Students will examine the military heritage of the United States from the colonial period to the early twenty first century. Emphasis is placed on using common themes that relate to the American experience in war to determine how periods of peace and war challenged the nation and influenced the development of its military policy. The American Revolution, War of 1812, Mexican War, U.S. Civil War, the Indian wars, wars of empire, both world wars, the Korean Conflict, The Cold War, Vietnam War, the Persian Gulf War and the Global War on Terror are considered in detail because of their influence on U.S. military policy and the nation?s perception of war.