A History of the World since 1300 -
(I just signed up and taught you might be interested as well)
This course explores the history of the modern world since Chinggis Khan. It focuses on the connections between societies from the time of the Mongol conquests and the gradual, but accelerating ways in which connections became ties of inter-dependence. The relations between societies are what will concern us. The forces pulling the world together vary from religious to economic, political to intellectual. These forces bring the world together, but they also create new divisions. Nowadays, we call this “globalization.” That term has tended to emphasize the drive to worldwide integration; the view of globalization taken in this course emphasizes disintegration as well as integration. We will tackle some very basic questions: How do we explain the staggering wealth of China in the centuries up to 1750, as well as China’s recent ascent? Where did the United States come from, and where is it headed? What are the significance and legacies of empire in the world? How have world wars and revolutions shaped the international system over time? What exactly is globalization, and how does today’s globalization compare with the past? How has the relationship between humans and nature changed over the centuries?
About the Instructor
Jeremy Adelman is the Walter Samuel Carpenter III Professor of Spanish Civilization and Culture at Princeton University, where he is also the Director of the Council for International Teaching and Research.
I already know there’s no way I’m going to have time for this, but I’m going to leave this here in case anyone else is interested, even especially if you’ve never had much interest in studying history before.
Next session starts September 17th.
[video]
“Wait For Me Daddy,” by Claude P. Dettloff, October 1, 1940: A line of soldiers march in British Columbia on their way to a waiting train as five-year-old Whitey Bernard tugs away from his mother’s hand to reach out for his father.
Louvre Museum. The Grande Galerie abandoned during World War II
(Source: adanvc, via darksideoftherainbow)
1289 letter of Arghun to Philip IV of France, in the Mongolian script, with detail of the introduction. The letter was conveyed to the French king by Buscarel of Gisolfe.
Translation: “Under the power of the Eternal Heaven. Under the majesty of the Khan (Kublai Khan). Arghun our word. To the Rey da France (King of France). Last year you sent your ambassadors led by Mar Bar Sawma telling us: “if the soldiers of the Il-Khan ride in the direction of Misir (Egypt) we ourselves will ride from here and join you”, which words we have approved and said (in reply) “praying to Tengri (Heaven) we will ride on the last month of winter on the year of the tiger and descend on Dimisq (Damascus) on the 15th of the first month of spring.” Now, if, being true to your words, you send your soldiers at the appointed time and, worshipping Heaven, we conquer those citizens (of Damascus together), we will give you Orislim (Jerusalem). How can it be appropriate if you were to start amassing your soldiers later than the appointed time and appointment? What would be the use of regretting afterwards? Also, if, adding any additional messages, you let your ambassadors fly (to us) on wings, sending us luxuries, falcons, whatever precious articles and beasts there are from the land of the Franks, the Power of Tengri and the Majesty of the Khan only knows how we will treat you favorably. With these words we have send Muskeril (Buscarello) the Khorchi. Our writing was written while we were at Khondlon on the sixth khuuchid of the first month of summer on the year of the cow.”
![frenchhistory:
Organ pipe clock with a monkey orchestra - Jean Moisy (clockmaker) and Jean-Claude Chambellan known as Duplessis ( goldsmith)
Porcelain figures based on models by Johann-Joachim Kändler and Peter Reinicke
Circa 1755-1760
Gilded bronze work, Vincennes soft-paste porcelain flowers, hard-paste Meissen porcelain figurines
130 x 85 cm
@credits
This exceptional piece was probably a private commission, perhaps through the intermediary of a major marchand-mercier [decorative arts dealer operating outside the guild system] such as Lazare Duvaux, who sold a monkey orchestra to Madame de Pompadour in December 1753.
The contrast between gilded bronze and polychrome porcelain came into vogue in clockmaking during the 1730s.
Jean Moisy (1714-1782), the creator of the clock mechanism, became a master craftsman in Paris in 1753, at the age of 39. He systematically numbered all the movements leaving his workshop and this one bears the number 558.
Porcelain of different origins is juxtaposed on the same piece, such as the soft-paste Vincennes porcelain flowers and German hard-paste porcelain figures. At Vincennes, the taste for natural-looking flowers reached its peak in 1751. The exotic monkey theme was initially designed to decorate interior panelling.
The first porcelain monkey orchestras may have appeared in Mennecy in France post 1740, but they reached the peak of refinement in Germany. In Meissen in Saxony, the master modeller Johann-Joachim Kändler (1709-1775) set the standard shortly before 1750 with the charming design used here which he revisited and modified circa 1765 with the help of his collaborator Peter Reinicke (1715-1768).](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m4sba0hca51r4iw2yo1_500.jpg)
Organ pipe clock with a monkey orchestra - Jean Moisy (clockmaker) and Jean-Claude Chambellan known as Duplessis ( goldsmith)
Porcelain figures based on models by Johann-Joachim Kändler and Peter ReinickeCirca 1755-1760Gilded bronze work, Vincennes soft-paste porcelain flowers, hard-paste Meissen porcelain figurines130 x 85 cmThis exceptional piece was probably a private commission, perhaps through the intermediary of a major marchand-mercier [decorative arts dealer operating outside the guild system] such as Lazare Duvaux, who sold a monkey orchestra to Madame de Pompadour in December 1753.
The contrast between gilded bronze and polychrome porcelain came into vogue in clockmaking during the 1730s.
Jean Moisy (1714-1782), the creator of the clock mechanism, became a master craftsman in Paris in 1753, at the age of 39. He systematically numbered all the movements leaving his workshop and this one bears the number 558.
Porcelain of different origins is juxtaposed on the same piece, such as the soft-paste Vincennes porcelain flowers and German hard-paste porcelain figures. At Vincennes, the taste for natural-looking flowers reached its peak in 1751. The exotic monkey theme was initially designed to decorate interior panelling.
The first porcelain monkey orchestras may have appeared in Mennecy in France post 1740, but they reached the peak of refinement in Germany. In Meissen in Saxony, the master modeller Johann-Joachim Kändler (1709-1775) set the standard shortly before 1750 with the charming design used here which he revisited and modified circa 1765 with the help of his collaborator Peter Reinicke (1715-1768).
“In Grönland” by Kahn & Selesnick
(via heynorth)
A long time ago I saw a movie on TV, and I either forgot its name or just didn’t catch it. It was some low-budget Canadian film about a teacher from (I think) Toronto who goes out to teach in a one-room schoolhouse in rural Saskatchewan during (what I think were) the 1930s. He stays with some family in their farmhouse and generally acts really awkward until he earns the children’s respect and falls in awkward love with some local woman etc etc. And then I think there was something about the school being in danger of being closed down, I don’t know. It’s been a while.
The one specific exchange of dialogue I do remember went something like:
“Who can tell me what a peninsula is?”
“A piece of land bordered on three sides by water.”
“And who can tell me what a lake is?”
“A body of water surrounded on all sides by land?”
“And young girl, what is a beach?”
“A female dog?”
So yeah, I remember it being kind of surprisingly funny and heartwarming and I’d really like to find it again. If anyone steeped in obscure Canadiana knows what the hell I’m talking about, please let me know?