POL 3700 - American Presidency
Fall 2026 Syllabus, Section 01, CRN 43566,
Credit hours: 3
Course Meeting Times
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Instructor
Adam Fuller
Email: afuller@ysu.edu
Course Description
3700. American Presidency. An examination of the role of the chief executive officer within the governmental framework. The offices of mayor and governor are treated, but the primary emphasis is on critical evaluation of the American presidency. Prereq.: POL 1560. 3 s.h.
Course Readings
| Group | Title | Author | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|
| Required | Debating the Presidency: Conflicting Perspectives on the American Executive: Fifth Edition | Richard J. Ellis and Michael Nelson, ed | |
| Required | The Federalist Papers #69-74 | Publius | |
| Required | The Pacificus-Helvidius Debate (Blackboard) | James Madison and Alexander Hamilton | |
| Required | Packet of short readings from Abraham Lincoln, Woodrow Wilson, Theodore Roosevelt, and William H. Taft (Blackboard) | Abraham Lincoln, Woodrow Wilson, Theodore Roosevelt, and William H. Taft | |
| “To the Citizens of the State of New York” (Blackboard) | George Clinton | ||
| Required | Possible occasional articles posted to Blackboard | ||
| Required | Another book from the book review list on Blackboard |
The course readings are subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances, research developments, current events, and/or to ensure better learning.
Assignments/Assessments
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Schedule of Topics and Assignments
| Week of | Reading(s) | Proposed Topic | Due/To Prepare for Class |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8/24 | U.S. Constitution | Why did the framers construct the presidency? What is presidential power? | |
| 8/31 | Federalists #69-74 George Clinton: “To the Citizens of the State of New York” |
Why did the framers create a strong presidency? Why did the Anti-Federalists oppose a strong presidency? | |
| 9/7 | Nelson/Busch debate Loomis/Schafer debate |
Presidential selection and eligibility: Why the Electoral College? | |
| 9/14 | Pacificus-Helvidius debate | Pacificus-Helvidius: The first major debate over presidential power | |
| 9/21 | Abraham Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt readings in the packet on Blackboard | Presidential personas: Prerogative and Stewardship | |
| 9/28 | Woodrow Wilson and William H. Taft readings in the packet on Blackboard | Presidential personas: Public and Strict Construction | |
| 10/5 | Nichols/Bimes debate Karol/Cronin debate Dickinson/Edwards debate |
The framers’ presidency vs. the Modern Presidency | |
| 10/12 | Kassup/Pious debate | War Powers | Exam #1 |
| 10/19 | Wirls/Tichenor debate | The Sole Organ Doctrine | |
| 10/26 | No readings | Presentations | |
| 11/2 | No readings | Presentations | |
| 11/9 | No readings | Presentations | |
| 11/16 | No readings | Presentations | |
| 11/23 | Skowronek/Greenstein debate | Political Time | |
| 11/30 | Shane/Lund debate Ellis/Prakash debate Yalof/Maltese debate |
Executive Orders and the Post-Modern Presidency | |
| 12/7 | No readings | Exam #2 | Exam #2 |
The course schedule, policies, procedures, and assignments in this course are subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances, by mutual agreement, and/or to ensure better learning.