George Washington's Farewell Address, published in September 1796 as he declined to seek a third term, stands as one of the most profound statements...
Moral Law & Civic Virtue
The ethical obligations of free citizens and the moral foundations without which self-governance cannot endure.
Virtue & Self-Governance
Washington, Franklin, John Adams, and Samuel Adams on the moral requirements of free citizens.
Written in April 1776 as a letter to George Wythe of Virginia, "Thoughts on Government" is John Adams's influential blueprint for republican...
Religious Liberty & Moral Order
Madison, Jefferson, and Tocqueville on the relationship between faith, freedom, and democratic governance.
The Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, written by Thomas Jefferson in 1779 and enacted in 1786, is one of only three accomplishments Jefferson...
James Madison's Memorial and Remonstrance Against Religious Assessments (1785) is one of the most powerful arguments for religious liberty in the...
Duty, Responsibility & the Social Compact
Burke, Bastiat, and Blackstone on the obligations that accompany liberty.
Readings for this section are being curated and will be available soon.