Crisis, Constitution, and War: the U.S.'s Early Decades
HIST 274
Spring 2025 not offered
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| This course may be repeated for credit. |
It is common today for Americans to fight over how to interpret the U.S.'s early decades. Specifically, recent decisions by the U.S. Supreme Court (some guided by originalist jurisprudence) have sparked vigorous debate over the meaning of the U.S. Constitution. This course not only examines the Constitutional Convention of 1787, but also the preceding years of unrest and crises such as Shay's Rebellion. Military history is another important focus of the course, and students will discuss the technological, operational, and social dynamics of the Quasi-War, Barbary Wars, and the War of 1812. Finally, this course also investigates how the U.S. struggled to exercise power in North America, as free and enslaved peoples resisted its authority during the Whiskey Rebellion, Wars of the Northwest Territory, and Gabriel's Rebellion. One unique aspect of this course is its four-week long embodied learning exercise, as students "gather" in 1780s Philadelphia as constitutional convention delegates. What exactly they are gathering to accomplish is a matter of controversy, but ultimately the student-delegates will work through "sectional interests, backroom deal-making, personal rivalries, and foreign intrigue" as they attempt to approve a new constitution within the constraints of the era's historical context. |
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| Credit: 1 |
Gen Ed Area Dept:
SBS HIST |
| Course Format: Lecture / Discussion | Grading Mode: Graded |
| Level: UGRD |
Prerequisites: None |
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Fulfills a Requirement for: None |
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