April 4

World History

Where and what is the West?

Where we believe the west is located in contemporary society.

Was the western parts of Europe like Spain and the U.K

Now it is seen as North and South America and Australia.

Western beliefs such as individualism and constitutional government.

An economic core based on trading.

The west is always in a state of change and becoming it is never finished.

The separation of state and church.

Look at the west as a group of intellectuals like Shakespeare etc.

Interpreting history from a western point of view.

John Donne wrote “No man is an island” can this be said about cultures and civilizations of the past and the present?

The rise of Europe between from 1500 on

The emergence of other important areas of the world like The U.S and Japan.

Research one of the following important areas of the world in 1500

Constantinople,Timbuktu,Seville,Tenochtitlan,Beijing and

Agra

Questions that should be answered on these areas include:

1. How did communities develop in your selected country?

2. What was the main change that took place in these cities?

3. What significant ideas arose from your selected country that affected the rest of the world?

4. Describe the social organization of your selected city.

5. List the factors that influenced the location of the city

6. How much of the cities growth was due to natural factors like population and trade and how much to rulers?

7. Make a list of criteria that you describe a ‘advanced’ city. Based on your city what part of the world seemed to be the most advanced in 1500?