HIS 295-05 - Special Topic: East Asia in World History: 1500-Present

4 credits (Fall)

The fifteenth and sixteenth centuries witnessed Europeans arriving not only on the shores of the Americas, but on the ones of East Asia as well. They came bearing commerce and Christianity, and their presence irrevocably altered the civilizations they encountered. East Asian countries were by no means defined solely by their interactions with the West, but the ties they formed would become increasingly important over the centuries. This course examines relationships that East Asian countries had with the rest of the world, and with one another other from ca. 1500 to the present in order to trace their development as modern nations. In lectures and discussions we will examine interconnections, and will focus on comparisons that can be drawn from the different experiences that China, Japan, and Korea have had with modernity. Topics covered will include the silver trade, firearms, imperialism(s), revolutions, and human rights.

Prerequisite: HIS 100 or second-year standing.
Instructor: Mayo