Hi, I'm Jeff Sickengood, Executive Director of the Ashbrook Center,

and this is the American Idea, where we discuss the ideas, people, and events, that have made America what it is today.

We believe that by understanding our history and our principles, we can better live up to the promise of the American founding

and preserve our ongoing experiment in self-government.

Welcome to the American Idea.

I want to welcome everyone to this episode of the American Idea. Welcome, everyone, to this episode of The American Idea.

Today we're going to be talking about one of the most important fundamental ideas of America,

of American politics, of American public life, and really of the whole way that our society functions. And that is an idea

that perhaps some of our listeners have heard of. They might know something about, but do we really

fully understand its meaning and its significance? And that is the idea of natural rights and limited government.

We're going to be joined for the conversation today on this really important topic with our

old friend, Professor Christopher Burkett. Chris is Professor of Political Science at Ashland

University. He is the academic director of Ashbrook's student programs,

co-director of the Ashbrook Scholar Program. Chris teaches in Ashbrook's Master of Arts in American

History and Government Graduate Program for Teachers. He also teaches in our Teaching American History

seminars. He is an author and the editor, in fact,

of just an absolutely terrific book that I have to commend to all of our listeners. I always do

when we have Chris on because it deserves commendation over and over and over again. You have

to get your hands on this book. It's called 50 core American documents, required reading for students, teachers, and citizens.

It starts with the Declaration of Independence, and it ends with Ronald Reagan's time for choosing speech in 1964.

So it has 50 of the most important documents that every American should read, understand, and know.

Chris, thanks for taking the time to join us again today on the American Idea.

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