The Constitutional Coup

The Constitutional Coup

When the delegates met at the Philadelphia Convention in 1787, they had been assembled by Congress and the states with the task to “correct and enlarge” the Articles of Confederation. Most people agreed that flaws in the Articles had caused… Continue Reading

When Abolitionists Argued for States’ Rights and Secession

When Northerners argued for States' Right and Secession

Emancipating Slaves, Enslaving Free Men: A History of the American Civil War BY JEFFREY ROGERS HUMMEL OPEN COURT, 448 PAGES, $29.95 – States’ rights and secession haven’t always been synonymous with the South. In fact, in the lead up to the… Continue Reading

The Newburgh Conspiracy of 1783

“I have ever considered that the United States are indebted for their republican form of government solely to the firm and determined republicanism of George Washington at this time.” – David Cobb, member of Washington’s staff   On a chilly… Continue Reading

The State and the Frontier: America Inherits the Imperial Burden 1787-1800

The State and the Frontier

It’s popular today to picture the American Indians tribes as though they were all 19th century, nomadic Plains Indians. However, at the time of 17th and 18th century colonial settlement the native inhabitants, particularly east of the Mississippi, were far from… Continue Reading