A History of the University of Pennsylvania from the American Revolution to the Present

Catalog description

This course provides a well-contextualized journey through primary sources relating to the University of Pennsylvania from its inception as an idea to the present. Penn was both the first university and the first institution to combine the liberal arts and professional training in medicine. While the history of the university reflects broader patterns in American higher education, Penn nevertheless had its own unique trajectory in its relationship to the city of Philadelphia and to power in the United States. During our meetings, we will discuss the relationship between theoretical and practical sides of learning at the university, the nature of research, the changing structures of governance and its place in politics from the American Revolution to the Present.