Historical Documents
George Washington on Political vs Commercial Relations with Foreign Nations
As the military leader of the American Revolution and the countryโs first president, Washington is a highly revered figure. His Farewell Address from the office of the President is a timely reminder of a tradition of a non-interventionist American foreign policy which...James Monroe writes to Thomas Jefferson on State vs Federal Governments
Written May 4, 1801 The Writings of James Monroe. Edited by Stanislaus Murray Hamilton. 7 vols. New York and London: G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 1898–1903. There is a subject to which I wish to engage yr. particular attention. Before I came into this office I was...
James Madison: Constitution’s Original Meaning Comes From the People
NOTE: In this letter to Thomas Ritchie on September 15, 1821, James Madison explains how to find the original meaning of the words in the Constitution. That is, through the understanding of those who gave it legal force in their respective state conventions. As a...