As Jeffrey Rosen of the National Constitution Center reminds us, the founding fathers anticipated “a demagogic challenge to the rule of law.” Here is a taste of his piece at The Wall Street Journal: The allegations in the indictment of Donald...
Alexander Hamilton
“His rotundity” versus a supposed atheist and anarchist
Over at his Substack, historian William Hogeland is telling “lurid tales” of American elections. He begins his series with the presidential election of 1796. Here is a taste of his post: Jefferson supporters, labeling Adams “His Rotundity,” claimed that the...
The class conflict at the heart of the American Revolution
Over at Jacobin, historian William Hogeland discusses his ongoing work on “workers” and “elites” in the late eighteenth century. Here is a taste of his interview with Astra Taylor: ASTRA TAYLOR: Can you talk about what your narrative of America’s...
“If you stand for nothing Burr, what’ll you fall for?”
Today’s GOP may want to listen to this Hamilton classic:...
The Author’s Corner with Dennis Rasmussen
Dennis Rasmussen is Professor of Political Science at Syracuse University. This interview is based on his new book, Fears of a Setting Sun: The Disillusionment of America’s Founders (Princeton University Press, 2021). JF: What led you to write Fears of...
What are we getting wrong about Alexander Hamilton’s economic theories?
Over at Boston Review, Michael Busch interviews Christian Parenti, author of Radical Hamilton: Economic Lessons from a Misunderstood Founder. Here is a taste: Michael Busch: You published Radical Hamilton in August with Verso Books. Let’s start at the beginning: Who was Alexander […]
The Author’s Corner with Lisa Tucker
Lisa Tucker is Associate Professor of Law at Drexel University. This interview is based on her new book, Hamilton and the Law: Reading Today’s Most Contentious Legal Issues through the Hit Musical (Cornell University Press, 2020). JF: What led you...
Hamilton and slavery at the Schuyler Mansion
Here is Indiana Nash’s piece at The Daily Gazette, a newspaper that covers the Albany region: The Schuyler Mansion State Historic Site is working to parse fact from fiction when it comes to Alexander Hamilton’s role as an enslaver. While...
Another time in American history when the people did not trust the experts
I was struck this morning by a passage from Thomas Slaughter’s The Whiskey Rebellion: Frontier Epilogue to the American Revolution: Hamilton…succeeded in getting the endorsement of the respected Philadelphia College of Physicians. These medical doctors and teachers enthusiastically supported his...
Out of the Zoo: Do Better
Annie Thorn is a junior history major from Kalamazoo, Michigan and our intern here at The Way of Improvement Leads Home. As part of her internship she is writing a weekly column titled “Out of the Zoo.” It focuses on life as...
Songs of the Day
From Hamilton: The Musical: [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZfzuJ8oVpE&w=560&h=315] [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYQPP49MSEk&w=560&h=315]...
Song of the Day
“Dear Theodosia”: [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKpJjdKcjeo&w=560&h=315]...
Thoughts on Trump’s Proposed “National Garden of American Heroes”
At his July 3, 2020 speech at Mount Rushmore, Donald Trump said: [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alEE-5Pk5DQ&w=560&h=315] More here. And here is the text of the executive order: By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws...
Hamilton Mania returns to America. Here are some resources.
I have yet to see the Hamilton movie on Disney+. We are hoping to watch it as a family next week. This weekend I have been getting flashbacks as I watch historians taking to Twitter to place the musical in historical...
Episode 68: The History of the Presidential Cabinet
The members of Donald Trump’s controversial cabinet are regular features of the 24-hour news cycle. He has fired members of his cabinet who challenge his thinking on a host of foreign and domestic issues. Just ask Rex Tillerson, James Mattis,...
Os Guinness’s Appeal to the Past is Deeply Problematic
Watch Christian speaker and author Os Guinness deliver a speech titled 1776 vs. 1789: the Roots of the Present Crisis. It is part of an event hosted by the Chuck Colson Center for Christian Worldview. Someone sent it to me...
Watch Lin-Manuel Miranda’s AP US History Masterclass–TODAY
Noon, May 1: [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fSQkPJpBqM&w=560&h=315]...
The Hamilton Education Program (EduHam) is Now Free Online
Teachers: EduHam at Home was created in March 2020 in response to the COVID-19 outbreak that forced school closures throughout the country. It is an extension of the Hamilton Education Program (EduHam), which has served more than 200,000 students across...
Would the Founders Have Recognized GOP Arguments Against Trump’s Removal?
As we enter the 2020 election season I have been trying to do more writing for local and regional outlets here in Pennsylvania. This morning I have an op-ed on the impeachment trial at LNP/Lancaster On-Line (formerly Intelligencer Journal-Lancaster New Era). ...
Some Context for Adam Schiff’s Hamilton Quote
Adam Schiff opened the first day of arguments in the Trump impeachment trial with a quote from an enclosure in an August 18, 1792 letter from Alexander Hamilton to George Washington. His choice of texts is getting a lot of...