DESCRIPTIONS

The Era of The American Revolution

Hsec 1004

Tuesday

Dates: 9/19 to 11/14 (no class 10/10)(8 weeks)

Time: 1–3 PM

Facilitator: Myra Rich

Location: Online

Class Limit: 25 participants

Sponsoring Site: Central

Why did the colonies go to war with Britain? How did we create an entirely new government, the first of its kind in the modern world? What historical experiences and ideas — secular and religious — were important to Americans as they embarked on this great experiment? This course will survey the period from 17631789, focusing on the causes of the War for Independence and the lessons of the war and Confederation Period that informed the drafting of the Constitution. We will focus less on military history and more on the political thought and politics of the late 18th century. The ideas and practices that emerged from this period of our history continue to influence the way we think about law, politics, and government today.

Evolution of Systemic Racism

Hsec 1014

Thursday

Dates: 9/21 to 11/9 (8 weeks)

Time: 1–3 PM

Facilitators: Leanne Puglielli/Ben Kempinen

Location: Online

Class Limit: 25 participants

Sponsoring Site: Central

This class focuses on the history of the economic, legal, theological, and philosophical systems of American Exceptionalism that are embedded in our country’s laws and systems and that protect the dominance of Anglo-Saxon institutions and blood. The class also observes the force exerted by the four roots as they become ever more intertwined and grow ever more deeply each decade to produce the racial disparities that we experience today.

While there are many stories of minorities that could be told, given eight weeks, these conversations will focus on those systems and structures that have resulted in wealth disparities, mass incarceration and the unchecked killing of Black people.

Our desire to be good can prevent us from doing good if we do not see the historical systems and structures we created.

“Whites created slavery, segregation, and racial discrimination. Whites have most of the political and social power to change racial discrimination and inequality now. We cannot have a truly free and democratic society until we do that.” MLK

Food: A History

HSEC 1012

Wednesday

Dates: 9/20 to 11/8 (8 weeks)

Time: 1–3 PM

Facilitator: Anne Bennett , Master Facilitator

Location: Columbine United Church

Class Limit: 25 participants

Sponsoring Site: South

Food is an integral part of our lives. In this course we will focus on the history of food as we know it, starting with prehistoric hunter gatherers through time to the current day. We will look at obtaining, cooking and enjoying food throughout history and across the globe. The stories of food, and why we eat what we eat, are fascinating. We will see how pepper contributed to the downfall of the Roman empire, what spice contributed to the discovery of America, why the cow is sacred in India and much more. The colonists and early settlers ate much differently than we do today. How did they survive and what did they eat on the voyage and after they arrived. Food is not only needed for nutrition, but for enjoyment. Why is chocolate so delicious? Where did beer originate? Did Coca Cola really contain cocaine? How do our taste buds work? When were vitamins discovered? Why should we eat food rather than nutrients? We will take a look at brain health, the gut microbiome and current thoughts on food and nutrition.

Foundations of World Religions: An Historical Perspective

HSEC 1007

Wednesday

Dates: 9/20 to 10/25 (6 weeks)

Time: 9:30–11:30 AM

Facilitator: Shellie Hochstadt

Location: 1st Universalist

Class Limit: 35 participants

Sponsoring Site: Central

This course is designed to study the development and interrelationship of world religions. Ideas moved with trade and travel, and religion followed these routes. From polytheistic ideas, Zoroastrian concepts, and the development of monotheism, religion forms and reforms through philosophical changes and social interaction. The course will explore early religious beliefs, the maturing of religious ideas, and the early practices of today’s five major world religions: Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. The course utilizes historical perspective while investigating the relationships of political, economic and social patterns on belief and custom. The scope of this course is 2500 BCE to 640 CE.