Founding Fathers
Live Free or Die: Joseph Warren Meant Every Word
Live Free or Die! For Revolutionary War hero Joseph Warren, this was no mere slogan – it was a way of life – and death. Despite the fact that Dr. Joseph Warren is of the greatest American war heroes in history, he’s mostly ignored today – especially...
James Madison’s Speech that Set the Stage for the Bill of Rights
On June 8 1789, the “Father of the Constitution” James Madison rose on the floor of Congress to propose a series of significant amendments, setting the stage for what would become the Bill of Rights. FROM SKEPTIC TO ADVOCATE The occasion marked somewhat of a strong...
The National Bank That Breached the Articles of Confederation
Despite having no express authority to do so, Congress created a national bank under the Articles of Confederation by invoking an invented doctrine of “inherent sovereign authority.” The episode reveals that even under a framework built on explicit and limited...
Patrick Henry’s Virginia Resolves of 1765: Spark of the Revolution
“Not bound to yield obedience.” That was no mere slogan. It was a warning – and a call to action printed across the colonies in 1765. The British had just passed the hated Stamp Act. But in Virginia, a 29-year-old freshman legislator named Patrick...