European Empires: An Introduction, 1400–1522 (FutureLearn)

You will become familiar with the origins and nature of European interactions with the lands and people beyond its borders. This includes investigating the discovery of a westward route to the Americas and the building of states, nations and empires.

This online course will focus on primary sources and introduce you to some of the key events, issues and themes of European history that still resonate today.

What topics will you cover?

The course offers an introduction to key events in modern European history, analysing European imperialism through a variety of themes including violence, colonialism, and economic and cultural exchange.

The course is three weeks long and is organised chronologically:

Week 1 – The Rise of Europe. We trace Europe’s rise from a comparatively insular and isolated continent in the Middle Ages to the very beginnings of its colonial empires in the early modern period.

Week 2 – Global Exploration. We take a closer look at the extensive overseas exploration of Portugal and Spain.

Week 3 – The Conquest of Latin America. We examine in detail the invasion of the Aztec Empire. We consider the views of Europeans and First Peoples in our discussion.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you'll be able to...

- Identify the main themes of Europe's encounters and interactions with the wider world.

- Demonstrate an understanding of the complexities of European empires through discussion and debate.

- Evaluate relevant primary and secondary sources in European imperial history.