Historical Documents
The Neutrality Proclamation in a Nutshell
Today in history, on April 22, 1793, President George Washington issued a statement that the United States would remain neutral in the ongoing conflict between France and Britain. Given that his decision kept the United States out of a war, why was it so...
Common Sense: A Concise Defense of the Patriot Cause
Today in 1776, Thomas Paine anonymously published a pamphlet called “Common Sense.” It was a concise defense of the patriot cause. After emigrating from England two years prior with the assistance of Benjamin Franklin, Paine became one of the most ardent and famous...
Government Officials Who Abuse Their Power Deserve Derision Not Respect
A lot of people say we should be respectful of politicians, even if we disagree with their actions. They say we should “respect the office.”’ That certainly isn’t how the American colonists treated British officials who were abusing their power. One example that...
Federalist 21: Hamilton’s Plea for Power
EDITOR’S NOTE: The following is the 21st in a series of articles giving an introduction to the Federalist Papers, a collection of 85 articles and essays written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay promoting the ratification of the United States...