Who were the Mongols? Were they wandering nomads, conquerors, creators, organizers? What effect have they had on the histories of Asia, Europe, and the world? Beyond their reputation for violence and military prowess for which they may be more commonly known, the MongolsÂ’ brief control of the world stage had farther-reaching consequences than the terror and subjugation of the Eurasian continent as they influenced language, trade, religion, and more. In this class, we will use primary source readings from the 12th, 13th, and 14th centuries to get a closer look at the human lives and histories of those living in China, Japan, Mongolia, Persia, as well as Europe. As the class unfolds, we will use these histories and topics to build skills like reading sources in-depth, basic research knowledge, understanding historical contexts, and some academic writing to practice these skills. This course fulfills GHS (Global Histories and Societies) and counts toward the Asian Studies major and the History major by petition.
Counts Toward Major: Asian Studies
Counts Toward Concentrations: Asian Studies, International Relations
To find books for this class, please visit the St. Olaf Bookstore.