United States Government

Since the early 20th century, the predominant approach to teaching US students about their government has been in the form of what is known in academia as political science. This perspective is primarily (though not exclusively) concerned with educating students about the practical mechanics of government - in short, the branches of the United States political system, their differing roles and jurisdictions, electoral party politics, and so forth. This course will take a somewhat different approach, in that, while such matters will be addressed in the course, they will be taught within the broader context of Anglo-American political philosophy, history, and culture. As such, students will be provided with a crash-course on pre-revolutionary English political history, culture, and thought. Topics will include revolution from the middle ages to the 17th century, English common law, parliamentary government by consent, Enlightenment political philosophy, and other foundational concepts in Anglo-American political history, before shifting to examine how these were developed and refined within the context of the post-Revolutionary United States. The ultimate goal of this course is to show students that American government was not produced in a vacuum, but rather drew on long-standing elements of a trans-Atlantic British civilization and political tradition. Students are therefore expected to walk out of this course with not only a firm grasp of the organs of United States government, but also with a solid grounding in the cultural backdrop, history, and philosophy that has informed the American governmental system since its inception.