• The basic properties and intent of centralized/decentralized currency and an in-depth understanding of Bitcoin from the ground up, including - Identity, Transactions, Record Keeping, and Consensus.
• The roots of Bitcoin in the Cypherpunk movement and Libertarian ideals, and the revolutionary significance of Bitcoin as opposed to some of its early predecessors.
• The mechanics behind Bitcoin, such as the Bitcoin network, cryptography and cryptographic hash functions, Bitcoin Script, privacy, and hash commitment schemes.
• Real-world aspects of Bitcoin, such as wallets, wallet mechanics, mining, transactions, and Bitcoin governance and the various ways one can interface with the Bitcoin network.
• How to destroy Bitcoin, including various network attacks.
• The properties behind the second largest blockchain platform, Ethereum, including the Ethereum Virtual Machine and the idea of Turing completeness, the key protocol differences between Bitcoin and Ethereum, the use cases of Ethereum.

Bitcoin Protocol & Consensus: A High Level Overview

We begin with some fundamental concepts such as the basic properties and intent of centralized/decentralized currency. We then build an in-depth understanding of Bitcoin from the ground up, divided into four stages: Identity, Transactions, Record Keeping, and Consensus.

Blockchain History: From the Cypherpunk Movement to JP Morgan Chase

This module delves into the origins and historical significance of Bitcoin. We look into the roots of Bitcoin in the Cypherpunk movement and Libertarian ideals, and examine the revolutionary significance of Bitcoin as opposed to some of its early predecessors. We then move onto exploring the history of the crypto space as a whole.

Bitcoin Mechanics & Optimizations: A Technical Overview

We examine the in-depth mechanics behind Bitcoin, such as the Bitcoin network, cryptography and cryptographic hash functions, Bitcoin Script, privacy, and hash commitment schemes.

Bitcoin In Real Life: Wallets, Mining, and More

We examine the most frequently used real world aspects of Bitcoin, such as wallets, wallet mechanics, mining, transactions, and Bitcoin governance. We explain the various ways one can interface with the Bitcoin network, depending on the specific software they run.

Game Theory & Network Attacks: How to Destroy Bitcoin

We look into how to destroy Bitcoin, including various network attacks. Specifically, we look into vulnerabilities such as pool cannibalization, double spending and forking attacks, network attacks, the Goldfinger attack, malicious mining profit strategies, and 51% attacks.

Ethereum & Smart Contracts: Enabling a Decentralized Future

This module focuses on the properties behind the second largest blockchain platform, Ethereum. We introduce the Ethereum Virtual Machine and the idea of Turing completeness, and examine some of the key protocol differences between Bitcoin and Ethereum, such as the UTXO vs. accounts model and functionality. We then look into some of the use cases of Ethereum, and conclude with an overview of smart contracts and building decentralized applications. Having spent the last modules primarily on cryptocurrencies, this module encourages students to think about blockchain use cases outside of cryptocurrency.

“Blockchain fundamentals got me up to date with the basics of this phenomenal new technology and taught me what all the buzzwords really mean. It got my feet wet and made me feel confident enough to start really digging deep into this space.” - Medha Kothari, Fall 2017