Course Description

Instructor: Michael McDavid, MA

Have you ever wondered why people speak Portuguese in Brazil or English in Jamaica or French in Quebec? In 1492, Christopher Columbus “discovered” the New World. Within a century, most of the nations of Western Europe were in a high-stakes race to acquire colonies in the New World, Africa, and Asia. In this course, we will examine the motivations for European colonialism, the strategies in establishing colonies, and the competition among the participants. Some of the topics to be addressed include mercantilism, the West African slave trade and the Columbian Exchange. The time period covered will be the 16th through the 18th centuries. The sequel to this course will follow in the fall short session and will continue with the examination of 19th century colonialism and imperialism. This course is designed as a stand-alone and does not require your taking the shorter part 2 class offered in the Fall Short Session.