HIST 337 at the University of Maryland Global Campus is a three-credit analysis of how European powers shaped and were shaped by global events between 1884 and 1989, from the Conference of Berlin to the fall of the Berlin Wall.
The catalog stresses the reciprocal relationships between great cities and the outposts of European culture worldwide, and the objective is to examine the interplay between Europe and colonial regions, subjects, cultures, politics, economies and immigration.
The challenge is the two-way view: students must show influence running in both directions, not only from Europe outward.
Course at a Glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| University | University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) |
| Course code | HIST 337 |
| Credits | 3 |
| Level | Undergraduate |
| Subject area | History: European and world history |
| Typical work | Discussion posts, source analysis, comparative essays, a research paper (check your syllabus) |
What HIST 337 Covers
The catalog sets the dates and the themes. The table groups typical content; your syllabus sets the schedule.
| Theme | What you work on |
|---|---|
| The Berlin Conference and empire | The start of the period and the rules and rivalries of imperial expansion |
| Colonial regions and subjects | Politics, economies and cultures in colonized areas and how people responded |
| Cities and outposts | Reciprocal relationships between metropolitan centers and colonial cities |
| World wars and decolonisation | How global conflicts and independence movements changed Europe and the colonies |
| Immigration | Movement of people between colonies and Europe and its effects |
| Cold War to 1989 | Europe's place in a divided world until the fall of the Berlin Wall |
Key Concepts Explained
Reciprocity
Influence ran both ways. Colonial resources, soldiers, ideas and migrants changed European economies, politics and culture, while European institutions shaped colonial societies.
Invented illustration: A paper could show how colonial labor supplied a European war effort and how that experience later fed independence claims.
Perspective and Voice
Imperial records mostly reflect rulers. Look for sources by colonized people, and state whose voice is missing when you cannot find them.
Illustration: A governor's report and a nationalist newspaper describing the same event give different pictures; use both and explain the difference.
Periodisation
Dates such as 1884 and 1989 are conventions. Ask what the choice of dates includes and leaves out.
Typical Assignments and How to Approach Them
The catalog does not list assessments, so these are typical. Confirm in your syllabus.
| Assignment type | What it tests | How to approach it |
|---|---|---|
| Discussion posts | Engagement with readings | Link a reading to the theme of reciprocity |
| Primary source analysis | Perspective and context | Say who wrote it, for whom, and what they wanted |
| Comparative essay | Comparing colonial cases | Choose criteria such as economy, resistance and migration |
| Research paper | Argument and sources | Narrow to one city, colony or issue and engage historians |
Planning a Colonial Comparison
Comparative prompts are common in a course spanning many regions. Use shared criteria for each case.
| Criterion | Question for each case |
|---|---|
| Economy | What did the colony supply or buy, and who profited? |
| Politics | How was authority organized, and how was it challenged? |
| Culture and migration | What moved between colony and Europe? |
| Outcome | How did the relationship end or change? |
Choose two cases only, so each criterion gets real evidence.
Handling the Endpoints
The period opens with European powers dividing influence in Africa and closes with the end of the Cold War division of Europe. A strong essay can link them, for instance by asking how imperial structures shaped later political borders and alliances.
Keep claims proportionate: show the link with a source, and avoid implying that one event led directly to another without evidence.
A Study Plan You Can Adapt
A comparative course benefits from a case-based plan. This is an invented example.
| Stage | Focus |
|---|---|
| 1884 onward | Imperial rivalry and rules of expansion |
| World wars | Colonial contributions and changes in Europe |
| Decolonisation | Independence movements and migration |
| Cold War | Europe's place until 1989 |
Keep a table with one row per case so comparison essays are largely planned in advance.
Reading an Assignment Prompt
Look for words like "reciprocal", "interplay" and "compare", which signal that both directions of influence or two cases are expected. If the prompt names a date range, keep your examples inside it.
A quick check is to ask whether each paragraph shows influence on Europe as well as from Europe. If not, add the missing direction.
Where Students Get Stuck
- One-way narratives. Show Europe changed too.
- Europe-centered sources only. Seek colonial perspectives.
- Too many regions. Select two or three cases.
- Generalization. Colonial experiences varied widely.
- Confusing chronology. Keep a timeline from 1884.
Study Tips for HIST 337
- Make a table of cases against themes as you read.
- Keep a map handy for regions and cities.
- Note which sources come from colonized people.
- Check dates for independence and war milestones.
- Write one sentence on reciprocity for each reading.
How We Help with HIST 337
Send the assignment prompt, rubric, readings and feedback. A history writer can prepare a custom essay, explain a source or review your draft. The research paper help guide covers structure.
GradeEssays is independent and not affiliated with the University of Maryland Global Campus. Our work is a study and reference aid: use it to understand the material, then complete and submit your own work under UMGC's academic integrity policy.
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Frequently Asked Questions
1884 to 1989, per the catalog.
How European powers shaped and were shaped by global events, including colonial relationships.
The entry we checked lists none. Confirm in the current catalog.
Look for memoirs, newspapers, petitions and scholarship using non-European sources.
Yes. Send the prompt and we help set criteria and organize the evidence.
No. We provide tutoring, models and feedback only.