Although seldom mentioned in the grand narratives of war, culture, and technology, plants have profoundly influenced the course of human history. Plant domestication and human civilization have been co-evolving ever since the origins of agriculture. This perspective leads to a number of provocative multidisciplinary questions: How did certain cereal grasses and legumes civilize a nomadic hunting-and-gathering primate at a few advantageous locations? How did the cultivation of sugar, tobacco, and cotton affect the colonization and exploitation of the world? What roles did tea, coffee, opium, rubber, and quinine play in the spread, economics, and military actions of the British Empire? Students will apply their appreciation of historical human-plant dynamics to address such contemporary challenges as global climate change, genetic engineering, biodiversity, industrial agriculture vs. sustainable stewardship, and the use of indigenous medicinals in modern cultures.