The Declaration of Independence of the United States was drafted by Thomas Jefferson. His original draft was, however, reviewed and edited by the Second Continental Congress before it was approved, printed and signed. What changed between the final draft by Jefferson and the approved version provide a fascinating insight in to American society and politics at the time of the War of Independence. As a rousing […]
Benjamin Franklin
John Adams, a key Founding Father and the second President of the United States, was also responsible for drafting the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. In doing so, he devised the oldest functioning written constitution in continuous effect in the world. John Adams had spent decades languishing as one history’s most overlooked Founding Father. Overshadowed by George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin, the second […]
John Adams and the world’s oldest constitution
One of the greatest fears of the Founding Fathers of the United States was the emergence of a new tyranny of a monarchy or oligarchy. A strong independent and republican strain rebelled against the idea of power being concentrated in the hands of the few. They were even more repelled by the idea of nepotistic families dominating politics in the fledgling nation. But America has never […]
America’s White House dynasties
One of the greatest fears of radical revolutionaries in America was the threat of monarchy emerging out of the nascent republic. But, whilst clearly not establishing a monarchy in the traditional sense, America’s founding fathers were influenced by the stability of government in the European monarchies. Did they create a non-hereditary and elected King of America? The crown of a new nation was really his for […]