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Liberty Enlightening the World
A member of the European Parliament suggested the U.S. return the Statue of Liberty, but it was “American Liberty” the statue was meant to memorialize.
Finding Common Ground: The Liberal Approach to History
History can help us recover our moral bearings if approached sympathetically, recognizing suffering with empathy and regret but focusing on the good.
George Washington and the Genealogist
George Washington knew very little about his family history until an English genealogist spurred his interest. Washington pretended not to care.
A Constitution for a Sovereign People
The Federal Constitution shaped by James Madison and James Wilson is based on the sovereignty of the people. Revolutionary in 1787, it remains so today.
What Caused the Civil War?
It wasn’t slavery, though this is the most common answer. In this essay Jack Warren argues that the Civil War was caused by determined idealism.
Thomas Jefferson and the Meaning of Self-Government
The inauguration of Thomas Jefferson ushered in a period of laissez-faire, shaped by Jefferson’s confidence in people’s capacity for self-government.
The Shot Heard Round the World
News of the American Revolution reached Japan after 1800. The first account of our republic — for which Japanese had no word — was published in 1845.
Getting Right with the Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence is a manifesto of national purpose — our most important expression of the ideals that have shaped our nation. That’s what our schools should teach.
Our Fathers
Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. These words are so familiar that we rarely pause to think deeply about what Lincoln meant. The first words — four score and seven — are opaque to many Americans today, but Lincoln’s generation recognized them instantly as language of the King James Bible, signaling a message of deep and abiding importance. Lincoln chose each word with exquisite care, and built every...
Above: Liberty, Constantine Brumidi, 1869, U.S. Capitol, Courtesy Architect of the Capitol
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