Faculty Profile
Matthew Pinsker
Professor of History; Pohanka Chair in American Civil War History (2002)
Contact Information
Denny Hall
717-245-1350
Bio
Pinsker teaches courses in U.S. political, legal and diplomatic history. His research focuses on the career of Abraham Lincoln, partisanship in the Civil War era, American constitutionalism, the Underground Railroad and the history of U.S. campaigns and elections.
Education
- B.A., Harvard University, 1990
- D.Phil., University of Oxford, 1995
2026-2027 Academic Year
Fall 2026
HIST 118 American Hist 1877 to Present
This course covers aspects of political evolution, foreign policy development, industrialization, urbanization, and the expanding roles of 20th century central government. Includes attention to historical interpretation. Multiple sections offered.
HIST 211 Remembering 1776
On the nation's 250th anniversary, this topics course will examine how Americans have commemorated the nation's founding through the decades and have argued over its meaning right up to the present day.
Spring 2027
HIST 117 American Hist 1607 to 1877
This course covers colonial, revolutionary, and national America through Reconstruction. Include attention to historical interpretation. Multiple sections offered.
HIST 404 Slavery and Abolition
This senior seminar will explore key areas of interpretive argument concerning the history of American slavery and abolition, with a special focus on its rise, destruction, and legacy within the United States.