Constitutional Chats Presented By Constituting America

Signing the Declaration of Independence was just the beginning.  Now the colonists and Founding Fathers had to get the word out that it had been signed and gain public support for independence. Our guest today, Professor Jonathan Den Hartog explains how in the days immediately following the signing of the Declaration of Independence, we had to figure out how this Declaration would affect the colon...

We have finally arrived at the 250th Anniversary of our independence: our country's 250th birthday!   To celebrate America 250, Constituting America produced a vertical series called "The Pursuit" to reimagine some of the stories of our founding generation.  For our show today, we invited our talented cast of actors to speak on their experience with this project, what they learned and to participa...

As we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, this presents a great time to not only recognize the philosophical foundation of our country but also to admire the sheer beauty of the United States bound by the principles espoused in our founding documents of constitutional self-government.  Our guest today has done just that.  We are honored to welcome Matt Mehan, author...

The Marquis de Lafayette came to America as a young man to aid the colonists in the American Revolution.   He would return 47 years later at the invitation of President James Monroe and Congress to tour the country in the lead-up to our country's 50th birthday.   On this return trip, he received a true rockstar welcome wherever he went as he toured all 24 states.   As we now prepare to celebrate o...

It's a year after the Battles of Lexington and Concord and only days before the Declaration of Independence would be signed. It's June 1776 and along the shores of South Carolina, British troops are amassing while the colonists rush to construct Fort Sullivan out of the local palmetto logs which would later be commemorated on that state's flag and in its nickname.   After a day of fighting involvi...

Did you know two years after Paul Revere's famous ride, there was a second ride made by a teenaged woman?  That's right. On April 26, 1777, 16-year old Sybil Ludington rode 40 miles throughout the night to alert and rally American militiamen to participate in a planned attack organized by her father, Col. Henry Ludington,  on British troops near Danbury, Connecticut.  To walk us through this histo...

The story of Elizabeth "Mumbet" is inspirational.   Born into slavery in New York in 1744, she spent most of her life in Massachusetts.   Following the ratification of the new Massachusetts Constitution in 1780 which stated in Article 1, "All men are born free and equal and have certain natural, essential, and unalienable rights…,"Mumbet sued for her freedom.   She won and her court victory set th...

Regular followers of Constituting America know we view the Declaration of Independence as one of the greatest documents ever written.   An interesting point to ponder is that it had to come from somewhere, that there was a buildup to its drafting.   We can point to a moment in history as the beginning of that buildup: the 5th Virginia Convention that took place immediately after a vote to disband...

The American Revolution obviously changed the course of American History.  That's a given.  Have you ever contemplated how that singular event changed the course of world history over the ensuing centuries?  Think of how the American Revolution weakened the British and Spanish Empires and as our guest discusses, "it gives rights seekers everywhere a new vocabulary."  To discuss this fascinating to...

As a teenager, he dropped out of college and served in the in the 3rd Virginia Regiment in the Continental Army.  After studying law under Thomas Jefferson, he later served in the Virginia House of Delegates, as the US Ambassador to France and England, as governor of Virginia, as the Secretary of War and then Secretary of State. Finally, in March 1817, James Monroe became our country's 5th Preside...

Every now and then a government does something that goes just a bit too far and causes the people to protest.  One such example was the British imposition of the Stamp Act on the American Colonies.  What was the Stamp Act?  What was the so-called justification for it?  What was the reaction from the Americans?  To help us tackle this important event that helped usher in a growing anti-monarchy sen...

Statesman.  Author.  President of the United States.  Perhaps no one's words best embodied the ethos of the Founding Fathers quite like Thomas Jefferson.  At Constituting America, we feel what he wrote in the Declaration of Independence 250 years ago makes it one of the  world's greatest documents of freedom ever written.  To help us better understand Jefferson and his extraordinary enduring legac...

A foundational principle that distinguished and continues to distinguish our country from most other governments in the world is that our government exists by the "consent of the governed."  Why was this idea so paramount to the establishment of our republic, and what is its origin?  From Aristotle to Locke, we see the genesis of this idea that was at the core of the American Revolution and contin...

The women who contributed to the founding of our country  are often overlooked.  Their accomplishments played a vital role in the fledgling nation.  One such woman is Abigail Adams.  While we can never have a direct conversation with this remarkable woman, we are fortunate that she wrote thousands upon thousands of letters to various correspondents, including over 1,100 letters to her husband whil...

"Give me liberty or give me death."  That singular line proclaimed by Patrick Henry defined our country's founding generation and has become one of the most famous lines in American history.  In just 7 words, the ethos of our country and our fierce loyalty to liberty was promulgated.  In our chat today, we discuss the events leading up to this famous line and its subsequent impact in our country's...

In recognition of St. Patrick's Day this year, Constituting America is recognizing the role the Irish played in the founding of our country.  Did you know 3 signers of the Declaration of Independence were Irish-born?  Or a sizeable proportion of the Continental Army had Irish ancestry?  Since our founding, 23 US Presidents have had Irish blood.  To help us recognize the  impact the Irish people ha...

Due to its position as the 13th American Colony as well as the last colony to support the American Revolution, the role Georgia played in the founding of our country is often overshadowed by colonies like Virginia and Massachusetts.  But Georgia should not be overlooked.  To shed light on the role Georgia played and its historical significance in the American Revolution and our country's founding,...

A war is a series of battles won.  The American Revolution is no different.  For the colonies and George Washington to beat the larger British military force, individual battles had to be fought.  One victory won by the Patriots early on, did not involve a direct battle.   The Fortification of Dorchester Heights, and the subsequent British Evacuation of Boston, exemplifies the early genius of Gene...

We all know the Americans won the American Revolution.  But have you stopped to wonder how exactly our smaller army beat the larger professional army of the British and how the series of battles unfolded that led to the eventual British surrender?  On our chat today, we are discussing one of those monumental events-North Carolina's Battle of Moore's Creek Bridge-and its impact on the outcome of th...

It is that time of year where celebrate the birthday of General George Washington!  Each year around this time our podcast pays tribute to the man Major General Henry "Light Horse Harry" Lee III eulogized as "First in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen."     This year, we focus on Washington's Farewell Address, an incredible example of his oratorical skills and a bluepr...

For 250 years, a debate has carried on over the meaning of the Declaration of Independence. To enlighten us on his new book: "Divided Over the Declaration: How an Enduring Debate Sustains the Vision of America," we welcome author Tony Williams!

Through no fault of any of the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence, some signers are better known than others.  Some are familiar household names while others are a bit more obscure.  One of the lesser-known signers is the subject of our chat this week.  Abraham Clark was a lawyer from New Jersey who signed the Declaration but also served two terms in the United States House of Represent...

When one looks at the signatories of the Declaration of Independence, among the soaring prose and clear indictment against the British crown, one name stands out from the others: John Hancock.   Clearly, we know he was a Founding Father and most know he was the first to sign the great document.   But beyond that, he is one of the least studied of the Founders.   Today, we change that.   To help in...

Perhaps there is no greater archetype of the American Dream than Benjamin Franklin in the founding generation.   A printer's apprentice, he rose to become a writer, statesman and scientist.   Along the way, he helped draft and sign the Declaration of Independence and the U. S. Constitution and became our country's first postmaster general and served as an ambassador to France.   As we celebrate ou...

Our country is built on a great library of extraordinary documents that framed our new republic in its infancy.   Constituting America always delights in discussing these works.   In that spirit, today we are discussing Thomas Paine's seminal work, "Common Sense."   How did the English-born Paine become such an ardent supporter of American independence and what role did his work have in pushing us...