This course opens students’ minds to the ways in which abstract political concepts and theories have practical implications in our lives and in the way the world works. Students delve into questions about what it means to live in a pluralistic society, and how a system founded on the idea of equality strives and struggles to live up to that creed.
Students explore the classical foundations of the American system from Ancient Greece and Rome, the contextual debates around the substance of the Constitution, the development of the American political two-party system, the evolution of American law and justice, and broader themes of civics, rights, and the ideals and realities of American governance. This course is highly recommended for students who have not previously taken high school U.S. or American History.