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This course explores the American struggle to establish
a republic on a national scale. We will examine the
politics, economy, social structure, and culture of the
union created by the American Revolution and the bitter
but creative debates over the meaning of the Revolution
and the proper form of republican government. We will
explore the lives of men and women: rich and poor,
enslaved and free, Indian and settler. Because
contemporary America owes much to the conflicts and
compromises, accomplishments and failures of the early
republic, understanding that period will deepen your
perspective on our place in time.
COURSE CONTENT
- Twelve lectures
-
Primary source readings to complement the lectures
-
A certificate of completion for 15 hours of
professional development credit
Readings: The suggested readings for
each session will be listed in the “Resources” link on
the course site. You are not required to read or
purchase any print materials. The quizzes are based on
the lectures.
Course Access: After your purchase, you
may access your course by signing into the Gilder
Lehrman website and clicking on the My Courses link,
which can be found under My Account in the navigation
menu.
Questions? Please view our FAQs page or email
selfpacedcourses@gilderlehrman.org.
LEAD SCHOLAR: Alan Taylor
Alan Taylor is the recipient of a Bancroft Prize and two
Pulitzer Prizes for his work in American history. After
a postdoctoral fellowship at the Institute of Early
American History and Culture (Williamsburg, Virginia),
he taught in the history department at Boston University
from 1987 to 1994. From 1994 to 2014, he was a professor
at the University of California at Davis, where he
taught courses in early North American history, the
history of the American West, and the history of Canada.
He then held the Thomas Jefferson Chair in American
History at the University of Virginia. Taylor's books
include
American Republics: A Continental History of the
United States, 1783-1850
(2021) and
American Revolutions: A Continental History,
1750-1804
(2016).