Inquiry and Critical Thinking Paper
Order Description
Develop a well-written, 2-3-page paper on the following theme:
The lectures and readings for this course have presented the development of a European identity as a historical process closely connected with the encounters of the peoples and cultures of the European continent with peoples and cultures in other parts of the world. In particular, the formation of Christendom/Europe (as a place and as an identity) relied on a narrative that defined Christendom/Europe as distinct from and opposed to other civilizations and cultures.
Using both primary and secondary sources, illustrate some historical examples of this process of constructing a European identity in opposition to other cultures. You will probably find most useful readings on the crusades (Christendom as opposed to the Islamic worlds) and on European colonial expansion in the New World (Christendom/Europe as opposed to American Indian civilizations).
Alternatively, if you find the way in which the construction of Christendom and European identity is presented in the course to be unconvincing, offer an alternative explanation for how these identities emerged and support this explanation with both primary and secondary sources.