OSHER 865 - A Republic---If You Can Keep It: The Political Philosophies of the Founders

The Founders of the American Republic are viewed today as an array of demigods who created a nation grounded in principles which they uniformly shared. The reality was that, despite their common greatness, each of them brought his own unique personality and vision to bear in the founding of the United States. This course will study six of the most important of this group: Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, James Madison, John Adams, Alexander Hamilton, and George Washington, and will analyze how each placed his own unique stamp on the American political tradition.