Micro Middle Ages brings together five microhistorical case studies focusing on small or seemingly inconsequential evidence that leads to broader conclusions about  medieval history and the way we do and understand history in general. Paul Dutton provides an overview of microhistorical approaches and theorizes about its use in pre-modern history. As opposed to studying history “from above� or history “from below,� Dutton shows the advantages for historians of doing history “from the inside out,� starting from some single, overlooked, but potentially knowable thing, delving deep inside, and then reattaching it to its time and place. Such an approach has one abiding advantage: its insistence on being grounded in the particularity of the evidence. The book highlights what the microhistorical is, its conceptual and practical challenges. Dutton argues that the attention to the micro has always been with us and is a constitutive, cognitive part of who we are as human beings.

The period between 770 and 880 experienced an explosion of words signalling the documentary reawakening of Western civilization; this anthology offers a plentiful and engaging selection of primary source documents from that vibrant era.

Among the material new to this second edition are Rimbert's "Life of Anskar," with its detailed account of the Carolingian missionary contact with Scandinavia, Ratramnus's study of the dog-headed men, the monk Bernard's "Journey to Jerusalem," new specimens of popular beliefs, Audradus Modicus's complete "Book of Revelations," and new maps and illustrations.

Between the reigns of Charlemagne and Charles the Fat, Europe underwent a series of alarming and unsettling changes. Civil war broke out, royal authority was divided, and the brightest of men and women began to entertain nightmarish thoughts of the corruption and collapse of their world.

Amidst the ruin of their shaken and shattered assumptions, Carolingian intellectuals wrote down a series of dream texts. The Carolingian oneiric record, though dark with confusion and immoderate emotion, supplies us with a more subjective reading of this formative period of European history than the one found in standard histories. Carolingian dream-authors criticized and complained because they hoped to reform a royal society that had lost its way.

This study begins by surveying the sleep of kings and the status of royal dreams from the classical period to the ninth century. Then it runs to an examination of individual dreams and the political disruption that informs them. The reader will encounter a variety of surprising dreams: of Charlemagne's lust, demons and archangels, a sorrowful prophet, disputed property and bullying saints, magical swords and mad princes, and Charles the Fat's journey through an awesome otherworld towards an uncertain constitutional future.

Among the readings included are several existing letters by Emma (Einhard's wife), "The Life of Charlemagne," and "The History of His Relics." The latter work transports us into an almost unknown world as Einhard, the cool rationalist, arranges for a relic salesman, a veritable bone seller, to acquire saints? relics from Italy for installation into his new church. The reader is taken on an intrigue-filled trip to Rome, where Einhard's men creep into churches at night to steal bones and then spirit them away to Einhard in the north. The relics are received in town after town as if they were the living saints come to cure the infirm. Einhard's descriptions of the sick, the lame, and the blind of northern Europe vividly expose us to a side of medieval life too rarely encountered in other medieval sources.

More and more we are challenged by today's learning environment - students are different, digital tools are evolving, and instructors are continually asked to do more with less yet show greater results. With the creation of "Many Europes, Choice & Chance in Western Civilization," an entirely integrated program, we recognize this changing environment and set out with the goal of better meeting the western civilization course challenges of improving student performance, critical analysis skills, and overall comprehension in a continually evolving teaching and learning environment.
What does it mean - integrated program? Rather than a traditional narrative text that then has ancillary support material or supplements tacked onto it, "Many Europes" was constructed as a program. Each narrative section has clearly stated learning objectives that are tied to the digital tools which drive the program's assessment. A key tool in driving knowledge is McGraw-Hill's LearnSmart, an adaptive assessment tool, which has proven results of increasing student comprehension and overall course results. Yet, we realize that while history instructors want students to know basic historical facts, the actual goal of the course is improving student's critical thinking abilities. Our Critical Missions develop analysis skills through the examination of maps, primary sources and the completion of a written argument. In addition, several other assignment types within McGraw-Hill's Connect drive the development of analysis skills and are also tied directly to learning objectives.
What do we mean by Choice? Unique to this program, "Many Europes" discusses European history as a series of choices within a set of historical circumstances, driving greater critical analysis as students realize that Europe's fate was never inevitable but instead was created by individuals with diverse voices and perspectives. Choice also means flexibility. "Many Europes"' flexible content including a customizable documents collection available as print or digital as well as many user options from a completely digital experience to a hybrid print and digital experience, or if you must, an all print experience.
What do we mean by Chance? In history chance shows itself as a dropped letter, an unexpected storm, or surprise turn of events. Chance can also show itself as a new way, path, or direction that allows for the anticipation and expectation of something better. "Many Europes'" flexible content coupled with powerful digital learning tools and a customizable documents collection gives users an innovative choice for the teaching and learning of Western Civilization as well as a better chance for improved student results and course outcomes.

More and more we are challenged by today's learning environment - students are different, digital tools are evolving, and instructors are continually asked to do more with less yet show greater results. With the creation of "Many Europes, Choice & Chance in Western Civilization," an entirely integrated program, we recognize this changing environment and set out with the goal of better meeting the western civilization course challenges of improving student performance, critical analysis skills, and overall comprehension in a continually evolving teaching and learning environment.
What does it mean - integrated program? Rather than a traditional narrative text that then has ancillary support material or supplements tacked onto it, "Many Europes" was constructed as a program. Each narrative section has clearly stated learning objectives that are tied to the digital tools which drive the program's assessment. A key tool in driving knowledge is McGraw-Hill's LearnSmart, an adaptive assessment tool, which has proven results of increasing student comprehension and overall course results. Yet, we realize that while history instructors want students to know basic historical facts, the actual goal of the course is improving student's critical thinking abilities. Our Critical Missions develop analysis skills through the examination of maps, primary sources and the completion of a written argument. In addition, several other assignment types within McGraw-Hill's Connect drive the development of analysis skills and are also tied directly to learning objectives.
What do we mean by Choice? Unique to this program, "Many Europes" discusses European history as a series of choices within a set of historical circumstances, driving greater critical analysis as students realize that Europe's fate was never inevitable but instead was created by individuals with diverse voices and perspectives. Choice also means flexibility. "Many Europes"' flexible content including a customizable documents collection available as print or digital as well as many user options from a completely digital experience to a hybrid print and digital experience, or if you must, an all print experience.
What do we mean by Chance? In history chance shows itself as a dropped letter, an unexpected storm, or surprise turn of events. Chance can also show itself as a new way, path, or direction that allows for the anticipation and expectation of something better. "Many Europes'" flexible content coupled with powerful digital learning tools and a customizable documents collection gives users an innovative choice for the teaching and learning of Western Civilization as well as a better chance for improved student results and course outcomes.

More and more we are challenged by today's learning environment - students are different, digital tools are evolving, and instructors are continually asked to do more with less yet show greater results. With the creation of "Many Europes, Choice & Chance in Western Civilization," an entirely integrated program, we recognize this changing environment and set out with the goal of better meeting the western civilization course challenges of improving student performance, critical analysis skills, and overall comprehension in a continually evolving teaching and learning environment.
What does it mean - integrated program? Rather than a traditional narrative text that then has ancillary support material or supplements tacked onto it, "Many Europes" was constructed as a program. Each narrative section has clearly stated learning objectives that are tied to the digital tools which drive the program's assessment. A key tool in driving knowledge is McGraw-Hill's LearnSmart, an adaptive assessment tool, which has proven results of increasing student comprehension and overall course results. Yet, we realize that while history instructors want students to know basic historical facts, the actual goal of the course is improving student's critical thinking abilities. Our Critical Missions develop analysis skills through the examination of maps, primary sources and the completion of a written argument. In addition, several other assignment types within McGraw-Hill's Connect drive the development of analysis skills and are also tied directly to learning objectives.
What do we mean by Choice? Unique to this program, "Many Europes" discusses European history as a series of choices within a set of historical circumstances, driving greater critical analysis as students realize that Europe's fate was never inevitable but instead was created by individuals with diverse voices and perspectives. Choice also means flexibility. "Many Europes"' flexible content including a customizable documents collection available as print or digital as well as many user options from a completely digital experience to a hybrid print and digital experience, or if you must, an all print experience.
What do we mean by Chance? In history chance shows itself as a dropped letter, an unexpected storm, or surprise turn of events. Chance can also show itself as a new way, path, or direction that allows for the anticipation and expectation of something better. "Many Europes'" flexible content coupled with powerful digital learning tools and a customizable documents collection gives users an innovative choice for the teaching and learning of Western Civilization as well as a better chance for improved student results and course outcomes.