Curriculum Vitae
Of
 Benjamin Beshwate

 

 

Benjamin James Beshwate

5719 Judy Court

Visalia, CA 93277

 

Phone: (559) 303-4497

Email: ben@beshwate.com

Or

bbeshwat@cerrocoso.edu

 

 

Table of Contents:

I.                 Teaching Experience

II.              Research Presented

III.          Master’s Degree Comprehensive Exams

IV.          Educational Degrees & Certificates

I.                 Teaching Experience

 

Adjunct Instructor-History

Cerro Coso Community College

January 2010 to Present

Lake Isabella & Edwards Air Force Base, CA

 

                In the fall of 2010 I taught three courses as an adjunct instructor for Cerro Coso Community College. I taught California History & U.S. History II at the Kern River Valley Campus, and U.S. History I at the South Kern Campus.

               

II.              Research Presented

 

CSU Fresno – Fresno, CA

Spring 2008

David Berkey-Professor

 

 

Title: Looking Deeper into the Bacchanalian Crisis of 186 B.C.

 

The goal of this presentation was to share my research on the Bacchanalian Crisis of 186 B.C. as it was told by Livy (39.8-19). This began as an attempt to bring to light any weakness there may have been in the infrastructure of the Roman government at the height of its imperial power. The research would prove that this event, which seemed to display some weakness in the infrastructure, was actually used to consolidate and strengthen the power of the Roman government through harsh laws that were subsequently passed regarding the suppression of religion.

 

 

CSU Fresno – Fresno, CA

Fall 2003

Maritere Lopez-Professor

 

 

Title: Discord and Disaster: A Look Into the Nineteenth-Century French Socialist Movement

 

This lecture presented the research done for the major graduate writing assignment at CSU Fresno. The presentation described both an intellectual and political look at the actions of French socialists both before and after the revolution on 1848. While most socialist thinkers believed that the revolution was necessary for a better future, there was no post-revolutionary consensus as to how the government should have been run. The conclusion was that there was no individual powerful enough to unite the movement, just many differing theories that would eventually take the movement down, and open the way for the new Empire of Louis Napoleon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

III.          Master’s Degree Comprehensive Exams

 

 

Ancient History (3 Parts)

David Berkey-Advisor

 

1.       Peloponnesian War

This element of the Master’s degree examinations consisted of a 4-5 page paper discussing the Athenian Empire in general, how Athens was able to extend its rule over its allies, how was the empire viewed through the eyes of Thucydides, and analyzing whether or not the Athenian Empire fell as an outcome of this war.

2.       Roman Imperialism

This section also required a 4-5 page paper that would outline some of the scholarly approaches to the subject of Roman Imperialism. Most importantly, the question was asked regarding how the establishment of the empire transformed Roman society.

3.       Reign of Augustus

This concluding section of the exam also required a 4-5 page paper that discussed the career of Augustus and the formation of the Principate. It was a given that Augustus used propaganda to promote, not only his power, but the power of Rome. It was my duty to analyze his use of propaganda both inside and outside the Empire of Rome.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Medieval Europe

Mark Arvanigian-Advisor

 

For this section of the Master’s degree examinations I was given a 22 book reading list which was to be used to answer the following questions in a three hour exam. All questions had to be answered in full, and completely from memory (no notes).

 

1.       Describe and assess the nature of the decline of Roman culture in the Latin West

a.       What were the principal characteristics of Roman culture as it had developed in the Late Antique period?

b.      How had Christianity altered Roman culture?

c.       Which elements of Roman culture survived into the Late Antique and Early Medieval Period? How did this occur?

2.       Describe the elements and structure of the Medieval Latin Church.

a.       What were its main components (secular and regular clergy, etc.)?

b.      Describe the development of Papal primacy in the Western Church.

c.       Did it draw any important elements from Roman culture (organization, etc.)?

3.       Who are the Franks?

a.       Assess their significance.

b.      Why and how did they develop a central role in the Early Medieval West?

4.       What is Feudalism, and how did it operate?

5.       What were the Crusades?

a.       Describe their origins. How are they connected to other elements of medieval culture, such as the Reform Church?

b.      Assess the reasons for the First Crusade becoming a Latin Christian phenomenon.

c.       How did “The Crusades” develop into “crusading” in the Later Middle Ages?

 

 

 

 

Modern European History

Michelle DenBeste-Advisor

 

For this section of the Master’s degree examinations I was give a 28 book reading list which was used to answer three questions from a pool of eight. These questions had to be very in-depth. It was stressed by the examiner that a thesis statement had to be formulated, and that this thesis included supporting evidence. Historiography was also an important part of this exam. An essential part of answering these questions was to not historians on both sides of the historical debate. Of the eight questions given, the three that I answered in a three hour period were:

1.       What are the elements of the German historical debate over the Holocaust? Why is this issue so controversial? How does this controversy frame modern historiography in general? Why?

2.       What is the historiographical significance of the relatively new field of women’s history? How has it changed the study of history? In what ways have women once “hidden from history” been exposed? Give examples.

3.       Discuss the issue of totalitarianism in Russia. Was Soviet Russia a totalitarian state (as Pipes argues), was it a more popular revolution (as Fitzpatrick begins to argue), or was it something else altogether (Kotkin, Fitzpatrick, Goldman)?

While these were the three questions I chose to answer for this exam, other questions varied on topics from the French and Industrial revolutions, both World Wars, nationalism, and the industrialization of the Soviet Union under Stalin.

 

 

IV.          Educational Degrees

California State University Fresno – Fresno, CA

                Community College Faculty Preparation Certificate -  2010

California State University Fresno – Fresno, CA

                Master of Arts in History – 2008

Humboldt State University – Arcata, CA

                Bachelor of Arts in History - 2002