An Exceptional History: The Birth of American Democracy

This brilliant course celebrates the American experiment to test a revolutionary form of government. Today, democracy remains at the core of our nation’s political, social, and economic organization. Now, you can explore its miraculous and fragile origins in the colonial and revolutionary eras (1607–1790).

In 15 erudite lectures, celebrated history professor and author Jeffrey B. Webb gets you to realize that there was nothing inevitable about the coming of democracy to America. Specializing in early American history and culture, Prof. Webb begins by revealing how much the weight of history, tradition, and colonists’ contemporary experience counseled against democratic systems of government.

The recipient of numerous teaching and research awards - including a fellowship from the National Endowment for the Humanities - Prof. Webb guides you through key moments in American history at which our future democratic institutions were shaped and tested.

Throughout, you’ll discover the stories of less-familiar people and events from our history: John Winthrop, Robert Keayne, and Bacon’s Rebellion, to name a few. In these unsung stories, you will find not only the appeal of democratic ideas but also the disruptive nature of democratic values.

In the end, you will appreciate the American system of government as the most outstanding of contributions by the United States to world history.