Mercy Otis Warren: Constitution Would “Terminate in the Most Uncontrolled Despotism”
By: TJ Martinell Mercy Otis Warren came down firmly opposed to ratification of the Constitution, and her anonymously written pamphlet titled “Observations on the new Constitution, and on the Federal ...
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Federal Farmer: Is There a “Right Person” for Office?
By: TJ Martinell The Federal Farmer believed it was important to get the right people in office, yet he warned that a lack of more stringent requirements for officeholders would have ...
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The ideas that formed the Constitution: Virgil alone
By: Rob Natelson The previous (ninth) essay in this series identified three Roman poets quoted by participants in the constitutional debates of 1787–1790—Ovid, Horace, and Virgil. The essay explained why Virgil ...
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The ideas that formed the Constitution: Cicero Continued
By: Rob Natelson The previous installment in this series outlined the life and career of the Roman statesman Marcus Tullius Cicero. It described how John Adams relied on Cicero’s work in the preface ...
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The Ideas That Formed the Constitution, Part 12: Plutarch
by Rob Natelson Commentary The historian Livy, whose influence with the founding generation was the topic of the previous installment, died in 17 C.E. In the two centuries following, the ...
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The Ideas That Formed the Constitution, Part 11: Livy
by Rob Natelson Commentary The two previous essays (here and here) observed that the final years of the Roman Republic and the first years of the Roman Empire produced some outstanding poets. ...
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Ideas That Formed the Constitution, Part 8: Cicero
By: Rob Natelson The previous installment in this series outlined the life and career of the Roman statesman Marcus Tullius Cicero. It described how John Adams relied on Cicero’s work in the ...
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Patrick Henry’s Lesson on the Need for a Bill of Rights
By: TJ Martinell On June 12, 1788, Patrick Henry spoke during the Virginia Ratifying Convention, reiterating the need for a Bill of Rights in the proposed U.S. Constitution before its adoption. ...
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Insupportable Burdens: Antifederalist Cato No. 6
By: Michael Boldin In his 6th paper, Cato predicted direct taxation on individuals in spite of Federalist assurances the government would be able to survive on trade and import duties. He ...
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