In fourteen hundred ninety-two, Columbus sailed the ocean blue…

You are no doubt familiar with this year and why it matters from an American history perspective. In this class, though, we are going to back up and apply a wide-angle lens toward the entire globe.

We’ll look at how the year 1492 was experienced around the world, beginning with China, the pre-eminent world power at the time. From there we’ll explore how this year changed the course of history for India, the Ottoman Empire, the Aztecs, the Maya, the Inca, the Tainos people of what would be known as Hispaniola (where Columbus initially landed), the Songhai Empire of Mali, Africa’s Gold Coast, Spain, England, and the rest of Europe.

In a survey of students who had taken many Rise Out classes before, “1492” emerged as a clear favorite. As one student said, “I already knew about Columbus, but only about him landing in America. This class completely changed my understanding of the world, and helped me understand everything else about how we got where we are today.”

Prerequisites: None.

Instructor: Laura Fokkena

DETAILS:

Suggested age range: 13+

Outside work: Several short videos + 10 to 20 pages of reading per week. Some readings will be challenging for younger students, but we will go over them in class.

When & where: Fridays on Zoom from 12:30 - 1:30 Eastern Time, Sept. 6 - Nov. 22, 2024.

Fee: $250 ungraded/$300 graded; this includes a non-refundable registration fee of $10. Students should also purchase or borrow copies of The Origins of the Modern World by Robert B. Marks and Lies My Teacher Told Me by James W. Loewen. We offer discounts for groups, siblings, and students who enroll in multiple classes. (Discount information.) Payment plans available. Fees waived for families with financial need. (Waivers and payment plan information.) Questions about how classes work? Read our course FAQ.