History/Geography 1492 1/22/22

History & Geography

1492: A Watershed Year

The year 1492 is emblazoned as a pivotal time in not only America’s history but also the world’s history. When Italian explorer Christopher Columbus arrived in the Caribbean, the effects were much greater than simply claiming land for Isabella and Ferdinand of Spain. Contact with the Americas introduced changes of a titanic scale in demographics, disease transmission, biological exchange, trade, world power, colonization, slavery, scientific discoveries, cartography, cuisine, geographic understanding and a new examination of classical texts. Join award-winning instructor Judy Okun as she offers a combined historical and geographic lens to chart the evolution of world events that led to Columbus’ voyages and the dramatic era of change which followed. First, delve into an ancient understanding of geography and trade in the Middle Ages, and then explore the emerging powers of the Iberian Peninsula, Portugal and then Spain in the 15th century. Next, investigate the many ways in which the world changed because of early encounters with previously unexplored lands in the 15th and 16th centuries and how these new experiences and knowledge led to the emergence of the early modern world. “This is an adventure which encompasses many centuries and thousands of miles on uncharted oceans and encounters with unexpected lands and people,” Okun says. Come away with a more thorough understanding and appreciation for the year that was 1492!

Four Zoom sessions

Sat., Jan. 22, 29, Feb. 5, 12, 2022, 10 am–12 pm MT ENRICH 0581 / $140

Judy Okun teaches geography at West Chester University (WCU) in Pennsylvania and leads history and geography workshops for teachers and adult groups throughout the Philadelphia region and the U.S. She holds master’s degrees in history and environmental conservation. In 2020, Okun won WCU’s outstanding faculty award.