Hillsdale College Launches New Online Course ‘The Federalist’
The course examines how the Founding Fathers organized America’s enduring principles into a practical structure of government
HILLSDALE, Mich. — Hillsdale College has launched a new online course, “The Federalist,” taught by Ronald J. Pestritto, graduate dean and professor of politics. The course, released June 3-17, examines how the Founding Fathers organized America’s enduring principles into a practical structure of government.
“The authors of ‘The Federalist’ wanted to educate public opinion about what it meant to be a citizen in a free republic.”
“‘The Federalist’ is the best explanation of America’s system of government, written by men who helped draft the Constitution, and it provides clear instruction on politics in general,” said Jeremiah Regan, executive director of online learning. “The arguments presented help us understand how our government was intended to work and how we, as self-governing citizens, should approach political questions. This is especially important as our nation faces an unparalleled opportunity to reclaim republican government.”
This course examines how the framers of the Constitution organized a federal government based on America’s founding principles. The authors of ‘The Federalist’ articulated how human nature and the unique circumstances of America informed the structures of the Constitution, including representation, the separation of powers, federalism, and the powers of each branch.
“Many of us wish we could ignore politics. However, as citizens in a republic, that’s not really a convenience that we have. In a self-governing system such as ours, the decisions that are made by politicians, that are made in our national institutions, have a profound effect on every aspect of our lives,” Pestritto said. “The authors of ‘The Federalist’ wanted to educate public opinion about what it meant to be a citizen in a free republic.”
The course includes ten video lectures, which were released to the public each Tuesday and Thursday through June 17:
- Publius and ‘The Federalist’
- The Antifederalists
- The Extended Republic
- The Problem of Majority Faction
- Human Nature in ‘The Federalist’
- The House of Representatives
- Why the Articles of Confederation Failed
- The Senate
- The President
- The Courts and the Bill of Rights.
- Watch the trailer and register for the course
- Photos from the course
- High-resolution copy of the Hillsdale College clocktower logo
About Hillsdale College Online Courses
Hillsdale College’s free, not-for-credit online courses feature lectures from the College’s faculty members across various disciplines, including politics, history, economics, religion, and literature. More than 2.1 million students have enrolled in an online course with Hillsdale College. For more information on Hillsdale College’s online courses, visit online.hillsdale.edu.