Course Description
A continuation of GOV213, this course will focus primarily on the American political tradition, beginning with the English declarations of rights and freedoms and continuing through the American colonial period and the founding era. Among other texts, we will study the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, Federalist Papers, the Anti-Federalists, and Tocqueville’s Democracy in America.
Credits: 3
Prerequisites: GOV213
Additional Details
Freedom's Foundations II is the second of a two-course sequence that, as two of the college's distinctive, flagship courses, is required of all Patrick Henry College students. Freedom's Foundations I traces the development of the concept of freedom from its roots in the ancient world through the eighteenth century and the challenge of the French Revolution. In Freedom's Foundation II, we will focus on the American tradition of politics and moral order, particularly as it has been informed by previous political thinking. We will also consider the implications of the contemporary American culture war and weigh the prospects for American liberty in the future.
A typical week in GOV 213 involves reading from a core text, usually on American political thought (e.g. Madison, Lincoln, Tocqueville), and engaging your classmates in a threaded discussion. The course grade is determined by participation in discussion and performance on scholarly papers and exams. The course does require synchronous events such as Skype or chat. Students are expected to stay on-schedule with assigned readings and assignments, however.
