HIS5182 AMERICAN POLITICAL TRADITION
The United States has somethimes been called the world's "oldest modern country," as indicated by the fact that the U.S. constitution is the world's oldest written constitution still in effect for a country. This celebrated document laid the foundation for both American political practice, while inspiring many others around the world. However, much of the development of the political history of the U.S. would have surprised the Founder. This course proposes to study the development, evolution, and changing practice of representative democracy in America since the Constitution went into effect in 1789. Topics will include the immediate appearance or partisanship in the creation of the Hamiltonian and Jeffersonian traditions, the rise of "democracy," the appearance of a two-party system and its intriguing persistence, the balance among the 'holy trinity' of American governmental structure (exective, legislative, and judicial), continuing contested discussion concerning issues of federalism and states' rights, and inevitably, major personalities who have made the American political tradition what it is.