Attempts by the faculty at Baker University to introduce American undergraduates to the history of the Western tradition as part of their general education are described. The strengths and weaknesses of the Western civilization course and of the core curriculum formerly offered by the college are analyzed. The rationale for the interdisciplinary course now being offered, entitled "Shaping of Western Thought," is presented. The sophomore-level course focuses on three values that are highly prized in the Western tradition--love, peace, and freedom. The alternative ways in which these ideas have been understood by the residents of several major cities in the West are discussed. (Author/LBH)