History

May Term Trips

Travel courses allow professors and students to take the learning outside of the classroom and right to where the history actually happened.

Walking through a battlefield and getting a feel of the topography allows a student to understand why Napoleon lost the battle of Waterloo or the great challenges that Allied forces faced on D-Day.

Tower Bridge in London

Seeing pictures of a gothic cathedral does not communicate the true ingenuity of the society and culture which erected it. Only by seeing it and actually feeling the weight and texture or the stones can one truly appreciate the wonder of such a construction - the sweat that went into it, the engineering feats that it required and, finally, a respect for a culture which, because it is medieval, many stereotype as uncivilized and ignorant.

Our Discover Great Britain and Ireland course has been very successful in helping students understand not only Britain but also its colonial 'child,' the United States. The history and culture of Britain is just as much a part of who we are as a nation that the discovery of Britain is also a self-discovery of America.

Temple

The Thailand/Vietnam course examined the historical dynamics of several Southeast Asian cultures. In particular, this course explored how these cultures have interacted with that of the United States in the late 20th century. Crawling through the Cu Chi tunnel complex certainly gives one an appreciation for the Vietnam War that is difficult to get in any other way.

The Deep South Roadtrip is a domestic travel course that explores two abiding themes of southern history: the American Civil War and the Civil Rights Movement.

The department is currently developing a travel course on Europe during the World Wars.

Last Updated: 11/18/11