The U.S. Constitution - The Great American Mulligan (Zoom)
Spring (4-8 hours) | Available (Membership Required)
In March 1785, representatives of Virginia and Maryland met at George Washington’s home at Mount Vernon to negotiate navigation and fishing rights on the Potomac River. The States met because the Congress established by the Articles of Confederation was totally incapable of resolving disputes like that between States; it was evident that the Articles were like an errant golf shot into the woods. It was America’s “Mulligan.”
In this course, we will discuss how the defective Articles of Confederation were replaced by an enduring, if not perfect, United States Constitution.
This course will combine lecture with class discussions.
James Bays
Jim Bays is a retired corporate attorney who has taught Osher courses at Dartmouth and in Texas on U.S. history in the late 18th century, including courses on Thomas Jefferson, Ben Franklin, the transition from the Articles of Confederation to the U.S. Constitution, and the Electoral College. He is a 1971 graduate of Dartmouth College and received his law degree from the University of Virginia Law School in 1974.