This is a gateway course to the study of the history of science, technology, and medicine, examining the development of modern science and technology in service of and as a response to mercantile and colonial empires. Students will read historical scholarship and also get a basic introduction to the methods, big ideas, and sources for the history of science, technology and medicine. Such scientific and technological advances discussed will include geography and cartography; botany and agricultural science; race science and anthropology; tropical medicine and disease control; transportation and communication technologies.