The United States and Latin America produced a remarkable series of revolutions and reforms during the postwar period. This course examines efforts in the United States, Guatemala, Cuba, and Brazil to define and address problems around land, labor, and property; nation, empire, and autonomy; and racism, democracy, and citizenship. In studying the US and Latin America together, the class invites students to explore central themes of both regions' histories as parts of global processes. We will explore exchanges between social movements in the US, Cuba and Africa, for instance, ask how ideas about poverty traversed national borders, and examine the global rise of human rights consciousness. The class, in other words, not only compares national histories but analyzes the relationships between national upheavals and the global significance of events in the hemisphere.

One of the seminar's aims is to help students develop their capacity to solve strategic, real-world problems by working collaboratively in the classroom, on campus, and in the West Philadelphia community. Research teams help contribute to the improvement of education on campus and in the community, as well as the improvement of university-community relations. Among other responsibilities, students focus their community service on college and career readiness at two West Philadelphia High Schools: Sayre High School and West Philadelphia High School. Students are typically engaged in academically-based community service learning at the schools on Monday and Tuesday afternoons. A primary goal of the seminar is to help students develop proposals as to how a Penn undergraduate education might better empower students to produce, not simply "consume," societally-useful knowledge, as well as function as caring, contributing citizens of a democratic society.

Southern culture and history from 1607-1860, from Jamestown to seccession. Traces the rise of slavery and plantation society, the growth of Southern sectionalism and its explosion into Civil War.

Southern culture and history from 1607-1860, from Jamestown to seccession. Traces the rise of slavery and plantation society, the growth of Southern sectionalism and its explosion into Civil War.

Southern culture and history from 1607-1860, from Jamestown to seccession. Traces the rise of slavery and plantation society, the growth of Southern sectionalism and its explosion into Civil War.

Southern culture and history from 1607-1860, from Jamestown to seccession. Traces the rise of slavery and plantation society, the growth of Southern sectionalism and its explosion into Civil War.