HIS 309: The Early American Republic

This course will explore the history of the early American republic, ranging from 1787 to 1848. Often overshadowed by the American Revolution that preceded it and the Civil War that followed, these decades were crucial to the development of the United States. It was during this period that Americans established the Constitution, developed the first political parties, debated how democratic the new nation should be, and argued over how to create a “more perfect union.” The early republic also saw crucial developments concerning slavery and the fate of Native Americans. This course will examine topics such as the creation of the U.S. Constitution, the birth of American partisanship, the War of 1812, the Market Revolution, the expansion of slavery, Indian Removal, Jacksonian Democracy, and the Mexican-American War.