American Revolution and Constitution

About this Collection

The ideals of individual liberty and limited government motivated the men and women who took part in the creation of the American Republic. The OLL includes critical primary sources that helped shape the nation’s cultural, religious, and historical tradition. These books reveal the character of American discourse about such crucial issues as the nature and importance of self-government, the purposes of federal union, and the role of religion in America’s drive for liberty.

Key People

Titles & Essays

A Design for Liberty: The American Constitution

Watch the video on our YouTube channel.

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Collections: Political Thought Collections: The American Constitution and Revolution Collections: The Founding Fathers of the U.S. Constitution Key Documents on Liberty:US…

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A Friend to the Revolution: Mercy Otis Warren and the Ordinary Virtues of Republicanism

By: Sarah Morgan Smith

If, as the saying goes, you can judge a man by the company he keeps, then Mercy Otis Warren ought to be more highly regarded.

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Abigail Adams’ Patriotism

By: Elizabeth Amato

A Gallop poll shows a worrisome decline in patriotism among younger Americans. A mere half of Americans 35 and younger report being proud of their country. A generational shift is occurring that will have far-reaching consequences…

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Abigail and John Adams Disagree Over the Rights of Women

By: Steve Ealy

In a letter dated March 31, 1776, Abigail Adams announces to John that spring has lightened her mood. “I feel a gaiety de Coar to which before I was a stranger.” Her light mood did not prevent her from raising heavy topics, however.…

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Addison’s Cato: How a Dead Roman Brought Two Parties Together

By: Caroline Breashears

In his Dictionary (1755), Samuel Johnson famously defines "Tory" as "One who adheres to the antient constitution of the state, and the apostolic hierarchy of the church of England." For the rival "Whig" party, he could summon only…

American Early Republic: Bibliography of Primary Sources

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Source: From Liberty and Order: The First American Party Struggle, ed. and with a Preface by Lance Banning (Indianapolis: Liberty Fund, 2004).

Bibliography

More authoritative texts of the documents printed in the…

The American Nation: Primary Sources

Bruce Frohnen (editor)

This volume is a continuation of Frohnen’s earlier collection of primary sources The American Republic. It contains material from the Civil War to the outbreak of World War Two in the Pacific.

American Political Writing During the Founding Era: 1760-1805, 2 vols.

Charles S. Hyneman (editor)

These volumes provide a selection of seventy-six essays, pamphlets, speeches, and letters to newspapers written between 1760 and 1805 by American political and religious leaders. Many are obscure pieces, but all illuminate the…

American Political Writing During the Founding Era: 1760-1805, vol. 1

Charles S. Hyneman (editor)

These volumes provide a selection of seventy-six essays, pamphlets, speeches, and letters to newspapers written between 1760 and 1805 by American political and religious leaders. Many are obscure pieces, but all illuminate the…

American Political Writing During the Founding Era: 1760-1805, vol. 2

Charles S. Hyneman (editor)

These volumes provide a selection of seventy-six essays, pamphlets, speeches, and letters to newspapers written between 1760 and 1805 by American political and religious leaders. Many are obscure pieces , but all illuminate the…

The American Republic: Primary Sources

Bruce Frohnen (editor)

The American Republic is an excellent textbook for classroom use which provides, in a single volume, critical, original documents revealing the character of American discourse on the nature and importance of local government, the…

American Revolution as a People’s War: A Bibliographical Essay by William Marina

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Source: This essay first appeared in the journal Literature of Liberty: A Review of Contemporary Liberal Thought , vol. 1, no. 2 April/June 1978, published by the Cato Institute (1978-1979) and the Institute for…

American Revolution: A Bibliographical Essay by Murray N. Rothbard

Murray N. Rothbard (author)

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Literature of Liberty: A Review of Contemporary Liberal Thought , vol. 1, no.1 January/March 1978 published by the Cato Institute (1978-1979) and the Institute for Humane Studies (1980-1982) under the editorial…

LIBERTY MATTERS

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“A perpetual jealousy, respecting liberty”: John Dickinson on Fundamental Rights

By: Jane E. Calvert

Although few Americans today have heard of John Dickinson, he was a central figure of the Founding era. Writing more for the American cause than any other figure, he was America’s first celebrity, known around the Atlantic World as…

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Benjamin Franklin and American Union

By: Steve Ealy

Under the dateline Philadelphia, May 9 [1754], Franklin’s The Pennsylvania Gazette printed an item based on dispatches from Major George Washington which detailed French advances and British losses along the Monongahela River. The…

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Benjamin Franklin and Slavery, Part One

By: Steve Ealy

As was the case with many in colonial America, Benjamin Franklin’s life intersected with the issue of slavery in many, and at times contradictory, ways. Franklin was a slave-owner beginning around 1735 until 1781, when George, whom…

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Benjamin Franklin and Slavery, Part Two

By: Steve Ealy

In 1757, the Pennsylvania Assembly selected Benjamin Franklin to serve as the colony’s agent in London to moderate the Penn Proprietor’s harsh treatment of the colony. While there, he helped the Associates of Dr. Bray, a charity…

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Benjamin Franklin at the Constitutional Convention

By: Steve Ealy

At 81, Benjamin Franklin was the senior statesman at a convention of young men. He was three times the age of the Convention’s youngest delegate (Jonathan Dayton of New Jersey, aged 26), and twice the average age for all delegates…

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Benjamin Franklin at the Constitutional Convention, Part 2

By: Steve Ealy

In 1776, Benjamin Franklin served as President of the Pennsylvania Constitutional Convention that produced the most radically democratic constitution of any of the colonies/states. Among the provisions of Pennsylvania’s constitution…

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Benjamin Rush: Founding Father of America & Psychiatry

By: Isadore Johnson

Franklin isn’t the only Founding Father named Benjamin. Benjamin Rush, an American physician, politician, and educator also played an important role in America’s founding. Benjamin Rush was both a historical luminary and a brilliant…
BOLL 35: James Madison, “The Utility of the Union As a Safeguard Against Domestic Faction and Insurrection” (1788)

James Madison (author)

This is part of “The Best of the Online Library of Liberty” which is a collection of some of the most important material in the OLL. A thematic list…

BOLL 40: Thomas Jefferson, “The Declaration of Independence” (1776)

Thomas Jefferson (author)

This is part of “The Best of the Online Library of Liberty” which is a collection of some of the most important material in the OLL. A thematic list…

BOLL 45 [George Mason], “The Virginia Bill of Rights” (June, 1776)

George Mason (author)

This is part of “The Best of the Online Library of Liberty” which is a collection of some of the most important material in the OLL. A thematic list…

The Case of Great Britain and America, Addressed to the King and Both Houses of Parliament (London, December 1768)

Anonymous Pamphleteer 1768 (author)

Some scholars have suggested Gervaise Parker Bush as the author of this anonymous pamphlet that argues that the American colonists are even more disenfranchised and unrepresented than Englishmen without suffrage. The anonymous author…

The Claim of the American Loyalists

Joseph Galloway (author)

Having lost his valuable estate in Pennsylvania during the American Revolution, the Loyalist Galloway spent the rest of his years in exile in Britain lobbying the government for compensation and writing books like this one to…

Clinton, George (1739–1812)

Quentin P. Taylor (contributor)

Source: This biographical essay was written by Quentin Taylor, Resident Scholar (2008-2009), Liberty Fund, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana.

Copyright: The copyright is held by Liberty Fund, Inc.

Fair Use: This material is put…

Collected Works of James Wilson, 2 vols.

James Wilson (author)

This two-volume set brings together a collection of writings and speeches of James Wilson, one of only six signers of both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, and one of the most influential members of the federal…

Collected Works of James Wilson, vol. 1

James Wilson (author)

This two-volume set brings together a collection of writings and speeches of James Wilson, one of only six signers of both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, and one of the most influential members of the federal…

Collected Works of James Wilson, vol. 2

James Wilson (author)

This two-volume set brings together a collection of writings and speeches of James Wilson, one of only six signers of both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, and one of the most influential members of the federal…

Colonial Origins of the American Constitution: A Documentary History

Donald S. Lutz (editor)

A collection of eighty documents which demonstrate how local government in colonial America was the seedbed of American constitutionalism. Most of these documents, commencing with the Agreement of the Settlers at Exeter in New…

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Common Sense with Thomas Paine

By: Jason Sorens

What does it mean to be an American? I don’t mean, “What are the legal requirements to be an American citizen?” but something more like, “What are the characteristics that make someone a part of the American people?” After all,…
Considerations of Behalf of the Colonists

James Otis (author)

Otis wrote a couple of pamphlets in the early phase of the American Revolution which galvanized and radicalized the colonists’ opposition to the British Empire. In Considerations of Behalf of the Colonists Otis continues his…

Constitutionalism and the Separation of Powers

M.J.C. Vile (author)

Arguably no political principle has been more central than the separation of powers to the evolution of constitutional governance in Western democracies. M. J. C. Vile traces the history of the doctrine from its rise during the…

The Correspondence and Public Papers of John Jay, 4 vols.

John Jay (author)

A 4 volume collection of the works of John Jay. Vol.1 covers the period 1763-1781; vol. 2 1781-1782; vol. 3 1782-1793; vol. 4 1794-1826.

The Correspondence and Public Papers of John Jay, vol. 1 (1763-1781)

John Jay (author)

John Jay’s correspondence and public papers from the period 1763-1781.

The Correspondence and Public Papers of John Jay, vol. 2 (1781-1782)

John Jay (author)

John Jay’s correspondence and public papers from the period 1781-1783.

The Correspondence and Public Papers of John Jay, vol. 3 (1782-1793)

John Jay (author)

John Jay’s correspondence and public papers from the period 1782-93.

The Correspondence and Public Papers of John Jay, vol. 4 (1794-1826)

John Jay (author)

John Jay’s correspondence and public papers from the period 1794-1826.

The Crisis: A British Defense of American Rights, 1775–1776

Neil L. York (editor)

The Crisis was a London weekly published between January 1775 and October 1776. It was the longest-running weekly pamphlet series printed in the British Atlantic world during those years, and it used unusually bold, pithy language.…

The Debates in the Several State Conventions 5 vols

Jonathan Elliot (editor)

An influential early 19th century edition of key documents about the ratification of the US Constitution by the states.

The Debates in the Several State Conventions vol. 1

Jonathan Elliot (editor)

Vol. 1 of an influential early 19th century edition of key documents about the ratification of the US Constitution by the states.

The Debates in the Several State Conventions vol. 2

Jonathan Elliot (editor)

Vol. 2 of an influential early 19th century edition of key documents about the ratification of the US Constitution by the states.

The Debates in the Several State Conventions vol. 3

Jonathan Elliot (editor)

Vol. 3 of an influential early 19th century edition of key documents about the ratification of the US Constitution by the states.

The Debates in the Several State Conventions vol. 4

Jonathan Elliot (editor)

Vol. 4 of an influential early 19th century edition of key documents about the ratification of the US Constitution by the states.

The Debates on the Adoption of the Federal Constitution vol. 5

Jonathan Elliot (editor)

This is Vol. 5 of an influential early 19th century edition of key documents about the ratification of the US Constitution by the states. It contains debates on the adoption of the Federal Constitution in the convention held at…

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Deborah Sampson: American Warrior

By: Kirstin Anderson Birkhaug

Today, over 1.4 million women serve as active-duty members of the American military. While today’s acceptance of women in warfare is relatively new (women were allowed full participation in the Armed Forces with the Women’s Armed…
The Declaration of Independence: A Study on the History of Political Ideas

Carl Lotus Becker (author)

An examination of the political ideas behind the Declaration of Independence. Becker examines the theory of natural rights, the view the colonists had of their place in the British Empire, and the literary qualities of the…

The Diary and Letters of Gouverneur Morris, 2 vols.

Gouverneur Morris (author)

A two volume diary which Morris kept while he was Minister to France for the new American Republic from 1792-94. It provides much detail about the social life and political turmoil of Paris during a critical phase of the French…

The Diary and Letters of Gouverneur Morris, vol. 1

Gouverneur Morris (author)

Volume 1 of a two volume diary which Morris kept while he was Minister to France for the new American Republic from 1792-94. It provides much detail about the social life and political turmoil of Paris during a critical phase of the…

The Diary and Letters of Gouverneur Morris, vol. 2

Gouverneur Morris (author)

Volume 2 of a two volume diary which Morris kept while he was Minister to France for the new American Republic from 1792-94. It provides much detail about the social life and political turmoil of Paris during a critical phase of the…

LIBERTY MATTERS

Did the American Colonies Pay Too High a Cost for Revolution? (August/September 2023)

By: Vincent Geloso and Antoine Noël

If one leaves out petro-nations (e.g., Qatar, United Arab Emirates) and fiscal havens (e.g., Bermuda) from international rankings of income per person, one will find the United States at or near the top of the list (depending on the…

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Dolley Madison: Queen of America

By: Melissa Matthes

One of the animating questions of the women’s movement in America has long been how much or even whether women should use the qualities and skills traditionally associated with their sex or whether they should try to overcome those…
Empire and Nation: Letters from a Farmer

John Dickinson (author)

Two sets of letters that have been described as “the wellsprings of nearly all ensuing debate on the limits of governmental power in the United States” are collected in this volume. They include Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania

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Ethan Allen, Individualism, and Deism

By: Walter Donway

It is extraordinarily telling that Ethan Allen returned at the end of his life to the project of his teens, the manuscript he started with Thomas Young decades earlier. He completed it in 1785 and struggled to find a publisher to…

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Ethan Allen: Yankee Extraordinaire

By: Walter Donway

In many ways, Ethan Allen is the quintessential Yankee. A farmer, he speculated in land and involved himself in colonial politics regarding land. He plunged into the War of Independence and became its first hero. Captured by the…
Exploring the Bounds of Liberty: Political Writings of Colonial British America from the Glorious Revolution to the American Revolution

Jack P. Greene (editor)

Exploring the Bounds of Liberty is a 3 vol. collection which presents a rich and extensive selection of the political literature produced in and about colonial British America during the century before the American Revolution. Most…

Exploring the Bounds of Liberty: Political Writings of Colonial British America from the Glorious Revolution to the American Revolution. Vol. 1 (1687-1732)

Jack P. Greene (editor)

Exploring the Bounds of Liberty is a 3 vol. collection which presents a rich and extensive selection of the political literature produced in and about colonial British America during the century before the American Revolution…

Exploring the Bounds of Liberty: Political Writings of Colonial British America from the Glorious Revolution to the American Revolution. Vol. 2 (1734-1755)

Jack P. Greene (editor)

Exploring the Bounds of Liberty is a 3 vol. collection which presents a rich and extensive selection of the political literature produced in and about colonial British America during the century before the American Revolution…

Exploring the Bounds of Liberty: Political Writings of Colonial British America from the Glorious Revolution to the American Revolution. Vol. 3 (1755-1774)

Jack P. Greene (editor)

Exploring the Bounds of Liberty is a 3 vol. collection which presents a rich and extensive selection of the political literature produced in and about colonial British America during the century before the American Revolution…

Extract from The Jeffersonian Cyclopedia (Illustrations and Topical index)

Thomas Jefferson (author)

This file contains the following extracts from the Jeffersonian Cyclopedia: the editor’s Preface, the illustrations of Jefferson, a chronology of his life and work, the appendix of key documents, and the Topical Index.

The Federal and State Constitutions, 7 vols.

Francis Newton Thorpe (editor)

Thorpe was commissioned by the U.S. Congress to edit a 7 volume collection of Colonial, Federal and State constitutions in 1906. The volumes are in alphabetical order, with Volume 1 dealing with United States-Alabama-District of…

The Federal and State Constitutions, Vol. I United States-Alabama-District of Columbia

Francis Newton Thorpe (editor)

Thorpe was commissioned by the U.S. Congress to edit a 7 volume collection of Colonial, Federal and State constitutions in 1906. The volumes are in alphabetical order, with Volume 1 dealing with Alabama through the District of…

The Federal and State Constitutions, Vol. II Florida-Kansas

Francis Newton Thorpe (editor)

Thorpe was commissioned by the U.S. Congress to edit a 7 volume collection of Colonial, Federal and State constitutions in 1906. The volumes are in alphabetical order, with Volume 2 dealing with Florida through Kansas.

The Federal and State Constitutions, Vol. III Kentucky-Massachusetts

Francis Newton Thorpe (editor)

Thorpe was commissioned by the U.S. Congress to edit a 7 volume collection of Colonial, Federal and State constitutions in 1906. The volumes are in alphabetical order, with Volume 3 dealing with Kentucky through Massachusetts.

The Federal and State Constitutions, Vol. IV Michigan-New Hampshire

Francis Newton Thorpe (editor)

Thorpe was commissioned by the U.S. Congress to edit a 7 volume collection of Colonial, Federal and State constitutions in 1906. The volumes are in alphabetical order, with Volume 4 dealing with Michigan through New Hampshire.

The Federal and State Constitutions, Vol. V New Jersey-Philippine Islands

Francis Newton Thorpe (editor)

Thorpe was commissioned by the U.S. Congress to edit a 7 volume collection of Colonial, Federal and State constitutions in 1906. The volumes are in alphabetical order, with Volume 5 dealing with New Jersey through the Philippine…

The Federal and State Constitutions, Vol. VI Porto Rico-Vermont

Francis Newton Thorpe (editor)

Thorpe was commissioned by the U.S. Congress to edit a 7 volume collection of Colonial, Federal and State constitutions in 1906. The volumes are in alphabetical order, with Volume 6 dealing with Porto Rico through Vermont.

The Federal and State Constitutions, Vol. VII Virginia-Wyoming-Index

Francis Newton Thorpe (editor)

Thorpe was commissioned by the U.S. Congress to edit a 7 volume collection of Colonial, Federal and State constitutions in 1906. The volumes are in alphabetical order, with Volume 7 dealing with Virginia through Wyoming.

The Federalist (Gideon ed.)

Alexander Hamilton (author)

The Federalist, by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay, constitutes a text central to the American political tradition. Published in newspapers in 1787 and 1788 to explain and promote ratification of the proposed…

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Founding Mother Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton…Remember Me!

By: Melissa Matthes

When the wife, mother or sister of a famous man is invoked, the first inclination is to wonder how that woman might have influenced her celebrated male counterpart. It is a reasonable question. The next question is whether that…
Four Tracts on Political and Commercial Subjects

Josiah Tucker (author)

Four essays on trade, war, and the rebellion in the American colonies.

Friends of the Constitution: Writings of the “Other” Federalists, 1787-1788

Colleen A. Sheehan (editor)

A collection of pamphlets, speeches, and other pro-ratification writings of George Washington, Benjamin Rush, Nicholas Collin, John Dickinson, James Wilson, Tench Coxe, Benjamin Franklin, Noah Webster, Roger Sherman, Fisher Ames,…

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“Farmer Refuted”

By: Anna Leman

Hamilton: An American Musical features an epic standoff between young, fiery Hamilton and bold, preachy Samuel Seabury in “Farmer Refuted.” In their musical sparring match, Hamilton “tears the dude apart,” with his defense of the…

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George Mason: Father of Inalienable Rights

By: Isadore Johnson

George Mason was born on December 11, 1725, in Fairfax County, Virginia. His parents died in a boating accident when he was 10, and he was taken in by John Mercer, an uncle, who was both a lawyer and a voracious reader. In 1736,…
George Washington: A Collection

George Washington (author)

George Washington speaks for himself on behalf of liberty and the emerging American republic. Drawing extensively on his correspondence, this volume includes all of his presidential addresses, various public proclamations, his last…

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George Washington: America’s Founding Father

By: Isadore Johnson

George Washington was born in Pope's Creek, Westmoreland County, Virginia, on February 22, 1732. Most of his childhood was spent on Ferry Farm, which he inherited at age 11, along with 10 slaves. At Ferry Farm, Washington informally…

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Get Back!…to Madison: More Reasons to Read Madison

By: Hans Eicholz

From: Hans EicholzDate: June 14, 2022To: G. Patrick LynchCc: OLL
Subject: Get Back!...to Madison…More Reasons to read Madison

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Gouverneur Morris on the Word “Liberty”: An Empty Sound?

By: Melanie Randolph Miller

Is it enough for a nation to have a constitution purporting to guarantee liberty and justice? Gouverneur Morris would say emphatically no: a consistent theme in his writings is that a constitution must be suited to the people it…
A History of England in the Eighteenth Century, vol. IV

William Edward Hartpole Lecky (author)

Vol. 4 of a 8 volume work which took Lecky 19 years to complete and which made his reputation as a scholar. Vol. IV deals with the American Revolution.

The History of the American Revolution, 2 vols.

David Ramsay (author)

David Ramsay’s History of the American Revolution appeared in 1789 during an enthusiastic celebration of nationhood. It is the first American national history written by an American revolutionary and printed in America. Ramsay…

The History of the American Revolution, vol. 1

David Ramsay (author)

Vol. 1 of a 2 volume work. David Ramsay’s History of the American Revolution appeared in 1789 during an enthusiastic celebration of nationhood. It is the first American national history written by an American revolutionary and…

The History of the American Revolution, vol. 2

David Ramsay (author)

Vol. 2 of a 2 volume work. David Ramsay’s History of the American Revolution appeared in 1789 during an enthusiastic celebration of nationhood. It is the first American national history written by an American revolutionary and…

History of the Insurrection in the Four Western Counties of Pennsylvania

William Findley (author)

Findley was a strict constitutionalist who opposed Hamilton’s Federal military intervention in a local state uprising.

History of the Rise, Progress, and Termination of the American Revolution 2 vols

Mercy Otis Warren (author)

Mercy Otis Warren has been described as perhaps the most formidable female intellectual in eighteenth-century America. This work (in the first new edition since 1805) is an exciting and comprehensive study of the events of the…

History of the Rise, Progress, and Termination of the American Revolution vol. 1

Mercy Otis Warren (author)

Vol. 1 of a 2 volume work. Mercy Otis Warren has been described as perhaps the most formidable female intellectual in eighteenth-century America. This work (in the first new edition since 1805) is an exciting and comprehensive study…

History of the Rise, Progress, and Termination of the American Revolution vol. 2

Mercy Otis Warren (author)

Vol. 2 of a 2 volume work. Mercy Otis Warren has been described as perhaps the most formidable female intellectual in eighteenth-century America. This work (in the first new edition since 1805) is an exciting and comprehensive study…

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How to Read a Constitution…Hamilton Style

By: Hans Eicholz

To continue the Beatles analogy, if James Madison was the George Harrison of his day, certainly Alexander Hamilton was a lead vocalist of the caliber of John Lennon, and there are very good reasons why he resonates so well today…
The Intellectual Portrait Series: A Conversation with Harry V. Jaffa

Harry Victor Jaffa (author)

Jaffa talks about his work on American constitutional theory and history including the nature of the American Republic and the impact of Abraham Lincoln on constitutional matters.

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Introducing The Pamphlet Debate on the American Question in Great Britain, 1764-1776

By: Christy Lynn Horpedahl

Reading Room readers, meet your revolutionary new friend: The Pamphlet Debate on the American Question in Great Britain, 1764-1776 Collection.

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Is Madison’s Federalist Theory Still Relevant Today?

By: Colleen A. Sheehan

From: Colleen Sheehan
Date: June 16, 2022
To: G. Patrick Lynch, Hans Eicholz
Cc: OLL
Subject: Is Madison’s Federalist Theory Still Relevant Today?

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James Madison and Disobedience in the Public Interest

By: David S. Reed

James Madison’s most radical proposal in The Federalist No. 51 was grounded in personal experience, even though he didn’t say so. Madison used a magisterial writing style, like all the authors who wrote the various Federalist Papers…

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James Monroe: The Anti-Imperialist President and Founding Father

By: Isadore Johnson

Although James Monroe didn’t sign the Declaration of Independence, he is remembered as a crucial part of American History: the last of the “Founding Father” presidents. Beyond the doctrine named after him, Monroe is also known for…

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James Wilson and the New Nation

By: Mark David Hall

In 2007, Gary L. Gregg and I asked more than one hundred history, politics, and law professors who was the most important but forgotten of all American founders. There was widespread agreement that this honor, if it can be called an…

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Jefferson and the Principle of Natural Equality

By: Jason Jividen

Not long after his debates with Stephen Douglas, Abraham Lincoln was invited by Henry L. Pierce and a group of Boston-area Republicans to a festival honoring Thomas Jefferson’s birthday. Unable to attend, on April 6, 1859, Lincoln…

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Jefferson Takes Notes and Copies Quotes on Ideas for the New Republic

By: Walter Donway

“We are now trusting to those who are against us in position and principle, to fashion to their own form the minds and affections of our youth. . . . This canker is eating on the vitals of our existence.”—Thomas Jefferson
The Jeffersonian Cyclopedia

Thomas Jefferson (author)

This is a 1,000 page alphabetical compilation of the thoughts of Thomas Jefferson. The entries are taken from the 12 volume collection of his works edited by Paul Leicester Ford. It also includes numerous illustrations of Jefferson…

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John Dickinson and the Moderation of Constitutional Balance in The Letters of Fabius

By: William Reddinger

Some might be tempted to remember John Dickinson only as the man who at the last hour refused to support American independence. That would be an error. Among those American founders fallen into relative obscurity, few deserve…

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John Dickinson: The “Timid” Founder

By: David F. Forte

Did John Adams described John Dickinson in 1774 as “very modest, delicate, and timid”? Adams, who previously met with Dickinson during the proceedings of the First Continental Congress in Philadelphia, was much more complimentary,…

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John Hancock: The First U.S. President

By: Gary Scott Smith

He is the answer to the trick question: Who was the first president of the United States? His role as the initial president of the Continental Congress makes John Hancock, not George Washington, the correct answer. Known perhaps…

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John Jay: Legal and Constitutional Framer

By: Jonathan Den Hartog

John Jay (1745–1829) was one of the most significant members of the founding generation, but his reputation hasn’t kept pace with that reality. Most Americans, if they wrack their brains, might be able to come up with vague…

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John Leland: Theologian of the First Amendment

By: Obbie Tyler Todd

Evangelicals today are often accused of supporting political figures who seem to contradict their values and beliefs. But why do such coalitions exist in American politics? To answer that question, Americans should look back not to…

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John Marshall, the Great Chief Justice

By: Matthew J. Franck

There is only one judge in American history for whom the epithet “the Great” has been commonly used: John Marshall (1755–1835), the fourth chief justice of the United States. Yet in a strange way, his outsized reputation, built on…

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John Witherspoon: A Presbyterian’s Impact on America’s Founding

By: Paul A. Cleveland

John Witherspoon was born in Scotland and educated in Edinburgh. He was a leading Presbyterian, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, and a member of the Continental Congress. He came to America in 1768 to become president of…

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Judith Sargent Murray: A Woman Between Worlds

By: Kirstin Anderson Birkhaug

In 1792, Mary Wollstonecraft published her famous work The Vindication of the Rights of Woman. To this day, this work is considered one of the origin points of western feminism. While Wollstonecraft enjoys great continuing fame, few…
The Lamp of Experience

Trevor Colbourn (author)

In a landmark work, a leading scholar of the eighteenth century examines the ways in which an understanding of the nature of history, seen as as a continual struggle between liberty and virtue on one hand and arbitrary power and…

Lectures on Modern History

John Emerich Edward Dalberg, Lord Acton (author)

These are the lectures given by the great English classical liberal historian, Lord Acton, in the academic years 1899-1901 at Cambridge University. It is a survey of modern history from the rise of the modern nation state to the…

The Legislative Authority of the British Parliament, with respect to North America, and the Privileges of the Assemblies there briefly considered

J. M. of the Inner Temple (author)

This essay defends Parliament’s authority over America “when considered as a collective Body of Colonies,” because only it could consider “the general good of the whole.” While certainly consistent with an idea of virtual…

A Letter to G. G.

L. At Richmond (author)

The essay argues against Parliament’s taxation of America, contending that “subordinate states,” whether Wales or the “palatinates of Chester and Durham” or the colonies, can only be taxed by representatives of their own choosing…

Liberty and American Experience in the Eighteenth Century

David Womersely (editor)

This collection examines themes and ideologies central to the formation of the United States including Edmund Burke’s theories on property rights and government, the influence of Jamaica on the American colonies, the relations…

Liberty and Order: The First American Party Struggle

Lance Banning (editor)

An anthology of primary sources which documents the first great party struggle in American history between the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists over the proper construction of the new Constitution, political economy, the…

Liberty Matters: The Significance of Lysander Spooner (Jan. 2016)

Randy E. Barnett (author)

In this discussion Randy Barnett explores the political thought and constitutional theories of the 19th century American individualist, anarchist, and abolitionist Lysander Spooner (1808-1887). He concludes that “Spooner’s approach…

Liberty, Order, and Justice

James McClellan (author)

Liberty, Order, and Justice seeks to familiarize students with the basic principles of the Constitution, and to explain their origin, meaning, and purpose. Particular emphasis is placed on federalism and the separation of powers.…

The Life of George Washington

John Marshall (author)

A one volume abridgement of the first major biography of Washington by John Marshall who became the third Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. An influential conservative interpretation. The volume also contains 5 of the more…

America Vindicated from the High Charge of Ingratitude and Rebellion

Anonymous Pamphleteer 1774 (author)

The author of “America Vindicated” presented arguments and word choices very similar to an essay written by the American New York jurist William Smith (1728-1793). This piece presents a strong refutation of Parliamentary Supremacy…

THE READING ROOM

Martha Washington: First in the Heart of the President

By: Kirstin Anderson Birkhaug

At George Washington’s funeral, General Henry Lee said of the great man that he was “first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen.” These are some of the most famous words spoken regarding Washington,…
Massachusettensis

Daniel Leonard (author)

A legalistic defense of the Loyalist opposition to the right of the American colonies to seek independence from Britain. This work was the subject of John Adam’s lengthy rebuttal in “Novanglus”.

American Independence The Interest and Glory of Great Britain

John Cartwright (author)

This text presents a fusion of natural law, natural rights and contemporary Christian universalism, contending that the American colonies are deserving of their own governance on grounds of “the plain maxims of the law of nature, and…

THE READING ROOM

Mind Your Manners: Mercy Otis Warren on the Character of the American People

By: Megan Marie Russo

Why should we care about Mercy Otis Warren’s political writings today? Just because she’s a woman? No, but then again, maybe yes.
Even if we keep sex and gender out of it, Warren was impressive in her own right. At an early age,…
No Treason. No. I (1867)

Lysander Spooner (author)

Although this is numbered number 1 there were only three parts to this series (1, 2, and 6) in which Spooner argues that the individual is not bound to obey the American constitution because it justified slavery and otherwise…

No Treason. No. II. The Constitution (1867)

Lysander Spooner (author)

Although this is numbered number 2 there were only three parts to this series (1, 2, and 6) in which Spooner argues that the individual is not bound to obey the American constitution because it justified slavery and otherwise…

No Treason. No. VI. The Constitution of No Authority (1870)

Lysander Spooner (author)

Although this is numbered number 6 there were only three parts to this series (1, 2, and 6) in which Spooner argues that the individual is not bound to obey the American constitution because it justified slavery and otherwise…

Observations on the Importance of the American Revolution

Richard Price (author)

A defence of the American Revolution by one of its key supporters in Britain, along with a letter by Turgot and a short essay by Mathon de la Cour (also known as Fortuné Ricard).

Observations on the Nature of Civil Liberty

Richard Price (author)

Price was both a supporter of the American desire for political independence and a sharp critic of the expences of the British empire.

Observations on “The Two Sons of Oil” (LF ed.)

William Findley (author)

Observations on “The Two Sons of Oil” was written in 1811 in response to the Reverend Samuel B. Wylie’s work, The Two Sons of Oil, , Wylie pointed out what he considered to be deficiencies in the constitutions of both Pennsylvania…

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OLL’s February Birthday: Thomas Paine (February 9, 1737 – June 8, 1809)

By: Peter Carl Mentzel

This month’s featured birthday anniversary is the Anglo-American author and political activist Thomas Paine. Best known for his tremendously influential Rights of Man, he wrote many other important books and pamphlets, while also…

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OLL’s October (Belated) Birthday: William Penn (October 14, 1644 – July 30, 1718)

By: Peter Carl Mentzel

October’s OLL Birthday Essay features the English theologian, philosopher, activist, and founder of the colony of Pennsylvania, William Penn. Over the course of his life, Penn emerged as an indefatigable champion of religious…
The Origins and Principles of the American Revolution

Friedrich von Gentz (author)

Gentz was a conservative German who supported the American Revolution but strongly opposed the French. This work was originally published in a journal Gentz edited in May and June 1800 and was translated by John Quincy Adams. Liberty…

1776: Paine, Common Sense (Pamphlet)

Thomas Paine (contributor)

Related Links:

Collections:The American Revolution and Constitution Thomas Paine

Source: Thomas Paine, The Writings of Thomas Paine, Collected and Edited by Moncure Daniel Conway (New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1894). Vol. 1.

The Pacificus-Helvidius Debates of 1793-1794

Alexander Hamilton (author)

The Pacificus–Helvidius Debates of 1793–1794 matched Hamilton and Madison in the first chapter of an enduring discussion about the proper roles of the executive and legislative branches in the conduct of American foreign policy. The…

an ANSWER to a PAMPHLET, entitled Taxation no Tyranny. addressed to the AUTHOR, and to PERSONS IN POWER

Anonymous Pamphleteer 1775 (author)

As with other respondents to Johnson’s Taxation No Tyranny, the author of this pamphlet takes on Johnson’s towering literary reputation head on, asserting in his second sentence, “The very title of your pamphlet is delusion.” The…

Pamphlets on the Constitution of the United States 1787-1788

Tench Coxe (author)

A collection of anti-federalist pamphlets written between 1787-88 by Elbridge Gerry, Noah Webster, John Jay, Melancthon Smith, Pelatiah Werster, Tench Coxe, James Wilson, John Dickinson, Alexander Contee Hanson, Edmund Randolph,…

THE READING ROOM

Patrick Henry: America’s Founding Orator

By: Isadore Johnson

Patrick Henry was born on May 29, 1736, in Hanover County, Virginia. He tried his hand at running a store at 15 but was unsuccessful. In 1754, at age 18, he married Sara Shelton and was given 6 slaves and 300 acres of land as a…

THE READING ROOM

Phillis Wheatley: A First

By: Susan Love Brown

Being first holds a significant place in American culture, for Americans love being Number One, being winners, being the First. For African Americans, being a first has a somewhat different meaning – it signifies another barrier…
The Plea of the Colonies, on the Charges Brought Against Them

Anonymous Pamphleteer 1775 (author)

Some scholars propose Hugh Williamson as a possible author for this pamphlet that argues that the British government has pushed the Americans “ into the very bowels of a civil war.” The author further suggests that peace requires a…

Political Essays on the Nature and Operation of Money

Pelatiah Webster (author)

Written during the American Revolution these economic essays cover topics such as money, free trade, the rate of interest, the nature of the constitution, public debt, bank credit, and taxation.

Political Sermons of the American Founding Era: 1730-1805, 2 vols

Ellis Sandoz (editor)

A two volume collection of sermons written between 1730-1805 by people such as Jonathan Mayhew, John Wesley, Moses Mather, John Witherspoon, Richard Price, Jonathan Edwards, and Noah Webster.

Political Sermons of the American Founding Era. Vol. 1 (1730-1788)

Ellis Sandoz (editor)

Volume I of a large two volume collection of sermons written between 1730-1805 by people such as Jonathan Mayhew, John Wesley, Moses Mather, John Witherspoon, Richard Price, Jonathan Edwards, and Noah Webster.

Political Sermons of the American Founding Era. Vol. 2 (1789-1805)

Ellis Sandoz (editor)

Volume 2 of a large two volume collection of sermons written between 1730-1805 by people such as Jonathan Mayhew, John Wesley, Moses Mather, John Witherspoon, Richard Price, Jonathan Edwards, and Noah Webster.

LIBERTY MATTERS

The Records of the Federal Convention of 1787, 3vols.

Max Farrand (editor)

A 3 volume collection of the records of the Federal Convention which was held in Philadelphia between May and September 1787. The sessions were secret but the proceedings were reconstructed from notes kept by the official secretary…

The Records of the Federal Convention of 1787, vol. 1

Max Farrand (editor)

Volume 1 covers May 14 to July 13, 1787. The records of the Federal Convention which was held in Philadelphia between May and September 1787. The sessions were secret but the proceedings were reconstructed from notes kept by the…

The Records of the Federal Convention of 1787, vol. 2

Max Farrand (editor)

Volume 2 covers July 14 to September 17, 1787. The records of the Federal Convention which was held in Philadelphia between May and September 1787. The sessions were secret but the proceedings were reconstructed from notes kept by…

The Records of the Federal Convention of 1787, vol. 3

Max Farrand (editor)

Volume 3 contains numerous supplementary records, the Virginia and other plans, and an index by clauses of the US Constitution. The records of the Federal Convention which was held in Philadelphia between May and September 1787. The…

Remarks concerning the Government and Laws of the United States of America

Gabriel Bonnot Abbé de Mably (author)

John Adams got to know Mably when he was in Paris in the early 1780s. Mably wrote a noted history of France and was keen to write a book on the American Revolution. He spoke about this to Adams who encouraged the project. In his

Remarks On The Review of the Controversy Between Great Britain and Her Colonies

Edward Bancroft (author)

Bancroft’s pamphlet is directed against Grenville, Minister of the Treasury. In it, Bancroft takes issue with the suggestion that the American colonists simultaneously claim the privileges of British subjects and reject the authority…

Resistance No Rebellion: An Answer To Doctor Johnson’s Taxation No Tyranny

Anonymous Pamphleteer 1775 (author)

One of the many pamphlets in response to Johnson’s Taxation no Tyranny, Resistance no Rebellion praises the good sense and dignity of the Americans while noting the ways in which they have been insulted by the British. The author is…

LIBERTY MATTERS

THE READING ROOM

Revisiting Washington’s Letter to the Hebrew Congregation of Newport

In August of 1790, George Washington made a trip to Newport, Rhode Island shortly after Rhode Island had agreed to the Constitution and to join the United States. Washington was greeted by various leaders of the city including a…

LIBERTY MATTERS

Revolutionary Writings

John Adams (author)

This volume contains the principal shorter writings in which Adams addresses the prospect of revolution and the form of government proper to the new United States. There are pieces on the nature of the British Constitution and the…

The Revolutionary Writings of Alexander Hamilton

Alexander Hamilton (author)

This is a comprehensive collection of Hamilton’s early writings, from the period before and during the Revolutionary War, and includes The Continentalist, lettters by Publius, and Remarks on the Quebec Bill.

THE READING ROOM

Richard Henry Lee: Founding Revolutionary and Anti-Corruption Advocate

By: Isadore Johnson

Richard Henry Lee was born at Stratford Hall in Westmoreland, Virginia, on January 20, 1732. At age 16, Lee moved to Yorkshire, England, for his formal education at Wakefield Academy. In 1750, when he was 18, both of Lee’s parents…
The Right of the British Legislature to Tax the American Colonies Vindicated; and the Means of Asserting that Right Proposed

John Gray (author)

This essay makes the case for the unitary nature of the authority of the King-in-Parliament as representative of all domains under British authority, disputing the American claim, with specific reference to Benjamin Franklin, that…

Rights of the British Colonies

James Otis (author)

Otis wrote a couple of pamphlets in the early phase of the American Revolution which galvanized and radicalized the colonists’ opposition to the British Empire. In The Rights of the British Colonies Otis goes from an objection to a…

THE READING ROOM

Roger Sherman and the Creation of the American New Republic

By: Mark David Hall

In 1777, John Adams described Connecticut’s Roger Sherman as “that old Puritan, as honest as an angel, and as firm in the cause of American Independence as Mt. Atlas.” Late in life, Patrick Henry remarked that Sherman and George…

THE READING ROOM

Samuel Adams…Much More Than a Beer

By: Gary Scott Smith

Millions of Americans today are concerned about social justice. Issues ranging from abortion to environmental devastation to racial disparities in income, education, convictions, and imprisonment roil our nation. Similarly, more…
Select Works of Edmund Burke, 4 vols.

Francis Canavan (foreword)

A 4 volume collection on Burke’s speeches and writings on economics, the American Revolution and the French Revolution.

Select Works of Edmund Burke, vol. 1

Francis Canavan (foreword)

This volume contains Burke’s speeches on the crisis between Great Britain and the American colonies. He did not dispute the right of the crown to tax the colonies but objected to doing so without the consent of the colonists.

Strictures upon the Declaration of the Congress at Philadelphia (1776)

Thomas Hutchinson (author)

Dr. Hans Eicholz’s edited version of the text can be found here.

THE READING ROOM

Studying the Founders: A Summary and Downloadable Collection

By: Thea Burress

Over this past Summer, we invited scholars into the Reading Room to share their views on the Founding Fathers and Mothers and why we should read and understand them today. They explored the likes of George Mason, Deborah Sampson,…
The Pamphlet, Entitled, “Taxation no Tyranny,” Candidly Considered, and it’s Arguments, and Pernicious Doctrines, Exposed and Refuted

Anonymous Pamphleteer 1775 (author)

This response to Johnson’s Taxation no Tyranny emphasizes the concord which had existed between Great Britain and the colonies in previous times. Now, though, “The Tories have forced us into a situation which threatens shipwreck.”…

Taxation no Tyranny; An Answer to the Resolutions and Address of the American Congress

Samuel Johnson (author)

Written in 1775 in response to the Declaration and Resolves of the First Continental Congress, Samuel Johnson’s Taxation no Tyranny is a defense of Parliamentary Sovereignty, particularly the right to tax. One of the greatest English…

Taxation, Tyranny, Addressed to Samuel Johnson

Anonymous Pamphleteer 1775 (author)

This 1775 pamphlet was published as an anonymous response to Samuel Johnson’s Taxation No Tyranny. Johnson’s towering reputation as a man of letters appears to enrage rather than intimidate this anonymous author, who takes Johnson to…

LIBERTY MATTERS

LIBERTY MATTERS

The Evidence of the Common and Statute Laws of the Realm; Usage, Records, History, with the Greatest and Best Authorities Down to the 3d of George the 3rd, in Proof of the Rights of Britons Throughout the British Empire Addressed to the People

Anonymous Pamphleteer 1775 (author)

This essay presents one of the strongest responses to the claim of Parliamentary supremacy over the colonies. It is indicative of a robust revival of Old Whig ideas in England on the question of limited government, a revival that…

THE READING ROOM

The Last King of America: A Review

By: Renee Wilmeth

When it comes to Enlightenment-era monarchs, we generally think the worst of one in particular, especially when it comes to progress – King George III of England. Too often, we think of him as the king who lost the American…

THE READING ROOM

The Paranoia of Patrick Henry

By: Joy Buchanan

“Guard with jealous attention the public liberty. Suspect everyone who approaches that jewel.” Those are the words of Patrick Henry to the Virginia Ratifying Convention in 1788.

THE READING ROOM

The Written Legacy of Gouverneur Morris: Constitutional Wisdom We Cannot Afford to Forget

By: Melanie Randolph Miller

We the People. It is a phrase that shows up everywhere, on the banners of protestors on both sides of an issue, as the name of an expletive-laden song by Kid Rock, in the title of many books, many art exhibitions, and, of course, on…

THE READING ROOM

The “Pamphlet Wars” Climax in the American Revolution and Ratification Debate

By: Walter Donway

You cannot read many biographies of men who engaged the American separation from Britain, declaration of an independent nation, and shaping and winning ratification of the Constitution without encountering—repeatedly—references to…

THE READING ROOM

Thinking About Government with John Adams

By: Aeon J. Skoble

In philosophy classes, students sometimes wonder why we continue to read long-dead thinkers like Plato or Descartes, and there are two sorts of answers I usually give. One is that, for better or worse, their ideas set the stage for…

THE READING ROOM

Thomas Jefferson’s Last-Minute Flip-Flop on the Future of American Democracy

By: Dennis C. Rasmussen

As Thomas Jefferson neared his death—which came on July 4, 1826, the fiftieth anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence—he composed some of the most famous and optimistic lines ever to emerge from his pen. He…

Timeline of the American Founding

Designed to provide a chronological representation of the unfolding of the early history of the nation, this PDF features historical events and figures of the founding era.

Included in the timeline are major military events, such as…

Timeline of the American Founding

David M. Hart (editor)

Designed to provide a chronological representation of the unfolding of the early history of the nation, this PDF features historical events and…

To Secure the Blessings of Liberty: Selected Writings

Gouverneur Morris (author)

Morris served as Deputy Superintendent of Finance during the American Revolution and devised the system of decimal coinage. As a member of the Committee on Style and Arrangement, he put the Constitution in its present form and…

THE READING ROOM

Tocqueville, Washington, and the Moderation of the American Revolution

By: William Reddinger

We often hear of the modest, orderly American Revolution vis-à-vis the French. The American one was a “revolution of sober expectations,” Martin Diamond said. To make his case, Diamond cited Tocqueville, who explained that the “…
A Treatise on State and Federal Control of Persons and Property in the United States 2 vols.

Christopher G. Tiedeman (author)

A 2 volume work which examines the power of the government over individual personal and property rights under the US constitution. It is an expansion of a 1 vol. work on Limitations of Police Power published originally in 1886. Vol.…

A Treatise on State and Federal Control of Persons and Property in the United States vol. 1

Christopher G. Tiedeman (author)

A 2 volume work which examines the power of the government over individual personal and property rights under the US constitution. It is an expansion of a 1 vol. work on Limitations of Police Power published originally in 1886. Vol.…

A Treatise on State and Federal Control of Persons and Property in the United States vol. 2

Christopher G. Tiedeman (author)

A 2 volume work which examines the power of the government over individual personal and property rights under the US constitution. It is an expansion of a 1 vol. work on Limitations of Police Power published originally in 1886. Vol.…

THE READING ROOM

Two Reasons to Read Jefferson

By: Jeremy D. Bailey

We live in a world where attention spans are short and partisan posturing is expected, so why should students bother with reading works by the American Founders, a group of men that did not include philosophers but did include…
Tyranny Unmasked: An Answer to a Late Pamphlet Entitled Taxation no Tyranny

Anonymous Pamphleteer 1775 (author)

Written in response to Samuel Johnson’s Taxation no Tyranny, this pamphlet dismisses Johnson’s arguments as unworthy of response, except for the fact that they are “irritating to Englishmen.” The author makes much of Johnson’s…

The Unconstitutionality of Slavery (1860)

Lysander Spooner (author)

The first of a two part series on Spooner’s theory that the institution of slavery was not supported by the ideas behind the constitution and was thus “unconstitutional.”

The Unconstitutionality of Slavery: Part Second (1860)

Lysander Spooner (author)

The second of a two part series on Spooner’s theory that the institution of slavery was not supported by the ideas behind the constitution and was thus “unconstitutional.”

The Unconstitutionality of the Laws of Congress, prohibiting Private Mails (1844)

Lysander Spooner (author)

Spooner challenged the US postal monopoly by starting his own mail company to deliver letters and by writing a short book arguing that it was wrong on legal and constitutional grounds.

View of the Constitution of the United States with Selected Writings

St. George Tucker (author)

View of the Constitutionwas the first extended, systematic commentary on the United States Constitution after its ratification and later its amendment by the Bill of Rights. As Clyde N. Wilson notes, “Tucker is the exponent of…

LIBERTY MATTERS

Washington: Marshall’s Life

Related Links:

George Washington

Source: John Marshall's The Life of George Washington. Special Edition for Schools, ed. Robert Faulkner and Paul Carrese (Indianapolis: Liberty Fund, 2000).

FOREWORD

While there are other good…

THE READING ROOM

Washington’s Address to the Officers of the Army

By: William Reddinger

Legal norms and processes are not mere tools for achieving one’s preferred conception of a good society but are themselves part of a good society. Law is not some third wheel to liberty and justice. It’s a necessary companion to…
The Webster-Hayne Debate on the Nature of the Constitution: Selected Documents

Herman Belz (editor)

The debates between Daniel Webster and Robert Hayne gave utterance to the differing understandings of the nature of the American Union that had come to predominate in the North and the South by 1830. To Webster the Union was the…

THE READING ROOM

Which Beatle is James Madison?

By: G Patrick Lynch

If we think about the most prominent of the American Founding Fathers as the Beatles, then Jefferson, Washington and Hamilton have gotten most of the attention from folks, much like Paul McCartney, John Lennon and Ringo Starr. They…

THE READING ROOM

Who are the Real Federalists? Why we should read John Francis Mercer

By: Hans Eicholz

Who qualifies as a Founder? Who is a Framer? These are questions about which we often assume general agreement, but the reality is otherwise.
“Founders” can sometimes refer to anyone who supported or participated in the American…

THE READING ROOM

Why George Mason Matters

By: Daniel L. Dreisbach

There is an unfortunate tendency among students of the American founding to focus on the accomplishments of a few “famous founders” while ignoring the salient contributions of an expansive fraternity of “forgotten founders.” One…

THE READING ROOM

The Works of Alexander Hamilton, (Federal Edition), 12 vols.

Henry Cabot Lodge (editor)

A 12 volume collection of the works of Alexander Hamilton.

The Works of Alexander Hamilton, (Federal Edition), vol. 1

Henry Cabot Lodge (editor)

Vol. I (Early Papers and Speeches; The Continentalist; The Federal Convention) of a twelve volume collection of the works of Alexander Hamilton who served at a formative period of the American Republic. His papers and letters are…

The Works of Alexander Hamilton, (Federal Edition), vol. 2

Henry Cabot Lodge (editor)

Vol. II (Convention of New York; Letters of H.G.; Taxation and Finance; Finance) of a twelve volume collection of the works of Alexander Hamilton who served at a formative period of the American Republic. His papers and letters are…

The Works of Alexander Hamilton, (Federal Edition), vol. 3

Henry Cabot Lodge (editor)

Vol. III (Finance; National Bank) of a twelve volume collection of the works of Alexander Hamilton who served at a formative period of the American Republic. His papers and letters are important for understanding this period as he…

The Works of Alexander Hamilton, (Federal Edition), vol. 4

Henry Cabot Lodge (editor)

Vol. IV (Coinage and the Mint; Industry and Commerce; Commercial Relations; Foreign Relations) of a twelve volume collection of the works of Alexander Hamilton who served at a formative period of the American Republic. His papers and…

The Works of Alexander Hamilton, (Federal Edition), vol. 5

Henry Cabot Lodge (editor)

Vol. V (Foreign Relations, continued) of a twelve volume collection of the works of Alexander Hamilton who served at a formative period of the American Republic. His papers and letters are important for understanding this period as…

The Works of Alexander Hamilton, (Federal Edition), vol. 6

Henry Cabot Lodge (editor)

Vol. VI (Foreign Relations; Foreign Policy; The Whiskey Rebellion; Military Papers) of a twelve volume collection of the works of Alexander Hamilton who served at a formative period of the American Republic. His papers and letters…

The Works of Alexander Hamilton, (Federal Edition), vol. 7

Henry Cabot Lodge (editor)

Vol. VII (Military Papers. continued) of a twelve volume collection of the works of Alexander Hamilton who served at a formative period of the American Republic. His papers and letters are important for understanding this period as…

The Works of Alexander Hamilton, (Federal Edition), vol. 8

Henry Cabot Lodge (editor)

Vol. VIII (Miscellaneous Papers) of a twelve volume collection of the works of Alexander Hamilton who served at a formative period of the American Republic. His papers and letters are important for understanding this period as he…

The Works of Alexander Hamilton, (Federal Edition), vol. 9

Henry Cabot Lodge (editor)

Vol. IX (Miscellaneous Papers; Private Letters 1771-1792) of a twelve volume collection of the works of Alexander Hamilton who served at a formative period of the American Republic. His papers and letters are important for…

The Works of Alexander Hamilton, (Federal Edition), vol. 10

Henry Cabot Lodge (editor)

Vol. X (Letters 1792-1804; Last Will; Epitaph) of a twelve volume collection of the works of Alexander Hamilton who served at a formative period of the American Republic. His papers and letters are important for understanding this…

The Works of Alexander Hamilton, (Federal Edition), vol. 11

Henry Cabot Lodge (editor)

Vol. XI (The Federalist No. I - XLV) of a twelve volume collection of the works of Alexander Hamilton who served at a formative period of the American Republic. His papers and letters are important for understanding this period as he…

The Works of Alexander Hamilton, (Federal Edition), vol. 12

Henry Cabot Lodge (editor)

Vol. XII (The Federalist No. XLVI to LXXXV, The Federal Constitution and Amendments) of a twelve volume collection of the works of Alexander Hamilton who served at a formative period of the American Republic. His papers and letters…

The Works of Benjamin Franklin, Vol. VII Letters and Misc. Writings 1775-1779

Benjamin Franklin (author)

Volume 7 of a 12 volume collection of Franklin’s works. Vol. 7 contains letters and miscellaneous writings from 1775 to 1779 when he was the first United States Postmaster General (July, 1775 – November, 1776) and then United States…

The Works of Benjamin Franklin, Vol. VIII Letters and Misc. Writings 1779-1781

Benjamin Franklin (author)

Volume 8 of a 12 volume collection of Franklin’s works. Vol. 7 contains letters and miscellaneous writings from 1779-1781.

The Works of Benjamin Franklin, Vol. IX Letters and Misc. Writings 1781-1782

Benjamin Franklin (author)

Volume 9 of a 12 volume collection of Franklin’s works. Vol. 9 contains letters and miscellaneous writings from 1781-1782.

The Works of Benjamin Franklin, Vol. X Letters and Misc. Writings 1782-1784

Benjamin Franklin (author)

Volume 10 of a 12 volume collection of Franklin’s works. Vol. 10 contains letters and miscellaneous writings from 1782 to 1784.

The Works of Benjamin Franklin, Vol. XI Letters and Misc. Writings 1784-1788

Benjamin Franklin (author)

Volume 11 of a 12 volume collection of Franklin’s works. Vol. 11 contains letters and miscellaneous writings from 1784 to 1788.

The Works of Benjamin Franklin, Vol. XII Letters and Misc. Writings 1788-1790, Supplement, Indexes

Benjamin Franklin (author)

Volume 12 of a 12 volume collection of Franklin’s works. Vol. 12 contains letters and miscellaneous writings from 1788 to 1790, and additional letters from 1743 to 1785, and Indexes.

The Works of John Adams, 10 vols.

Charles Francis Adams (editor)

A 10 volume collection of Adams’ most important writings, letters, and state papers, edited by his grandson.

The Works of John Adams, vol. 1 (Life of the Author)

Charles Francis Adams (editor)

A 10 volume collection of Adams’ most important writings, letters, and state papers, edited by his grandson. Vol. 1 contains a life of Adams by his grandson.

The Works of John Adams, vol. 2 (Diary, Notes of Debates, Autobiography)

Charles Francis Adams (editor)

A 10 volume collection of Adams’ most important writings, letters, and state papers, edited by his grandson. Vol. 2 contains his diary, notes of the debates in the Continental Congress 1775-76, and his Autobiography.

The Works of John Adams, vol. 3 (Autobiography, Diary, Notes of a Debate in the Senate, Essays)

Charles Francis Adams (editor)

A 10 volume collection of Adams’ most important writings, letters, and state papers, edited by his grandson. Vol. 3 contains his Autobiography, Diary, Notes of a Debate in the Senate, and various essays.

The Works of John Adams, vol. 4

Charles Francis Adams (editor)

A 10 volume collection of Adams’ most important writings, letters, and state papers, edited by his grandson. Vol. 4 contains Novanglus, Thoughts on Government, and Defence of the Constitution.

The Works of John Adams, vol. 5 (Defence of the Constitutions Vols. II and III)

Charles Francis Adams (editor)

A 10 volume collection of Adams’ most important writings, letters, and state papers, edited by his grandson. Vol. 5 contains volumes 2 and 3 of Defence of the Constitutions of the US.

The Works of John Adams, vol. 6

Charles Francis Adams (editor)

A 10 volume collection of Adams’ most important writings, letters, and state papers, edited by his grandson. Vol. 6 contains (Defence of the Constitutions Vol. III cont’d, Davila, Essays on the Constitution.

The Works of John Adams, vol. 7 (Letters and State Papers 1777-1782)

Charles Francis Adams (editor)

A 10 volume collection of Adams’ most important writings, letters, and state papers, edited by his grandson. Vol. 7 contains letters and state papers from 1777 to 1782.

The Works of John Adams, vol. 8 (Letters and State Papers 1782-1799)

Charles Francis Adams (editor)

A 10 volume collection of Adams’ most important writings, letters, and state papers, edited by his grandson. Vol. 8 contains letters and state papers from 1782 to 1799.

The Works of John Adams, vol. 9 (Letters and State Papers 1799-1811)

Charles Francis Adams (editor)

A 10 volume collection of Adams’ most important writings, letters, and state papers, edited by his grandson. Vol. 9 contains letters and state papers from 1799 to 1811.

The Works of John Adams, vol. 10 (Letters 1811-1825, Indexes)

Charles Francis Adams (editor)

A 10 volume collection of Adams’ most important writings, letters, and state papers, edited by his grandson. Vol. 10 contains letters and state papers from 1811 1825 and Indexes for the entire set.

The Works of Thomas Jefferson, 12 vols.

Thomas Jefferson (author)

The “Federal Edition” of Jefferson’s works in 12 volumes edited by Paul Leicester Ford in 1904-05.

The Works, vol. 1 (Autobiography, Anas, 1760-1770)

Thomas Jefferson (author)

Volume 1 of the “Federal Edition” of Jefferson’s works in 12 volumes edited by Paul Leicester Ford in 1904-05. This volume contains the Autobiography, The Anas, and correspondence and miscellaneous writings from 1760-1770.

The Works, vol. 2 (1771-1779)

Thomas Jefferson (author)

Volume 2 of the “Federal Edition” of Jefferson’s works in 12 volumes edited by Paul Leicester Ford in 1904-05. This volume contains Correspondence and Miscellaneous writings between 1771 and 1779, including the Summary View, the…

The Works, vol. 3 (Notes on Virginia I, Correspondence 1780-1782)

Thomas Jefferson (author)

Volume 3 of the “Federal Edition” of Jefferson’s works in 12 volumes edited by Paul Leicester Ford in 1904-05. This volume contains various letters and papers as well as the first part of “Notes on Virginia” Jefferson’s only…

The Works, vol. 4 (Notes on Virginia II, Correspondence 1782-1786)

Thomas Jefferson (author)

Volume 4 of the “Federal Edition” of Jefferson’s works in 12 volumes edited by Paul Leicester Ford in 1904-05. This volume contains various letters and papers as well as the second part of “Notes on Virginia” Jefferson’s only…

The Works, vol. 5 (Correspondence 1786-1789)

Thomas Jefferson (author)

Volume 5 of the “Federal Edition” of Jefferson’s works in 12 volumes edited by Paul Leicester Ford in 1904-05. This volume contains various letters and papers from the years 1786-1789.

The Works, vol. 6 (Correspondence 1789-1792)

Thomas Jefferson (author)

Volume 6 of the “Federal Edition” of Jefferson’s works in 12 volumes edited by Paul Leicester Ford in 1904-05. This volume contains various letters and papers from the years 1789-1792.

The Works, vol. 7 (Correspondence 1792-1793)

Paul Leicester Ford (editor)

Volume 7 of the “Federal Edition” of Jefferson’s works in 12 volumes edited by Paul Leicester Ford in 1904-05. This volume contains various letters and papers from the years 1792-1793.

The Works, vol. 8 (Correspondence 1793-1798)

Paul Leicester Ford (editor)

Volume 8 of the “Federal Edition” of Jefferson’s works in 12 volumes edited by Paul Leicester Ford in 1904-05. This volume contains various letters and papers from the years 1793-1798.

The Works, vol. 9 (1799-1803)

Paul Leicester Ford (editor)

Volume 9 of the “Federal Edition” of Jefferson’s works in 12 volumes edited by Paul Leicester Ford in 1904-05. This volume contains various letters and papers as well as his “Inaugural Address” as President.

The Works, vol. 10 (Correspondence and Papers 1803-1807)

Paul Leicester Ford (editor)

Volume 10 of the “Federal Edition” of Jefferson’s works in 12 volumes edited by Paul Leicester Ford in 1904-05. This volume contains the correspondence and papers from 1803-1807.

The Works, vol. 11 (Correspondence and Papers 1808-1816)

Paul Leicester Ford (editor)

Volume 11 of the “Federal Edition” of Jefferson’s works in 12 volumes edited by Paul Leicester Ford in 1904-05. This volume contains the correspondence and papers from 1808-1816.

The Works, vol. 12 (Correspondence and Papers 1816-1826)

Paul Leicester Ford (editor)

Volume 12 of the “Federal Edition” of Jefferson’s works in 12 volumes edited by Paul Leicester Ford in 1904-05. This volume contains various letters and papers from the years 1816-1826.

The Writings of George Washington, 14 vols.

Worthington Chauncey Ford (editor)

A 14 volume collection of Washington’s writings.

The Writings of George Washington, vol. I (1748-1757)

Worthington Chauncey Ford (editor)

Vol. 1 covers the years 1748 to 1757 and includes some of his early journals and many letters.

The Writings of George Washington, vol. II (1758-1775)

Worthington Chauncey Ford (editor)

Vol. 2 covers the years 1758 to 1775 and includes some of his early journals and many letters.

The Writings of George Washington, vol. III (1775-1776)

Worthington Chauncey Ford (editor)

Vol. 3 covers the years July 1775 to March 1776 and includes letters and papers.

The Writings of George Washington, vol. IV (1776)

Worthington Chauncey Ford (editor)

Vol. 4 covers April to October 1776 and includes letters and papers.

The Writings of George Washington, vol. V (1776-1777)

Worthington Chauncey Ford (editor)

Vol. 5 covers November 1776 to July 1777 and includes letters and papers.

The Writings of George Washington, vol. VI (1777-1778)

Worthington Chauncey Ford (editor)

Vol. 6 covers August 1777 to April 1778 and includes letters and papers.

The Writings of George Washington, vol. VII (1778-1779)

Worthington Chauncey Ford (editor)

Vol. 7 covers May 1778 to July 1779 and includes letters and papers.

The Writings of George Washington, vol. VIII (1779-1780)

Worthington Chauncey Ford (editor)

Vol. 8 covers August 1779 to October 1780 and includes letters and papers.

The Writings of George Washington, vol. IX (1780-1782)

Worthington Chauncey Ford (editor)

Vol. 9 covers October 1780 to May 1782 and includes letters and papers.

The Writings of George Washington, vol. X (1782-1785)

Worthington Chauncey Ford (editor)

Vol. 10 covers May 1782 to October 1785 and includes letters and papers.

The Writings of George Washington, vol. XI (1785-1790)

Worthington Chauncey Ford (editor)

Vol. 11 covers October 1785 to December 1790 and includes letters and papers.

The Writings of George Washington, vol. XII (1790-1794)

Worthington Chauncey Ford (editor)

Vol. 12 covers December 1790 to December 1794 and includes letters and papers.

The Writings of George Washington, vol. XIII (1794-1798)

Worthington Chauncey Ford (editor)

Vol. 13 covers December 1794 to May 1798 and includes letters and papers.

The Writings of George Washington, vol. XIV (1798-1799)

George Washington (author)

Vol. 14 covers May 1798 to December 1799 and includes letters and papers.

The Writings of James Madison, 9 vols.

James Madison (author)

A 9 volume collection edited by Gaillard Hunt in 1900-10.

The Writings, vol. 1 (1769-1783)

James Madison (author)

Volume 1 of Madison’s writings in 9 volumes edited by Gaillard Hunt in 1900-10. This volume contains Public Papers and Private Correspondence, including numerous letters and documents between 1769 and 1783, Constitution of Virginia,…

The Writings, vol. 2 (1783-1787)

James Madison (author)

Volume 2 of Madison’s writings in 9 volumes edited by Gaillard Hunt in 1900-10. This volume contains Public Papers and Private Correspondence, including numerous letters and documents between 1769 and 1783, and Origin of the…

The Writings, vol. 3 (1787)

James Madison (author)

Volume 3 of Madison’s writings in 9 volumes edited by Gaillard Hunt in 1900-10. This volume contains part I of the Journal of the Constitutional Convention.

The Writings, vol. 4 (1787)

James Madison (author)

Volume 4 of Madison’s writings in 9 volumes edited by Gaillard Hunt in 1900-10. This volume contains part 2 of the Journal of the Constitutional Convention.

The Writings, vol. 5 (1787-1790)

James Madison (author)

Volume 5 of Madison’s writings in 9 volumes edited by Gaillard Hunt in 1900-10. This volume contains his public papers and his private correspondence, including speeches in the Virginia Convention and the First Congress.

The Writings, vol. 6 (1790-1802)

James Madison (author)

Volume 6 of Madison’s writings in 9 volumes edited by Gaillard Hunt in 1900-10. This volume contains his public papers and his private correspondence, including speeches in the First Congress and Address to the General Assembly to…

The Writings, vol. 7 (1803-1807)

James Madison (author)

Volume 7 of Madison’s writings in 9 volumes edited by Gaillard Hunt in 1900-10. This volume contains his public papers and private correspondence.

The Writings, vol. 8 (1808-1819)

James Madison (author)

Volume 8 of Madison’s writings in 9 volumes edited by Gaillard Hunt in 1900-10. This volume contains his public papers and private correspondence, including his Innaugural Address and messages to Congress.

The Writings, vol. 9 (1819-1836)

James Madison (author)

Volume 9 of Madison’s writings in 9 volumes edited by Gaillard Hunt in 1900-10. This volume contains his public papers and private correspondence.

The Writings of Thomas Paine, 4 vols.

Thomas Paine (author)

A 4 volume collection of the works of Thomas Paine.

The Writings of Thomas Paine, Vol. I (1774-1779)

Thomas Paine (author)

Vol. 1 of a 4 vol. collection of the works of Thomas Paine. Vol. 1 contains letters and newspaper articles, Common Sense, and The American Crisis.

The Writings of Thomas Paine, Vol. II (1779-1792)

Thomas Paine (author)

Vol. 2 of a 4 vol. collection of the works of Thomas Paine. Vol. 2 (1779-1792) contains the Letter to Abbey Raynal, Dissertations on Government, The Rights of Man (1 and 2) and various articles.

The Writings of Thomas Paine, Vol. III (1791-1804)

Thomas Paine (author)

Vol. 3 of a 4 vol. collection of the works of Thomas Paine. Vol. 3 (1791-1804) contains various letters and articles on the French Revolution, Paine’s draft of the French Declaration of Rights, Agrarian Justice, and To the Citizens…

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Quotes

Taxation

Alexander Hamilton denounces the British for imposing “oppressive taxes” on the colonists which amount to tyranny, a form of slavery, and vassalage to the Empire (1774)

Alexander Hamilton

Class

Alexander Hamilton on the Civil Balance of Power

Alexander Hamilton

Money & Banking

Alexander Hamilton on the Constitutionality of a National Bank

Alexander Hamilton

War & Peace

Alexander Hamilton warns of the danger to civil society and liberty from a standing army since “the military state becomes elevated above the civil” (1787)

Alexander Hamilton

Colonies, Slavery & Abolition

Benjamin Franklin and the Need for Unity among the Colonies

Benjamin Franklin

Revolution

Carl Lotus Becker, Materialism and Idealism in the Declaration of Independence

Carl Lotus Becker

War & Peace

Daniel Webster thunders that the introduction of conscription would be a violation of the constitution, an affront to individual liberty, and an act of unrivaled despotism (1814)

Daniel Webster

Economics

Forrest McDonald argues that the Founding Fathers envisaged a new economic order based upon Lockean notions of private property and the creation of the largest contiguous area of free trade in the world (2006)

Forrest McDonald

Revolution

George Washington and America’s Future

George Washington

Politics & Liberty

George Washington on the Difference between Commercial and Political Relations with other Countries (1796)

George Washington

Taxation

George Washington on the Whiskey Rebellion and the Pardon Power

George Washington

Presidents, Kings, Tyrants, & Despots

George Washington warns that the knee jerk reaction of citizens to problems is to seek a solution in the creation of a “new monarch”(1786)

George Washington

Politics & Liberty

Gouverneur Morris on the proper balance between commerce, private property, and political liberty (1776)

Gouverneur Morris

Class

James Madison on the “sagacious and monied few” who are able to “harvest” the benefits of government regulations (1787)

James Madison

Parties & Elections

James Madison on the dangers of elections resulting in overbearing majorities who respect neither justice nor individual rights, Federalist 10 (1788)

James Madison

Politics & Liberty

James Madison on the mischievous effects of mutable government in The Federalist no. 62 (1788)

James Madison

War & Peace

James Madison on the necessity of separating the power of “the sword from the purse” (1793)

James Madison

Politics & Liberty

James Madison on the need for the “separation of powers” because “men are not angels,” Federalist 51 (1788)

James Madison

Parties & Elections

Lance Banning argues that within a decade of the creation of the US Constitution the nation was engaged in a bitter battle over the soul of the American Republic (2004)

Lance Banning

War & Peace

Madison argued that war is the major way by which the executive office increases its power, patronage, and taxing power (1793)

James Madison

Liberty

Madison on “Parchment Barriers” and the defence of liberty I (1788)

James Madison

Politics & Liberty

Mercy Otis Warren asks why people are so willing to obey the government and answers that it is supineness, fear of resisting, and the long habit of obedience (1805)

Mercy Otis Warren

Revolution

Mercy Otis Warren on Civil and Religious Rights and Tyranny

Mercy Otis Warren

Presidents, Kings, Tyrants, & Despots

Paine on the idea that the law is king (1776)

Thomas Paine

Liberty

Simeon Howard on liberty as the opposition to “external force and constraint” (1773)

Charles S. Hyneman

Religion & Toleration

The 5th Day of Christmas: Samuel Cooper on the Articles of Confederation and peace on earth (1780)

Ellis Sandoz

War & Peace

The 7th Day of Christmas: Madison on “the most noble of all ambitions” which a government can have, of promoting peace on earth (1816)

James Madison

War & Peace

The 8th Day of Christmas: Jefferson on the inevitability of revolution in England only after which there will be peace on earth (1817)

Thomas Jefferson

Politics & Liberty

The Abbé de Mably argues with John Adams about the dangers of a “commercial elite” seizing control of the new Republic and using it to their own advantage (1785)

Gabriel Bonnot Abbé de Mably

Law

The Fourth Amendment to the American Constitution states that the people shall be secure in their persons against unreasonable searches and seizures and that no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause (1788)

James McClellan

Politics & Liberty

The State of New York declares that the people may “reassume” their delegated powers at any time they choose (1788)

Jonathan Elliot

Money & Banking

Thomas Jefferson and The National Bank Question Yet Again: 1813-1817

Thomas Jefferson

Money & Banking

Thomas Jefferson in a letter to John Taylor condemns the system of banking as “a blot” on the constitution, as corrupt, and that long-term government debt was “swindling” future generations (1816)

Thomas Jefferson

Colonies, Slavery & Abolition

Thomas Jefferson on Slavery and Liberty

Thomas Jefferson

Colonies, Slavery & Abolition

Thomas Jefferson on Slavery and the Wrath of God

Thomas Jefferson

War & Peace

Thomas Jefferson on the Draft as "the last of all oppressions" (1777)

Thomas Jefferson

Revolution

Thomas Jefferson on the Unity of the Nation

Thomas Jefferson

Natural Rights

Thomas Jefferson on whether the American Constitution is binding on those who were not born at the time it was signed and agreed to (1789)

Thomas Jefferson

Presidents, Kings, Tyrants, & Despots

Thomas Jefferson opposed vehemently the Alien and Sedition Laws of 1798 which granted the President enormous powers showing that the government had become a tyranny which desired to govern with "a rod of iron" (1798)

Thomas Jefferson

Origin of Government

Thomas Paine asks how it is that established governments came into being, his answer, is "banditti of ruffians" seized control and turned themselves into monarchs (1792)

Thomas Paine

Presidents, Kings, Tyrants, & Despots

Thomas Paine on the absurdity of an hereditary monarchy (1791)

Thomas Paine

Literature & Music

Thomas Paine’s patriotic song called “Hail Great Republic” which is to be sung to the tune of Rule Britannia

Thomas Paine

Law

Tiedeman on the victimless crime of vagrancy (1900)

Christopher G. Tiedeman

Money & Banking

Tom Paine on the "Decline and Fall of the English System of Finance" (1796)

Thomas Paine

Religion & Toleration

William Findley wants to maintain the separation of church and state and therefore sees no role for the “ecclesiastical branch” in government (1812)

William Findley

Notes About This Collection

See the books published by Liberty Fund in this subject area.

For additional information about the American Founding see the following: