So you've learned all about the world outside our borders for the last two years, what could be left? I mean seriously US History is short and the country small, this should be a breeze, right? After all you live here and know most of this stuff already.

Let's see if that is the case. Did you know that the US Constitution was crafted in part as an attempt to ensure that democracy (or mob rule as many of the signers saw it) would NOT rise in this country? Did you know that free speech was curtailed during WWI as war protested were thrown in jail for speaking out against the draft? Did you know the US Congress actually stated that there was a conspiracy to assassinate JFK and that Oswald was likely not a lone assassin? Did you know that during President Andrew Jackson's inaugeration ceremony the only way he could get his drunken supporters/party-goers out of the White House (then called the Executive Mansion) was by moving the whiskey to the lawn? Did you know that since the 1830s we have had 14 Presidents elected without the support of the majority of the voters? Did you know that 100 years ago you had no right to vote for your senator (even if you were a white, property owning adult man)? Did you know that our founding father, Gouvernor Morris, compared the non-wealthy to children as a justification for denying them the right to vote, and that many of the founding fathers openly stated that government should preserve the propertied interests against the possible onslaught by the masses?

I hope a few things I mentioned are new to you, and that you are ready to explore the nature of our country and government. This course will go beyond the standard and orthodox US History you may be used to, and also provide an unorthodox perspective. You will be asked to debate and question your assumptions with the use of primary and secondary documents that will provide different perspectives. In addition I encourage you all to explore and challenge what you learn in class (this and others) with a document/fact based approach.