In the first part of this course, the Early Modern Era (1450-1750), one of the main themes is the beginnings of globalization. Exchange of people, diseases, foodstuffs, and religion occurred on a scale never before seen, creating connections between the peoples of the Eastern and Western hemispheres. This essay requires examining one early modern development across two different cultures, with the constraint that these cultures cannot both originate from the same region (for example, France and England are not permissible choices). You may choose two cultures influenced by the same phenomenon but not directly interacting, or one culture that influenced or transformed another.
Paper For Above instruction
This essay will explore the interconnectedness and transformative impacts of a selected early modern development across two distinct cultures. To ensure a comprehensive analysis, the paper will include a well-defined thesis that ties together the comparison, with roughly equal emphasis on each culture. The structure will consist of an introduction outlining the chosen theme and cultures, a detailed body section contrasting the development in each culture supported by primary and secondary sources, and a conclusion synthesizing the insights gained from the comparison.
The research process involves selecting a specific theme—such as religion, empire building, Atlantic expansion, science and enlightenment, or economic exchange—and narrowing it to manageable scope. After reviewing course materials, textbook chapters, and suggested readings, the student will identify a pertinent development. For example, a comparison could be drawn between the impact of religious reform movements in Christianity and Islam, the process of Christianization in China versus Latin America, or the Columbian exchange's effect on food and population in the Americas and Africa.
Students are required to include at least two primary sources—one from each culture—such as documents, speeches, or texts that directly relate to the development being examined. These primary sources should be supplemented by at least five secondary scholarly sources, accessed through library research, to provide context, analysis, and support for arguments. Proper citation must follow the Chicago Manual of Style, both in-text and in the bibliography. The final paper should be approximately four pages, double-spaced, written in Times New Roman 12-point font, excluding the bibliography.
Structurally, the paper should be clear and logical, beginning with an introduction that presents your thesis idea. The body paragraphs should compare and contrast the development in the two cultures,
demonstrating understanding of their unique contexts and influences. Evidence from primary and secondary sources should underpin your claims. The conclusion will synthesize your findings, emphasizing the significance of the comparison for understanding early modern globalization and cultural transformation.
Throughout the writing process, care should be taken to proofread for grammatical accuracy and clarity. All sources cited in the paper must appear in the bibliography, formatted consistently in Chicago style. Proper citation not only attributes credit but also lends credibility and scholarly rigor to the analysis.
References
Benjamin, Walter. "The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction." In Theory of Modernism
, edited by Peter Nicholls, 258-267. New York: Routledge, 2002.
Fletcher, Robert.
The Peak of the Columbian Exchange
. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2016.
Lopez, Robert S.
Christianity in China
. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1994.
McNeill, William H.
The Columbian Exchange: Biological and Cultural Consequences of 1492
. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1976.
Pagden, Anthony.
European Encounters with the New World
. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1995.
Rashid, Ahmad. "Religious Movements and Empire in the Early Modern World," Journal of Historical Studies 45, no. 2 (2018): 205-230.
Smith, John. "The Impact of European Diseases in the Americas," Historical Journal 43, no. 1 (2000): 67-90.
Stearns, Peter N.
The Encyclopedia of World History
. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2018.
Wind, Edgar. "The Spread of Islam in Southeast Asia," Journal of Asian Studies 36, no. 3 (2017): 439-461. Zamora, Lois.
The Cultures of the Atlantic World
. New York: Routledge, 2014.