Course Structure: (1) Handouts will be available on the class site ahead of time to make students aware of terms to be used in order to make understanding new information easier. (2) A handout to stimulate thought and participation will also be provided in advance for use in class. (3) Content will be provided during the class in a slide show which will be given to students at the completion of class. 

Content: The course will center around 4 big issues. (1) The original purpose of the Founders -- how electors were to expected to function and why they were used. (2) Problems that were encountered in elections that led to a constitutional amendment. (3) Problems in the elections of 1824 and 1828. And (4) the role of the Electoral College in leading to the Civil War after the election of 1860. 

Methodology: A slide show will present information with graphics and content that are explained in a lecture. Students are encouraged to ask questions or express views at any time, but there is no pressure to speak. An ice breaker activity at the beginning of the course will be used to encourage participation and set the expectation that students may speak up but will not be pressured to talk. The slide show will include links to websites for additional information so that sharing the slide show at the end of the course encourages students to view the class as the beginning of a learning adventure. 

Resources: Graphics and information are drawn from the following Internet sites: (1) https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/duel-alexander-hamilton/ (2) Federalist Papers #68 https://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/fed68.asp (3) https://www.aoc.gov/explore-capitol-campus/art/alexander-hamilton-statue and (4) https://www.270towin.com/historical-presidential-elections/timeline/