Who developed the ideas that led to the creation of the American nation? It’s tempting to zero in on Thomas Jefferson or Benjamin Franklin, but the story of the imagining of a new world is longer and far more entertaining than the textbook version. In this easygoing course, we will look at three colonial-era philosophers and two or three visionaries whose ideas inspired the American founders. We will encounter such lively conceptions as a fantasized oceanic kingdom and an academy for scientific women while also meeting the philosophers who stimulated the American founders. Instructor Kevin L. Cope is a retired faculty member from Louisiana State University now living in Maine. During his career as a researcher and teacher, he published numerous books and studies on Enlightenment culture, investigating both mainstream topics such as early modern philosophers and such delightful diversions as joke books, images of George Washington, hermits, and colossal statues. Kevin is currently preparing a comprehensive study on the subterranean world during the eighteenth century. He frequently appears on radio and television as a commentator on higher education in America.