This course surveys the historical and cultural development of media in the United States and globally from the printing press to the contemporary digital age. It explores what media are, how they have changed, the many factors that inform these shifts, and the immense cultural and political impacts they have on the world and how we understand it. The course format consists of two lectures and a weekly discussion section. It requires three exams and four written assignments. Media History and Culture also counts toward the General Education (GE) requirement for Historical Perspectives.