The present age is one of globalization characterized in part by rapid developments in technology and information systems. But information and technology have often been powerful forces for historical change. This institute will place the current information and technological revolutions in world-historical perspective through a set of case studies drawn from different cultures and contexts from antiquity to the present day. In examining the effects of information and technology on political, economic, and social development, the institute will explore several major themes, including writing and print/information technology; science and society; technology and warfare; and empire and the diffusion and consolidation of knowledge. Presented by professors from the University of California, Berkeley's History Department, and organized around the Content Standards for California Public Schools, these case studies will provide a number of useful tools and strategies for teaching information and technology in world history.

This workshop will use the Choices' program's unit "Beyond Manifest Destiny: America Enters the Age of Imperialism" as a jumping-off point for discussing the Spanish-American War and the resulting U.S. colonial acquisitions, as well as how these may be taught.