Course Title: History 205, Founding Fathers

Prerequisite: None

Credits:  4

History 205, Founding Fathers, is a course designed to introduce to the student the select quartet of men who are considered integral to the development of the United States. The men are George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, and John Adams.

The selected readings for the course are: "His Excellency" by Joseph J. Ellis, "Alexander Hamilton" by Ron Chernow, "Thomas Jefferson" by Christopher Hitchens, and "John Adams" by David McCullough.

"His Excellency", written by Pulitzer Prize-winner Joseph J. Ellis, is a short and yet very informative account of the life of George Washington, derived mostly from his own personal papers and letters. Covering ground from the early days as a 21 year-old in the service of Virginia's Governor, through the French-Indian War, right on to the Presidency. The RSU student will find much in this book, while cutting-out hundreds of pages that other biographies may provide!

"Alexander Hamilton", by Ron Chernow, is a favorite among the faculty here at RSU. The forgotten father, who was primary responsible for the rallying of the citizentry around the new constitution, who fathered the american banking system, who organized the army, who feuded with both Jefferson and Adams, and was ultimately killed by Aaron Burr in a duel outside NYC. Hamilton did as much, wrote as much, and fought as much as any other patriot, and yet he wasn't even born on the continent!

"Thomas Jefferson", by Christopher Hitchens, is another consisely written book on a subject matter that could easily take volumes to cover. The advocate of freedom, who also owned slaves. Mr. Jefferson was the Agrarian to Hamilton's Industrialist. Jefferson had lengthy disagreements with Washington, Adams, Burr, and Hamilton, while being succeeding by disciples James Madison and James Monroe in the White House. A very complex man who supported the French Revolution until the bitter end, executed the Louisanna Purchase, and of course, wrote the Declaration of Indepence.

"John Adams" by famed historian David McCullough, chronicles the pugnacious second President of the United States. While the presidency of John Adams was short and perhaps unremarkable in concrete accomplishments, what is remarkable about the man and his presidency is that he and the nation persevered. He held office in a time when political factions were just forming(federalist vs.republicans), when nations were warring(England vs. Great Britain), and when various issues faced the nation(slavery, piracy, size of government). An idealist in a troubled time, who died on the same day as Thomas Jefferson, July 4th, 1826. The fiftieth anniversary of the Declaration of Indepence.