America's Founding Fathers

De: Allen C. Guelzo, The Great Courses

Narrado por: Allen C. Guelzo

Today, the US Constitution is the oldest, continually-operating instrument of government in the world. But to think of the Constitution as a fully-formed, canonical document is to miss out on an honest, well-rounded grasp of American history. Now, more than ever, any well-informed citizen should understand how the Constitution lives, breathes, and endures.

In collaboration with Smithsonian, these 36 lectures are a deep dive into the creation of the US Constitution as it actually happened - and the remarkable men who played their own unique role in the creation (and survival) of American democracy. Designed to be enjoyed in chronological order, they take you from the closing days of the American Revolution to the opening decades of the United States under the newly created US Constitution. Told like a dramatic story, each lecture uses a Founder as a doorway through which to examine the process involved in crafting the Constitution.

You'll encounter fresh perspectives on familiar Founders including George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and Alexander Hamilton, as well as people not necessarily considered Founders, including James McHenry, Secretary of War under John Adams; and Alexis de Tocqueville, author of the insightful Democracy in America. While detailed, the lectures are highly accessible for all learners, high school students and history buffs alike.

Less a biography of individuals, Professor Guelzo's lectures are instead a composite biography of one of the greatest political documents in history.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

©2017 The Teaching Company, LLC (P)2017 The Great Courses

Anerica’s founding fathers come alive.

If I had a professor like this in college, I probably would have changed my major.

Excellent information and delivery!

I loved listening to this! I learned so much, I am thankful for the instructor’s dedication to deliver this material to us.

Excellent!

The professor is an excellent teacher and the material is incredibly engaging. I really loved it. Bravo and thank you!

Absolute Perfection!

36 lectures that follow a mostly chronological order from the years just after the end of the American Revolution in the 1780's, through the Constitutional Convention, the first four presidents, and into the 1830's. With each lecture focusing on different founding figures as the course progresses. As always Professor Guelzo delivers a first-class performance which makes it easy to stay engaged and interested.

If you are looking for a course that specifically covers the life of each founding father in a more isolated matter instead of as they appear during the course of events listed above just be aware this is not the approach of this course.

must listen

Amazing! This should be mandatory reading for all americans or anuone that wanta to understand our system of government.

omits things

this starts as a good discussion of how we got to our existing constitution, but there are some omissions and a definate slant in what is included. 1. no discussion of how we got from one executive to a POTUS and a Vice President. 2. the federalist/ anti- federalist debates are only cursorily discussed. 3. the debates by each state are presented as tedious -- apparently the author presumes that the states having debate and deliberation is a bad thing"????. 4. the bill of rights discussion is presented as an afterthought and the author never even mentions when these amendments were signed. and certainly the acts of Hamilton show that "the constitution only allowed certain actions by the Federal government" argument was subject to interpretation one way by Hamilton and another by those who wanted more limited Govt. further, the sarcastic and derogatory tones employed by the narrator make clear what he thinks of various individuals. I can find no justification in the "founding fathers" of the detour into slavery issues and who did or did not lay out the city of Washington DC. While that is certainly history, it really isn't germane to the title nor the asserted subject.

Excellent

I love learning new things and this course is full of information. This has given me insight into the current political environment.
Seems like nothing has changed since the beginning.

Woderful insights into the Founders

Great insights into the formative years of the Republic, through the eyes and acts of Founders, famous and obscure!

Totally enthralling.

I listened for hours and learned so much. it was really well done. I recommend this course

Magnificent!

After a full year of listening to The Great Courses, this is the best lecture I’ve encountered so far. Beautifully structured, written, and delivered, this course was consistently illuminating. Professor Guelzo is masterful.