Creation of the American Republic, 1776-1789
Investigate the intellectual foundations of the American Revolution and the Constitution.
In this five-week asynchronous course, participants will explore the ideas that influenced the creation of the early American republic. Students will deeply engage with historical documents and content to trace how natural rights, liberty, virtue, equality, and self-government inspired and informed the American Revolution and the Constitution.
This course emphasizes the application of scholarship in K-12 classroom instruction. Participants will read and analyze a range of primary texts and scholarly publications related to the early American republic. As they move through the course content, students will demonstrate their engagement with the material by writing substantive questions and leading virtual discussions. The final assignments include a primary source teaching demonstration and a lesson plan drawn from course readings and topics
This asynchronous course is entirely virtual and will be taught by Dr. Frank W. Garmon, Jr., Assistant Professor of American Studies at Christopher Newport University.
This course is open to active teachers in any state. Teachers will receive 3 graduate credits from Christopher Newport University upon completion of the course.
Credit from this course can transfer:
AMST 5##: Creation of the American Republic, 1776-1789
- Week 1: July 6-10, Ideological Origins
- Week 2: July 13-17, The American Revolution
- Week 3: July 20-24, The Critical Period
- Week 4: July 27-31, The Constitution
- Week 5: August 3-7, Ratification and the Bill of Rights
The deadline to apply is May 1, 2026. To apply, click the link below and create a new applicant account. When prompted, select “Teacher Continuing Education” to access the course application. Please direct any questions to JMC Graduate Consortium Manager, Moyra Eaton, at meaton@gojmc.org.
This course is a part of the Jack Miller Center’s Civics Foundations Graduate Consortium, which seeks to provide K-12 teachers with high-impact graduate education centered around American civics and history. Click the link below to read more about the consortium and explore other available courses.