The ideas that formed the Constitution: Sir Isaac Newton
Although each essay in this series is pegged to one or more individuals, the series fundamentally isn’t about the individuals, but the ideas they represent. Sir Isaac Newton wasn’t a political thinker like Marcus Cicero or John Locke. He was a scientist. Indeed, he...
Who are a Free People?
WHO ARE A FREE PEOPLE? It’s a question that’s rarely asked – or explored. But John Dickinson, the “Penman of the Revolution,” thought it was incredibly important. He discussed it this way in 1767: For WHO ARE A FREE PEOPLE? Not those,...
Liberty, Power, Precedent and the People
While most people have never heard his name today, Founding Father John Dickinson was famous at the time of the Revolution. In 1767, he authored the 12 “Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania” in response to the hated Townshend Acts. These essays quickly became the...