HIST 466 U.S.-China Relations Since 1800

Overview of Course

The relationship between China and the United States is now, and will likely continue to be, among the most important international relationships of our era, with effects not only on each other but across Asia and Africa as well as other world areas. This relationship has a long history, which is crucial to understanding how the two countries continue to interact as well as how that interaction affects other regions of the contemporary world. In this class, we’ll cover key historical events between China and the United States beginning with the Opium War and continuing through World War II, the Cold War, the Taiwan question, and into the present day. Our approach will be both chronological and thematic, allowing us to focus on cultural encounters and how everyday people have navigated and contributed to historical engagement, including missionary work, emigration and immigration, war, trade, cultural and educational exchange, sports and tourism, and health and technological development. Students will engage with diverse sources such as travel narratives, memoirs, journalistic accounts, diplomatic writings, and biographies to develop a nuanced understanding of the dynamic relations between these two countries over the past two hundred years. No prior knowledge of Chinese history is required, but active engagement with the course material is expected.