This course surveys how human populations have experienced diseases including those induced by infectious microbes, environmental agents, and dietary causes from prehistoric hunter -gatherer societies to today's global population. Particular emphasis is on major transitions and historical events that have had led to major epidemics. These transitions and events include but are not limited to the transition to agriculture, urbanization, imperial expansion, colonialism, industrialization, world wars, factory farming, and the transportation revolution. The development of medicine, public policies, and global health organizations is a central theme as is the development of global health disparities. Students are challenged to think historically and apply a long-term perspective to understand today's global health problems.