The title of this post is not, primarily, a historical question. It is primarily a moral question. We should keep the complexity of the past in mind as we celebrate Independence Day. Check out early American historian’s Jack Rakove‘s recent...
Jack Rakove
Were the framers of the Constitution “originalists”?
As a historian, I want my students to understand, as best as possible, the meaning of the constitution in its 18th-century context. This requires them to know something about a world that is long gone. We like to say, with...
How Will Historians Remember the Decade (2010-2019)?
Politico asked historians how the history books will cover the past decade. Contributors include David Kennedy, Tom Nichols, David Greenberg, Keisha Blain, Peniel Joseph, Heather Cox Richardson, George Nash, Kevin Kruse, Andrew Bacevich, Claire Potter, David Hollinger, Nicole Hemmer, Jack...
Are the Founding Fathers Back In Vogue?
Earlier today we posted a video of a session on race and monuments from the Aspen Ideas Festival. Here is another video from the Festival that will be of interest to readers of The Way of Improvement Leads Home. The...
The Undemocratic Senate
Anyone who studies American Constitutional history knows that the United States Senate was never meant to be a “democratic” institution. In its original design, the senators were not elected by the people. The so-called upper house was meant to be […]