Today in History: First Draft of the Articles of Confederation Introduced
On this date in 1776, John Dickinson presented the first draft of the Articles of Confederation to the Continental Congress. Congress began considering a plan for a new government even before declaring independence. On June 7, 1776, following instructions from...
Whose Job is it to Keep the Feds in Line?
For the federal government to take even a “single step” beyond the limits of the Constitution, Thomas Jefferson wrote, “is to take possession of a boundless field of power, no longer susceptible of any definition.” The “detestable precedent” is how John Dickinson...
No Deal: When the British Offered Amnesty in Exchange for Gun Control
Two months after the battles of Lexington and Concord, the British offered amnesty to all who would lay down their arms. Unsurprisingly, the Patriots didn’t respond too kindly to the deal. While the “shot heard ‘round the world” is well-known for kicking off the War...