Strained Relations: British Experience the Burdens of Empire
Imperial authorities come away from the Seven Years' War convinced that they need to assert more control over the colonies. They demobilize colonial troops and attempt to control western territories by themselves, provoking massive resistance among ...
Successors to George Washington
Historian and author Bernard Bailyn analyzes the abilities of Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, who served as the third and fourth U.S. presidents respectively. Professor Bailyn explains that Jefferson was a good administrator and an excellent pol...
Living Constitution, The: Bill of Rights, The
There are strong Federalist majorities in the House and Senate when the first Congress convenes in the spring of 1789. Madison submits a draft of ten amendments to the House, even though he does not believe the Constitution needs a Bill of Rights. ...
Living Constitution, The: Anti-Federalist Arguments Against the Constitution
Opponents of the Constitution raised arguments against it that still echo in American politics. Concern over such issues as federal taxation, the potential oppressiveness of a national army, and the state-federal relationship still exist today. The ...
Most Basic of Rights, The: Fourteenth Amendment Extends First Amendment Guarantees to States
How do you protect individuals and minorities against the danger of state-based legislation that will violate their rights? The equal protection and due process clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment allow the Supreme Court to maintain freedom of expre...
Rivals and Friends: Troubled Presidency of John Adams, The
In the early months of Adams' term, the French government captures American ships and crews. When Adams' negotiators are rebuffed, the president cuts off trade with France and orders preparations for war. Hamilton and other Federalists see this as a...
Strained Relations: British Attempt to Subdue Colonial Resistance
In response to the Intolerable Acts, the First Continental Congress convenes in Philadelphia. At this stage, Congress does not think of itself as a government, but as a means to counter the bullying of Great Britain. British troops are sent to Bosto...
Most Basic of Rights, The: Struggle for Rights
Freedom of speech, the most basic component of the first amendment, is more extensive in the U.S. than other countries of the world. But this freedom did not come without a struggle. In fact, ratification of the Constitution by several states was co...
Most Basic of Rights, The: Truth as a Defense in Cases of Libel and Slander
Early in the establishment of the free press was the notion that truth is a defense in cases of libel and slander. This was a key point of the defense in the Zenger trial of 1734-35. In 1964, in New York Times v. Sullivan, the court went even furthe...
Divergent Paths: Contrast between Northern and Southern Colonies
The Southern and Northern colonies continue along divergent paths in the 17th and 18th centuries. Their physical environments are different, their populations diverse. But perhaps the factor that contributes most to their distinctiveness is the intr...