Constitution
The Cornerstone of a Free Society: Everyone Should be Armed
“Self-defense is a primary law of nature, which no subsequent law of society can abolish.” That’s how the great Mercy Otis Warren put it. But this wasn’t just a philosophical view for the Founders and Old Revolutionaries. They knew an armed society was...
Tench Coxe: Forgotten Federalist who Helped Influence Ratification of the Constitution
Tench Coxe may be the most influential founding father that people have never heard of. For most people, discussions about the meaning of the Constitution begin and end with the Federalist Papers. These essays enjoy immense popularity today mostly due to the fame of...
States vs. Feds: The 10th Amendment Battle Over Conscription in the War of 1812
“The last of all oppressions” That’s how Thomas Jefferson described the military draft. Because of widespread opposition to it, the federal government didn’t actively draft men into the military until the Civil War. But, during the War of 1812, it tried – and...
Kentucky Resolutions of 1798: Jefferson on the Constitution’s Structure and How to Defend It
“A nullification of the act is the rightful remedy.” That’s how Thomas Jefferson put it in his draft Resolutions against the Alien and Sedition Acts. On November 10, 1798, the Kentucky house passed resolutions based on his principles. They not only...