Global History Lab, Part 1 (NovoEd)

Global History Lab, Part 1 (NovoEd)
This course will give you a perspective on the multiple historical pathways to our present. It will be taught in two parts: Part 1 starts on September 2, while Part 2 begins on October 26. Part 1 begins in 1300 AD at the height of the Silk Road, the triumphs of the Mongol Empire, and the spread of one of the most devastating contagions of all time, the Black Death. It examines the emergence of an international system of competitive empires and their effects on trade and exchange. The course will conclude in the middle of the 19th century, at the end of the Age of Revolution.

You do not have to take Global History Lab, Part 1 in order to take Global History Lab, Part 2.

Part 2 begins with a discussion of industrialization during the 1800s, and continues with a close look at the 20th century and current-day globalization. The course themes include economic integration, warfare and conflict, the transformation of the ecological balance, and cultural responses and innovations. To grapple with these themes, we explore first-hand perspectives of historical actors through a collection of texts and images.

Both Part 1 and Part 2 give you an overview of world history–but with a difference. We will invite you to learn the history of the world not just by watching lectures and conducting weekly readings, but also by applying your knowledge. The core of this course is a series of weekly lab assignments in which you and your fellow students will work in teams to use historical knowledge from the course to solve problems and develop new connections and interpretations of primary historical materials. The teams will post their ideas online for other students and teams to review and respond to. Over time, the course will become a dynamic gallery of collaborative student perspectives on history from around the world.




Suggested Readings: