The American Founding in One Evening (Event)
Wednesday, July 30, 7-9pm // Williamsburg
The meaning of “America” is up for constant debate—what is the legacy of this country, what is its future, what is its heritage? Most of these discussions aren’t concrete, and, as a result, are usually some version of unpleasant. But there’s one subject most of the conversations revolve around: the American Founding.
So come and get an accelerated introduction to the Founding Era itself, the Founding Forty from 1763—1803. See how much you can learn in two hours!
Know before you arrive: This event will be guided by the four rules of etiquette that guide all Maximum New York classes, and is for people who generally agree with The Sensible Seventy.
➡️ I recommend listening to this episode of
prior to attending. It will help you flesh out a view of the founding era.
What will we cover in the evening?
In addition to good company and snacks, we will conduct a survey of the founding era. This includes the Revolutionary War itself, but also what came before and after. We’ll also discuss why this is relevant to know in the modern context, both for New York and the United States.
The content will be an abbreviated version of The Founding Forty, which includes:
Introduction and “The Pamphlet Era,” 1763-1776
What happened in the run-up to the war? What caused it? Could it have been prevented?
The French and Indian War or the Seven Years’ War: perspectives from the U.S. and Europe.
We have always blogged: what the Americans and British said to each other, and how they said it (pamphlets).
The Revolutionary War and Confederal Era, 1776-1789
A summary overview of the war.
The Treaty of Paris, 1783.
The French Revolution, compared with the American.
What is a revolution? What ramifications does this question have for today?
The dysfunction of the Articles of Confederation and the chaos of the 1780s.
The Constitutional Convention of 1787, and the failed revision attempts before it.
The adoption of the Constitution.
Birth of the Modern System, 1789-1803, part 1
The Bill of Rights.
The doctrine of incorporation, Barron ex rel. Tiernan v. Mayor of Baltimore (1833).
The Judiciary Act of 1789.
The founding of Washington, D.C., 1790.
Chisholm v. Georgia (1793); the jurisdiction of SCOTUS, federalism, and the 11th amendment
The Naval Act of 1794 and the Barbary Pirates.
Marbury v. Madison (1803).
Birth of the Modern System, 1789-1803, part 2
A comparison of the Constitution of 1789 with that of 2025
A brief overview of the modern system