**HANOI UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY** **TROY PROGRAMME** **MODERN WORLD HISTORY** **Fall Semester 2024**

**Instructor:** Assoc.Prof. Dr. Pham Van Thuy.
**Contact:** Office: Faculty of History, 3nd Floor, Block B, University of Social Sciences and Humanities; No. 336 Nguyen Trai Street, Thanh Xuan District, Hanoi, Vietnam
Email: [Thuypv@vnu.edu.vn](mailto:Thuypv@vnu.edu.vn)
Tell: +84(0)988238125 **Course Description:** This course provides students with general knowledge about the history of the modern world, starting with the transition from the Middle Ages into the period of Renaissance in Europe until the present. The course includes all the major topics from the European Renaissance and Reformation, the Great Discoveries, European and American Revolutions, World War I and World War II, Cold War to Modern Globalization and current international affairs. The course also examines the social, political, and economic transformations and development in some major countries in Asia, such as China, Japan, and India. The industrial revolution, urbanization, the emergence of capitalism, European expansion and the East-West cultural and economic interactions and exchanges are also major themes of this course. **Objectives:** Upon completion of the course, students should be able to understand: - Major historical developments of modern world history - Major revolutions in Europe, America, and Asia since 1500 - Theories and concepts about renaissance, reform, revolution, capitalism, imperialism, colonialism, decolonization, and globalization... - The East-West interactions and exchanges (economic, cultural, and political aspects)/globalization - The origins, process, and aftermaths of WWI, WWII, Cold War - The recent development of the world and international relations since the end of the Cold War **Required Readings:** 1. William J. Duiker, Jackson J. Spielvogel, *World History*, Wadsworth Cengage Learning, Boston, 2019. 2. Robert W. Strayer, *Ways of the World: A brief global history with sources.* Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2011. **Course requirements:** Read required documents before the class; attend all the classes and participate in the class discussions and other activities; complete all class assignments including oral presentations, group discussions, and essays. **Technology:** Blackboard and projector for slides and documents **Course policies:** (1) Academic dishonesty, including cheating and plagiarism, will result in a failing COURSE grade and be subject to university discipline; (2) Without specific prior approval from instructor, no early and make-up exams, any schedule conflicts with lectures and exams are not accommodated; (3) Please be on time for class; frequent tardiness, early departures, or absence without valid reasons (documentation required) will affect your grade seriously (one absence=10% participation grade deduction, while 3 absences lead to a failing COURSE grade); (6) Late submission of class assignments will be penalized. **Grading Policy: This course assigns plus/minus grades.** Student learning will be assessed on the basis of student performance in: 1. Class participation: 10% 2. Group assignment: 20% 3. Midterm exam: 20% 4. Final exam: 50%. Grading Scale: A: 90 - 100; B: 80 - 89; C: 70 - 79; D: 60 - 69; F: < 60 **Schedule of class meetings** ***Week 1: Introduction: The Great Global Convergence*** - General introduction: The world before 1500 - Modern World History: A Bird’s-eye view - Course organizations - Course requirements ***Week 2: Renaissance and Reformation: Sources and Achievements*** - Definitions: Renaissance, Reform, Reformation, Renovation, Revolution, Renewal… - Sources of Renaissance and Reformation - Achievements in sciences, arts, literature, philosophy, architecture… - Historical significance *Reference:* Duiker& Spielvogel (2019), pp.379-385; 421-430 ***Week 3: Great Discoveries: Causes and Consequences*** - Causes for European exploration and expansion - The Portuguese maritime empire - The Spanish conquests in the “New World” - Slave trade and Spice trade - The Colombian Exchange *Reference:* Duiker& Spielvogel (2019), pp. 390-417 ***Week 4: Europe and America in the Age of Revolutions*** - Definitions of revolutions: distinguishing the concept of revolution with reformation, renaissance, enlightenment ... - British civil war (1642): Historical background, main events, the consequences - French revolution (1789): Historical background, main events, the consequences - American revolution (1779): Historical background, main events, the consequences *Reference:* Duiker& Spielvogel (2019), pp.442-443; 521-523; 527-537; ***Week 5: Industrialization*** - Definitions - The socio-economic development of Britain in the 16th-17th century - The expansion of technological from Britain to other European countries: Belgium, France, Germany, Sweden - Technological developments: textile, steam-power, iron making, chemicals.... - Consequences: economic development, social division, living condition, transportation, urbanization... *Reference:* Duiker& Spielvogel (2019), pp. 543-566 ***Week 6: Modern Imperialism and European Colonization*** - Theories of imperialism: formal imperialism, informal imperialism - The long-term development of Europe in the 15th-19th centuries - Motives for European imperialist expansion - European colonial system in Latin America, Africa and Asia - Colonial exploitations and consequences *References:* Duiker& Spielvogel (2019), pp. 568-570; 608-633 ***Week 7: World War I*** - The road to World War I - Pretext: the Sajarevo incident - Main events: video, photos, maps.. - Consequences: death, destruction, the redistribution of colonies... *Reference:* Duiker& Spielvogel (2019), pp. 665-688 ***Week 8: Mid-term exam*** (written exam) ***Week 9: Meiji Reform*** - Important terms: Meiji reform, Meiji Restoration, Meiji Revolution, Meiji Renaissance... - Historical conditions: social-economic development, the crisis of feudalism, the arrival of Europeans... - Major reforms: law, education, the military, technologies... - The effects of the reforms *References:* Strayer (2011), pp.894-904; Duiker& Spielvogel (2019), pp.494-503; 651-662. ***Week 10: China: from Feudalism to a Semi-colonial country*** - The crisis of feudalism in China: socio-economic crisis, the peasant revolt, political splits - The Opium wars: first opium war and second opium war - Western powers divided China: British colonies, French colonies, German colonies, American colonies... - The failed attempts to reform: Kang Youwei, Liang Qichao, Sun Yat-sen *References:* Strayer (2011), pp. 877-889; Duiker& Spielvogel (2019), pp.479-491;638-650. ***Week 11: Great Depression and World War II*** - Economic Crisis - The Rise of Fascism, Hitler and Nazi Germany - War in Europe - Pacific War - Aftermath of WWII *Reference:* Duiker& Spielvogel (2019), pp.724-757; ***Week 12: Decolonization and Post-Colonial Development*** - The rise of nationalism - Revolution in China - Independence movements in India - Decolonization in Africa - Decolonization in Southeast Asia *Reference:* Duiker& Spielvogel (2019), pp.696- 712; 861-867; 892-893; 903-909 ***Week 13: Cold War*** - Definitions: Communism, Capitalism, Non-Alignment… - The collapse of Grand Alliance - Truman Doctrine - Cold War in Europe (Europe divided) - Cold War in Asia (Civil War in China, Korean War and Vietnam War) - The disintegration of the Soviet Union *References:* Duiker& Spielvogel (2019), pp.763-801, ***Week 14: Post- Cold War Development*** - The development of the Western hemisphere - The rise of unipolar world - Reforms in China, Vietnam - Modern globalization *References:* Duiker& Spielvogel (2019), pp.802-819; 822- 835 ***Week 15: Final Exam*** (Written exam)