Anyone in 2nd year history?

There's a poster opposite the history dept office explainin which courses are examined in which papers. There's one for secnd years and for third years. Also, look at the past papers to try to get an idea of what areas are considered important.

8th May- 1st Semester Core Course- Renaissance to Enlightenment (European course)- E O'Flaherty and D. Downey

15th May- 2nd Semester Core Course- Land, Religion & Identity- (Irish course)- A. McCormack and T. Bartlett

16th May- 1st Semester Elective

23rd May- 2nd Semester Elective.


For the 1st Semester core course there with be a Section A and B on the paper. You have to answer one from each and any other question of your choice. Our tutor told us to look at-

- Erasmus - his ideas on Christian humanism- their/his impact on Luther.
-Impact of Luther's rebellion- on German society and wider Europe.
-John Calvin and Calvinism
-Catholic reach of the rebellions- Charles Borremeo, Jesuits, Council of Trent, Art Music and Architecture (impact of the new world on the old).
-Military and political- Philip II. How he used Catholicism to achieve his vision of how the world should be.
-Madrid Vienna axis- Cardinal Richlieu's destruction of the axis.
-Olivares- Spain- imperial overstretch, his failure to keep the nobility on side.
-30 years war period
-Scientific revolt- Copernicus to Galileo
-Emergence to Early Enlightenment
-Emergence/development of the Westphalia system.

The second paper on the second core course will be in the same format. We were told to look at-

-The Reformation- Why and by whom? Aims? Methods/policies, success/failure?
-The Counter Reformation under the same above headings
-Plantations- esp. the Ulster Plantation. Compare different policies and plantations, success/failure, who was responsible for implementation?
-Surrender and Regrant. What was it? Innovative? Innevitably doomed to failure? Could it have succeeded?
-Nine years War. Who involved? What military techniques? Main personalities. Outcomes.
-1640s. 1641 Rebellion- significance of it, massacres.
-1650s and 1660s - Battle of the Boyne, Jacobite War.


Anthony McCormack gave some exam tips but I don't have them to hand, sorry.
Tom Bartlett's Land, Religion and Identity core course book is downloadable from the History website.
Apparently O'Flaherty and Downey are fans of the European core course book. It might be an idea to look at it.

Off topic, apologies, but did you have Tadgh O hAnnrachain elmyra? He's so lovely, had him first time I did third year. He gives lovely exams too!

When I had him, I was in a class of eight so he kinda tailored the exams (only to an extent, mind you!) to what we'd written our essay on. But he was also very funny, I loved his lectures so much!

I haven't covered anything tbh! There's a difference between knowing what I'm supposed to cover and having the notes and actually doing it. I imagine I'll do Luther, Erasmus, Calvinism, the 30 years war and something else on Sunday night. Can't get motivated at all!

Oooh Richlieu, good choice, I hear Deccy Downey has a thing for personalties. I'll do that so.

Good luck n all that jazz!

Wow there was so much info there i almost wish i was doing history.

your big danger is that a calvin/erasmus/luther question could come up all together, but if you've covered them you definitely have one question for o'flaherty's course. The counter reformation and richelieu are likely enough for downey, i'd say you'll get 3 questions out of that.

I've done Erasmus, Luther, Calvin, Counter Ref, Richlieu and the 30 Years War just to be on the safe side.

I've covered all of those, richlieu and westphalia came under my 30 years war stuff. Plus i've covered 3 topics for O'Flaherty so I should definitely get a question out of it.

and I quote "the classic mystic of the later sixteenth century was St Teresa of Avila. In her autobiography ,she told of her estacy when a most beautiful angel thrust his 'great arrow' into her three times", this studying lark is fun.

beanyb wrote:

Meant to post this last night. I heard from someone in Downey's seminar class that he told them that

-the impact of the Jesuits of the Counter-Ref
-the council of trent
-richelieu
-baroque art
-the westphalian peace system

are all certs for his section.

But it's not really anything we didnt already know!

Hey speak for yourself! Good luck to everyone amarach.

Welcome! I think it went ok too. I did Erasmus, Jesuits and Richelieu.

I did four sections as I had time to spare and I figured it was better to have a contingency plan.

I did Erasmus in Section 1 and Richelieu, Council of Trent and the Jesuits in Section 2. My Jesuit answer was only a page and a half long though so I doubt they'll mark that one.

I like my anonymity

I did B, the absolute monarchy one. At first I though it was mean that they split them, but when I'd written just about absolutism it was 6 pages long, so I couldnt have even fit the other bit in if I'd had to!

so whats everyone doing for paper 2?
I think cromwell, the ulster plantation and the reformation in ireland.
The Leix-Offaly and Munster plantations are my backup plan:cool:

My friend did that course he says he's fooked too!

Meh, I'm screwed for Australian. It's one paper, so 19%, you can pass even if you only waffle through it.


Irish history study, what I'm doing, if anyone cares:

The Reformation in Ireland
The Counter Reformation in Ireland
Plantations- esp Ulster
Surrender and Regrant
Nine Years War
1640s and 1641 rebellion if I get time.

I think this paper is a lot less predictable so I'm trying to cover more.

your telling me :P