Were the Anti-Federalists Right?
“A monarchy, or a corrupt, tyrannical aristocracy” That’s what George Mason predicted we’d get under the constitution. And he was far from alone. The Anti-Federalists repeatedly warned that the constitution wouldn’t actually create a federal union....
Tariffs: The First Economic Battle Under the Constitution
The very first economic fight under the Constitution wasn’t over a national bank. It wasn’t over building roads or canals. It was about tariffs. This was, as James Madison called it, the subject of “the greatest magnitude” – demanding, he insisted,...
Continental Association: The Economic Shutdown that Birthed the Union
“We are not such asses as to let them ride us as they please.” That was the fiery attitude of a 19-year-old Alexander Hamilton in 1774 – and it perfectly explained the principle behind the economic shutdown the colonies were implementing in response...