Goals Fulfilled:

HIST 150, Historical Inquiry I, which I satisfactorily completed during the Fall 2019 semester, fulfilled the second of my eight Honors course requirements as well as a major course requirement.

Reflection:

Historical Inquiry I covers topics ranging from prehistory to 1500 C.E. The Honors section in which I was enrolled focused heavily on the evolution of faith throughout European history. Taught by Dr. Steven Isaac, it was one of the most challenging courses I have ever taken.

As a college Freshman who was used to high school History classes involving worksheets and trying to memorize facts for a test every few weeks, Dr. Isaac’s class was unusual in many ways. For one, there was required reading every night. A daunting amount of it. I spent at least two to three hours every evening in Greenwood Library, the Honors lounge, or in my dorm room taking in pages upon pages of historical analyses and (ancient) primary sources. We had no tests, only pop quizzes; there were no exams; and the comprehensive lectures my classmates and I furiously sought to jot down into legible notes served not as study materials but as resources for the course’s four major assignments: three argumentative essays and one final project.

As much as Dr. Isaac’s class intimidated me, I loved every minute of it. When I first arrived at Longwood University, I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life; the ideas in my head ranged from newscaster to lobbyist to lawyer or even Foreign Service Officer. Dr. Isaac’s class imbued in me a love of history and set me on the path to declaring my major the following Spring. And while I am still unsure exactly what the future holds for me, I know it will involve the study of history, and that makes me supremely happy.

Dr. Isaac’s class was the epitome of the Honors saying, “It’s not more work; it’s different work,” and his final assignment was no exception. Instead of a cumulative exam, Dr. Isaac tasked each of us with composing a “time travel” essay in which we journeyed back in time to an era discussed in class. Modeling our stories after similar passages from one of our required readings, we were to document our experiences using primary and secondary sources from JSTOR’s online database and library. Below you will find a PDF of my final project, in which I document a journey to ancient Sparta with my two little brothers, where we lived for two weeks as a Greek helot and Spartan soldiers, respectively.

I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.