Before the whole James Sweet presentism thing went down, American historians were on Twitter arguing about David McCullouugh. Over at History News Network, Rebecca Brenner Graham calls our attention to the debate that took place in the immediate wake of...
John Adams
Liberty University’s Standing for Freedom Center just released the summer issue of its journal “Reclaiming 1776.” Let’s take a look.
Liberty University president Jerry Prevo begins the journal with a quote from John Adams: Before my God, I believe the hour has come. My judgement approves this measure, and my whole heart is in it. All that I have, and...
If American democracy is in crisis, expect calls for Supreme Court reform
Joe Biden wants to reform the Supreme Court. This kind of judicial reform also happened in the 1790s, 1850s, 1890s, 1930s, 1970s, and 2010s. Here is a taste of Syracuse University political scientist Thomas Keck‘s piece at The Washington Post:...
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...
The Author’s Corner with Jeanne Abrams
Jeanne Abrams is Professor at the University Libraries and the Center for Judaic Studies at the University of Denver. This interview is based on her new book, A View from Abroad: The Story of John and Abigail Adams in Europe...
When Abigail Adams inoculated her children
Here is a taste of Ronald Shafer’s piece at The Washington Post: At the dawn of the American Revolution, the world was fighting smallpox just as it now is battling the novel coronavirus. Like the novel coronavirus, smallpox was “a highly contagious...
“The Culture of the Confederation Era”
The Panorama, the online site of The Journal of the Early Republic, is running an informative roundtable on the United States under the Articles of Confederation. Here is a taste of Rosemarie Zagarri‘s introduction to the roundtable: In March 2020,...
Why is the GOP rushing the Barrett confirmation? The answer is simple: the Democratic coalition is growing
Another great piece at The Atlantic by Ron Brownstein. I find him to be the most astute political analyst working today. Here is a taste: Nothing better explains the Republican rush to confirm Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court...
What the election of 1800 can teach us about the peaceful transition of power in the United States
There are so many lessons we can learn from the presidential election of 1800. For example, when we claim that we are living through “the most divisive campaign” in history, 1800 offers perspective: The election of 1800 also figured prominently...
Trump’s new campaign ad in historical context
Have you seen Trump’s new campaign ad? [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOOlOMLaFho&w=560&h=315] As Bruce Springsteen once said, “Fear’s a dangerous thing. It can turn your heart black, you can trust. It’ll take your God-filled soul and fill it with devils and dust.” Fear...
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...
The Author’s Corner with R.B. Bernstein
R.B. Bernstein is a Lecturer in Political Science at the City College of New York and teaches in the Skadden, Arps Honors Program in Legal Studies at the Colin Powell School of Civic and Global Leadership. This interview is based...
Wednesday night court evangelical roundup
What have Trump’s evangelicals been saying since our last update? It looks likes COVID-19 was present at Robert Jeffress’s Sunday morning political rally at First Baptist-Dallas. Newt Gingrich is on the Eric Metaxas Show today talking about his new book Trump and the American...
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,...
Robert Jeffress’s New Book Offers Instructions on How to Pray for America’s Restoration as a Christian Nation
On Tuesday night, I wrote about Albert Mohler’s new book. Today it is Robert Jeffress’s turn. I saw that the first five chapters of his new book Praying for America were available for free download and I was going to try...
Trump’s National Prayer Declaration in Historical Context
Here is Trump’s proclamation: In our times of greatest need, Americans have always turned to prayer to help guide us through trials and periods of uncertainty. As we continue to face the unique challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic, millions...
Moving Into the Dorms, Circa 1785
My youngest daughter went to her first college class yesterday morning (Spanish I). She moved into the dorms last week and has managed to survive four full days of new student orientation. I think I will send her J.L. Bell’s...
Alexander Hamilton Chats With John Adams
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqAdlkJDt7k&w=560&h=315] Actually, Lin-Manuel Miranda, the man who played Hamilton on Broadway, had a chat with William Daniels, the man who played John Adams in the 1969 musical 1776 (and the 1972 film). I assume that if you are reading...
Episode 50: The Religious Beliefs of the Adams Family
Don’t be confused by the title, we are not talking about the spooky family from the 1960s. Rather, in this episode, we turn to the religious history of one of America’s founding families. By focusing on the Adams family, one...
The President Who Made it Illegal to Criticize the Presidency
Donald Trump? Not yet. I think he’d like to make it illegal to criticize him, but he hasn’t been able to pull it off yet. We are talking about John Adams and the Alien and Sedition Acts. Here is a...