UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE Daniel Krebs, Ph.D. Department of History Gottschalk Hall, 301H Louisville, KY 40292 Email:
[email protected] HIST 522/611: THE ERA OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION "…To be ignorant of what occurred before you were born is to remain always a child." Marcus Tullius Cicero 1. COURSE DESCRIPTION The American Revolution remains the single most important event in this country's history. The period from the end of the Seven Years' War in North America to the end of the War of 1812 saw Americans rebelling against the British Empire, declaring their independence, fighting and winning a war of liberation, transforming colonies into states, establishing a lasting union, founding a federal government based on a constitution, and indeed creating a new nation. But not only had North America changed forever between 1760 and 1815, the American Revolution also had a profound effect on other parts of the world. Ever since 1776, the founding generation and their ideas of government have inspired other revolutionary movements. Tales of John Revere's midnight ride, the battles of Lexington and Concord, George Washington and the Continental Army at Valley Forge, or Benjamin Franklin in Paris still captivate large audiences. Between 1760 and 1815, the foundations were built for the structures by which people in the United States still conduct their political lives. Some of the most enduring philosophical questions that the founding generation discussed were about the limits of power and authority, the rule of law, and the appropriate relationship between rulers and ruled. Yet, heated discussions surrounding these events continue to this day.