
State Ratifying Conventions


How the New York Bill of Rights Helped Lead to the U.S. Bill of Rights
When Congressman James Madison drafted a proposed bill of rights in the First Federal Congress of 1789, he did not write on a blank slate. He took into account historic Anglo-American constitutional documents, such as Magna Carta (1215) and the English Bill of Rights...
Most Important and Most Ignored: James Wilson’s State House Yard Speech
Everyone’s heard of the Federalist Papers – Hamilton, Madison, Jay – but the most important Federalist speech in the entire ratification debate didn’t come from any of them. It came from James Wilson – a name most people have never even heard...
Bill of Rights: 5 Hidden Truths They Never Teach
Most of what they teach about the Bill of Rights completely skips over much of the real history. From the reason the Federalists opposed it, to Madison’s flip-flop, and the totally ignored preamble – on this episode, I’ve got 5 key – and mostly hidden...
10 Overlooked Founders Who Helped Shape the Constitution
While names like Madison, Hamilton, and Washington often dominate discussions about the Constitution, many other Founders played vital roles in shaping it. In this episode, we’re uncovering the contributions of ten often-overlooked figures who significantly...