History of the Baltic Countries 3020-BA1HKB
The aim of the lectures is to acquaint the students with the historical processes that have been going on in the lands inhabited by the Baltic peoples since the late Middle Ages up to modern times. Emphasis will be on crucial phenomena showing state-building developments among the Balts as a two-track process: on the one hand, the Lithuanian tribes under Mindaugas created their own state, which subsequently, after the union with Poland, would become one of the constitutive elements of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth; on the other hand, the lands of the Lithuanians’ neighbours found themselves, from the 13th century onward, under the sway of Order States reflecting Western European expansion to the Baltic Sea region. These States would overpower the Latvian tribes for many centuries, and wipe the Prussian tribes off the map of Europe.
In the second semester of the course, the focus will be on the history of Lithuania and Latvia in the 20th century – from gaining independence in 1918 to the present day.
Type of course
Mode
Prerequisites (description)
Course coordinators
Term 2024: | Term 2025: |
Learning outcomes
On completion of the course the student:
(KNOWLEDGE)
- is able to list the most important facts from the history of Lithuania and Latvia;
- is able to arrange in correct chronological order the most important political, economical and social phenomena in the history of Lithuania and Latvia;
- is able to characterize the processes of State formation among the peoples of Lithuania and Latvia, and to point out the factors that determined the divergences between them;
(SKILLS)
- is able to make effective use of historical studies;
- is able to analyze relatively uncomplicated source materials;
(AWARENESS)
- integrates historical knowledge acquired during the course with previous knowledge in the domain of Polish and Universal History as well as in the domain of cultural history
Assessment criteria
Evaluation of activity and current preparation for classes, final paper/presentation.
Students are allowed up to 2 absences in a semester, each subsequent absence should be taken in a way agreed in advance with the teacher. Absence in 50% of classes excludes the possibility of passing.
Practical placement
none
Bibliography
I. Manuals:
1. Historia Litwy, red. Eidintas A., Bumblauskas A., Kulakauskas A., Tamošaitis M., Wyd. Eugrimas 2013
2. History of Latvia, red. Bleiere D., Butulis I., Feldmanis I., Stranga A., Zunda A., Riga 2014
3. Łossowski P., Litwa, Warszawa 2001
4. Ochmański J., Historia Litwy, Wrocław 1990
II. Source materials imposed by the teacher.
Additional information
Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system: