HIS 335 - Topics: The Early Modern Globe (1)

In the 1500s, the world became interconnected as never before. People and goods crossed oceans and cultures, disrupting both the Old World and the New. Indian princes and Chinese officials bought New World gems and metals from European middlemen; ordinary people could afford imported foods, textiles, and china. New trade routes and gunpowder challenged or destroyed old state structures and built new ones. In this course, trace the movement of people, objects, and goods around the world, from indigenous miners, farmers, and artisans, through the hands of merchants and smugglers, to their destinations at luxurious courts or common people’s households. Explore the global impact of early colonization, migration, and enslavement, and understand how the patterns developed between 1500 and 1700 paved the way for the modern world. Prerequisite: Any 100 level HIS course, or permission of instructor.
(Humanities)