How Tench Coxe Shaped the Ratification Debates: Essays of A Pennsylvanian
History often overlooks Tench Coxe, but he was one of the most important founding fathers. While the Federalist Papers are celebrated and widely discussed today, Coxe’s essays, written under the pen name “A Pennsylvanian,” had a far greater impact on...
The Division of Federal and State Powers
How much power would the federal government have? And what powers would the states retain? This was a hotly debated question as the states considered ratifying a new constitution. For the average person, the Federalist Papers are the go-to source for understanding the...
Today in History: James Wilson Delivers “State House Yard Speech” in Favor of the Constitution
On October 6, 1787, eminent Pennsylvanian James Wilson delivered his famous “State House Yard Speech” in support of the Constitution in Philadelphia. On the dawn of the first true test for the Constitution’s palatability, Wilson intended to explain how the...