This course introduces students to the global events, intellectual preoccupations, and institutions that defined the historical period between 500 and 1650. Geographic coverage includes Africa, India, China, Europe, and the Americas; topics covered include Islam, Catholicism, the Reformation, the roots of nation-states as political units, the growth of market economies, colonialism, and competing ways for making sense of the world. Students are examined on all readings either through quizzes or written assignments. Primary and secondary sources are assigned for class discussion, written exercises, and examinations.