JW3 Course Synopses for Thursday 30 April

Slightly ahead of myself this week. Weather and deliveries have kept me in !

You can book via JW3 website, search for my name.

Morning class 11am Environment and History

This is the first of a two parter about The Little Ice Age in The Middle Ages.

We begin with a short introduction, following up with its beginnings in Greenland and Iceland.

[You can read up a little on Greenland in an earlier blog]. We then examine the impact of a volcanic eruption in Indonesia. After all this we turn to our main event of the morning - The Great Famine of 1317-19, before finishing with the work of the early weather watcher, William Merle/Morley.

Books: The Little Ice Age by Brian Fagan and (little heavier) An Environmental History of The Middle Ages by John Aberth.

Afternoon class 2pm. History of Berlin

PLEASE NOTE this class has increased its length, in response to requests, to that of the morning class, ie 30mins + 10 mins break + 30 mins.

We begin with the story of Frederick the Great together with his impact on Berlin. Next we take a closer look at Berlin at the turn of the century, 1800. Then we arrive at the massively important event, with ramifications still today, of the French occupation of Berlin under Napoleon. Finally, we take a look at how Berlin quickly recovered from its defeat by France and began its march towards becoming the imperial capital of a united Germany.

Book: Iron Kingdom (The Story of Prussia) by Christopher Clark.