Political Founding

The American Revolution is replete with seminal moments that every American learns in school, from the "shot heard 'round the world" to the Declaration of Independence, but the events that led up to the fighting at Lexington and Concord were borne out of 10 years of division between the British and their American colonies over everything from colonial representation in governments to taxation, the nature of searches, and the quartering of British regulars in private houses.

In today’s modern world, every political regime - even the most authoritarian or repressive - describes itself as democracy or a democratic people’s republic. The concept of rule by the people and on behalf of the people has come to be accepted as the norm. Very few would overtly espouse the cause of dictatorship, absolute monarchy, or oligarchy as the most desirable political system upon which to base the government of any country.

Written between 1843 and 1848, A Disquisition on Government addresses such issues as states' rights and slavery and articulates the doctrine of the concurrent majority, today a central tenet of American political thought.

Americans have debated the Constitution since the day it was signed, but rarely in its 223-year history have so many disagreed so fiercely about so much. Everywhere there seems to be debate about the Constitution's meaning and message. The Tea Party, with its almost fanatical focus on the founding document, contends that its primary purpose is to restrain the federal government-but does it really say that?

Harriet Tubman (March 10, 1822—March 10, 1913) was an abolitionist and political activist in the United States. Tubman, who was born into slavery, got away and went on to free around 70 enslaved people, which includes family members and good friends, through the Underground Rail Road, a network of antislavery activists and safe houses. She worked for the Union Army as an armed scout and spy throughout the American Civil War. Tubman was an activist in the women's suffrage movement in her last years.

This is a comprehensive audio recording providing a clear and concise presentation of the United States Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and all 27 amendments. This educational resource is ideal for individuals wanting to gain a deeper understanding of the foundational legal document that has guided the development of the United States.

The *Articles of Confederation*, part of the "Little Books of Wisdom" series, offers a compact and beautifully presented edition of America's first constitution, adopted in 1777. This foundational document established a framework for governance during the early years of the United States, emphasizing state sovereignty and a loosely organized central government.

The Federalist Papers is a series of 85 articles arguing in favor of ratification of the United States Constitution by the 13 original colonies. The Federalist papers were written in response to criticism of the Constitution. The articles were first published between October 1787 and August 1788 in newspapers and then published in book form in 1788. "Federalist No. 65" discusses the reasoning behind the choice of the Senate to conduct Impeachment trials. Hamilton is sanguine about the danger of political factions polarizing the proceedings.

"Federalist No. 66" is a continuation of the argument in "Federalist No. 65" for the Senate as the trial venue for impeachments. In No. 66, he addresses specific anti-Federalist objections in a series of four rebuttals. The issues addressed are: first, the concern that the Senate is encroaching on the powers of the courts; second, that the Senate itself may become too aristocratic; third, that impartiality may suffer when trying appointed officials previously approved by the same body....

"Give me liberty, or give me death!" is a quotation attributed to Patrick Henry from his speech to the Second Virginia Convention on March 23, 1775, at St. John's Church in Richmond, Virginia. Henry spoke without notes, and no transcript of his exact words have survived. The only known version of his speech was reconstructed in the early 1800s by William Wirt, a biographer who corresponded with various attendees of the convention.

Here are the two most treasured documents of American freedom together on one audiobook. Drafted by Thomas Jefferson in 1776 as an act of rebellion, the Declaration of Independence powerfully expresses the political principles of an emerging nation. Ratified in 1788, the Constitution for the United States remains a shining example of patriotism and compromise.

James Madison and the Virginia Resolution considers Madison's response to a governmental endeavor to expand its scope and authority through the 1798 Alien and Sedition Acts. The acts attempted to limit the public's ability to scrutinize the federal government, and they further unbalanced efforts to find an equilibrium of power in the new republic. In this essay, Madison's Virginia Resolution is examined and analyzed in the context of early American politics. It shows that Madison's position was not a greater threat to the nation's stability than the legislation he was fighting.

Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton had a famously contentious political relationship. In June of 1804, then-Vice President Burr was made aware that Hamilton had made disparaging remarks about him. Dr. Charles Cooper had overheard these remarks and published a letter indicating such. Burr soon after read Dr. Cooper's remarks and took offense. The following are pieces of correspondence between Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton, followed by letters from Alexander Hamilton to his friend Nathaniel Pendleton, as well as his wife Elizabeth.

The Federalist Papers is a series of 85 articles arguing in favor of ratification of the United States Constitution by the 13 original colonies. Federalist No. 74 discusses the powers of the president as commander-in-chief and to grant pardons and reprieves. Hamilton asserts that the role of commander-in-chief is inherent in the office itself and requires the speed and resolve of a single decision-maker.

Between 1765 to 1791, the American Revolution was an ideological and political revolution in British America. In the American Revolutionary War (between 1775 to 1783), the Americans in the 13 groups established sovereign countries that beat the British, getting independence from the British Crown and establishing the United States of America, the first modern-day constitutional liberal democracy. The tax of American settlers by the British Parliament, a body in which they had no direct representation, provided contention.