Stearn’s Research

Peter N. Stearns makes strong arguments that 1850 was the birth of globalization. This is a long read so I suggest you completely read pages 98-101 to understand Stearns’ basic argument and then skim the rest of the chapter stopping at “The Great Retreat: 1914-1945.”  We have not covered World War I or World War II in our course yet. In 2 – 2 1/2 pages, compose your own argument based on Stearns’ research, is 1850 the birth of globalization?  Provide at least 4 broad points of evidence and multiple specific examples to support your argument.  For instance, Stearns argues that movies and popular culture were transmitted world wide.  That would be a broad point piece of evidence and I could further support that with specific examples such as 60-70% of all films shown in Britain prior to WWI came from the United States (page 126).   Stearns, Peter N. Globalization in World History. Vol. Second edition, Routledge, 2017, Chapter 5: “The 1850s as a Turning Point: The Birth of Globalization? pages 98-132  (Links to an external site.)