This course addresses the history of the Catholic Church in North America from the arrival of Christopher Columbus in 1492 to the present time. Students will be presented with a survey of the foundations of the Catholic faith in North America, the progress of the Faith in the 19th century, including the era of immigration, urbanization, and the Civil War, and the life of Catholicism in the modern era. Focus will also include the work of the Baltimore councils, the activities of the Church during the Great Depression and the two World Wars, the election of John F. Kennedy, the impact of the Second Vatican Council (1962-65), and possible keys areas of concern for the Church in the 21st century and beyond.