This course will continue the analysis of how liberals and conservatives gradually flipped positions on the role of using active government in American life. The first part of the course examined the colonial era through the founding period. In this second part, we will focus on how each side viewed government both before and after the Civil War. You’ll be introduced to some of the key players in the history of the United States and how they impacted the nature of governance in America. Over time, liberals went from supporting limited government to advocating for an active government, and conservatives, who initially supported active government, flipped their position to one of limited government.
Suggested Reading: The Great Flip by Donald J. Fraser, Google Books