Patrick Henry Argues Against Imaginary Dangers
On June 9, 1788, Patrick Henry delivered a speech at the Virginia Ratifying Convention arguing that many of the alleged crises of the time used to justify the proposed constitution were “imaginary.” This was actually the fourth long speech Henry delivered during the...
No Deal: When the British Offered Amnesty in Exchange for Gun Control
Two months after the battles of Lexington and Concord, the British offered amnesty to all who would lay down their arms. Unsurprisingly, the Patriots didn’t respond too kindly to the deal. While the “shot heard ‘round the world” is well-known for kicking off the War...
Of the Natural Rights of Individuals
Do people exist for the sake of government? Or is it the other way around? That’s the question James Wilson attempts to answer in his 1790 work, “Of the Natural Rights of Individuals.” A signer of the Declaration of Independence and member of the...