Showing results by publisher "Learn25" in Politics & Government

The American Revolutionary War has inspired best-selling books, iconic paintings, and hit Broadway musicals. More than 250 years after the “shot heard around the world” was fired in Concord, we remain fascinated by the causes and legacy of the Revolution. In 18 dynamic audio lectures, West Point history professor Robert McDonald leads you past the politics and battle tactics to explore the underlying ideas that sparked the Revolution.

Revered as a consummate statesman who cemented America’s place on the global stage, Franklin Delano Roosevelt affected tremendous change in the United States in course of his career. To understand his life is to understand how the nation claimed world leadership in what many call the American Century.

A captivating 24-lecture audio series on the US Constitution by award-winning law professor David L. Hudson Jr. Written more than 200 years ago, the Constitution remains the backbone of American government and an example of freedom and democracy the world over. Once called the “Miracle at Philadelphia,” it remains America’s vital governing force today. Your audio course will begin in the summer of 1787, as the Founding Fathers met to revise the Articles of Confederation, then explore the ratification process and James Madison’s championing of the Bill of Rights.

Christian theology may not believe in Marxism, and Marxism may think that God is dead, but the two ideologies still have much to say to one another. Thomas Merton, one of the world’s greatest modern Christian intellectuals, was fascinated by the dialogue between Marxists and Christians. Now, by listening to these nine masterful talks, which Merton delivered to the novices at the Abbey of Gethsemani in 1965 and 1966, you can join in these conversations.

Alexander the Great (ca. 356-323 BCE) was a Macedonian general who brought Greek civilization to the edge of modern-day India. After studying the Iliad, he believed himself to be Achilles reincarnated, imitating the hero of the epic poem in his own military campaigns. Even before he died barely into his 30s, the legends surrounding him were larger than life. In this compelling new audio course, you’ll explore the history and lore surrounding this real man and mythic figure, often by consulting the ancient sources themselves.

Explore the captivating contradictions of one of US history’s most divisive figures with the celebrated West Point professor and author of Confounding Father: Thomas Jefferson’s Image in His Own Time.

More than ever, Americans are reclaiming our national identity based on the fundamental principles of America's founding. In this enlightening course, you will explore what defines us as Americans by looking at our founding documents: The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. This is the course you always wish you had taken when you were an undergrad. An engaging and gifted teacher, Professor Jeffrey Sikkenga passionately explores the founding principles that make America a great nation.

The framers of the Constitution were in uncharted territory when they created the office of the presidency. No one at that time had a clear vision of what the president of a national republic would do, and only the vaguest notion existed when George Washington took the oath in 1789. For nearly 250 years, our elected Presidents have played a role in shaping what the office has become. Thomas Jefferson described the presidency as a “splendid misery,” John Quincy Adams felt it was “harassing,” and Warren Harding said simply, “It’s hell!"

George Washington came to be known as father of his country. In his role as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army, George Washington defeated the British in the American Revolution and established the United States of America. Through his extraordinary military leadership, he guaranteed that the American Republic would move forward in its revolutionary experiment. So how was Washington able to win this seemingly unwinnable war? This compelling 15-lecture audio course answers this and many more questions about one of the most foundational figures in American history.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the second woman ever to serve on the US Supreme Court, was already a legendary lawyer before she ever became a federal judge. For many years, she brilliantly litigated gender discrimination cases, including several that reached the Supreme Court. In her later years, her legal victories and lifelong commitment to justice elevated her to the status of pop culture icon. In this engrossing 12-lecture audio series, Supreme Court expert David L. Hudson Jr. provides an inside look at Ginsburg’s life and career.

Leading presidential historians and public opinion agree - Theodore Roosevelt was one of America’s greatest presidents. Through this unique audio course, Professor Webb explores the reasons Roosevelt enjoys such widespread and enduring approval. As you listen to this engrossing 15-lecture audio series from Prof. Webb, you’ll understand why Roosevelt’s colorful personality and audacious leadership style so enthralled Americans in the early 20th century and continue to fascinate us today.

Benjamin Franklin: Made in America traces the fascinating twists and turns that make this Founding Father’s story so remarkable. In 15 dynamic audio lectures, award-winning American history Professor Jeffrey Webb explores Franklin’s career beginning with his post as a young newspaperman and continuing into his leadership roles on the frontiers of cultural, intellectual, political, and scientific developments.

In this powerful 15-lecture audio series from award-winning law professor David L. Hudson Jr., you’ll follow the trajectory that led Marshall to become a transformational counsel for the NAACP and in 1967 the first African American Supreme Court justice. He sat on the court for 24 years, leaving an indelible impact in many areas of law. You’ll understand why Justice Elena Kagan has called him “the most important lawyer of the 20th century”.

What would you like to know about the Supreme Court’s evolution, its immense impact, and its crucial role in democracy? Now is your chance to explore the law of the land with an acclaimed expert on the United States Constitution and the Supreme Court. In 24 stimulating lectures, you will survey the history of the Supreme Court from its inception through the present day. Your discussion stays rooted in the historical - not the legal or political.

Free speech lies at the heart of our American identity. The Founding Fathers enshrined this right in the first 45 words of the Bill of Rights. But what does the First Amendment really mean? How have views of its provisions evolved since 1791? In this 12-lecture audio course, First Amendment expert Professor David L. Hudson, Jr., leads you on a gripping tour of free speech law in the United States.

If you wish to understand the intellectual history and trajectory of American conservatism, you are sure to enjoy this brilliant course by one of America’s leading conservative scholars. Since the 1950s, economic conservatives have been in political alliance with social conservatives or traditionalists. That coalition has been a source of both strength and tension. Under the guidance of award-winning Professor Andrew E. Busch, you will first examine the distinctive features of economic and social conservatism before exploring the fascinating relationship between the two.

Follow the life and legacy of Ronald Reagan in this course by his acclaimed biographer Dr. Steven F. Hayward. Dr. Hayward is an accomplished scholar and conservative public intellectual who has taught and held fellowships at Georgetown University, UC Berkeley, and the American Enterprise.

This expertly-taught course invites you on a journey through 100 years of American conservative history. The history and development of American conservatism is as fascinating as it is complex. While conservative commentators, politicians, and pundits abound, few truly understand how the conservative movement came to be the institution it is today. Now, you can learn about this vital history in 12 thought-provoking lectures.

In this insightful history course, you will take a deeper look at Abraham Lincoln's powerful presidency and the war that shook America 150 years ago. Presented by award-winning professor Dan Monroe (PhD, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign), these lectures brim with fresh insights. Raised in Kentucky and Indiana by a father who did not value education, Lincoln had only one year of formal education. Rented out for day labor by his father, the young Lincoln gained insight into the injustices of slavery and would go on to become a self-educated lawyer.

How can Aristotle help you become a better person? In this course by award-winning teacher and leading Aristotle expert Prof. Cary J. Nederman (PhD, York University), you will become a more ethical person as you explore Aristotelian thought. The word "politics" is an often-controversial term in our day, conjuring associations with partisanship and subterfuge. But as conceived by the ancient Greeks, politics was essential for becoming a virtuous person. Learn from one of the leading experts on Aristotle and political theory.