Economics of the U.S. Constitution

This course examines the economic history and political economy of the United States from the imperial crisis of the 1760s through Reconstruction. Students will develop a deep understanding of how conflicts over taxation, public credit, commerce, expansion, slavery, and state-building shaped constitutional change and economic development. Course participants will learn methods of economic history as they analyze both primary and secondary sources.

This is an accelerated six-week course in which students will move through a series of learning modules that mix asynchronous activities with synchronous discussions. Students will read primary sources ranging from Alexander Hamilton’s “Report on the Subject of Manufacturers” and conflicting opinions of the National Bank to the 1830 Indian Removal Act and the Reconstruction Amendments. The instructor will also assign works by economic and labor historians to help students contextualize the documents they read. Assignments in the course include both short and long reading resources, as well as a final exam where students will demonstrate their mastery of course content. K-12 teachers in the course will have the opportunity to develop a final curriculum project in connection with course topics.

This course is entirely virtual and includes asynchronous activities and synchronous meetings. Dr. Edward Kosack, Associate Professor of Economics at Xavier University, will teach this course. 

AFAC 552: Economics of the U.S. Constitution 

• June 29 – August 9, meeting days and times are coming soon! 

Course registration begins April 7, 2026. 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.