Course Syllabus

HST 304.18868/20450: Drinking Cultures in Early Modern Europe

Spring 2025

Online

Instructor: Stephen Lazer

Email: slazer@asu.edu

Office hours: TR 12:00-2:00pm and by appointment. Please feel free to reach out to make an appointment if you want one.

Zoom link: https://asu.zoom.us/j/8062428648

Office hours are the times when I am guaranteed to be in my office and available to talk in person or in zoom.  If those times do not work for you, I am happy to make an appointment. Or just stop by! I will be in my office often.

This course examines the social and cultural attributes of drinking cultures in early modern Europe, roughly between 1500 and 1800. While beer and wine were already culturally important drinks, the period also saw the arrival and popularization of new caffeinated drinks such as chocolate, coffee, and tea. We will therefore examine how drinking cultures evolved along gender, class, and religious lines as well as how these new commodities implicated Europeans of all classes in European imperialism and global trade networks.

 

Student Learning Outcomes

1. Students will be able to understand and describe numerous elements of early modern drinking cultures.
2. Students will be able to understand the historical intersections of drinks with early modern rituals, government, imperialism, and the Atlantic revolutions.
3. Students will be able to understand the. significance of space in places of early modern drinking and apply that knowledge to modern drinking spaces and places.
4. Students will be able to evaluate competing academic ideas on the public sphere
5. Students will be able to analyze primary and secondary sources.
6. Students will be able to clearly and effectively articulate an original interpretation in written form.

 

Readings:

The required material for this course, Alcohol and The World of Caffeine, will be provisioned as e-books and made available at a discounted price significantly cheaper than if purchased directly from the publisher.  If you wish to take advantage of this discounted group price, no additional action is needed.  Following the drop/add period, a charge of $47.00, plus tax, will post to your student account under the header “Digital Integrated Course Mtrl” and your access will continue uninterrupted.   

If you'd rather purchase the material from an alternate source, you may choose to opt out of the program by using this link: https://includedcp.follett.com/1230. Enter your ASU e-mail address AS IT APPEARS IN THE ASU DIRECTORY (http://asu.edu/directory), then follow the instructions provided.  Be aware that if you do opt-out, your access to the e-book will be discontinued.   

TO ACCESS THE E-BOOKs, CLICK ON THE BRYTEWAVE TOOL IN YOUR COURSE’S CANVAS SHELL. Please note: the ebook won’t appear on your shelf until approximately 5 days prior to the start of classes. If you need assistance accessing the book or the opt-out portal, fill out the support request form: https://forms.gle/uD4GhBxMoixnbwYx5 

 

You may find the following websites useful when writing papers:

William Strunk, Jr. The Elements of Style. Available at: http://www.bartleby.com/141/

The Purdue OWL: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/

 

Class requirements:

Students are expected to complete all assigned readings before the online discussion. While students should always carefully read all assignments beforehand, this is particularly important for primary source documents, as you cannot discuss them if you have not read and thought about them beforehand. You will be graded based on your performance in class discussions, weekly quizzes exams, and three papers. The dates for the papers are listed below.

Written Assignments 40% (13.33% each) - Composed in your ASU Google Docs account

            You will write three (3) papers based on your analysis of the lectures and the primary and secondary source readings. These papers will require you to make and defend strong academic arguments. These will be graded on whether or not they have a clear thesis and topic sentences with a clear argument, the strength, clarity and development of the argument, the use of evidence from the sources, and writing style. These must be uploaded to Canvas through the plagiarism detector. Rubrics are available on the assignment page and on the speedgrader page.

All papers (short and long) must be in 12-point Times New Roman font, double-spaced, with one inch margins. Citations from secondary sources will be parentheticals (last name, page). Citations from primary sources are generally available on the links. I have posted a series of writing tips and strategies on the course website that I encourage you to read as it comes from years of experience with undergraduates, colleagues, and my own writing. It also includes a list of simple errors that, because they are easy fixes (unlike, say, analysis, which is not easy), will result in automatic deductions to your paper’s grade. You will also find a peer-review sheet if you wish to practice peer-review with a classmate. These peer-review sheets are also good checklists for self-review. Please do not use outside sources in your papers without express permission.

Written assignments must be composed using your ASU Google Docs account, and "Edit" access given to the instructor (slazer@asu.edu) to allow the document history to be viewed

 

Optional Special Paper (1/3 of a grade bonus)

            You have the opportunity to produce an additional written assignment of your own design of at least 1,000 words. You may also choose to complete what had originally been this course's second paper, which is now optional, as your special paper topic. If you you complete this optional paper and earn at least a B- on it you will also receive an extra third of a grade at the end of a semester. I.e., if you had earned a B for the whole course and wrote an optional paper, your final grade would actually be a B+.

Please feel free to contact me to discuss ideas and note that I must have approve the idea no later than February 10, and preferably earlier so you can get started on it. Your paper topic must engage with early modern drinking cultures and you will be expected to use at least five (5) sources. The optional paper will be due the last day of the semester. Some suggested places for finding primary sources, emphasizing England because of ease of language:

• Eighteenth Century Collections Online(https://libguides.asu.edu/18centcoll(Links to an external site.))
• Eurodocs - Primary Historical Documents from Western Europe(Links to an external site.) (http://eudocs.lib.byu.edu/index.php/Main_Page (Links to an external site.))
• Connected Histories(Links to an external site.) (http://www.connectedhistories.org (Links to an external site.)/)

I encourage you to look at ASU’s primary source library guides for other primary sources in Western Europe (https://libguides.asu.edu/c.php?g=263790&p=1762127#s-lg-box-5395098 (Links to an external site.))

 

Weekly Quizzes (18%)

            Each module (except the first) will have a short, 5-10 question multiple choice quiz based on the week’s lectures and textbook readings. The purpose of these quizzes is to help keep you on a positive pace for the semester’s work, as the lectures and the textbook are there to help you analyze the sources. The quizzes are also meant as a reward for keeping a good pace, as they are designed to be relatively easy. Quizzes are due on Wednesday.

The lowest weekly quiz grade will be dropped.

 

Syllabus Quiz (2%)

You are all expected to carefully read the syllabus and then take and get a perfect score on the syllabus quiz. You may take the syllabus quiz as many times as you would like until you get that perfect score. However, I will not accept or grade any work from you until you have successfully completed it.

 

Discussion (40%)

You are expected to participate actively and vigorously in weekly discussions on Canvas. These discussions are generally focused on the week’s primary or secondary source readings. You will post a minimum of one (1) initial response to one (1) of the week’s posted questions by 11:59 PM on Wednesday and at least two (2) carefully-considered and detailed responses to classmates by 11:59 PM on Friday. Except for the first module's discussion, which is introductory, at least one of your two responses must be to a classmate who answered a different question than you did in your initial post. Your initial posts, in particular, should include in-text parenthetical citations to the sources (last name, page number). While I will not grade your discussions for grammar and style like I will your academic papers, I still encourage you to edit them carefully before posting, as clarity is an important aspect of discussion.

The lowest week’s discussion grade will be dropped.

 

Grading Scale

            This class uses the classic letter-based grading scale with plusses and minuses. So a B+ is 88, a C- is 72, an A is 95, etc. (an A+ is 98). If you have any questions, please ask.

Papers  (13.33% each)                                     40%

Weekly Quizzes                                              18%

Syllabus Quiz                                                  2%                              

Discussion                                                       40%                

 

Online Course

This is an online course. There are no face-to-face meetings. You can log into your course via MyASU at https://my.asu.edu or the Canvas home page at https://asu.instructure.com/

Email and Internet

ASU email is an official means of communication among students, faculty, and staff. Students are expected to read and act upon email in a timely fashion. Students bear the responsibility of missed messages and should check their ASU-assigned email regularly.

All instructor correspondence will be sent to your ASU email account. 

If you use another email account, it is a good idea to forward messages from your ASU account to the other account.

Course Time Commitment

This three-credit course requires approximately 135 hours of work. Please expect to spend around 18 hours each week preparing for and actively participating in this course.

Late or Missed Assignments

Published assignment due dates and times (Arizona Mountain Standard time) are firm. Late papers will be accepted but severely penalized at the rate of five points per day late, capped at a maximum loss of 25 points (i.e. no matter how late the paper is, you will not be penalized for more than 5 days' lateness). Legitimate excuses for an extension are your own illness or an illness or death in your immediate family, at which point we will work together to determine when and how to make up missed assignments or exams. Travel plans (except in the case of a major religious holiday falling on class day), your job, and a hungry computer are not acceptable excuses. Remember that this is an accelerated online course and therefore requires good time management. Please inform me by email as soon as possible if you need an extension under those circumstances, preferably before a due date. I reserve the right to request written documentation to support all claims of emergency.

Please follow the appropriate University policies to request an accommodation for religious practices or to accommodate a missed assignment due to University-sanctioned activities.

 

Drop and Add Dates/Withdrawals

This course adheres to a compressed schedule and may be part of a sequenced program, therefore, there is a limited timeline to drop or add the course. Consult with your advisor and notify your instructor to add or drop this course. If you are considering a withdrawal, review the following ASU policies: Withdrawal from Classes,  Medical/Compassionate Withdrawal, and a Grade of Incomplete.

 

Grade Appeals

Grade disputes must first be addressed by discussing the situation with the instructor. If the dispute is not resolved with the instructor, the student may appeal to the department chair per the University Policy for Student Appeal Procedures on Grades.

 

Student Conduct and Academic Integrity

Academic honesty is expected of all students in all examinations, papers, laboratory work, academic transactions and records. The possible sanctions include, but are not limited to, appropriate grade penalties, course failure (indicated on the transcript as a grade of E), course failure due to academic dishonesty (indicated on the transcript as a grade of XE), loss of registration privileges, disqualification, and dismissal. For more information, see http://provost.asu.edu/academicintegrity. Additionally, required behavior standards are listed in the Student Code of Conduct and Student Disciplinary Procedures, Computer, Internet, and Electronic Communications policy, and outlined by the Office of Student Rights & Responsibilities. Anyone in violation of these policies is subject to sanctions.

 

Any student caught cheating or plagiarizing will automatically fail the course. It is this instructor’s policy that students caught plagiarizing will receive an XE, that is, course failure due to academic dishonesty. According to ASU’s academic integrity page on avoiding plagiarism: “Plagiarism may be the most common form of academic dishonesty and is often unintentional. Protect yourself by understanding how to avoid plagiarism with these resources:

The Governors of Acadia University's interactive video on plagiarism

The Purdue Online Writing Lab's (OWL) Avoiding Plagiarism”

Students are entitled to receive instruction free from interference by other members of the class.  An instructor may withdraw a student from the course when the student's behavior disrupts the educational process per Instructor Withdrawal of a Student for Disruptive Classroom Behavior.

Appropriate online behavior (also knows as netiquette) is defined by the instructor and includes keeping course discussion posts focused on the assigned topics. Students must maintain a cordial atmosphere and use tact in expressing differences of opinion. Inappropriate discussion board posts may be deleted by the instructor.

The Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities accepts incident reports from students, faculty, staff, or other persons who believe that a student or a student organization may have violated the Student Code of Conduct.

No Generative AI Use Permitted

In this course, all assignments must be completed by the student. Artificial Intelligence (AI), including ChatGPT and other related tools used for creating of text, images, computer code, audio, or other media, are not permitted for use in any work in this class. Use of these generative AI tools will be considered a violation of the ASU Academic Integrity Policy, and students may be sanctioned for confirmed, non-allowable use in this course.

Prohibition of Commercial Note Taking Services

In accordance with ACD 304-06 Commercial Note Taking Services, written permission must be secured from the official instructor of the class in order to sell the instructor's communication in the form of notes.  Notes must have the notetaker's name as well as the instructor's name, the course number, and the date.

 

Course Evaluation

Students are expected to complete the course evaluation. The feedback provides valuable information to the instructor and the college and is used to improve student learning. Students are notified when the online evaluation form is available.

 

Syllabus Disclaimer

The syllabus is a statement of intent and serves as an implicit agreement between the instructor and the student. Every effort will be made to avoid changing the course schedule but the possibility exists that unforeseen events will make syllabus changes necessary. Please remember to check your ASU email and the course site often.

 

Accessibility Statement

In compliance with the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 504, and the Americans with Disabilities Act as amended (ADAAA) of 2008, professional disability specialists and support staff at the Disability Resource Center (DRC) facilitate a comprehensive range of academic support services and accommodations for qualified students with disabilities.

Qualified students with disabilities may be eligible to receive academic support services and accommodations. Eligibility is based on qualifying disability documentation and assessment of individual need. Students who believe they have a current and essential need for disability accommodations are responsible for requesting accommodations and providing qualifying documentation to the DRC. Every effort is made to provide reasonable accommodations for qualified students with disabilities.

Qualified students who wish to request an accommodation for a disability should contact the DRC by going to https://eoss.asu.edu/drc, calling (480) 965-1234 or emailing DRC@asu.edu.

 

To speak with a specific office, please use the following information:

ASU Online and Downtown Phoenix Campus   University Center Building, Suite 160 602-496-4321 (Voice)	Polytechnic Campus 480-727-1165 (Voice)
West Campus University Center Building (UCB), Room 130 602-543-8145 (Voice)	Tempe Campus 480-965-1234 (Voice)

 

Computer Requirements

This course requires a computer with Internet access and the following:

• Web browsers (Chrome, Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, or Safari)
• Adobe Acrobat Reader (free)
• An ASU.EDU Google Drive account with the ability to compose documents in Google Docs.
  See https://tech.asu.edu/google-drive

Technical Support

This course uses Canvas to deliver content. It can be accessed by clicking the course name at MyASU at http://my.asu.edu or the Canvas home page at https://asu.instructure.com/

To monitor the status of campus networks and services, visit the System Health Portal at http://syshealth.asu.edu/.

To contact the help desk call toll-free at 1-855-278-5080.

 

Student Success

This is an online course. To be successful:

• check the course daily
• read announcements
• read and respond to course email messages as needed
• complete assignments by the due dates specified
• communicate regularly with your instructor and peers
• create a study and/or assignment schedule to stay on track

 

Tutoring and Academic Success

ASU is committed to ensuring you achieve all your education-related goals by providing a variety of student success resources. I encourage you to check out the Writing Center which provides both in-person and online tutoring and other forms of online tutoring. Even if you are a good writer, an extra pair of eyes (either a tutor, an in-class peer, or a friend) is never a bad thing. Just make sure you approach a potential reviewer at least one week before the due date so you have appropriate time to edit. Remember, the due date is not the to do date.

 

Title IX

Title IX is a federal law that provides that no person be excluded on the basis of sex from participation in, be denied benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity.  Both Title IX and university policy make clear that sexual violence and harassment based on sex is prohibited.  An individual who believes they have been subjected to sexual violence or harassed on the basis of sex can seek support, including counseling and academic support, from the university.  If you or someone you know has been harassed on the basis of sex or sexually assaulted, you can find information and resources at https://sexualviolenceprevention.asu.edu/faqs. 

As a mandated reporter, I am obligated to report any information I become aware of regarding alleged acts of sexual discrimination, including sexual violence and dating violence.  ASU Counseling Services, https://eoss.asu.edu/counseling is available if you wish to discuss any concerns confidentially and privately. ASU online students may access 360 Life Services, https://goto.asuonline.asu.edu/success/online-resources.html.

 

Class Plan: Note: because of the structure of this semester's calendar, the first two weeks will run concurrently

Module One, January 13-19:                           Introduction to the course

Readings:

• Alcohol: A History, chapter 4, 66-86
• Syllabus Quiz and Introductory posts due by 11:59 PM on Tuesday, January 14

 

Module Two, January 13-19:                            The European Relationship to Alcoholic Drinks

Readings: Alcohol: A History chapter 5, pages 87-109

 

Module Three, January 20-26:        Spaces and Places of Drinking

Readings: See module for detail. We are visiting modern taverns in lieu of readings.

• First Written Assignment due by 11:59 PM on Sunday, January 26

 

Module Four, January 27-February 2:                         Lubricating Law and Historical Change

Readings:

• Alcohol: A History, chapter 6, pages 110-131 

• OPTIONAL Second Written Assignment due by the end of the course

 

Module Five, February 3-9:                        The Introduction of Caffeinated Drinks

Readings:

• World of Caffeine, chapters 4 and 7, pages 51-60 and 95-125
• Bach’s Coffee Cantata English subtitles:Johann Sebastian Bach - "Coffee Cantata" BWV 211 (English Subtitles)

 

Module Six, February 10-16:                        Material Cultures of Caffeine

Readings:

• World of Caffeine, chapters 5-6, pages 61-95
• Third Written Assignment due by 11:59 PM on Sunday, February 14

 

Module Seven, February 17-23:                    The Coffeehouse and the Public Sphere  

Readings:

• World of Caffeine, chapter 10 and appendix A, pages 147-180 and 321-326

 

Module Eight, February 24-March 4:        Drink and Revolution

Readings:

• Alcohol: A History chapter 8, pages 153-172
• Fourth Written Assignment due by 11:59pm on Saturday, 1 March
• Optional Special papers due by 11:59pm on Tuesday, 4 March

 

Written Assignments

 

First Written Assignment: 

This week’s primary source readings included a number of images of taverns as well as drinking ballads that engaged with the relationship between alcoholic drinks and European daily life. Using those sources, and citing at least three ballads (you are encouraged but not required to use more) write a 750-1000 word paper on the intersection between gender and early modern social alcoholic drinking. These ballads may be interpreted as serious, satirical, or anywhere in between, and how you interpret the ballad will influence what you argue it says. Pick one topic to focus on, using the lectures for some ideas.

 

Possible questions are listed in the assignment description on Canvas.

 

Second Written Assignment - Optional for an extra 1/3 of a final grade if you get a B

Your discussion last week involved observing drinking establishments (alcoholic or caffeinated) and sharing and analyzing your findings. Reflecting on last week’s discussions, write a minimum 750 word paper analyzing the interaction of space, place, behavior, and drink in modern America. I.e., what kinds of spaces are present in modern drinking establishments? Are they in different places or do they occupy the same ones? Are these spaces present simultaneously or only at different times? Feel free to use the terms from my lecture last week and/or coin your own. Make sure you define all names of spaces and places, even when you use mine.

Your classmates' observations will serve as your primary sources this week, and you must use at least three. Cite your classmates' observations using parentheticals, i.e. (Lastname).

 

Third Written Assignment 

Thinking back to last week’s discussions on the introduction of caffeinated drinks, pretend you are in the eighteenth century and write a minimum 750 word letter to a hypothetical loved one (parent, child, sibling, friend) encouraging or discouraging that loved one from drinking chocolate, coffee, or tea (pick one). You must use at least three sources we have already read for discussion and/or quoted primary sources from the textbook. You MAY also find and use additional primary sources on your own. I will provide instructions for finding primary sources. Note: I/me/you/us/we phrases are permitted for this assignment.

 

Fourth Written Assignment 

We will be privileging secondary instead of primary sources for this final assignment, specifically the last two weeks’ readings covering the academic debate over the so-called public sphere. Write your own 1000-1500 word academic paper and take one side in the debate. Was the coffeehouse unique in providing the space for the public sphere, or were the tavern and alehouse as well equipped, contrary to the traditional argument by Habermas? Please feel free to make use of primary and secondary sources (including the textbooks) from the whole semester in making your argument. Remember to define what the public sphere means in your usage.