At the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers lies Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, a small town whose dramatic setting became the stage for one of the most consequential events in the struggle over slavery. Historian Christopher Hamner leads a day-long exploration of the site of John Brown’s 1859 raid on Harpers Ferry, an attempt by the radical abolitionist to spark a nationwide slave uprising. Though the raid lasted little more than 36 hours, its repercussions reverberated across the nation and helped propel the United States toward civil war.

Trace the evolution of the Arts and Crafts movement in Philadelphia through a day-long exploration, led by Bonita Billman, of two remarkable sites that together tell a story of craftsmanship, community, and design. The Philadelphia Museum of Art features the exhibition “Workshop of the World: Arts and Crafts in Philadelphia, 1876–1926” and the Rose Valley Museum offers a window into one of America’s most significant Arts and Crafts communities. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)

Against the backdrop of the Great Depression, the New Deal ignited an unprecedented use of government resources to address crucial public services as a way to kick-start the American economy. But President Franklin Roosevelt said that in a hundred years, his New Deal would be remembered more for its arts than its job relief. Discover landmarks, art—including dramatic bas reliefs and monumental sculptures—and other projects from the New Deal period with author David Taylor during a walking tour in Washington, D.C.

Regional historian Hayden Mathews explores the rich heritage of this lovely Eastern Shore town, focusing on both land and sea. The day includes a cruise on a replica of an 18th-century vessel, as well as an historic-district walking tour guided by Chris Cerino, a former Chestertown mayor and the vice president of the Sultana Education Foundation.

Few American cities are as deeply entwined with the birth of the nation as Boston. From village greens where militias first mustered to crowded wharves and meetinghouses alive with revolutionary debate, trace the dramatic opening chapters of the American Revolution. Guided by historian Fred Zilian on this 4-day tour, explore the landscapes, landmarks, and ideas that transformed a cluster of colonial towns into the epicenter of a struggle for independence.