Political Science 458

Political Science 458

American Political Thought

AndrewsUniversity

Tuesday/Thursday 10:00 to 11:15 AM

Fall 2010

Instructor:Dr. Gary V. Wood

Office: NH 122 D

Hours:M/W 2:00-4:00; T/R 11:30-1:30 or by appointment

Phone: Office: (269) 471-3290

Home: (269) 449-0848

E-mail:

Course Description and Objectives:

This course examines the major theoretical and philosophical ideas animating the American Founding and the Progressive-Era and explores the political thought of Abraham Lincoln. The student will gain an understanding of the distinctive features of American constitutionalism; explore the relation between theory and practice in the American Founding; and see whether the political thought of the leading statesmen of the American polity can meet the challenges posed by critics over the past two hundred years.

Course Requirements:

Midterm Examination I:20%Thursday, September 23

Midterm Examination II: 20% Thursday, October 28

Final Examination: 30%Thursday, December 9

Term Paper: 20%Tuesday, November 30

Attendance & Participation: 10%

All exams will be essay. There will be a handout on the 12-15 page paper the second week of the term. In addition, you are expected to attend class on a regular basis, to be current on the readings, and contribute to classroom discussion. More than four (4) absences will result in the forfeiture of the 10% attendance and participation component.

Required Texts:

Jefferson, Thomas. The Portable Thomas Jefferson, ed. M. Peterson. New York:

Penguin, 1986, (Any Peterson edition will suffice).

Hamilton, Alexander, James Madison and John Jay. The Federalist Papers, ed. C.

Rossiter. New York: Modern Library, 1961. (Any Rossiter edition will suffice).

Lincoln, Abraham. The Portable Abraham Lincoln, ed. Andrew Delbanco. New

York: Penguin. (Any Delbanco edition will suffice).

Pestritto, Ronald J. and William J. Atto, eds. American Progressivism,Lanham, Md.: Lexington Books, 2008.

Course Outline:

The following is a tentative schedule. Reading assignments and dates may be adjusted but assigned material should be read prior to class.

Week One:

Fundamental Principles. (Jefferson. pp. 1-21, “A Summary View of the Rights of British America;” “The Declaration of Independence,” pp. 235-41.)

Week Two:

Religion. (Jefferson, Notes on the State of Virginia, pp. 208-13; “A Bill for Establishing Religious Freedom,” pp. 251-3; Letters, pp. 490-4 and 572-2).

Virtue. (Jefferson, Letters, pp. 380-3; 423-8; 540-4; and 392-400; Washington [handout] “Farewell Address.”)

Slavery. (Jefferson, Notes on the State of Virginia, pp. 185-93 and 214-5; Letters, pp. 517, 454 and 544-7; Federalist, 54.)

Week Three:

The Constitution and the Ratification Debate. (Federalist, 1-9; Jefferson, Letters, pp. 372-386; 395-400.)

Week Four:

A Republican Remedy for Republican Diseases. (Federalist, 10-22; Jefferson, Letters, pp. 414-418; 428-433; 435-440.)

Week Five:

Midterm Exam: Thursday, September 23

The Necessity of Energetic Government. (Federalist 23-46.)

Week Six:

Republicanism and the Separation of Powers. (Federalist, 47-83.)

Week Seven:

Bill of Rights and Limited Government. (Federalist, 84, 85.)

Week Eight:

Prelude to Civil War. (Lincoln, “Fragment on Slavery,” p. 41; “Address to the Young Men’s Lyceum,” p. 17; “Fragment on Slavery,” p. 41; “Speech on the Kansas Nebraska Act,” p. 41.)

Week Nine:

Slavery and Civil War. (Lincoln, “ Letter to Joshua Speed,” p. 84; “A House Divided,” p. 88.)

Week Ten:

Midterm Exam II: Thursday, October 28

The Soul of the American Regime. (Lincoln, “Debate with Douglas,” p. 97; “Address at Cooper Union,” p. 167; “Letter to Alexander Stephens,” p. 193; “First Inaugural,” p. 195; “Message to Special Session of Congress,” p. 209; “Gettysburg Address,” p. 295; “Letter to A.G. Hodges,” p. 302; “Letter to Charles D. Robinson,” p. 308; “Second Inaugural,” p. 320.)

Week Eleven:

The Principles of Progressivism. (T. Roosevelt, “Who Is a Progressive?” p.35; Wilson, The New Freedom, p.45; Goodnow, “The American Conception of Liberty,” p.55;.)

Week Twelve:

Old and New Interpretations of History. (Fredrick J. Turner, “The Significance of the American Frontier in American History,” p. 67; Beard, An Economic Interpretation of History, p.91; Video, “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence.”)

Week Thirteen:

Leadership and the American Presidency. (Wilson, “Leaders of Men,” p.141; Constitutional Government, p.153; “War Message to Congress,” p.301; “Fourteen Points,” p.317; T. Roosevelt, “Inaugural Address,” p.171)

Week Fourteen:

Parties, Direct Democracy and National Administration. (R. La Follette, Autobiography,p.227; Croly, Progressive Democracy, p.239, 261; Wilson, “The Study of Administration,” p.191; T. Roosevelt, “The New Nationalism,” p.211.)

Week Fifteen:

Term Paper Due:

Review for Final Exam.

FINAL EXAM: Thursday, December 9, 10:00-12:00