Prerequisite: None

Exam Type: No Exam

In this seminar, we’ll do a close reading of arguments by federalists and antifederalists about ratification of the Constitution in1787-1788.  We’ll work through the full selection of them in Debate on the Constitution edited by Allison and Bailyn.  Our focus will be on the modes and effectiveness of the arguments as well as their substance.

Students will share responsibility for leading our discussions as well as participating actively in them. At the end of the semester, they will write a short paper analyzing their experience in the seminar.