[bessdr]

I’m brand new to LC. Is there a recommended or suggested order of going through these materials?

[woods]

I don’t think so, but members here may have other ideas. It makes sense to do U.S. history before the Constitution course, I suppose, and the Keynes course might be easier if you have the economic fundamentals down.

[darren]

I know I’m late with an answer to this but I wanted to elaborate on Dr. Woods’s suggestions. I have tried to take the course in chronological order – meaning Western Civilization To 1500, then Western Civilization Since 1500, etc. I felt it would be less confusing for me that way.

I’d also like to add: Although the lessons are broken up in to what most would consider short segments (easier consumption with a busy schedule), you may be surprised at the amount of information the instructors can fit into that amount of time. And I don’t mean they’re “cramming” it in either. The lessons I have watched are just a natural flow of information. If you are like me, you may find yourself watching a video more than once in order to “take it all in”.

[jmcpherson]

Two years later, I’m also looking for the best order in which to take the classes, several of which have been added since 2013. Here’s my current plan, but Dr. Woods and others may have better suggestions (please comment if so):

1) Introduction to Logic – getting crystal clear on reasoning before doing anything else seems wise
2) Austrian Economics, Step by Step – an obvious next step since Austrian Econ is logic-based, and economics is probably a great lens and context for understanding history better
3) John Maynard Keynes – armed with Austrian Econ, take on Keynes
4) What’s Wrong With Textbook Economics – then take on mainstream Econ as it developed in the decades after Keynes

5,6) Western Civilization to 1500, Western Civilization Since 1500 – see the big picture to have context to better understand the U.S. and to have the raw material to understand the history of political thought
7,8) U.S. History to 1877, U.S. History Since 1877 – the obvious next step
9) The American Revolution: A Constitutional Conflict – either take this next as a special subtopic, or possibly inject this whole course after the appropriate chapter in “U.S. History to 1877” then proceed with the rest of the latter
10) Trails West: How Freedom Settled the West – another special subtopic, or inject into one of the U.S. History courses

11,12) History of Political Thought, Part I and Part II – having a solid basis in econ and history, now get the big picture of the development of political philosophy
13) U.S. Constitutional History – then take on this special topic, or inject it after the appropriate chapters of History of Political Thought
14) The History of Conservatism and Libertarianism – special focus on two strands of political thought, probably can’t inject well into another course since they span considerable time

[adam.b.graham]

Since this thread is in General Discussions, and the title is a nice fit, I will introduce myself here and hijack it.

My name is Adam Graham, I just turned 30, and as part of my 30th birthday, my wife got me the LC subscription. I’ve been easing my way into Austrian economics and specifically Libertarianism for a year or two now and this will be a welcome alternative and supplement to the stack of books that I have yet to get to but am working my way through.

I can’t wait to dig in.

[cheekjulie]

Hi Adam, Hi David. Welcome.

[Author]

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