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New Lectures in History (300-0-42)

Topic

The Mongol Empire

Instructors

Jonathan Brack

Meeting Info

Harris Hall L06: Tues, Thurs 3:30PM - 4:50PM

Overview of class

The Mongol Empire
In the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, Chinggis (or Genghis) Khan and his successors conquered and ruled the largest land empire in world history. At its height, their empire extended from Hungary to Korea, and from Siberia to Burma. This course introduces students to the empire's history - from the Mongols' harsh living conditions as nomads in the Mongolian Steppe to Chinggis Khan's rise to power and extraordinary military success, which facilitated the Mongol Empire's near universal expansion. We will explore how the Mongols ruled over diverse geographical regions and populations, and the impact their expansion had on the territories they ruled and further beyond. We will read sources in translation and discuss how European, Chinese, Arabic and Persian authors viewed the Mongols, but also what we can learn from the Secret History of the Mongols, the Mongols' account of the establishment of their empire.
In the past few decades, the image of the Mongols in modern scholarship has changed: no longer only brutal yet highly effective nomadic conquerors, they are recognized also as cultural agents responsible for fostering cross-cultural encounters and facilitating inter-Eurasian exchanges of knowledge and expertise, from warfare to astronomy and medicine. We will explore the results of the transmission and mobility of people, objects, technologies, and ideas between China, the Middle East, and Europe during this era.

Learning Objectives

In addition to familiarizing students with this fascinating chapter in world history, we will sharpen our transferable skill set. This includes critical thinking and reading, argumentation and debate, and structured, persuasive, and evidence supported writing. By reading and analyzing both primary sources and secondary studies about the Mongols, we will learn how to employ historical context when addressing unfamiliar texts or ideas that may seem foreign or strange to us.

Evaluation Method

Attendance and participation (includes short responses based on the readings, 20% of grade), 2 papers (1k, 40%), and a final paper (3k-4k, 40%).

Class Notes

Concentration: Asia/Middle East

Class Attributes

Historical Studies Foundational Discipline
Historical Studies Distro Area