This course will explore the extraordinary events that took place on the North American continent from 1760 to 1800. Topics to be explored include the political, social, economic, and ideological backgrounds of the American Revolution, the nature of late eighteenth-century American society, military strategies and concerns, imperial competition, Native American dilemmas, slavery and revolution, the construction of an American government, unresolved issues and contradictions, the limits and possibilities of revolutions, and the paradox of successful revolution. I encourage students to think hard about the prospects and pitfalls of political resistance and to contemplate its place in our lives today. Tentative course requirements are one paper, two mid-terms, and a final exam.
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