What You'll Learn

The Qing Dynasty was the wealthiest, most powerful, most civilized state on earth — but by the 20th century, a 2,000-year imperial tradition is gone. What happened?

This series explores the building of contemporary China, a new country that sits on the bedrock of a great and ancient civilization. China re-engages with the West, the Communist Party comes to the fore, the Cultural Revolution returns Mao to power, and economic reforms usher in new foreign investments and renewed international trade. Throughout, enduring issues — political unity, population growth, environmental costs, social constraints, commercialization, internationalization — test the country’s national identity.

When did modern Chinese history begin? How do you define a “modern China”? Will the 21st century be the Chinese century? As China continues to play a critical role on the world stage, understanding these questions is essential to understanding the global world we live in. This course provides that understanding and will enable you to find your own answers.

After completing History of China: The Modern Era, learners will understand:

• An overview of modern Chinese history, including the fall of the Qing and the end of imperial China.
• How China engaged with the West and how this confrontation still resonates today.
• The birth of modern China between the fall of the Qing and the end of World War II.
• The rise of the Communist Party, the Cultural Revolution, and the reopening of China.
• China from the rise of Deng Xiaoping to the present.
• China’s global leadership role in the 21st century.