniel J. Elazar: Covenant & Polity in Biblical Israel: Biblical Foundations & Jewish Expressions. Vol. I of the Covenant Tradition in Politics. 1995.

 Daniel J. Elazar: Covenant & Commonwealth: From Christian Separation through the Protestant Reformation. The Covenant Tradition in Politics. Vol. II. 1996.

 Daniel J. Elazar: Covenant and Civil Society. The Covenant Tradition in Politics. Vol. IV. 1998

 Donald S. Lutz: Popular Consent and Popular Control. Whig Political Theory in the Early State Constitutions. 1980.

 Donald S. Lutz: A Preface to American Political Theory. 1992.

 Arthur S. Miller: "Myth and Reality in American Constitutionalism." In: Texas Law Review, Vol. 63:1 (August 1984), 181-206.

 Arthur S. Miller: "Toward a Definition of 'The' Constitution." In: University of Dayton Law Review Vol. 8:3 (1983), 633-711.

 Arthur S. Miller: "Taking Needs Seriously: Observations on the Necessity for Constitutional Change." In: Washington and Lee Law Review Vol. 41:4 (Fall 1984), 1243-1306.

 Danile S. Goodman: "American Constitutionalism and the Myth of the Creative Era." In: Santa Clara Law Review Vol. 29 (1989), 753-780.

Optional Literature

 John Locke: "The Second Treatise of Government." Various editions.

 Stephen L. Schechter (ed.): Roots of the Republic. American Documents Interpreted. 1990.

 Lévai Csaba (ed): Új rend egy új világban. Dokumentumok az amerikai politikai gondolkodás korai történetéhez. 1997.

 Donald S. Lutz (ed.): Documents of Political Foundations Written by Colonial Americans. 1986.

 Donald S. Lutz: A Covenanted People. The Religious Tradition and the Origins of American Constitutionalism. 1987.

 Donald S. Lutz (ed): Colonial Origins of the American Constitution. 1998.

 


Translating Colonial American Documents
(Workshop seminar) — [up]

Spring 2000
Novák György
2nd-5th GB, US, 2YU
Lit/hist/cult; elective, seminar

Description: The aim of the course is to discuss in depth two documents of colonial America and to translate them. Although most of the time will probably be taken up by translation, emphasis will be on discussion. The two narratives are of fundamental importance as travel narratives, and/or first account, captivity narrative. The translated documents will be hopefully published in the series Documenta Historica of the University. The documents to be translated are:

  • G. Mourt: A Relation or Iournall of the beginning and proceedings of the English Plantation setled at Plimoth in New England. John Bellamie: London, 1622. [82] [available for xeroxing]
  • "A True History of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson." In: Colonial American Travel Narratives (Penguin: Harmondsworth, 1994), pp. 5-48. [44] [also available on the Internet]

Assignments: Translations and their critique will be done every week. Copies of the efforts will be distributed among the participants by the translators and the translations discussed in class. Participants should be prepared to pay for the xeroxed copies.

Grading will be based on the contribution to the discussions in class (50%), and on the quality and the improvement of the translations during the semester (50%). The workload of 4th year participants will be twice as much as that of (first) second and third year students. Since class activity will be vital to the success of the course, participant should be prepared that no more than one absence on whatever excuse will be allowed. The course will not take more than 12 participants.

Prerequisites: JATE AE1 or 2; one course in American history; preferably another in translation.

Tentative schedule:

  • Week 0 — Organization
  • Week 1 — Mourt 1
    (Title page + "To his much respected Friend" + "To the Reader" + "Certain Useful advertisements" [11]
  • Week 2 — Mourt 2
    (Relation pp. 1-10.)
  • Week 3 — Mourt 3
    (Relation pp. 11-22.)
  • Week 4 — Mourt 4
    (Relation pp. 22-33.)
  • Week 5 — Mourt 5
    (Relation + "Iovrney to Packanokik" pp. 33-45.)
  • Week 6 — Mourt 6
    ("Iovrney to Packanokik" +"A Voyage made by ten of our men to the Kingdome of Navset" + "A Iovrney to the Kingdome of Namaschet" pp. 46-56.)
  • Week 7 — Mourt 7
    ("A Relation of ovr Voyage to Massachusetts" + "A Letter sent from New-England" pp. 57-64.)
  • Week 8 — Mourt 8
    ("Reasons & Considerations" pp. 65-72.)
  • Week 9 — Rowlandson 1
    (Preface + Removes 1-3)
  • Week 10 — Rowlandson 2
    (Removes 4-12)
  • Week 11 — Rowlandson 3
    (Removes 13-19)
  • Week 12 — Rowlandson 4
    (Remove 20 to end)
  • Week 13 — Conclusions, final touches