This course examines the linked history of India and Britain from the 18th to the 20th century. The focus will be on the rise and demise of the British Empire in South Asia, commonly referred to as "the Raj," and how the experience shaped what it meant to be both Indian and British. Along the way we will learn how merchants from a remote island nation in western Europe managed to take control of the wealth and manpower of the Indian subcontinent; how Indians helped to build the Raj but gradually turned against it; and how in rebelling against the Raj, and reshaping it, Indians crafted new forms of social protest and political belonging.
This is an Introduction to History course intended mainly for first- and second-year students who are interested in the past and, perhaps, are even (though not necessarily) contemplating the history major. As such, it will introduce students to the discipline by reflecting on the nature of historical evidence, how to use an archive, and how to craft a historical argument. |