HIST 218 - Samurai, Courtiers, and Monks

4 credit(s)
This course introduces students to the history of premodern Japan, from roughly the 7th century until the early 19th century. Major themes include: mythohistorical explanations of Japan’s founding; the imperial line; the culture and literature of the imperial court; the rise of the samurai; the power struggle between the imperial court, the shogunate, and religious institutions; the Warring States Period; the reunification of the country under the Tokugawa shogunate; and the culture of prayer and play in the Tokugawa period. We will explore primary sources such as mythohistories, literature, art, religious texts, letters, diaries, plays, and more. This course also introduces students to the basic toolkit of historians-close-reading primary sources, synthesizing sources to formulate original arguments, and contextualizing current events within larger historical trends.
Core Requirement(s): Historical Context; International and Diverse Perspectives