HIST 314
Imperial India: India from Mughal Times to the Present (GL) (WI)
Catalog Entry
HIST 314
Imperial India: India from Mughal Times to the Present (GL) (WI)
Three hours lecture: (3)
Prerequisite: Three hours of History at the 100 level.
A general survey of South Asian history from the building of the Mughal Empire to
the present. Topics include the nature of Mughal and British rule in India, the many
peoples who have coexisted in India, and the blending of Muslim, Hindu, and British
traditions. Also emphasizes developments in South Asia since the end of British rule
in 1947.
Note(s): Humanistic or Artistic Expression designated course.
Detailed Description of Content of Course
This course will provide students with a chance to become acquainted with the history
of South Asia, helping them to acquire knowledge and understanding of a part of the
world unfamiliar to most of them. The course will attempt to create awareness of how
South Asia came to be the way it is and how South Asian history has been important.
Major topics include:
(1) Ancient Cultures of South Asia
(2) Arrival of Islam and the Mughal Conquest of India
(3) Hindu-Muslim Relations under Mughal Rule
(4) Arrival of Europeans in South Asia
(5) British Conquest of India
(6) Nature of British Rule in India
(7) Independence Movements
(8) South Asia since Independence
Detailed Description of Conduct of Course
This course will combine lectures, class discussions based on assigned readings, media
presentations, diverse writing assignments, and in-class exercises. In all cases,
the course will be learner-centered. The course will also offer research opportunities,
as students will be able to explore in greater depth topics of special interest through
secondary and primary source readings. The course will provide the academic support
services that students need in order to succeed.
Goals and Objectives of the Course
1. Students will practice thinking critically and analytically about historical issues,
acquire a broader knowledge and deeper understanding of pertinent historical events
and processes, and cultivate a familiarity with the concepts of historical argument
and interpretation.
2. Students will develop disciplinary research skills by designing strategies to locate
and analyze primary and secondary source evidence, processing and organizing the resultant
data, and composing proper citation and bibliographical entries.
3. Students will apply their critical thinking, research, and compositional skills
to the creation and presentation of thesis driven essays that discuss, for example,
historical social, economic, political, and/or cultural developments and that address
issues such as the causes and consequences of historical change and continuity.
4. Students will acquire a broader knowledge and deeper understanding of key issues,
themes, personalities, and events in the history of India from the time of the Mughals
to the present day.
Assessment Measures
Knowledge and understanding of the material covered in this course will be measured
using an array of assessment tools that may include, among other things, class attendance
and participation, written examinations, formal writing assignments of various types,
and informal writing assignments. All exercises are designed to expand the student's
ability to evaluate historical events and to develop his or her ability to compose
persuasive arguments.
Other Course Information
None
Review and Approval
Date Action Reviewed by
October 2010 Reviewed and Approved by Sharon A. Roger Hepburn, Chair
04/2011
March 01, 2021