HGT Schedule

Most references and the general course notes (“Harris” readings) are available through the campus Desire to Learn (D2L) website. Some readings (*) are only available in hard-copy readings (Laudon, Greene and Allegre books, and Rudwick’s translation of Cuvier’s “Revolutions of the Earth”) at library reserve and in the classroom. Here are the full citations to the readings.

Reading notes to help you prepare for class are linked under the “Reading” column below. Selected group summaries will be posted with links through the “Topic” column following class.

Topic Reading with links to reading notes
9/4 Introduction Harris sect. 1
9/6 Ancient and medieval ideas Harris sect. 2; Harris (2018); Rudwick (1976) ch. 1 Fossil Objects; Adams (1938) selection
9/11 Steno, fossils and strata Harris sect. 3 & 4; Albritton (1981) ch. 3 Solids within Solids; Steno (1916) Prodromus
9/13 Cosmologists and 18th century mineralogy Harris sect. 5 & 6; Laudan (1987) ch. 2-4* (part)
9/18 Geognosy Harris sect. 7; Rudwick (2005) p. 84-99 Geognosy as a Structural Science; Laudan (1987) ch. 5*; Geikie (1905) p. 201-203
9/20 Vulcanism Harris sect. 8; Scarth and Tanguy (2001) ch. 8; short extracts from Desmarest (1774, 1806), Dolomieu (1785, 1789), von Buch (1802), Scrope (1825, 1858)
9/25 Landforms and Denudation Harris sect. 9; Davies (1969) Ch. 4: Relapse and Recovery
9/27 Hutton Harris sect. 10; skim Hutton (1785); Playfair; Dean (1992); Laudan (1987), ch. 6; Paper #1 due on Friday
10/2 Geology circa 1800 Harris sect. 11; Rudwick (1996); Cuvier (1807); Cuvier and Brongniart (1808)
10/4 Cuvier and the “Revolutions of the Earth” Harris sect. 12; Cuvier (1812)*
10/9 Strata and maps Harris sect. 13; Rudwick (2005) p. 431-445 The Order of Strata; Laudan (1987) ch. 7*; Buckland (1821)
10/11 Lyell and the “Principles of Geology” Harris sect. 14; Rudwick (1990); Lyell (1990) Introductory chapters to vol. I & III
10/16 Development of stratigraphy to 1850 Harris sect. 15; Rudwick (1985) ch. 3 Unraveling the Earth; Secord (1986) ch. 3: Cambrian and Silurian Established
10/18 Tectonics circa 1820-1852 Harris, sect. 16; Greene (1982) ch. 3 & 4*; Laudan (1987) p. 187-193 Craters of Elevation; Elie de Beaumont (1831)
10/23 Competing models Rudwick (1971); Learning Reflection #1 due
10/25 Glaciers and the Ice Age Harris sect. 17; Rudwick (2008) p. 501-539 Glaciation; Agassiz (1840)
10/30 Geology in America; Geosynclines Harris sect. 18-20; Greene (1982) ch 5*; Dott (1997); Kay (1951) abstract; Paper #2 due
11/1 Fluvialism Harris sect. 21; Davies (1969) ch. 9 Fluvialism Revived; one assigned from: Geikie (1868-69); Geikie (1887); Jukes (1862); Ramsay (1872) 
11/6 Darwin and Paleontology Harris sect. 22 & 23; Rudwick (1976) ch. 5 Life’s Ancestory; Bowler (2003) ch.7 The Eclipse of Darwinism
11/8 Mineralogy and Petrology Harris sect. 24; Oldroyd (1996) ch. 9 Thinking about Rocks and their Formation; Teall (1901)
11/13 Late 19th century tectonics Harris sect. 25; Greene (1982) ch. 6-9 (selections – see reading notes)*; Start in-class tectonics project
11/15 Geophysics Harris sect. 26; Greene (1982) ch. 10*; Fisher (1881) ch. 22 Summary
11/20 Kelvin and Chamberlin Harris sect. 27; Greene (1982) ch. 11; Hallam (1989) ch. 5 The age of the earth; Poster project: topic and key reference list due
11/27 Continental Drift Harris sect. 28; Greene (1982) ch. 12; Stewart (1990) ch. 2 Rise and Fall of Continental Drift Theory
11/29 Seismology Harris sect. 29; Oldroyd (1996) ch. 10 Thinking with Instruments, p. 224-240; Allegre (1988) p. 24-34*
12/4 Paleomagnetism Harris sect. 30; Allegre (1988) p. 41-58*; Wood (1985) p. 139-148   Tectonics Essay #1 due; start in-class component of Poster Project
12/6 Sea-floor spreading Harris sect. 31; Allegre (1988) p. 59-90*
12/11 Plate tectonics Harris sect. 32; Allegre (1988) p. 91-122*
12/13 Wrap-up; poster session Harris sect. 33; Poster presentation in class; Learning Reflection #2 and Tectonics Essay #2 are due by 12/20

 

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