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BEFORE YOU WATCH: Unit 1 Overview

Use the “Three Close Reads” approach as you watch the video below (next in the lineup!). If you want to learn more about this strategy, click here.

First read: preview and skimming for gist

Before you watch, you should skim the transcript first. The skim should be very quick and give you the gist (general idea) of what the video is about. You should be looking at the title, thumbnails, pictures, and first few seconds of the video for the gist.

Second read: key ideas and understanding content

Now that you’ve skimmed the video transcript and taken a quick peek at the video, you should preview the questions you will be answering. These questions will help you get a better understanding of the concepts and arguments that are presented in the video. Keep in mind that when you watch the video, it is a good idea to write down any vocab you read or hear that is unfamiliar to you.
By the end of the second close read, you should be able to answer the following questions:
  1. Why, according to the video, start a course like this in 1750?
  2. What was the world generally like in terms of the production and distribution of goods, according to the video?
  3. What was the world generally like in terms of networks, according to the video?
  4. What was the world generally like in terms of communities, according to the video?
  5. The video argues that the world of 1750 was also changing. What examples does it give?
  6. How did the Qianlong Emperor and Lord Macartney have different views of the world when they met?
  7. How was Britain’s growing wealth based partly on its control of Bengal in this period?
  8. What does the map of British ship journeys around the world tell us about global trading patterns?

Third read: evaluating and corroborating

Finally, here are some questions that will help you focus on why this video matters and how it connects to other content you’ve studied.
At the end of the third read, you should be able to respond to these questions:
  1. This video provided an argument for beginning a course in 1750. Do you agree with this argument? Why or why not?
Now that you know what to look for, it’s time to watch! Remember to return to these questions once you’ve finished watching.

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