Professor Harry V. Jaffa analyzes the text of the Declaration of Independence, focusing particularly on its reference to equality. He interprets equality as resting on freedom of religion and on the separation of church and state—that is, on rejecting individual divine favor as setting anyone above anyone else.

This lecture continues in The Declaration in American History and World History, Part Two.

Professor Michael Anton traces the trend of U.S. popular cynicism and criticism of government back through the history of the U.S. to the Federalist Papers. He continues further back in time to consider whether the Founders' cynicism was inspired by classical sources such as the Greeks and Machiavelli's The Prince.

This lecture continues from Republicanism: Cynicism and Nobility in Theory and Practice, Part One.

Professor Michael Anton traces the trend of U.S. popular cynicism and criticism of government back through the history of the U.S. to the Federalist Papers. He continues further back in time to consider whether the Founders' cynicism was inspired by classical sources such as the Greeks and Machiavelli's The Prince.

This lecture continues in Republicanism: Cynicism and Nobility in Theory and Practice, Part Two.

Professor Matthew Spalding looks at the U.S. Constitution and the idea of originalism—that is, responding to the Constitution based on its Founders' original intent and meaning. He examines the document in an attempt to discover that original intent and meaning.

This lecture continues from the lecture Originalism and the Constitution, Part One.

Professor Matthew Spalding looks at the U.S. Constitution and the idea of originalism—that is, responding to the Constitution based on its Founders' original intent and meaning. He examines the document in an attempt to discover that original intent and meaning.

This lecture continues in Originalism and the Constitution, Part Two.

Professor Ralph A. Rossum examines the ways in which recent and current U.S. Supreme Court Justices interpret or seek to interpret their duties and the founding documents of the U.S. He looks at what precedents and interpretations of the Founders' intent are incorporated in contemporary justices' thought.

This lecture continues in Contemporary Supreme Court Approaches to Constitutional Interpretation, Part Two.

Professor David Hackett Fischer traces how definitions of the ideals of liberty and freedom have changed over the course of U.S. history, from the American Revolution to the present day. He looks particularly at visual and literary symbols that have been created to stand for these ideals.

Part Two of this lecture is currently not functioning.

Professor Victor Davis Hanson discusses the United States' military heritage, focusing on its dual use of large armies and small overseas intervention corps and on the U.S. definition of war. He relates this discussion to the current debates over the war in Iraq. This lecture continues from the lecture "The American Way of War, Part One."

Professor Victor Davis Hanson discusses the United States' military heritage, focusing on its dual use of large armies and small overseas intervention corps, and the U.S. definition of war. Hanson relates this discussion to the current debates over the war in Iraq.

Professor Christopher Flannery examines the prominence of the Declaration of Independence in U.S. history and present life, the context in which it was written, and the intentions of its drafters. He looks at the ethics and morality represented in the document.

To listen to this lecture, select the real audio link for session two.