Making the United States, 1776-1820

3 units

The founding of the United States, extending from the American Revolution to 1820, continues to attract much attention today. Politicians, pundits, our courts and popular authors argue over what men like George Washington and Thomas Jefferson meant in founding documents, like the Constitution, and whether these values were a product of their period or meant to span time. This course brings to light the first attempts of the rebel colonies and early national United States to navigate issues like gender, race, slavery, immigration, labor, poverty, the franchise and citizenship. Students will encounter new perspectives into the period as well as consider the ways in which our memory of the American Founding (correct or not) impacts our national identity and politics today.