Keeping It Global in Early Modern World History

The early modern period, c. 1450 to c. 1750 CE, was the first age of global interconnections, but world history classes often narrate it primarily from the perspective of Europeans. World history teachers should emphasize the role of European expansion, while recognizing its limits. Eurocentrism distorts the history of this period when European events are treated in much more detail, than the developments elsewhere. Teachers can maintain a global approach by panning out from important developments. The Atlantic economy, for instance, was deeply integrated with networks in the Indian and Oceans. AP World History teachers should also fill gaps in the curriculum by teaching about race, capitalism, and the environment.