During the early modern period (circa 1450-1800) the world became global. A "new world" which challenged "old world" frameworks of knowledge was made to accomodate European travellers. This seminar will devote itself to travel literature (broadly conceived) on the Americas to explore questions historical and actual, literary and theoretical: How did contact initially effect the old world? How did its representation evolve over the early modern period? How can a concept of early modern globalism be useful today?
Weekly seminar topics will be organized around a single primary text (some available only in Van Pelt's Rare Book Room) and an array of secondary materials. Each participant will lead one seminar session, assigning further readings as s/he determines necessary. A one-day seminar within the seminar will allow students to present their work on early modern globalism in a conference-style format. Each contribution will then be re-worked as the final paper. Primary materials may include: Herzog Ernst; Schedel's Weltchronik; Muenster's Cosmographica, travel accounts by Staden and Hutten; Theodor de Bry's American publications; Ortelius, Blaeu, and Jansson maps; Gottfried's American compilation; travel literature by Penn, Pastorius, and Saur; Insel Felsenburg; Humboldt.
