On this day in 1807, American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was born in Portland, Maine. He is one of the best-known poets of the nineteenth century, authoring such prominent and lasting works as “Paul Revere’s Ride”, “The Courtship of Miles Standish”, The Song of Hiawatha, and Evangeline. His works appealed to the masses. Did you […]
On this day in 1872, Yellowstone National Park was established as President Ulysses S. Grant signed an act protecting over 2 million acres of wilderness as “a public park or pleasuring-ground for the benefit and enjoyment of the people.” It was the first national park in America. Did you know? Yellowstone contains roughly 75% of […]
On March 1, 2022, the Public Law and Policy Program at the University of California, Berkeley hosted Col. Winston Williams for a discussion of the law and warfare in the 21st century. Tuesday, March 1, 2022 • 12:50 PM PST LAW Room 105 • University of California-Berkeley Click here to view on Youtube>> Col. Winston […]
On March 2, 2022, as a part of its President’s Lecture Series, the University of Montana hosted Ross Douthat for a discussion of changes in the Republican Party from Reaganism to Trumpism. Wednesday, March 2, 2022 • 8:00 PM MST Dennison Theatre • University of Montana Click here to learn more >> Click here to […]
On this day in 1931, the United States officially adopted “The Star-Spangled Banner” as its national anthem. The song was penned in 1814, but gained greater meaning throughout the 19th century, becoming particularly impactful during and after the Civil War. Why? During the upheaval of the war, the American flag became an even more impactful […]
On March 3, 2022, the University of Houston's Tocqueville Forum on American Ideas and Institutions hosted Edward Widmer to give a talk on his new book, Lincoln on the Verge: Thirteen Days to Washington: Dr. Widmer’s great book on Lincoln’s odyssey from Springfield to Washington D.C. for the Inauguration was released last year and has […]
On this day in 1770, the Boston Massacre occurred on King Street in Boston, Massachusetts as colonists rioted and British troops panicked, opening fire and killing 5 men. The incident fueled increasing anti-British sentiment as the colonies approached the Revolution. Did you know? Though labeled a “massacre”, the British troops had been provoked by the […]
On this day in 1876, Alexander Graham Bell received a patent for his invention of the telephone. A native of Scotland, Bell developed his telephone while teaching at a school for the deaf in Boston, Massachusetts. His prototype featured vibrations that electronically transferred sound from one instrument to another. A few days after filing the […]
On this day in 1864, President Abraham Lincoln appointed Ulysses S. Grant as Lieutenant General of the Union Army. The position gave Grant command of all U.S. armies and made him answerable only to the President himself. The appointment followed a string of unsuccessful general-in-chiefs, including George McClellan, who shared mutual feelings of dislike with […]
The Straus Center at Yeshiva University, a JMC partner program, hosted James Diamond to speak on Aristotle, Maimonides, and how these two thinkers—one ancient, and one medieval—can enrich our political-ethical discourse. Wednesday, March 9, 2022 Yeshiva University Learn more about the Straus Center >> James Diamond holds the Joseph and Wolf Lebovic Chair of […]
On this day in 1913, American abolitionist and leading conductor in the Underground Railroad Harriet Tubman died in Auburn, New York. An escaped slave herself, Tubman took great personal risks to lead at least 70 slaves out of the South to freedom – she never lost a passenger. Did you know? Aside from her work […]
On March 10, 2022, the Public Law and Policy Program at the University of California, Berkeley hosted JMC faculty partner Charles Kesler for a discussion of the Constitution and conflicting interpretations of it: American politics grows embittered because it is increasingly torn between two rival constitutions, two opposed cultures, two contrary ways of life. […]
On March 10, 2022, the Lyceum Program at Clemson University hosted Robert C. Bartlett for a lecture on human passions and hate speech: Philosophers ancient and modern have agreed that we must understand the human passions if we are going to understand ourselves. Lately, one among these passions has received a lot of attention, on […]
On this day in 1912, the Girl Scouts of America was founded by Juliette Gordon Low in Savannah, Georgia. Inspired by the Girl Guides of Great Britain, Low decided to begin an organization for American girls that emphasized outdoor activities, exercise, independence, and service to others. Soon troops spread across the country. Some of their […]
On March 12, 2022, the American Studies Department at the University of Dallas will be hosting a conference for the discussion of the teaching—especially at the K-12 level—of American literature, history, politics, and civics. The conference will bring together academics, scholars, and other leading figures with local classical educators. This first event will focus on […]
On this day in 1767, 7th president Andrew Jackson was born near Lancaster, South Carolina. During his time in politics, the Democratic Party came into being. His administration was set apart by his prominent use of executive power, the Indian Removal Act and subsequent Trail of Tears, and political war over the renewal of the […]
On March 15-17, 2022, the James Madison Program at Princeton University hosted JMC board member James Ceaser for three-day lecture series on America's founding principles: First Lecture, March 15: The Categories and Sources of Foundational Concepts Second Lecture, March 16: Nature, History, and Providence in Pivotal Moments Third Lecture, March 17: Do We Still Have […]
On this day in 1751, 4th president and founding father James Madison was born in Port Conway, Virginia. Madison was instrumental in the creation of the Constitution, earning the title “father of the Constitution.” He publicly defended the new form of government, writing some of the most-studied Federalist Papers, and was responsible for compiling the […]
Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Irish-Americans (and not so Irish Americans) across the country celebrate Irish heritage today with parades, corned beef and cabbage, and festive green attire. The holiday, traditionally a celebration of Ireland’s patron saint, has been marked in North America for hundreds of years. The first St. Patrick’s Day parade took place in […]
On this day in 1837, 22nd (and 24th) President Grover Cleveland was born in Caldwell, New Jersey. Cleveland is the only president to have served for two separate terms. His time in office was characterized by political reform, hot debates over tariffs and the gold standard, and the greatest economic depression yet seen in the […]
On March 20, 1612, Puritan poet Anne Bradstreet was born in Northampton, England. A leading figure in early American poetry, Bradstreet was the first published poet from the American colonies. Her poetry was lauded in both America and England, and King George III himself was said to keep a volume in his library. A reflection […]
On March 23, 1775, Patrick Henry delivered his famous “Give me liberty or give me death!” speech in Richmond, Virginia while arguing for the deployment of Virginia troops in the American Revolution. Henry’s passionate speech made a strong impression on the Second Virginia Convention, who sat in stunned silence for several minutes afterwards. It had […]
On March 24, 2022, the Constitutional Studies Program at the University of Notre Dame hosted Philip Hamburger for a hybrid in-person/virtual discussion of free speech in the age of big tech: One of the preeminent scholars writing today on constitutional law and its history, Philip Hamburger teaches and writes on wide-ranging topics, including religious liberty, […]
On March 24, 2022, the Tocqueville Forum on Liberal Democracy at Christendom College hosted JMC faculty partner Lynn Uzzell for a lecture on James Madison. Thursday, March 24, 2022 • 4:00 PM EDT Christendom College Click here to learn more >> Click here to watch on Youtube>> Lynn Uzzell teaches American politics and rhetoric […]
On March 24, 2022, the Cincinnatus Center at Coastal Carolina University hosted JMC fellow Trevor Shelley for a lecture on "Globalization and Liberalism: Montesquieu, Tocqueville, and Manent." Thursday, March 24, 2022 • 5:00 PM EDT Coastal Carolina University Free and open to the public. Trevor Shelley is an Instructional Professional at Arizona State […]
On March 25, 1911, the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire took place in New York City, killing 146 workers, mostly teenage girls. The tragedy is infamous in part for its preventability – safety features had been neglected to save money and locked doors prevented escape. Trapped with nowhere to go, several jumped from the 8th floor. […]
On March 25, 2022, the Frederick Douglass Project at Providence College hosted Robert C. Bartlett for a lecture on democracy and Aristotle's Art of Rhetoric. Friday, March 25, 2022 Providence College Click here to learn more >> Click here to watch on Youtube>> Robert C. Bartlett is the Behrakis Professor in Hellenic Political Studies […]
On March 26, 1874, American poet Robert Frost was born in San Francisco, California. His popular poetry is best known for its focus on nature and rural New England life. 🌲🏡🌳 Still read by schoolchildren today, “The Road Not Taken”, “Mending Wall”, and “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” are some of his best […]
Today marks the birthday of the 10th president John Tyler. Did you know that Tyler was the first vice-president to take office after the death of a sitting president? He became president after the death of William Henry Harrison, who held the shortest term in U.S. history. He is also known as the only […]
On March 29, 1874, First Lady Lou Hoover was born in Waterloo, Iowa. The wife of 31st president, Herbert Hoover, Lou served as first lady during the first years of the Great Depression. Did you know? A geology major while at university, Lou had a love of nature and the outdoors and was a strong […]
On March 29, 2022, the School of Civic and Economic Thought and Leadership at Arizona State University, a JMC partner program, hosted Heather Wilson, the president of University of Texas at El Paso, former secretary of the U.S. Air Force and former New Mexico’s representative in Congress, to share some of the tough lessons she […]
The Colin Powell School at the City College of New York held a virtual discussion with Ryan Balot, Susan McWilliams Barndt (JMC faculty partner), Jamelle Bouie, Simone Chambers, Roosevelt Montás (JMC faculty partner), and Deva Woodly on Professor Danielle Allen's run for governor of Massachusetts: How can Danielle Allen’s scholarship and ongoing political campaign shape […]
On March 30, 2022, the Constitutional Studies Forum at the University of Nebraska-Omaha hosted faculty partner Diana Schaub for a virtual presentation on Abraham Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address. Wednesday, March 30, 2022 • 3:30 PM CDT University of Nebraska-Omaha Click here to learn more and register >> Click here to watch on Youtube>> Diana […]
On this day in 1776, Abigail Adams wrote her husband John her now-famous letter urging him to "remember the ladies." "I long to hear that you have declared an independency. And, by the way, in the new code of laws which I suppose it will be necessary for you to make, I desire you would […]
On March 31, 1918, Daylight Saving Time went into effect for the first time in the United States. The practice had roots in World War I, when clocks were changed by an hour to conserve on fuel. After the war however, the practice proved so unpopular with Americans that it was repealed in 1919. Daylight […]
On March 31, 2022, the Forum on Constitutionalism and Democracy at SUNY-Geneseo held a virtual discussion with fellow Gregory McBrayer on modern day morality and what Plato can teach us about solving our own moral and political questions: How can a society revive justice when its moral foundations have been shaken by cynicism, sophistry, and […]
On March 31, 2022, the University of North Texas's Constitutionalism and Democracy Forum hosted JMC faculty partner Diana Schaub for a public lecture on her research on Frederick Douglass. Thursday, March 31, 2022 • 4:00 PM CDT Willis Library, 250 H • University of North Texas Click here to learn more >> Diana […]
On March 31, 2022, the Politics Department at Ave Maria University hosted fellow Samuel Goldman for a talk on his recent book, After Nationalism: Being American in an Age of Division. The talk will discuss the three kinds of nationalism Americans have attempted to forge and why they never quite served the purpose for national […]
On April 1, 2022, Harvard University's Program on Constitutional Government will host JMC faculty partner Diana Schaub for a public virtual lecture on Lincoln's greatest speeches. Friday, April 1, 2022 • 12:30 PM EDT Harvard University Free and open to the public. Click here to register >> Diana Schaub is a Professor of […]