The purpose of this course is to discuss the philosophical and institutional development of the American political system. The course will focus extensively on the U.S. Constitution of 1787. (1) We will begin by discussing the history, theory, and writings that influenced the construction of the Constitution. Our goal is to come to a better understanding of the document as a whole as well as the intent of the Framers. (2) In effort to illustrate the theory behind the Constitution, we will focus heavily on the political institutions it establishes. We will devote much discussion to the theory behind the structure of each branch of government, the powers afforded to each governmental branch, and the role of each branch in the political system. (3) We will discuss aspects of our political system - including public opinion, voting behavior, and representation - which are central to democratic government. We will also discuss whether or not changes in our political system over time have resulted in government significantly different from that envisioned by the Founders. (4) We will compare and contrast the Texas Constitution to that of the United States.