The Peace Corps is a volunteer service, in which Americans are sent to help undeveloped and impoverished countries. The volunteers stay in these host countries for two years. They live with the people, in many times poor conditions, and serve and work together with the people of the country. In doing this, the Peace Corps has three major goals: 1) To provide volunteers who give to the social and economic development of interested countries. 2) To promote a better understanding of Americans among the people who the volunteers serve. 3) To strengthen Americans' understanding about the world and its people. Most of all, the organization promotes world peace and understanding between America and all the other nations and people of the world. It is a United States government agency and is funded by tax dollars. How did the Peace Corps come to be? It is a very difficult political web of happenings, but can be summed together pretty easily; In the early1960's the young people of the nation had grown tired of sitting around, they believed America was becoming snobbish and conceited. They wanted change; they wanted to change the world. Then the first sight of that chance came. President Kennedy went to the University of Michigan on October 14, 1960 (though the Peace Corps was originally established on March 1, 1961). In his speech that day, he asked a group of ten thousand students present: "How many of you are willing to spend ten years in Africa or Latin America or Asia working for the US and working for freedom?" This idea, the idea that later became the Peace Corps, gave the chance to quench this thirst for change, and more importantly, action. "The Peace Corps oath of allegiance for many of us has meant a lifetime pledge of public service, of community concern, and international awareness. Finding myself now with the opportunity to lead the Peace Corps constitutes a moment of rare fortune." [Mark L. Schneider Shriver Hall, Peace Corps Head...