Freedom's Foundations I (GOV213)

Course Description
Freedom's Foundations I is the first in a two-course sequence that, as one of the college's distinctive, flagship courses, is required of all Patrick Henry College students. The Freedom's Foundations courses trace the development of the concept of freedom from its roots in the ancient world to its culmination in our contemporary world. Along the way, we will also consider ideas and institutions that both support and undermine traditionally established liberties. In Freedom's Foundation I, we will examine the Hebrew, Greek, and Roman notions of liberty, the expansion of liberty in the Middle Ages, and the culmination of traditional liberty in the American founding.

Course Objectives

Upon completion of this course, students should be able to:

1. Apply a biblical worldview to the study of government and political philosophy.
   

2. Articulate the principles of liberty as expressed in the Declaration of Independence, the United States Constitution, and other documents and philosophical tracts from the American founding era.
   

3. Demonstrate a thorough knowledge of the relevant, competing political philosophies that have historically guided the political world.
   

4. Explain in detail the ancient roots of the concept of liberty as found among the Israelites, the Greeks, and the Romans.
   

5. Describe the impact of Christianity on the ideas of rights and liberty through the Middle Ages.
   

6. Relate the various political philosophies present in the American Founding generation and assess the influence of each.
   

7. Describe the relationship between the Christian worldview and the principles of the American Founding.
   

8. Demonstrate effective oral and written communication skills while engaging the forgoing topics.
   

Course Schedule
(This schedule is subject to change. The official syllabus will be distributed at the beginning of the course to enrolled students.)