HIST 158(S) Thicker than Water: American Political Dynasties (W)
In a nation long committed to democratic principles, dynasties of any sort are bound to seem anomalous. Yet in six different instances members of the same family have held or aspired to hold the highest office in the land, the Presidency of the United States. Our purpose will be to analyze three of those families: the Adamses, the Roosevelts, and the Kennedys. In particular, we will focus on the paths they took to power, their performance as political leaders, and the legacies they left behind. Throughout the semester we will also be exploring what differences family ties-the dynastic element-made in the three histories in question.
Format: seminar. Readings will consist of primary as well as secondary sources, with frequent short papers developing major points in the reading, and a longer exercise involving in-depth research.
No prerequisites. Enrollment limit: 19 (expected: 19). Preference will be given to first-year students, and then to sophomores who have not previously taken a 100-level seminar.
Group F
Hour: DALZELL