The Founding Fathers of America - Complete History Documentary

Together, we’ll uncover the lives of transformative figures, relive the moments that reshaped our world, delve into the complexities of war, and journey through the enchanting tales of ancient myths and legends. Let’s bring history to life, one story at a time.

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
The Man known to history as George.

(00:05):
Washington was born on the 22nd of February, 1732 at his
father's Plantation of Pope's Creek in Westmoreland County in
the colony of Virginia. One of the 13 British colonies
in North America His father was Augustine, Washington, a member
of Virginia's landed gentry, anda successful businessman, who

(00:28):
owned several tobacco, plantations, as well as iron
operations in Virginia and neighboring, Maryland in
partnership with the English principio company.
He was also active in the local militia and was a justice of the
peace and sheriff, for Westmoreland County Augustine
had married. His first wife, Jane Butler in

(00:49):
1715 Who Bore him four children before her death in 1729 a
couple of years later in 1731, he wouldn't marry the 23 year
old. Mary Johnson ball, who would
give him a further six children of who George was the eldest,
Mary Washington was born in 1708to an elderly.

(01:11):
Father who died, three years later leaving her 400, acres of
land, while her mother died whenshe was 12, the orphaned Mary
was left. In the care of family friend,
George Eskridge, who was probably responsible for
introducing her to Augustine Washington.
Thus, when Mary gave birth to her first son, she named him

(01:33):
George brought up as a loyal subject of the British Empire as
a child. George Washington could.
Never imagine that one day. He would be responsible for
leading the successful military,Rebellion to break free from
Britain and established the United States of America.
He grew up in Eastern Virginia, amidst of vast expanse of

(01:55):
Farmland, with Plantation housesand small towns dotted across
the landscape, within the British social hierarchy.
The Washingtons were considered commoners far removed from the
Regal Splendor of the court of King.
George. The second, nevertheless within
the American colonies, the Washingtons were by no means
poor and with over 10,000 acres of Plantation, land together

(02:19):
with his other commercial. Interests Augustine Washington
was certainly a member of the local Elite.
His wealth and prosperity depended in part on slave labor
allowing plantation owners. A lot of free time which was
typically filled with Fox hunts horse races and other
entertainments. Augustine Washington's tendency

(02:41):
to move around his properties tobetter.
Manage, his business interests, meant that George had an
unsettled childhood in 1735 the family moved to the 2,500 acre
estate of little Hunting Creek on the banks of the Potomac
River. And three years later in 1738,
they moved once again to Ferry Farm on the Rappahannock River

(03:04):
across from the port of Fredericksburg at a short ride
away from the Ironworks at Accokeek Creek from his house.
George could see the ships beingloaded with tobacco iron and
other Commodities which would soon fuel the very early stages
of the Industrial Revolution. And in return the colony of
Virginia grew steadily richer. One of the most important

(03:27):
figures in George's childhood was his half-brother Lawrence 14
years older than George Lawrence.
Studied at Appleby grammar school, where he stayed on as a
teacher until the age of 20. It was around this time when
George was six years old, that the two brothers first met.
He heard stories of Lauren's Service, as a captain in

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Virginia Company, in 1739, during the war of Jenkins, ear
against Spain, named after the British Naval Captain, whose ear
had been cut off during an altercation with the Spanish.
Several years earlier, Lawrence was part of an expeditionary
Force led by Admiral Edward Vernon, which attacked the
Spanish Port of Cartagena in South America.

(04:11):
The effort proved a bloody failure as the force was cut
down by the enemy and yellow fever.
Captain Washington. Never made it off the ship
blaming General Thomas Wentworth, who treated the
American soldiers with disdain and did not even let them leave
their ships. In spite of this Lauren's
Washington proudly served the British army as a commissioned

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officer and was appointed adjutant general of Virginia
with responsibility over the organization of the colonies
militia companies when his father transferred him to the
management of the estate at little Hunting Creek, he renamed
it. Mount Vernon after the Admiral.
George may have expected to receive the same classical

(04:54):
education as his Elder half-brothers.
But such hopes were extinguishedon the 12th of May 1743.
When his father died at the age of 49, the 11 year old Georges
share of his father's inheritance was very far but his
mother Mary continued to run theestate and would continue to do.
So as George reached, adulthood Mary's strict upbringing of her

(05:18):
five surviving children, meant that the relationship between
mother and son was cool and distant with George addressing
her informal terms in his letters.
As honored Madame, he looked forward to his trips to visit
Lawrence at Mount Vernon as an escape from his overbearing
mother. Details of George Washington's.

(05:39):
Early Education are sketchy. And any instruction, he received
was likely rather basic the available evidence suggests that
he had lessons in basic mathematics and picked up
knowledge of business and economics of his own accord.
As a teenager, he would read widely in history and philosophy
as well as the popular fiction of the time.

(06:01):
He also enjoyed physical activity and Outdoor Pursuits
swimming in the Rappahannock andproved to be an excellent
horseback. Rider an attribute that would
serve him. Well in his military career
later in life, Washington regretted, not having the
opportunity to study, French Latin, and Greek the signs of
Social and intellectual distinction.

(06:22):
Of the day among his better educated friends and colleague
such as John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and Alexander
Hamilton, Who provided the theoretical and intellectual
foundations of the United Statesof America.
Washington's interact seemed Backward and provincial it in
his own terms. However, he was an intelligent

(06:42):
man who could translate ideas into action.
After losing his father, Washington came to rely even
more heavily on his brother Lawrence who had not only been
elected to the House of Burgesses, but had married Anne,
Fairfax whose family owned, morethan 5 million Acres, managed by
her father Colonel William Fairfax on behalf of his

(07:04):
English. Cousin, the 6th Baron Fairfax
the young George Washington befriended.
Ann's brother. George William, Fairfax, who was
eight years? His senior and also won the
affection of her. Father, the colonel in 1746, the
Elder Fairfax and Lawrence planned.
The help George escape the clutches of his mother by

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joining the Royal Navy and willing to lose a useful.
Helping hand on the farm, Mary eventually vetoed, the plan
thwarted in his Ambitions. To go to Sea at the age of 15,
George decided to become a surveyor a lucrative profession
as settlers continued to expand Westwoods this training allowed
him to appreci. Geographical features on maps

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and in the real world a skill which he would use throughout
his professional life. His first job in the spring of
1748 was to help the fairfax's Divide up the vast domains into
plots for further development within a couple of years.
He would make his first investments in Land by buying up
over 2000. Acres by the time, he turned 20,

(08:12):
George would add to his land Holdings.
In 1752 following the death of Lawrence from tuberculosis that
July at the age of 34 leaving behind his wife and a baby
daughter. Laurence stipulated that in the
event of their deaths, his estate of Mount Vernon would
pass on to George the death of his brother.

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Delta, heavy blow to George who had hoped to emulate, Lawrence's
military career. After loving the lieutenant
governor of Virginia, Robert in witty, he was appointed adjutant
general of his home District in February, 1753 with the rank of
major. Major Washington would soon.
Be a very busy man by 1753. Both the British and French

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Empires owned large tracts of land.
In North America, the 13 Britishcolonies stretched along the
eastern coast bounded by the Allegheny Mountains, to the
West, while the French territories ran from New Orleans
in the south-west through the Mississippi to the great lakes
and the Saint Lawrence River in the north as both Empires

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expanded their footprint. They soon had competing claims
on the vast Ohio country in 1752, the French began building
several forts in the disputed territory, and the following
year lieutenant governor Dinwiddie a leading investor in
the Ohio company received permission from London to build

(09:38):
a set of British forts alongsideinstructions to inform the
French to leave the area. The 21 year old Washington was
chosen for this special Mission and set off with a small company
and crossed the alleghenies. In November 1753, Washington,
executed. His task diligently, not only
carrying out his diplomatic duties, but Gathering

(10:00):
Intelligence on the terrain and the strength of the French and
Native American presence in the area, upon his return to the
Colonial capital of Williamsburgin January, 1754.
His journal was adapted into a report for the council and was
passed on to London where it informed British military
preparations to defend the Ohio country, against the French.

(10:24):
Washington, secured for himself.A major role in these military
preparations. Leading a small militia Force
who would March to the forks of the Ohio river and construct a
fort at the same time. He was promoted to the rank of
Lieutenant Colonel, though. He was disappointed.
That as a colonial officer, his salary was much lower than those

(10:46):
of regular officers in the British army who had Royal
Commissions in early, April Washington set out with 160 men
Into the Wilderness. Only to learn that a force of
1,000 Frenchmen had captured thefort, the British were building
at the forks and renamed it. Fort Duquesne after the
governor, general of French Canada, Washington and his

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native, American Allies called for reinforcements and made camp
on the 28th of May 1754 Washington.
And his company found a small group of French soldiers in
camped in a secluded position. Believing them to be up to no
good Washington. Men surrounded them and a quick
firefight, resulted in a French surrender during the Skirmish, a

(11:30):
French officer delivering, a diplomatic message.
Asking the British to, evacuate the Ohio County was supposedly
brutally killed by one of Washington's, Native American
Allies, the ACT sparked, an international incident and while
Washington was applauded in the colonies for being a hero.
The authorities in London, considered his behavior Reckless

(11:51):
and further evidence, that Colonial soldiers could not be
trusted. Anticipating a French response.
Washington, hastily constructed,a wooden fort named Fort
Necessity during these preparations.
His commanding officer had died after falling off his horse and
Washington took command of the Virginia regiment as Colonel.

(12:13):
When he disregarded, his native American Allies advice to
withdraw on account of the inadequate defenses, provided by
the fort, they deserted him and left the British to fight alone
when the French and their NativeAmerican Allies.
Attacked on the 3rd of July, Washington, put up a brave
fight. But lost a third of his men and

(12:33):
was forced to surrender. It was a humiliating defeat and
he had made many mistakes owing to his lack of experience but he
learned from it, the effectiveness of the enemies
mobile tactics and the futility of Defending poor positions, the
defeat could have ended Washington's military career
before it started, but instead after a few weeks, Had passed.

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He and his men were praised for their Brave last stand against
the odds. While the Virginia regiment was
disbanded leaving Washington without a command.
His personal fortunes improved when his late brother,
Lawrence's daughter died at the end of December, as Anne had
already remarried, Washington agreed to lease the estate of

(13:19):
Mount Vernon from his sister-in-law and made it his
main residence. Not long after he moved into
Mount Vernon Washington receivednews in February. 1755 the
general Edward Braddock had landed with two regiments of
reinforcements from Britain, Washington rushed to offer his
services and Braddock was happy to have him as Aid.

(13:42):
The comp leaving his younger brother Jack in charge of Mount
Vernon Washington joined, Brad, in June, and the Army made it
slow progress towards Fort Duquesne.
Although, personally, warm towards Washington Braddock held
the same disdain for Colonial soldiers, as many of his fellow
officers, in the regular army and refused to heed his Aid.

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The comps advice to travel lightly before eventually giving
in to the situation, to pick up the glacial, pace of the Advance
on the 9th of July Braddock, approached Fort Duquesne with
more than 2000, men and divided his army into three columns to
attack. The British were surprised by
the Ferocious defense. Of 900 French and Native

(14:26):
Americans whose tactics. Once again proved Superior
Washington. Bravely carried out, Braddock's
orders to rally. The troops exposing himself to
Great danger with two horses shot from underneath him.
This was not enough to bring Victory and Braddock himself was
mortally. Wounded following Braddock's
death, the Virginia, regiment was reformed, and Washington was

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appointed commander of all of Virginia's forces.
Despite these rapid promotions Washington remained unhappy
about not receiving a royal commission.
He resented London strategy, to pursue active operations in
Canada, were remaining on the defensive on the frontiers of
Virginia leaving him. Nothing to do, but to train and

(15:11):
drill his men, he was dismayed by the state of the militia men
under his responsibility. Many of whom deserted on mass in
Lake, 1757, he was struck down by a grave illness.
That prompted him to return to Mount Vernon during this time,
he would begin to make changes to the estate and create a house

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fit for an English Country. Gentleman in early, 1758.
After a brief courtship, he was engaged to Martha, Dandridge
custis aali. 26 year, old Widow whose husband had died, the
previous summer leaving her withtwo young children, a warm and
social woman Martha was the polar opposite of her

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mother-in-law Mary. And Move to steadfast support in
her husband's life and career capable.
Not only of carrying out the domestic duties of a housewife,
but also of running the Mount Vernon estate in her husband's
absence. In July 1758, Washington
returned to action as the British made of further attempt

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to seize Fort Duquesne and Avenge, the loss of Braddock.
This time serving under the Scottish General John Forbes.
In the meantime, he entered political office for the first
time by handsomely winning election to the Virginia House
of Burgesses representing Frederick County, a reflection
of his reputation as a war hero,despite some disagreements with

(16:36):
his Superior and a devastating friendly fire incident, which
claimed the lives of more than 20 of his men Washington led to
200500 men and successfully recaptured in November 1758 in
stead of the Ferocious defense. He had met on previous
occasions. He encountered no resistance at

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all as the French chose to abandon and destroy the fort
after falling out with their Native American Allies.
The British rebuilt, it and named it fought pit.
After war minister. William Pitt.
While the city that was built around, it would take the name
of Pittsburgh in the state of Pennsylvania.

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The action would be Washington'slast in the French and Indian
War better known as the seven years war in Europe, where the
fighting between Britain and France.
Supported by the respective. Allies would last until 1763
Washington returned to Mount Vernon and married Martha on the
6th of January 1759. Making him one of Virginia's,

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richest landowners in their efforts to emulate the upper
class in England importing, the latest fashions from London
Washington, became increasingly indebted to his London agents
and resented their power. Over the colonial Planters at
the same time, he carried out his Civic duties in the House of
Burgesses serving on committees related to military matters.

(18:00):
And limiting any speeches to themost important points of the
debate. For the next two decades of his
life Washington would devote hisenergies to his Plantation in
particular to growing tobacco. This proved a poor economic
decision and one Washington would later regret as the
quality of the tobacco crop was highly dependent on weather

(18:23):
conditions. While international market
prices were volatile, these factors contributed to
Washington's. Struggles repaying, his debts to
his creditors in London. Another key aspect of tobacco
farming was its labor intensiveness and dependence on
slavery during his life, Washington owned over 600
slaves, he and his fellow Planters treated slaves as any

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other type of property to be bought and sold.
Although over time, he grew to despise the practice and treated
his slaves, more humanely than most of his peers, looking after
their health and eventually refusing to sell any of his
slaves in order to keep familiestogether.
The French and Indian War ended in 1763, in a decisive victory

(19:10):
for the British in. North America, France had lost
Canada to Britain and Louisiana to Spain.
The cost to the British treasuryhad been enormous and half the
national budget went on interestrepayments.
On government debt, in an effort, to fill the hole in
government offers Parliament, attempted to impose taxes and
other economic costs onto the North American colonies.

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Preventing the existing coloniesfrom further Westward Expansion
as a soldier Washington had resented.
The superior attitude of the British authorities and the
refusal to give him a royal commission as a businessman
Washington now had caused to consider the decisions of the
British authorities to be detrimental to his economic

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interests. The most infamous piece of
legislation passed by parliament.
Was the Stamp Act of 1765, whichimposed a tax on all printed
material. Including legal documents
newspapers and playing cards Washington.
May not have been the most radical of the voices protesting
against the Stamp Act on the political stage.

(20:15):
But he considered the tax unconstitutional and wrote to
his representatives in London that the colonies would begin to
boycott. Which is Goods in favor of
domestic substitutes, and courtswould shut down preventing
British creditors from collecting their Jews, from
their American debtors. At around the same time and

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perhaps concerned about his dependency, on British credit
Washington decided to diversify away from tobacco eventually.
Abandoning the crop altogether in favor of wheat corn hemp and
dozens of other crops Mount Vernon.
Also had an extensive fishing Enterprise from the plentiful
stocks on the Potomac initially for consumption within the house

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and later salted and cured for export to International markets.
The diversification away from the labor intensive, tobacco
crop encouraged Washington to train his Surplus slaves in a
number of crafts such as carpentry.
Bricklaying smithing and baking.Although Parliament repealed the

(21:19):
Stamp Act in 1766. It continued to assert the right
to taxation in the colonies. Prompting sustained opposition,
which spread throughout the 13 colonies in 1767.
The Townsend acts named after the British Chancellor of the
exchequer at the time Levy duties on.
Paint LED glass paper and tea during the winter of 1768 to 69

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Washington's attitude became more radical and he supported a
boycott of British goods. While he did not rule out armed
Insurrection against what he considered a sustained attack on
American Liberties. He believed that non-violent
economic measures should be used.
First in April 1769 Washington took a more proactive role in

(22:07):
the House of Burgesses, intending to present a plan for
the importation of British goods, developed alongside his
friend, George Mason of Fairfax.County the following month, the
assembly voted in favor of a setof results, which asserted that
the House of Burgesses had the sole right to tax Virginians in

(22:28):
response, the Royal Governor Lord bokor dissolved, the body
forcing, the Burgesses to reconvene in a Tavern where they
debated and adopted Washington'sproposals to boycott the goods
subject to taxation under the Townsend.
Acts, the move had some effect prompting the new British
government and a lord North to repeal the Townsend acts.

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Keeping only the levees on tea to continue asserting
parliament's right to taxation. The situation had temporarily
being diffused, but the remaining taxes on tea provoked,
the Boston Tea Party on the 16thof December 1773, when a group
of men from the American Patriotorganization Sons of Liberty

(23:11):
boarded, a merchant ship belonging to the East India
Company, and dumped, its valuable cargo of tea into
Boston Harbor. While Washington was dismayed by
the protests, he was furious at the British response which
involved passing a number of draconian measures against
Boston, collectively known as the Intolerable Acts, the most

(23:33):
important of which closed the port of Boston to trade until
the East. India Company was compensated
for the loss of cargo in the House of Burgesses Washington
supported an initiative to show solidarity with Boston by
convening a Congress of all 13 colonies to protect their
Collective rights in July 1774, while cherry, And meeting and

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Fairfax County which he had represented since 1765.
Washington passed the Fairfax resolves, which he had.
Drafted alongside George Mason asserting that taxation and
representation are in their nature inseparable.
Washington. Thus became one of the leading
Advocates of resistance against Britain.

(24:19):
And on the 5th of August, he waselected to Virginia's, seven-man
delegation to the First Continental Congress in
Philadelphia, which would meet the following month.
Surrounded by some of the finestorators of the day Washington
spoke rarely but effectively bringing together different
viewpoints as the delegates wereincreasingly.

(24:40):
Convinced that war would break out Washington's name was on
many of their lips. When it came to a commander in
chief, the 42 year old Washington had developed a sense
of political maturity that had been absent in his younger days
and did not actively Lobby for the command confident that his
reputation would be enough to secure the post for the time.

(25:02):
Being the Continental Congress was content to set up a
continental Association to coordinate efforts, among the
colonies the band trade with Great Britain.
On the 19th of April 1775 British Redcoats and American
militia men exchanged fire at Concord and Lexington in

(25:22):
Massachusetts marking the outbreak of the American
Revolutionary War Washington hadalready secured election to the
Second Continental Congress, which opened on the 10th of May
with the agenda firmly focused on raising militia and
volunteers across the colonies. Washington appeared in the
Congress, wearing his Colonels uniform and his expertise in

(25:44):
military Affairs, was in high demand among his fellow
delegates on the 14th of June, the Congress assumed control of
the volunteer army laying Siege to the British forces in Boston
under the command of General Thomas, Gage thereby, creating
the Continental Army and Washington was appointed General
and Commander in Chief of the army of the United Colonies on

(26:08):
the 16th. While on his way, to take
command of the Continentals in Boston, Washington received news
of the Battle of Bunker Hill, onthe 17th of June, where 2000 men
under General, William Howe successfully captured, the
American positions, but at the cost of 1,000, casualties

(26:28):
demonstrating the Continentals were more than capable of
putting up a fight upon arrivingin Boston, Washington saw to
instill in his men. The idea that they were a
national Army rather than, from a collection of States upon
inspecting his army, he was disappointed to find that he
only had 14,000 men fit for Duty.

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Living in poor conditions, whilesupplies of gunpowder would
dangerously low fearing British spies.
He kept quiet about these deficiencies to all but his
closest confidants during this period.
The Commander in Chief came to be particularly close to
Brigadier General Nathanael Greene from Rhode Island.
As well as 25 year old artilleryCommander Colonel Henry Knox.

(27:14):
A Boston Bookseller who had learned everything about
military affairs from the books and the British officers.
He talked to, in his shop Washington struggled in his
efforts, to create a professional standing army.
Recruits were authorized to serve for one year with the
effect that no sooner had. They been trained and drilled to

(27:35):
fight effectively, they would melt away and return to their
homes. As he faced losing his entire
Army on the first of January, 1776 Washington, attempted to
persuade the men to re-enlist but fewer than 10,000 would
agree to do so by the end of theyear, in order to build a
numbers Washington, considered recruiting from the black

(27:57):
population while black soldiers at Fort in the ranks of the
volunteers in Massachusetts and were considered every bit as
Brave as their white counterparts, as a leading
figure of Virginia's slaveholding class, the thought
of Of arming black men raised the prospect of slave rebellion
at a wok Council in October Washington, prohibited any black

(28:18):
soldiers from serving in the Continental Army.
But upon hearing that Virginia'sGovernor Lord Dunmore had
promised to free slaves, who were to join the British army,
Washington compromised, and allowed free blacks to serve in
his ranks who would make up around 10% of the Continental
Army as winter approached Washington realized he could not

(28:40):
abandon his army and returned toMount Vernon.
And instead invited his wife, Martha to stay with him.
Martha Washington would spend half the war with her husband on
campaign serving, as a trusted Confidant for his concerns and
anxieties about his Army and thewar.
The condition Washington's men found themselves in during the

(29:03):
first winter of the War caused morale to plummet leading.
The men to question if their cause could have a succeed.
The politicians in Philadelphia were still split on whether to
declare independence and some still believed in petitioning
King, George the third and reconciling with Britain, the
publication of Thomas Paine's pamphlet Common Sense in

(29:25):
January. 1776 highlighted, the tyrannical power of monarchy and
galvanized the movement for Independence, Spirits further
increased on the 17th of January.
When Henry Knox, arrived after accomplishing the incredible
logistical feat of hauling, almost 60 pieces of Canon from
40 kondo in New York near the Canadian border across the

(29:49):
December snows to Washington's Camp.
Although Washington still lackedthe powder for a Full Assault on
Boston. He successfully maneuvered the
Canon onto the Dorchester Heights, overlooking the city
during the course of a single night on the 4th of March,
leaving the British with no choice.
But to evacuate, Having capturedBoston without losing a single

(30:12):
man, Washington hurried to New York believing that General Howe
would attempt to take the city. Although the city's geography,
made it difficult to defend fromthe British Army and there was a
large population of loyalists, sympathizing with the British
Washington recognized, the political and Commercial
importance to the Continental cause and felt compelled to make

(30:33):
a stand. Despite being significantly
outnumbered, meanwhile the drum beat for Independence was
sounding ever loudest and the Declaration of Independence.
Drafted by Thomas Jefferson Washington's colleague in the
Virginia House of Burgesses was adopted by Congress on the 4th
of July 76 and was received withwild enthusiasm by the

(30:55):
Continental Army. When Washington, read the
Declaration to the on the 8th. The enthusiasm was premature as
the British Army and Navy commanded by Brothers William.
And Richard Howe soon descended on New York at the head of
32,000 men and 70 warships Keen to defeat the Rebellion once and

(31:15):
for all By mid August Washington, had 23,000 men under
his command but most were inexperienced recruits.
Meanwhile when the British landed 2/3 of their Force at
Long Island Washington, misread it as a diversion and only sent
6,000 men to defend the BrooklynHeights to the west of the

(31:36):
island. Keeping most of his men in
Manhattan. On the 26th, the Continentals
were surrounded by the British with 300 killed and 1,000
captured. But on the night of the 29th of
August Washington, took advantage of house reluctance to
stage of full Pursuit by evacuating, all the men from
Long Island to Manhattan. The commander himself was on the

(31:59):
last boat across the East River.Shrouded from the British by
thick fog, a few days later Washington withdrew from the
city to the north. The Continentals had built Fort
Washington and Fort Lee. Overlooking the Hudson River.
But these were taken by the British in November Forcing the
Continentals to flee across a New Jersey.

(32:20):
These setbacks also called into question, Washington's command
abilities and his subordinate General Charles Lee schemed to
replace him upon discovering, the plot Washington said nothing
to leave who received his come up and in mid-December when he
was captured by the British, Washington's continental army

(32:41):
was a bedraggled group of fewer than 4,000 men, when it crossed
the Delaware River to Pennsylvania while Howes Army
was in Striking, range of Philadelphia, forcing the
Continental Congress to evacuatethe Baltimore with little to
lose. And with a few thousand extra
reinforcements, under General Horatio Gates, Washington

(33:02):
planned. A daring operation back across
the Delaware to surprise three regiments of Hessian mercenaries
stationed, in Trenton New JerseyWashington to cross the River on
the night of Christmas day. In order to surprise the enemy
who he expected to be drunk at the time.
Despite a fierce snowstorm, which meant his main column of

(33:23):
2,400. Men only got the other side of
the river by four in the morning, on the 26th, Washington
pressed on to Trenton. Although the Hessians were
sober, they fail to believe thatWashington would attempt such a
daring operation Such foul, whether the element of surprise.
And the effectiveness of Henry knox's, artillery combined with

(33:46):
Washington's effective, use of terrain, to beat back, a
counter-attack obliged, the Hessians to surrender the
Continentals killed and wounded,100 Hessians and captured 900.
More all for the last of fewer than 10 men.
While Washington is usually considered a defensive General
who avoided battle with the oddsagainst him.

(34:08):
He was capable of some of the most daring attacks in the
history of warfare. The success at Trenton was
followed up by a similarly lopsided victory at Princeton a
few days later in abeling Washington's men to push forward
and expel, the British almost completely from New Jersey.
The victory is provided a boost to morale and allowed Congress

(34:31):
to move back to Philadelphia. But with only a few thousand
men, Washington was obliged to remain on the defensive
launching frequent rates into enemy territory.
In March 1777, the 22 year old artillery Captain, Alexander
Hamilton joined Washington's staff as a decomp.

(34:52):
The Talented Hamilton was able to handle much of the
commander-in-chief's correspondence and would later
become his chief aide at the endof July Washington welcomed to
his side. The Marquee de Lafayette a 20
year old French Aristocrat who shared in the political ideals
of the American Revolution and defied a royal order to travel

(35:13):
to America and volunteer his service to the cause with
Lafayette at his side. Washington and Congress, hoped
that France would be persuaded to join an alliance with the
nascent United States. During the first half of 1777,
Washington remained on the defensive and awaited house

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movements, by the end of August,the British commander landed on
the Chesapeake Bay and marched on Philadelphia Keen, not to
lose the capital without a fightWashington, hurried to cut him
off and deployed, his army amongst The Ravines of
Brandywine Creek on the southwestern approaches of the
city and dissipating. A decisive battle on the 11th of

(35:58):
September how launched his attack sending 5,000 Hessians to
attack Washington's main defensive position in a frontal.
Assault while he led a force of more than 8,000 men on a long
flanking maneuvering to cross the Brandywine at a couple of
undefended forts while the Continentals held firm against

(36:20):
the frontal assault by midday Washington wandered about the
whereabouts of the main enemy force.
And soon began to receive reports of an Enemy flanking,
maneuver the American Commander realized that he had been
outwitted and galloped to the sector.
In question to find two, brigades of Redcoats, not

(36:40):
realizing that housing entire force was on its way by four in
the afternoon. Three columns of British troops
were thrown into the attack, routing the Continentals, at the
end of the battle, the Continental sustained more than
1,000 casualties including 400 captured while British
casualties were half the number.The defeat at Brandywine

(37:05):
resulted in the British occupation of Philadelphia
forcing Congress to evacuate again.
This time to Trenton, although the Continentals had fought
bravely at Brandywine. Once again, Washington's failure
to prepare adequately and his inability to respond quickly
when the battle did not unfold as planned, resulted in

(37:25):
catastrophe. For the American course.
The American Commander was not disheartened and on the third of
October lesson a month after Brandywine Washington planned, a
daring night attack on house camp at German Town, hoping to
repeat his heroics at Trenton the previous winter.
However, this time round Washington's plans, unraveled in

(37:48):
the middle of the night, and he was forced to abandon the attack
after sustaining twice as many casualties as the British.
Once again, he tried his best tomake light of the defeat in
reports to Congress, and his audacious attack demonstrated to
the British that the Was still alot of fight left in The
Battered and bruised, Continental Army.

(38:09):
While Washington's Main Army, had suffered a series of
setbacks against General Howe onthe 17th of October General.
Horatio Gates, had defeated and captured, a British Army of
5,000 men under General, John Burgoyne, at Saratoga in New
York, which had been attempting to March South to join how while
Washington welcomed the news of gates, stunning Victory.

(38:32):
He felt threatened by a subordinate who had previously
been a Critic and whom he believed was seeking the Supreme
command for himself. These fears were confirmed when
Gates was named as the presidentof the Congressional Board of
War, giving him supervisory Powers over Washington and his
army. The board of War.

(38:52):
Also appointed General, Thomas Conway as Inspector General with
extensive Powers over training and discipline, which bypassed
Washington, promoting him to Major General in the process.
When Conway arrived at Washington's camp at Valley
Forge to announce, His appointment, the commander was
incensed and informed Conway that his generals would not

(39:14):
recognize his authority obligingCongress to send Conway
elsewhere Washington, had stood firm retained his command and
increased his authority. Washington's quarters for the
winter of 1777 to 78 at Valley Forge. 20 miles to the northwest
of Philadelphia has entered intoAmerican Legend for yet.

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Another winter. The Continental Army was in a
desperate State and risked falling apart with thousands of
men, sick hungry cold and demoralized Washington's efforts
to beg Congress for supplies came to nothing.
And he came to realize that the existing Constitution, the
Articles of Confederation, whichleft most political power, with

(40:00):
individual states gave congress little power and undermined his
efforts, to create a national Army yet, Washington's Presence,
at the camp helped to keep his men together in these trying
times when other armies may havemelted away while Martha,
Washington's care and attention for the men, won her respect and
affection throughout. The ranks washing was also

(40:22):
helped by the arrival of Freedom, fun story.
A Prussian officer who had served in Frederick the Great's
armies during the Seven Years War.
The Prussian Army was consideredthe best in Europe famous for
its discipline and Order attributes which the
Continentals solely lacked. Within a matter of weeks
Steuben, drilled the Army in line and column, formations, and

(40:46):
Associated Maneuvers and also began working on a drill manual,
which would remain in use by theUnited States Army, for almost a
century. By the beginning of March.
Washington had 12,000 men at hisdisposal, ready for action?
A far more significant boost to.The American war effort came in

(41:06):
the form of an alliance with France signed in Paris on the
6th of February 1778. The alliance changed the
Strategic picture of the war, forcing the British troops under
their new Commander Sir. Henry Clinton to withdraw from
Philadelphia to New York and attach 8,000 men to defend the
West Indies from the French while Clinton's men were on the

(41:28):
retreat. Washington ordered General
Charles Lee recently released ina prisoner exchange to take up
his previous role as second in command to lead a Vanguard of
5,000 men against the British atMonmouth Court House, Lee who
had advised against the operation launched, a
half-hearted attack that was easily repulsed by the British

(41:51):
sending the Continentals reelingand inviting at counter-attack.
A furious, washing his reserve of 6,000 men and managed to turn
the tide of the battle. During two hours of fierce
fighting Washington, decided against sending his exhausted
Army to pursue the British, who managed to slip away to Safety

(42:12):
in the middle of the night. In the weeks following the
Battle General, Lee was caught, marshaled and found guilty, and
washing was happy to see the back of him.
For the next three years, the British forces turned their
attention to the South during this period.
Washington would not fight a major battle though.
He was by no means inactive in the summer of 1778.

(42:36):
The French navy sailed up the Chesapeake to join Washington
though. The cooperation between the
subjects of an absolute monarchyand the citizens of a
revolutionary Republic was far from seamless as the Americans
realized that the French were motivated foremost by Anamosa
tea against the British rather than support for the American

(42:57):
cause. And once again washing
Washington found himself interacting with European
Military Officers who looked down on America's and really
kept him updated on their whereabouts.
The following summer Washington managed to stop Clinton from
controlling the Hudson River andcutting off New England for the
rest of the United States. But this period otherwise proved

(43:20):
uneventful. By 1780 Washington's Army was
low on money and supplies and Military success seemed
impossible. Without the assistance of the
French Lafayette had been in France since the beginning of
1779. And lobbied for greater French
assistance to the American course.
King Louis the 16th answered thecall by sending an expeditionary

(43:43):
force of 6,000 men to America under the command of the
Commodore Shambo in conjunction with the fleet commanded by the
Chevalier de Tavernier, who landed in Newport Rhode Island
on the 10th of July. 1780 meanwhile, the Continentals had
suffered a series of setbacks inthe south beginning with the
loss of the Port of Charleston in South Carolina in May and

(44:07):
followed by Horatio Gates, defeat to General Charles
Cornwallis at the Battle of Camden in South Carolina on the
16th of August, whose dismissal by Congress and the aftermath of
the debacle removed the final ToWashington's Authority.
In the Continental Army worse was to follow in late September,

(44:27):
when Washington relatedly recognized the treachery of
Benedict Arnold, the courageous continental army officer, who
had fought with distinction at Saratoga, but had been nursing a
wounded ego. After being overlooked for
promotion in August Arnold had been appointed commandant of the
vital, strategic Port of West Point that rather than

(44:50):
strengthen his defenses. He plotted to surrender it to
the British managing to escape just in time when the plot was
discovered. By 1781 British successes in the
South and Arnold's, defection, threatened, Washington's home,
state of Virginia. Governor Thomas, Jefferson whose
own home. At Monticello had been occupied

(45:12):
by Arnold's men urged Washington, deleted his men
South to defend his home state. Though, the American Commander
was anxious about the fate of his beloved Mount Vernon and had
sent a division under Lafayette to confront Arnold in, Virginia,
Washington preferred to keep hismen in New York and believe the
decisive. Blow against the British would

(45:32):
fall there though. His French allies planned an
operation in the South instead by mid-august, Washington
abandoned his designs on New York.
When he received news that a French Fleet of 29 ships under
the command of Admiral de Grassehad set sail, from the West
Indies and intended to land a force of 3,500 men on the

(45:54):
Chesapeake in early September Washington at also received news
from Lafayette. The Cornwallis had retreated to
Yorktown located on the Eastern tip of the Virginia.
Peninsula and surrounded by water on three sides, Washington
and Rochambeau. Hurried South in an effort to
trap Cornwallis and force him tosurrender.

(46:16):
By the beginning of September, the grasses Fleet had arrived on
the Chesapeake as planned, overcoming limited British
resistance leaving Cornwallis trapped between the French ships
at Sea and lafayette's small force on land by the 18th of
September, Washington and Rochambeau met with the Admiral
to discuss plans, for the siege DeGrasse was adamant that he

(46:40):
would have to return to the WestIndies, no later than the first
of November allowing little morethan a month for the operation,
when Washington and Rochambeau began to Lacey to Yorktown on
the 28th of September, the American commanded deferred to
his French counterpart. Who was more experienced in
Siege tactics. Cornwallis's, Army of 9,000 men

(47:01):
was significantly outnumbered bythe 19,000, French at American's
besieging Yorktown and the British general desperately
pleaded for additional reinforcements from General
Clinton. After the French Engineers
billed, two lines of Inches allowing Allied artillery to
rain down cannonballs into Yorktown on the 14th.

(47:22):
The Allies successfully capturedtwo British rodents in front of
the town. And by the 16th, there were so
close to the British lines that Cornwallis attempted a
last-ditch evacuation across theYork River, which was scuppered
by poor weather on the morning of the 17th of October 1783
Cornwallis sent Washington, a message to discuss the terms of

(47:46):
surrender which was signed on the 19th.
Cornwallis's surrender at Yorktown did not end the war but
it persuaded the authorities in London, that it was no longer
worth sustaining, the costly effort to retain the American
colonies upon hearing of the news of Yorktown.
Lord, North is said to have exclaimed.

(48:07):
Oh God, it's all over and his government.
Dually collapsed in early 1782. Henry Clinton was replaced as
Commander in Chief, by Saugeye Carlton.
Whose role was largely reduced to organizing the evacuation of
British assets from their formercolonies.
Washington, regarded Carlton's, peace offers with suspicion and

(48:30):
still anticipated continued hostility however, aside from a
handful of skirmishes in the south over the course of 1782.
The war was over and preliminarypeace.
Terms were signed in Paris on the 30th of November 1782 and
extraordinarily generous settlement recogn. of the United

(48:52):
States of America, with borders,stretching North to the great
lakes and west of the Mississippi setting the stage
for a final piece ratified in September 1783 Although he had
been the most powerful individual in the United States
with an army at his disposal Washington chose to return to

(49:13):
Life as a private citizen at Mount Vernon and relinquished
his Commission on the 23rd of December. 1783 following, the
example of Lucius quinctius Cincinnatus, the 5th Century BC,
Roman general famed for relinquishing.
His powers as dictator, after being summoned to defeat Rome's

(49:33):
enemies Upon returning to Mount Vernon Washington, set out to
give his estate a new lease of life.
After the neglected, it had suffered during the war.
During this period washing to was courted by anti-slavery
campaigners, including Lafayettewho proposed an experiment to
educate and free slaves, who would become tenant Farmers,

(49:54):
Washington had always believed slavery, was an economically,
inefficient institution. And after the war he became
morally opposed to slavery. But he could not bear
overhauling the entire economic system on which is Lively Hood
as a planted appended like many of his fellow Planters.
Washington naively believed thatthe institution of slavery would

(50:17):
die out naturally in the future.Despite his desire to leave
public life, Washington's reputation, meant that he could
not remain in obscurity for longthroughout the war.
He had longed for a stronger central government, the could
compel the state to supply his army, and he had not departed

(50:37):
from this belief Washington, therefore welcomed an initiative
to revise, the Articles of Confederation led by his former
aide, Alexander Hamilton. And The Virginian politician,
James Madison and was invited bythe latter, the header
delegation from Virginia to a constitutional convention in
Philadelphia shared for May 1787, after months of hesitation

(51:02):
Washington answered the call of duty and was duly elected.
President of the Constitutional Convention on the 25th of May.
The role was a perfect fit for the non-partisan Washington.
Who intervened, occasionally to broker agreement between
different points of view. The convention was dominated by
Two major questions, both relating to representation, the

(51:24):
more populous states such as Virginia wanted an assembly with
seats allocated, according to population.
While smaller States desired equal representation.
In mid-july, a compromise was reached whereby.
All states would be represented equally with two members in the
Senate. While the seats of the House of
Representatives would be based on population.

(51:47):
The second compromise was over slavery, while slaves would not
have any political rights slaveholding States.
Could count three fifths of the slave population in determining
their representation in Congress.
The convention also created an independent executive branch
from Congress and it was widely assumed that Washington would

(52:09):
become the first president. The proceedings in Philadelphia
were concluded on the 17th of September 1787, but it was not
until July 1788. When the Constitution was
ratified with Washington's native, Virginian being one of
the last to do so Washington hesitated to declare his
candidacy for the presidency responding to fears.

(52:32):
That he might have Royal Ambitions though his reputation,
as the American Cincinnatus and his childless status helped to
calm, fears of a hereditary monarchy and led admirers to
call him father of the country. Thus, when the presidential
election was held in early, 7089Washington was unanimously

(52:53):
elected president, while John Adams of Massachusetts was
elected vice president. After the election was certified
on the 6th of April, Washington,traveled to New York, the
temporary home of the federal government and was inaugurated
as president on the 30th of April 1789.
When Washington took officers president the institutions of

(53:16):
the federal government were still being set up.
The Constitution had left the duties of the president
deliberately vague and it was upto Congress and Washington to
delineate their respective Powers Washington's four Man.
Cabinet was assembled by the spring of 1790 including his
former subordinates, in the Armyand his fellow Virginians.

(53:36):
Alexander Hamilton was appointedSecretary of the Treasury Henry
Knox, Secretary of War, Thomas Jefferson, Secretary of State
and Jefferson's cousin, Edmund Randolph, as a attorney general,
the Constitution did not providefor a cabinet in the British
sense and Washington typically worked directly with his cabinet

(53:57):
secretaries in the early stages of his presidency.
Washington also relied heavily on the advice of James Madison,
the father of the Constitution who served as a congressman
representing Virginia in the House of Representatives
Washington's vice President, John Adams played a minor role
in his administration took his duties as president of the

(54:18):
Senate more seriously. Among Washington's cabinet
secretaries. The most brilliant was Alexander
Hamilton who labored hard to strengthen the power of the
federal government carrying out his duties.
As tirelessly as he had done as Washington's Chief aide during
the Revolutionary War. Unlike the President Hamilton

(54:39):
had a Grand Vision for the architecture of the federal
government and had also developed an expertise in
financial matters. That Washington could not match
effectively making him into an unofficial prime minister
despite being an admirer of Washington Jefferson viewed.
Hamilton's designs was suspicion, believing that they

(55:00):
would lead to a despotic presidency and criticized.
The president privately for going along with such ideas, the
Hamilton and Jefferson rivalry, reflected the intellectual and
ideological debate over the future direction of the American
government. And while Washington allowed
free debate among his cabinet members, he was no.

(55:21):
Impartial Observer and played anactive role in decision-making,
controlling the agenda and requesting papers from his
cabinet. Secretary's for his personal
approval, each day, Washington'sleadership style was slow and
deliberative and he consulted widely before making decisions a
privilege that he did not have while a general in the heat of

(55:42):
battle. The debate over Hamilton's
economic agenda. Dominated Washington's
presidency, in January 1790 Hamilton delivered.
His report on the Public Credit which proposed the creation of a
national debt to be paid over time and financed by new taxes.
Additionally, Hamilton proposed that the federal government

(56:05):
should assume State debts in effect transferring the Loyalty
of debt holders from the states to the national government.
Washington. Shared Hamilton's belief in a
powerful national government, which could raise funds to meet
his financial obligations and was happy to let his treasury
secretary. Work out the details.
Any talk of Taxation brought up memories of British colonial

(56:29):
rule prompting Madison to come out in opposition and break his
alliance with Hamilton and Washington with holding
Congressional support for the proposals.
The president was disappointed by the loss of a close Ally, as
well as the beginning of the split between the northern and
southern states, which would continue to Define American
politics until the present. Day Washington would also prove

(56:52):
a support of Hamilton's proposals for a National Bank.
Despite the arguments from Jefferson and his fellow
Virginians that. Such a move would be
unconstitutional. The debate over the public debt,
coincided with disagreements, about the location of the
permanent capital of the United States, many Southerners hoped

(57:13):
to bring the capital further, tothe South and Madison favored, a
location in Virginia along the banks of the Potomac where both
he and Washington had property naturally.
The president welcomed this Prospect, but Congress was now
deadlocked on both issues. A crucial meeting between
Hamilton Jefferson and Madison in June, 1790 saw the three men

(57:36):
broker deal whereby. The Virginians agreed to drop
opposition to Hamilton's economic program in return for
Hamilton supporting the proposalto move to Philadelphia as a
temporary capital for 10 years while a permanent one was being
built on the Potomac. Washington was giving power to
choose the site and Julie pickeda location not far from Mount

(57:59):
Vernon and the Commissioners he had chosen to oversee the
project later decided to name the City Washington in the
District of Columbia, the two debates, which had threatened to
dissolve. The union were therefore both
resolved in Washington's favor. The debate over the future of
the union and the powers of the federal government easily

(58:19):
spilled over into Foreign Affairs.
Although he had fought against the British Washington and
Hamilton realized that the prosperity of the United States
remained dependent on trade and commerce with the former
Imperial Master which recovered rapidly.
After the end of the war, Jefferson Washington's,
Secretary of State, and chief foreign policy, adviser remained

(58:42):
attached to France, especially after Louis.
The 16th absolute monarchy was overthrown by the revolution of
1789, which Jefferson witnessed first-hand as Ambassador de
France, shortly before his return to the United States,
Lafayette, had a merged as one of the leaders of the
Revolutionary government inspired by the ideas of

(59:04):
Liberty, which he had fought forin America Washington.
Feared that the French Revolution made Ascend and to
mob violence a fear that proved prophetic.
In the subsequent years. When the radical Jacobin faction
took over in September, 1792 andexecuted, King, Louis and Queen,
Mary and win at the following year while Lafayette was forced

(59:29):
into exile. Despairing in Hamilton and
Jefferson's rivalry, whose supporters had coalesced into
two parties, the Federalists andRepublicans respectively,
Washington sought to bring the two men together despite his
skill in finding common ground across political divides at the
Continental Congress and in the Constitutional Convention, the

(59:52):
president struggled to do. So in the face of these two
towering personalities who had taken to attacking each other by
writing Anonymous letters in thePress, Washington intended to
step down from the presidency after one term, but was
persuaded by both men to stay onbelieving that he was the only
man who could keep the country together during the winter of

(01:00:14):
1792. He was re-elected to a second
term while Adams remained in post as vice president.
Seeing off a challenge from Jefferson.
However, the Jeffersonian Republicans had won a clear
majority in the House of Representatives setting the
stage for strong Congressional opposition to Washington's

(01:00:34):
Administration during his secondterm.
Washington's. Second term was dominated by
foreign policy issues arising from the war which had broken
out between Britain and France in 1792.
While Jefferson argued that the United States and France was
still allies from the war Hamilton and knocks believed

(01:00:56):
that the alliance was null and void.
Now that Louis, the 16th had been overthrown and executed
Washington hoped to remain neutral between the two warring
Nations knowing that the United States was too weak to exert,
much diplomatic or military pressure.
Following Washington's proclamation of American
neutrality on the 22nd of April 1793 the French Envoy Edmore.

(01:01:20):
Charles Journey went to Philadelphia in an effort to
persuade the United States, to go to war against Britain while
the Frenchman proved popular among the American public
Washington received him coldly. As someone seeking to interfere
in American politics, Jeanine, made matters, worse by
Encouraging French privateers attacking British shipping to

(01:01:42):
sail into American ports and threatened to go over
Washington's head and appealed to the American people, these
insults damage the pro French cause and prompted the American
cabinet to ask for janese recall.
But upon learning that the Jacobins were recalling their
Envoy and plan to put him on trial Washington, granted him

(01:02:04):
asylum in the United States. The conduct of the British
during this period, all. So increased tensions with the
United States in the summer of 1793, the British began to
intercept neutral ships, Bound for French ports.
Thereby convocate, the cargo of American ships, the British

(01:02:24):
navies practice of impressment rounding up.
British deserters aboard American ships to serve in the
Navy frequently. Caught innocent Americans in the
net responding to Federalist calls for a special Envoy to be
sent to Britain to negotiated a treaty of Commerce and diffused.
The threat of War, Washington dispatched, John Jay, an

(01:02:45):
experienced Diplomat who was serving as chief justice, a
choice, which raised questions about the separation of powers
between the judicial and executive branches of
government, the treaty negotiated by J.
In February 1795, did not address all of the American
Grievances and tilted, the economic relationship in favor
of Britain, but stopped The drift towards War.

(01:03:08):
Washington was prepared to sign this imperfect document, but its
publication in the Press provoked.
Outrage among the Republicans Jefferson had left.
His post of Secretary of State in 1793, and attempted to Rally
House Republicans to withhold funding, to implement the
treaty. The attempt failed narrowly, but

(01:03:28):
promoted Washington to break histies with his first while friend
and advisor. Washington's support for the Jay
Treaty provoked, a tide of Republican criticism and the
luster of his exploits. During the Revolutionary War was
no longer sufficient to shore uphis reputation in Jeffersonian
circles, exhausted, by the burdens of office and having

(01:03:50):
suffered from a series of illnesses during his presidency.
The 64 year old Washington announced his desire to retire
from public life after serving out his second term by doing.
So he created a powerful precedent of a two-term limit.
That would only be broken once in his farewell address.
Drafted by Hamilton and published in September 7th 1996

(01:04:13):
the departing president pleaded for National unity in the face
of domestic and international challenges.
Washington was succeeded by JohnAdams on the 4th of March 1797,
but his calls for Unity went unheeded and the factionalism
between the Federalists and Republicans would only become
more. Intense.

(01:04:36):
Washington's retirement would prove to be short.
And when war was France, appeared imminent in 1798,
Washington, was named as the head of the army, but his
efforts to have Alexander Hamilton as his
second-in-command. In the stead of more senior
officers such as Henry, Knox wasvigorously opposed by President
Adams, poisoning Washington's relations with both atoms and

(01:04:59):
knocks. Diplomatic overtures to France,
managed to avert the tide of warand Washington returned to Mount
Vernon. He retained an active interest
in farming matters despite his Advanced age and on the 12th of
December 1799, he spent five hours riding around his estate
in countering an unexpected, snowstorm the exposure to the

(01:05:22):
elements made him ill and he died on the 14th of December
1799, a few months before his death, Washington wrote, a new
will, which stipulated that his property would pass on to Mutha,
but Upon her death, the 120 slaves, he left her would be
free, Martha had not been consulted on the will and was

(01:05:44):
afraid that the slave's might bemotivated to kill her and
decided to free her late husbandslaves on the first of January,
1801 a little more than a year before her own death in May
1802. Washington's death was met with
widespread morning across the United States and he continues

(01:06:04):
to be admired as one of America's greatest generals and
presidents over the course of his 67 years.
He had been a key participant insome of the most important
events in world history, born into a colonial family of modest
means Washington began his military career.
As a headstrong officer, in the British colonial army resentful

(01:06:26):
of his treatment by London. He would end it as the man who
defeated one of the most formidable, European.
Armies in war securing Independence for a country.
Founded on the principles of Liberty and equality, he would
then play a key role in The Establishment and consolidation
of the American political systemby presiding over the
Constitutional Convention and serving as the first president

(01:06:49):
of the United States Washington's, believe in a
strong federal government to ensure the security and
prosperity of the new nation. Made him an opponent of his
fellow Virginian Planters, but helped to pave the way for the
United States to become the global hegemon of the 21st
Century. The universal admiration for

(01:07:11):
Washington, May Overlook some ofits deficiencies as a soldier
and politician over the course of his military career,
Washington lost more battles than he won.
And his mistakes at New York. And Brandywine were responsible
for devastating defeats while Washington managed to keep his
army alive. He could not have dealt the

(01:07:32):
Victorious. Blow at Yorktown without the
assistance of the French Army and Navy as a politician
Washington lacked. The intellectual vision of the
likes of Hamilton and Jefferson and was naive to believe that it
was possible to avoid the parties and divides that have
defined American politics ever since on the issuers slavery.

(01:07:52):
While Washington's attitude later.
In life was far more Progressivethan most of his peers.
He was unwilling to challenge, the southern Planters on the
future of the institution. Even after breaking with them on
Hamilton's economic program, in Stead, he would Defer the issue
to Future generations of political leaders.

(01:08:15):
What do you think of George Washington?
Was he a great military figure? Whose inspirational leadership
enabled, a ragtag army to defeatthe might of the British Empire
and a skillful politician, whosepragmatism held the union
together. While the Constitution laid down
its roots or was he a mediocre General?

(01:08:36):
And a politician who was given the credit rightfully belonging
to his subordinates and allies both in war and politics.
Please let us know in the comment section and in the
meantime thank you very much forwatching.

(01:08:59):
The Man known to history as Thomas, Jefferson was born on
the 13th of April 1743 at his father's estate of Shadwell in
Albemarle County in the Commonwealth of Virginia His
father, Peter Jefferson was a severe and planter who owned
several plantations in Virginia,including the tobacco Plantation

(01:09:20):
of Shadwell, which he founded inthe 1730s worked by slaves and
free laborers at the time. Virginia was one of the 13
British colonies in North America but in just over three
decades, it would become one of the leading States behind the
creation of the United States ofAmerica, the nation which would

(01:09:41):
call Jefferson one of its most prominent founding fathers, The
Jeffersons had been in Virginia,since 1612.
And Peter was a wealthy and influential member of Virginia
Society. Assuming positions of
responsibility as a colonel of the militia, and a member of the
Virginia House of Burgesses as asurveyor Thomas's father, would

(01:10:02):
find himself. Charting unknown lands in
countering, wild animals on occasion as well as other
dangers and so the young Thomas looked up to his father as
Powerful figure who commanded the respect of his peers.
Thomas's mother, Jane Randolph, hailed from Virginia's, most
prestigious family, a reflectionof his father's social standing.

(01:10:24):
The randolphs first came to Virginia in 1642 and by the
1670s Jane's, grandfather, William Randolph, began to
acquire, tens of thousands of acres of land eventually
establishing 11, plantations, 9 of William's ten children
survived into adulthood and the families Wings spread far and

(01:10:45):
wide across the colony centered on the Great Mansion at Turkey
Hill, near modern day Richmond. William's third son, ran off was
a sea captain who moved back andforth between Virginia and
London. Where his daughter Jane was born
in February, 1720 in the Parish of Shadwell in East London,
which would in turn give its name to her husband, Peter's

(01:11:09):
Plantation. After he married her in 1739,
the couple would have six daughters and two sons of whom
Thomas was the eldest Thomas Jefferson enjoyed a privileged
upbringing as part of the Virginia.
Elite spending his childhood between Shadwell and Tuckahoe
the estate of his mother's late cousin William Randolph where

(01:11:31):
the Jeffersons had moved in 1745.
So that Peter could manage the estate before moving back to
Shadwell in 1752 Peter Jeffersonresented.
The fact that he never had a formal education and chose to
send his eldest son to school atthe age of nine Thomas was sent
to live with Reverend William, Douglas a local clergyman who

(01:11:53):
taught him basic French and The Classical Languages of Latin and
Greek. He would later fall under the
wing of Reverend James Maury whose credentials as a
classicist were of a highest standard under Morey's
influence, Jefferson was introduced to classical
literature history, and philosophy of the ancient
Greeks. And Romans with this Foundation,

(01:12:15):
he left to study Classics at theCollege of William and Mary in
Williamsburg the capital of Virginia.
By the time Jefferson left for Williamsburg.
He was already the official headof his household.
His father had died in 1757 whenThomas was 14 years old leaving
behind the memory of a Virginia landed.

(01:12:36):
Aristocrat in whose steps the sun would dutifully follow as
the eldest son Thomas inherited Shadwell together with its 66
slaves and more than 2,758 acresof land.
Although his mother would take on the duties of day-to-day
management of the estate in 1770, a devastating fire left

(01:12:56):
Shadwell in Ruins. But Jane was determined to
rebuild the house which would remain the home of two further
generations of the Jefferson family.
After Thomas's relationship withhis mother is difficult to
assess since the letters were lost in the fire.
But the fact that he continued to live at Shadwell into his
adulthood indicates that, he andhis mother enjoyed a cordial

(01:13:20):
relationship until her death in 17.
At William & Mary Jefferson, notonly studied Greek, and Latin,
but also mathematics under Dr. William small, a Scottish
Professor, the distinction between Arts and Sciences did
not yet exist at the time and small also taught moral
philosophy and it was during these interactions that

(01:13:43):
Jefferson was introduced to the ideas of the Enlightenment
thinkers which had taken hold in18th century Europe.
They believed that human reason rather than any spiritual belief
or ancient Traditions should be the driving force in the pursuit
of truth and the organization ofHuman Society.
Jefferson was a keen reader and was said to have studied for 15

(01:14:05):
hours a day, familiarizing himself with the works of the
great English scientist. Isaac Newton, the political
philosopher, John Locke, the Scottish philosopher and
Economist Adams Smith and many other leading intellectuals in
addition to his academic Endeavors Jefferson committed to
exercise in two hours a day and was an accomplished violinist,

(01:14:27):
who would perform at the governor's Palace where he
acquainted himself with the leading political figures of the
day, including his cousin, Peyton Randolph, who served as
the Royal attorney general, the senior legal officer, in the
Virginia government, The colonial government was largely
controlled by the British crown,which appointed both the

(01:14:48):
colonial governor and the Council of state, which served
as the Upper House of the Virginia General Assembly the
lower house. The House of Burgesses was
elected by the free, white male population and it was in this
body but Thomas's Father, Peter had served as the representative
of Albemarle County this Arrangement, mirrored that of

(01:15:10):
the British political system with the king or queen
exercising power alongside the hereditary House of Lords and
the elected House of Commons in a mixed government which was
designed to protect against bothRoyal tyranny and MOB rule.
Peter Jefferson had considered himself a loyal subject of the
king and brought up his son to believe the same.

(01:15:32):
The Virginia aristocratic Elite to which The Jeffersons belonged
believed that as British subjects, they had the same
political rights in Virginia as their fellow British subjects.
In Middlesex or Norfolk. But this belief would be
shattered in the Years, following Jefferson's graduation
in 1762. After leaving William and Mary

(01:15:54):
Jefferson spent. The next five years training to
become a lawyer, spending his time between Williamsburg and
Shadwell as tensions. Steadily increased between the
government of Virginia and the authorities in Britain.
While Jefferson was a teenager British Armed Forces, had fought
a costly But ultimately Victorious, war against the
French in the Seven Years War which lasted between 1754 and

(01:16:18):
1763. The war was fought over three
continents including North America where it is better known
as the French and Indian War. Britain had won a convincing
victory in North America gainingcontrol of all the French
colonies in Canada. While the vast province of
Louisiana were seeded to Spain in exchange for the British

(01:16:39):
gaining control of Florida, although the French threat had
been eliminated. The 13 colonies continued to
face threats from the Native American population and the
British army chose to maintain amilitary presence on the
Frontiers. The British authorities
accordingly decided that the North American colonies should
share more of the financial burden for their defense.

(01:17:01):
And in 1764 and 1765, parliamentpassed a number of measures to
raise new taxes from the 13 colonies, on the 9th of March
1764. But British prime minister
George Grenville, stood up in the House of Commons, and
announced the Sugar Act imposingyou duties on the colonies for a

(01:17:21):
range of products. The Prime Minister told members
of parliament that he hoped thatthe power and sovereignty of
parliament over every part of the British dominions for the
purpose of raising, or collecting any tax would never
be disputed. Grenville's hopes would soon
prove to be in vain, as the Sugar Act caused an outcry among

(01:17:43):
the 13 colonies. Not least in Virginia were a
resolution, was sent to Parliament asserting.
The principle that people shouldnot be taxed without their
consent or though those of theirRepresentatives adopting the
slogan? No taxation without
representation. These complaints did nothing to
prevent the passage of the infamous Stamp Act on the 22nd

(01:18:05):
of March 1765. Which levied taxes on all
printed material, including paper, documents newspapers and
playing cards. This prompted a further wave of
protests and riots across the colonies, many of which were
organized by the Sons of Liberty.
A political group, first established in Boston in August

(01:18:26):
1765, with branches, spreading across the colonies over the
course of the following year. Thomas Jefferson was an
interested Observer of the impassioned debates taking place
in the House of Burgesses and was, especially impressed by the
oratory of the lawyer, Patrick Henry, who called for the most
radical measures, though. His denunciations of King and

(01:18:49):
Parliament were labeled treason by his more moderate colleagues,
despite the fiery rhetoric, echoing through the legislature
of the Virginia and the other colonies, there was no
suggestion even from the likes of Henry, that the 13 colonies
should break their connection tothe British crown, and certainly
no willingness to take up arms in order to do so, by late 1765,

(01:19:12):
Parliament, recognized the strength of feeling in the
colonies against the Stamp Act, and eventually repealed the
duties in February 1766. While at the same time, passing,
a declaratory act, which asserted the authority of
parliament to make laws binding in the colonies, under all
circumstances. While Parliament saw the

(01:19:33):
Declaratory act as a means of Saving Face.
The colonies were far from appeased and the disputes
between North America and Britain were no longer about
money but about political rightsand freedom from arbitrary
government. Over the following decade London
would repeat to assert its Authority and the colonies would
repeat them until there was no turning back and pens and

(01:19:57):
pamphlets were traded for riflesand muskets Meanwhile in
Virginia Jefferson had been admitted to the bar in 1767 and
began his legal career living inShadwell but traveling to
courthouses across Virginia to argue his cases.
The following year. On the 15th of December 1768.

(01:20:17):
He was elected as the representative of his native
album, All County to the House of Burgesses.
The first of many officers he would hold in a long and
successful political career. Several months earlier in May
1768 Jefferson decided to build for himself.
A new house on a hill to miles from Shadwell which he would

(01:20:38):
name Monte cello. The Italian for Little Mountain,
built to Jefferson's own design and constantly remodeled to keep
up with the latest fashions. Wanted cello would forever be
associated with Jefferson especially after the devastating
fire at Shadwell in 1770 which not only destroyed his library.
But also the legal papers he wasworking on The fire prompted

(01:21:02):
Jefferson to move to Monticello while the main house was still
being built and it was there that he brought his wife Martha
after they married in 1772. Martha wayles, Jefferson known
as Patty to her family in. Close friends was born in 1748
to a Virginia landowner named, John wayles, who was one of

(01:21:24):
Jefferson's clients, as a lawyer, married at the age of
18, and widowed a couple of years later in 1768, Martha
became the target of a long lineof suitors, including Jefferson
taking advantage of their mutuallove for music Jefferson
Enchanted her with his performances on the violin and
piano and the couple were married on New Year's Day 1772.

(01:21:47):
Although the newly married, couple would have the occasional
argument prompted by Martha's strong personality.
She was also one of the only people who could calm her
husband's anxiety, which would only grow as the political
temperature increase over the coming years.
The Jeffersons would prove a loving couple and they had six

(01:22:08):
children together but only two would survive infancy in an era
of high childhood mortality. Away from Monticello London.
And the colonies continued to trade political blows on the
16th of December 1773, the Boston branch of the Sons of
Liberty sabotaged to shipment oftea.

(01:22:29):
From the British East, India Company arriving in the harbor
boarding, the ship and throwing the valuable cargo into the sea.
The event known to history as the Boston.
Tea Party prompted Parliament topass a package of new.
Punitive measures in 1774 which would collectively be known as
the Intolerable Acts. One of these was the Boston Port

(01:22:52):
Act of May 1774 which stipulatedthat the port of Boston would
remain closed to trade until money, was paid to compensate
the East India Company for the loss of the cargo Jefferson and
his colleagues in Virginia passed a resolution in
solidarity with the bostonians. And a couple of months later
they called for an immediate banon British Imports asserting.

(01:23:16):
That we will ever be ready to join with our fellow subjects in
the defense of their constitutional rights.
As opposition to the British authorities spread across the
colonies, a Continental Congresswas scheduled for the 5th of
September in Philadelphia, although Jefferson was not a
delegate, he set about writing aset of instructions for

(01:23:38):
Virginia's delegates, which among others included.
His cousin and former Attorney General, Peyton Randolph,
Patrick Henry and a former British army officer by the name
of George Washington who had played a part in the outbreak of
the French and Indian War. 20 years earlier, in his pamphlet
under the title, a summary view of the rights of British America

(01:24:00):
Jefferson laid out the intellectual justification for
the American cause to be treatedas the equal of King George's
subjects in Europe, pleading to the king to no longer perceive
beer in sacrificing the rights of one part of the Empire to the
inordinate desires of another, but deal out to all equal and

(01:24:21):
impartial right at the age of 31Jefferson's Pamphlet made him a
political celebrity across the 13 colonies and elevated him to
the first rank among the advocate of the American cause,
as well as demonstrating his skills as a political writer,
which would remain in high demand.
By late 1774. It was becoming clear, both the

(01:24:44):
British and the American colonies that they were on the
path to Civil War. The colonies, mobilized their
militias to protect themselves against the prospect of a
military Crackdown by the British authorities, which
sought to secure cashes of weaponry and ammunition and
prevent the Colonials from usingthem.
The first shots of the American Revolutionary War were fired at

(01:25:06):
Concord and Lexington in Massachusetts on the 19th of
April 1775. Extinguishing any faint hopes of
a Reconciliation between Britainand the 13 colonies, the
disputes over Colonial Libertiesand the powers of parliament,
could only be resolved on the field of battle either in

(01:25:27):
Victory for the British crown and the reassertion of British
Authority in America or in Victory, for the American Rebels
and the breaking of all Colonialties with the British Empire.
The second continental congress convened in Philadelphia in May
1775 with Peyton Randolph as itspresident.

(01:25:47):
However, when Randolph was summoned back to Williamsburg to
preside over the House of Burgesses Jefferson was sent as
his replacement and arrived in Philadelphia on the 11th of
June. Now, that hostilities had broken
out. The second continental, congress
became a permanent political body to coordinate the war
effort among the United Colonies, a few days after

(01:26:10):
Jefferson's arrival, in Philadelphia, Congress,
approved. The appointment of George
Washington as Commander in Chiefof the Continental Army,
following a proposal, by the Boston lawyer, John Adams
Jefferson and Adams would strikeup, one of the greatest
political alliances in American history and the two men worked

(01:26:30):
closely during the struggle for Independence.
Unlike atoms Jefferson was not an accomplished public speaker
and preferred to spend his time,working behind the scenes in
small committees and channeling.His Mastery of the written word,
drafting resolutions, declarations and reports.
By June of 1776, Congress was debating whether to formally

(01:26:55):
declare independence from the British Empire and appointed
Adams and Jefferson to draft a declaration for that purpose,
recognizing Jefferson as the superior writer.
And as a representative from Virginia, the most populous of
the colonies Adams prevailed on his friend, to write the first
draft and Jefferson Julie, set to work on the Declaration

(01:27:18):
seeking inspiration from the Enlightenment thinkers.
He had read at University after an introduction, which announced
the desire to separate from the British crown Jefferson set out
in the Preamble, the founding Creed of the new nation.
The United States of America. We hold these truths to be

(01:27:40):
self-evident. That all men are created equal
that they are endowed by their creator with inalienable rights.
That among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of
happiness that to secure these rights governments are
instituted among men deriving. Their just powers from the
consent of the governed that whenever any form of government

(01:28:03):
becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the
people to alter or to abolish itand Institute, new government
laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its
powers in such form as to them shall seem most likely to affect
their safety and happiness. Jefferson's Preamble was

(01:28:27):
followed by a list of indictments against King.
George the third, as if he were Prosecuting a case against the
British, king in a Virginian Court, the strong denunciations
of the king ensured that there would be no turning back.
Since the colonies had previously appealed to the king
as their protector, blaming his ministers, for the unequal

(01:28:47):
treatment of the colonies after Jefferson's draft, was debated
by Congress. A number of changes were made in
an effort to tone down the criticisms of Britain and
denunciation of slavery. And the slave trade, which
appeared in Jefferson's first draft had also been removed to
placate the sensibilities of delegates from the southern

(01:29:08):
states, whose Plantation economies were dependent on
slave labor. Although disappointed by the
changes made to his text. Jefferson could be proud of the
fact that when the Declaration of Independence was ratified by
Congress on the fourth of July 17th. 76, it was his words which
would echo through the centuriesto the present day.

(01:29:32):
Having achieved International Renown.
As the most articulate advocate of American independence.
Jefferson longed to return to Virginia.
He heard encountered, a series of personal tragedies over the
previous year, including the death of his mother, one of his
daughters at his cousin, Peyton Randolph, the giant of Virginia
politics with his wife. Also in poor health Jefferson

(01:29:56):
declined, the invitation to join, a delegation to France to
persuade, King Louis, the 16th to join an alliance against the
British. While a Franco American Alliance
was formalized in February, 1778.
Jefferson set about reforming Virginia's laws.
Now that the British were no longer in charge, reducing the
power of landed Elites and whitening.

(01:30:18):
Access to the education system, the cause of religious
toleration was particularly close to Jefferson's heart
believing that they was no reason why Christian teachings
were any closer to the truth than those of other faiths while
Jefferson Is proposals for religious toleration were
defeated. At the time they were
reintroduced a decade later and adopted.

(01:30:39):
Jefferson also thought hard about the question of slavery.
A slaveholder himself, who ownedover 600 slaves during his life.
Jefferson was opposed to the institution on a philosophical
level, but did not believe that free whites and free.
Blacks could live together in harmony and proposed that slaves
should be freed and deported. Once they had reached the age of

(01:31:02):
21, his fellow landowners in theVirginia government voted down
the proposal, in order to protect their economic interests
and Jefferson came to accept that the battle over slavery,
could not be won. The late 1770s were an anxious
time for Jefferson and his new country.
And it seemed that Washington's continental army was hanging by

(01:31:25):
a thread facing one of the best armies in the world.
In late 1778. The British launched a campaign
in the South advancing into Georgia and threatening South
Carolina, leaving Virginia, vulnerable to attack from the
south and east. During this time of great
danger. Jefferson was elected.
Governor of Virginia, in the summer of 1779, during his two

(01:31:49):
years in Office, Jefferson played the role of a civilian
War leader, putting down loyalist Uprising.
While also trying to confront attacks by Native Americans on
the west and Frontiers. He also took the momentous
decision to move the capital of Virginia from Williamsburg to
Richmond located further Inland and less prone to attack from

(01:32:11):
the sea. However, this did not prevent an
invasion of Virginia in December, 1780.
Led by Benedict Arnold, the former continental army, General
who had switched sides early in the year.
Jefferson was slow in mobilizingthe Virginia militia and
narrowly avoided capture by escaping to the hills of
Richmond while Arnold's men sacked, the city.

(01:32:35):
Arnold's Invasion had been a shock to Jefferson but worse was
to follow in the spring of 1781,the British forces in the South
turned their attention to Ward's.
Virginia led by the commander Lord Cornwallis and Lieutenant,
Colonel banastre Tarleton a dashing, but crew officer, who
commanded a fearsome Cavalry force in response.

(01:32:56):
Jefferson moved the capital onceagain to Charlottesville some 70
miles further Inland from Richmond, writing to George
Washington, asking him to lead reinforcements in person to save
Virginia from the British duringthe early hours of the fourth of
June 1781 as he was preparing tostep down as Governor Jefferson

(01:33:17):
was at Monticello when he received news that tarleton's
covery month were riding towardshis home.
With the express purpose of taking him captive.
Once again, he managed to escapeand narrowly avoided falling
into British. Hands.
Talton's men are set to have drunk some of Jefferson's Wine
to toast King George's 43rd birthday, but otherwise

(01:33:39):
Monticello was left intact. After leaving the Governor's
Office Jefferson faced an inquiry by the general assembly
into his conduct during the previous year.
Although cleared of wrongdoing, Jefferson considered his
reputation damaged, even after news reached him of cornwallis's
surrender to Washington and his French allies at Yorktown on the

(01:34:01):
19th of October 1781 prompting, the British authorities to greet
a peace talks, recognizing the independence of the United
States, Jefferson's political anguish was soon followed by
personal anguish after giving birth to a daughter in May 1782.
Martha Jefferson's Health, the client rapidly and she was

(01:34:21):
confined to bed with her husbandat her side.
She died on the 6th of September1782 after extracting from him,
a promise, never to remarry a widower at the age of 39, Thomas
Jefferson, kept the promise madeto his dying wife, but his
personal life after Martha's death.
His one of the darkest and most controversial chapters of his

(01:34:44):
life among those at Martha's bedside was a nine-year-old.
Slave girl called Sally Hemmings, who happened to be the
half-sister of the dying woman, the product of liaison between
John Wales and his mixed race slave, Elizabeth Hemmings, which
resulted intentional children ofwhom Sally was the youngest
within a few years. She would go on to play a major,

(01:35:07):
but unacknowledged role in Jefferson's personal life.
With a loss of his wife and seeking, the opportunity, to
restore his political reputation.
In 1783 Jefferson, happily accepted an assignment to join
the American delegation, taking part in.
Peace talks, in Paris, but before he could leave he
received news that the American representatives in France had

(01:35:29):
already agreed. The terms of a draft treaty with
Great Britain, which offered extremely generous terms to the
United States in order to isolate her French and Spanish
allies. Instead on the 6th of June 1783
Jefferson was elected to represent Virginia at the
Continental Congress, a weak political body that delegated

(01:35:50):
significant powers to the States.
Jefferson was convinced that Congress had to be strengthened
in order to avoid the prospect of the state's fighting against
each other. The body even struggled to reach
a core of nine states to ratify the Treaty of Paris only doing
so on the 14th of January 1784, On the 5th of July 1784 after

(01:36:14):
spending less than a year in Congress Jefferson.
Finally had the chance to go to France as the ambassador of the
peacetime United States of America.
He had been an admirer of France, ever since she chose to
Ally herself with the United States during the Revolutionary
War and he was determined to strengthen the French Alliance
in order to guarantee American Security, in case, the British

(01:36:37):
were to try to retake their former colonies, arriving on the
31st of July, with his daughter,Patsy and a small party of
servants Jefferson would remain in France until September 1789
as well as carrying out his diplomatic duties by
negotiating, a number of trade agreements.
Jefferson inserted himself into Parisian society and met with

(01:36:59):
some of the greatest political thinkers of the age.
He struck up a friendship with Thomas Paine, the radical
English writer. Whose best selling pamphlet.
Common Sense, had been a major factor in encouraging Popular
support for Independence in 1776, he would go on to write
the rights of man in 1791 and the Age of Reason in 1795

(01:37:22):
powerful denunciation of monarchy and religion, which
echoed Jefferson's own views on the subject.
But while paying the writer, could set out his ideal vision
of society in government Jefferson the state's man and
politician had to be more pragmatic.
During his five-year stay Jefferson witnessed Francis

(01:37:43):
gradual descent into Revolution King.
Louis, the 16th government was heavily indebted, by military,
expenditures, partly incurred asa result of French participation
in the American Revolutionary War against Britain, despite
widespread, hunger and poverty. Among the ordinary French
people, the powerful and Wealthynobility.

(01:38:04):
And Catholic Church did not agree to pay additional taxes.
To improve the condition of the poor with his coffers, almost
empty and running out of other options.
The king reluctantly summoned, the Estates General, ancient
political body with representatives from the church,
the nobility, and the commoners which had once served as a

(01:38:24):
source of advice, the molec, buthad not been called for more
than a century and a half the election of Representatives to
the estate's general led to a large number of proposals to
improve the French political system and ensure that it was
more responsive to the needs of the Common People Jefferson
followed the course of events closely and welcome.

(01:38:44):
The prospect of the end of Royalabsolutism in France.
While in Paris Jefferson continued to keep an eye on
political events back home in the United States between the
25th of May and the 17th of September 1787.
The Constitutional Convention met in Philadelphia in order to
establish a stronger central government.

(01:39:06):
While Jefferson had lamented that the existing National
institutions were too weak. His experiences in France caused
him to worry that the central government might be too strong
and tend towards tyranny. There were even rumors that one
of the sons of King George. The third might be invited to
the United States to serve as a constitutional Monarch and many

(01:39:29):
delegates. Still believed that the British
political system was an example to follow.
When he read the draft Constitution, Jefferson welcomed
the separation of powers betweenthe executive legislative and
judicial branches of government respectively, the president
Congress and the Supreme Court. However, he was concerned about

(01:39:49):
the Officer president since although there were elections
every four years the holder of that office could theoretically
remain there for life. He was also disappointed that
there was no declaration of rights to protect the rights of
individuals and States against the federal government.
Although he recognized it as an imperfect document Jefferson

(01:40:11):
believed, it could be improved upon with amendments over time
and a Bill of Rights was later drawn up as a package of 10
amendments to the Constitution even before its ratification on
the 21st of June 1788, In July, 1787 Jefferson was reunited with
his younger daughter Polly, whomhe had not seen for three years.

(01:40:34):
She was accompanied by Sally Hemmings around 14 years old and
bearing a strong resemblance to her late half-sister Martha
Jefferson. The relationship between Thomas,
Jefferson and Sally, Hemmings remains a controversial subject,
but it is likely that they were involved in a sexual
relationship from 1788 or 1789. Since Sally was pregnant.

(01:40:57):
When Jefferson prepared to return to the United States in
the summer of 1789. She had initially refused to
accompany him, knowing that she could apply for her Liberty in
France and live as a free woman with far, greater prospects
compared to returning across theAtlantic and living the rest of
her life. As an enslaved woman.
Eventually, she agreed to returnon the condition that her

(01:41:20):
children would be freed from slavery, at the age of 21.
Thomas Jefferson, one of the most powerful man in the United.
States was forced to make concessions to a mixed race
girl. No, older than 16 Sally gave
birth shortly after their returnto Virginia.
But the child did not live long.She had five more children with

(01:41:40):
Jefferson four of whom would survive into adulthood
Jefferson. Only freed them formally after
his death in his will, but thosewho had reached 21 were allowed
to leave Monticello in spite of his concessions to Sally and his
personal belief that slavery wasimmoral.
The uncomfortable fact remains that the man who had declared so

(01:42:01):
eloquently that all men are created equal, kept his own
children as slaves, while largely accurate rumors about
their liaison was sprayed by Jefferson's opponents in the
United States. Later in his political career,
the relationship was unacknowledged and was only
confirmed by DNA testing in the year 2000.

(01:42:23):
Jefferson's final months in France, coincided with the
French Revolution. The Estates General could still
not decide on the proper procedure for its deliberations
and the Third Estate representing the commoners
declared itself. The National Assembly Royal
Authority melted away in the face of widespread, rioting and
protests. And the National Assembly became

(01:42:45):
the Effective Government of France after the storming of the
Bastille on the 14th of July 1789.
Jefferson was a close friend of many of the national assemblies
leaders, including the Machi de Lafayette, the French General
who had served alongside Washington in the Revolutionary
War and was present at the British surrender.

(01:43:05):
At Yorktown at the time Lafayette was perhaps the most
popular person in France servingas commander of the National
Guard while stall, so responsible for keeping order in
Paris and for protecting the king and the royal family from
the more radical elements of theRev. Jefferson.
Collaborated with Lafayette on drafting the Declaration of the

(01:43:28):
rights of man, and of the citizen, which was adopted by
the National Assembly. On the 26th of August, this key
documents served as a statement of the values of the Revolution
and opened with the assertion that human beings are born and
remain free and equal in rights,echoing Jefferson's Declaration

(01:43:48):
of Independence. After making his contribution to
French politics, Jefferson left,France.
At the end of September 1789 andarrived back in.
Virginia on the 23rd of November.
He had intended to return to Paris to resume his
ambassadorial duties the following year.
But in December, he was offered the post of Secretary of State

(01:44:11):
by George Washington who had been unanimously elected
president under the new Constitution, and had taken
office on the 30th of April 1789.
As Secretary of State Jefferson was to be the President's chief
foreign policy adviser a role, he was suited to give his
experience in France. He accepted the invitation and

(01:44:32):
left Virginia for New York, thenthe seat of federal government
and took his post in March, 1790Although Jefferson's office was
primarily concerned with foreignaffairs as a member of
Washington's cabinet. He was also involved in the
debates, concerning the future political development of the
United States. The Washington administration

(01:44:54):
was dominated by the Federalistsa group who believed that a
strong federal government was essential for National
prosperity and security Jefferson's old friend John
Adams Washington's. Vice president was one of the
leaders of the Federalist Party and the president himself was
sympathetic to this position. Its Chief Advocate was the 34

(01:45:16):
year old Secretary of the Treasury Alexander.
Hamilton a New York lawyer who had served as the senior staff
officer at Washington's headquarters during the
Revolutionary War. And as one of the president's
closest to Associates after the end of the war Hamilton wrote,
most of the Federalist Papers, aseries of essays calling, for

(01:45:37):
more power, to be concentrated in the federal government rather
than the States, which led to the Constitutional Convention
and the adoption of the Constitution of 1789.
Jefferson was a posed to the Federalist position and
described himself as a democratic Republican defending
the rights of the states and theindividual against that of the

(01:45:58):
federal authorities. He believed that Hamilton was
promoting the interests of commercial Elites in the north
at the expense of the poor farmers of the South Jefferson
considered Hamilton his main political rival and a man whose
vision of government would create the conditions for the
kind of tyranny that the countryhad recently thrown off,

(01:46:19):
Hamilton proposed, the creation of a National Bank to manage the
national debt, enabling Congressto raise finances for government
expenditures. He also suggested consolidating
State debts into a national debtin effect granting the federal
government, the power of taxation to pay off those debts.
These proposals were supported by heavily indebted, northern

(01:46:41):
states, such as Massachusetts and Hamilton's, native, New
York, but opposed by Southern states, such as Virginia, and
North Carolina, which had managed their Finance is more.
Prudently. Thanks to the influence of
Jefferson's, political Ally and fellow Virginian James Madison.
The measure was defeated in the House of Representatives in
April, 1790 Keen to break the deadlock in Congress.

(01:47:05):
Jefferson and Hamilton came to adeal.
Hamilton's proposals were Allowed to pass.
But in return, the federal capital would be moved from the
north and Commercial Center of New York to a purpose-built city
for the south on a parcel of land known as the District of
Columbia by the banks of the Potomac River.

(01:47:25):
The arguments over domestic policy spilled over into foreign
policy Adams and Hamilton were Keen to repair relations with
Great Britain since they still regarded the British
constitution as the ideal form of government Jefferson on the
other hand, favored closer relations with revolutionary
France. However, from September 1792,

(01:47:47):
the revolution had turned bloodier as members of the
radical Jacobin Club sees control of the National Assembly
forcing Lafayette to go into Exile in fear for his life.
In 1793, the Jacobin leader maximiliano.
Robespierre Unleashed A Reign ofTerror, which saw thousands of
Frenchmen and women go to the guillotine, including King

(01:48:10):
Louie, the 16th and queen Marie Antoinette, even though the
Federalists warning about Anarchy seemed to be justified.
Jefferson did not abandon his support for France and the
revolution in his mind to do. So, would be to abandon the
ideals of The American Revolution.
Therefore, when the French Republic declared war on

(01:48:30):
Britain, on the first of February 1793 Jefferson
privately protested against Washington's, proclamation of
neutrality. But the Secretary of State's Pro
French cause was undermined by the visit of a French Envoy
Edmund, Charles Journey, who insulted Washington and tried to
provoke the Americans into hostilities against Britain.

(01:48:52):
By late 1793 the political tensions between Jefferson and
Hamilton reached Breaking Point.Both men told the president of
their intention to resign from office, although Washington,
succeeded in having Hamilton, stay on, he reluctantly,
accepted Jefferson's resignationon New, Year's Day 1794 for the

(01:49:13):
next two years, Jefferson lived in Monticello with his family.
In semi-retirement spending muchof his time.
Remodeling the house to a grander Italian design, although
he wrote to his friends and acquaintances about feeling
liberated at no longer being at the center of the political
debate, he continued to receive updates from political allies
about the latest developments indomestic and international

(01:49:36):
policy. For Jefferson and the
Republicans, the signs were not good.
Keen to avoid war with Britain Washington had dispatched, Chief
Justice John, Jay to London to negotiate a treaty signed in
November 1794. The ensuing Jay Treaty,
strengthened the trading relationship between Britain and
the United States being welcomedby the Federalists while

(01:50:00):
infuriating. The Republicans, the terms of
the treaty also, outraged Franceand it seemed as though
Washington's desire to prevent awar with Britain, might provoke
a war with France. After a bitter political battle.
The treaty was ratified by the senate in August 1795 and went
into affect the following February though.

(01:50:21):
It was only by the end of April,1796 that Congress granted
funding to the federal government to fulfill its treaty
obligations after a knife, edge vote, following this political
setback. And with Washington's second
term drawing to a close. The Republicans Looked among the
themselves for a challenger to the presidents', there was only

(01:50:42):
one possible option. On the 19th of September 1796
President Washington published his Farewell Address signaling.
His intention to retire from public life and not to seek a
third presidential term by limiting himself to two terms,
Washington set. A strong precedent which would
only be broken once in the next 200 years and Jefferson's

(01:51:06):
concerns about a presidency. For life, did not come to pass
in his farewell address Washington urged.
The country to remain United andwarned against the spirit of
party, which he argued would be a permanent source of political
instability and create the conditions for a despot to
emerge, promising order and stability, Washington witnessed.

(01:51:27):
How the disagreements between Jefferson and Hamilton
threatened to break his administration apart, but his
warnings went unheeded and Washington's retirement led to
the first competitive presidential election in
American history. The Federalists and Democratic
Republicans went into the election with their preferred
candidates, the former supportedJohn Adams for president while

(01:51:49):
the latter backed Jefferson. Under the Constitutional
Arrangements of the time. The president was chosen by a
college of electors. Each of whom would have two
votes. The candidate with the highest
number of votes would be elected, president provided he
received the support of more than 50% of electors, the
runner-up would become vice president.

(01:52:10):
If the top two were tied a vote in the House of Representatives
would determine the winner in Most states, the electors would
be chosen by the state legislatures and only in a
handful of states where they chose and buy a popular vote.
The electors usually made it public, who they would be voting
for, in the Electoral College. There was no campaigning as such

(01:52:31):
and everything depended. On political networks and
mobilizing support behind the scenes after the votes were
tallied Adams narrowly defeated Jefferson 701.
Vote to 68 on the 4th of March 1797.
John Adams took office as the second President of the United
States and Thomas, Jefferson became his vice president.

(01:52:54):
The president's and vice president had been close friends
and collaborators during the Revolutionary years, but the
disagreements between the Federalists and the Republicans
had caused them to drift apart. The fear of war, with either
Britain or France created a sense of permanent crisis in
American politics, which threatened the very existence of
the Young Nation in the spring of 1798, Adams revealed, that an

(01:53:18):
American mission of France had failed when Three French
officials codenamed, X, Y, and Zdemanded bribes, and an apology
for signing the Jay Treaty in order to resume cordial
relations. It was widely suspected that one
of the officials in question wasthe skillful but notoriously
corrupt, French foreign ministerCharlotte the French demands may

(01:53:41):
have been a standard request in European diplomatic
negotiations, but the Americans felt insulted and Jefferson
recognized. That once again, the actions of
the French government had undermined his political
position. President Adams prepared for war
and in July 1798. The so-called Quasi War broke
out and under which saw French attacks on American shipping In

(01:54:07):
order to protect National Security Adams, introduced a
series of laws known as the Alien and Sedition Acts, which
gave the president the power to deport resident, foreigners
considered a national security risk while making it illegal to
publish anything, which defamed the United States and its
government. Although Jefferson's worst fears
about despotic government were coming true.

(01:54:29):
He was Adams, vice president, and unable to attack the
government directly. But behind the scenes, he
encouraged his supporters to criticize the Alien and Sedition
Acts in the press and advice state governments on how to
resist the federal laws Jefferson's tenure, as vice
president. Was an unhappy one, finding
himself in the awkward. Position of being the de facto

(01:54:52):
leader of the opposition to an Administration.
He served in, in 1800 the government moved from its
Temporary Home of Philadelphia. To its permanent seat in the
city of Washington named after the first president who had Died
on the 14th of December, 1799. It was all.
So, election year, and Adams, and Jefferson geared up for a

(01:55:14):
rematch of their contests for years earlier.
The election of 1800. Proved to be one of the most
dramatic in the history of the United States in the spring of
that year. Thanks to the influence of
Senator Aaron Burr of New York, Jefferson's preferred candidate
for vice president. In the coming presidential
election, the Republicans were able to win a majority in the

(01:55:36):
New York legislature which wouldin turn lead to New York
appointing electors voting for The Republican ticket in the
presidential election. And by early December 1800
Jefferson was quietly confident that he would succeed Adams as
president. However, when all the results
came in Jefferson and Burr wouldtie on 73 votes each and it was

(01:55:59):
up to the House of Representatives to decide where
the Jefferson or Burr, would become president, as the
Federalists continued to have a majority in the house.
The Republicans were afraid thatthey might cancel the election
altogether. This was far-fetched, but at the
very least, it gave them an opportunity to cause mischief
and split the Republicans by voting for Burr and in the

(01:56:23):
presidency to Jefferson their most prominent opponent, and
Jefferson himself. Began to suspect the Ambitions
of his running mate. The house met on the 11th of
February 1801 to break. The tie between Jefferson and
Burr for six days. The house was unable to make a
decision while political negotiations, between Jefferson

(01:56:43):
and the Federalists took place behind closed doors, the
Federalists were prepared to make Jefferson president.
If he promised not to dismiss all the Federalist officeholders
and replaced them with his own men.
And if he would maintain the public debt and the department
of the Navy, both Federalist institutions established during
the Washington and Adams years. But Jefferson refused to be tied

(01:57:07):
down to any conditions. Nevertheless, on the 17th of
February Jefferson was, eventually elected president on
the 36th ballot after several Federalists switched their vote
in his favor. It appears that Jefferson owed
the president to an unexpected Source in the form of Alexander
Hamilton who had opposed both Adams and Jefferson in the

(01:57:30):
election. He was able to pears.
Several Federalists to switch their vote, he believed that
Jefferson's pragmatism and his existing record in office, was
preferable to whom he through New York, politics and regarded
as an unprincipled, and self-serving individual, the
clash between Hamilton and Burr,would eventually lead to the two

(01:57:51):
men, fighting a duel in 1804, inwhich Hamilton was killed.
At noon on the 4th of March 1801, Thomas Jefferson was sworn
in as president of the United States in his inaugural address.
He appealed for Unity among the warring factions.
Every difference of opinion is not a difference of principle.

(01:58:12):
We have been called by differentnames Brethren of the same
principle. We are all Republicans, we are
all Federalists the appeal to moderation was well received
those Federalists who feared theJefferson, might dismantle, the
federal institutions created by his predecessors were mistaken
though. Jefferson did appoint key

(01:58:33):
Republican allies to his cabinetas Secretary of State.
The new president appointed James Madison, his Virginia
Protege who had been a source ofpolitical advice for almost 30
years while the Pennsylvania Republican Albert Gallatin, a
prominent leader of the opposition to the Alien and
Sedition Acts in the House of Representatives was named

(01:58:54):
Secretary of the Treasury. During his eight years in the
presidency, Jeffrey Jefferson would scale down Federal
obligations. Reducing the national debt from
83 million dollars to 57 milliondollars and cutting military
spending to pre-war levels. He did not believe it was
worthwhile to participate in an arms race with the European.

(01:59:16):
Great powers and preferred to remain neutral in their Wars
with each other. Jefferson's presidency is mostly
associated with America's Westwood expansion.
Although he had never ventured west of Virginia.
As a child. He had been drawn to his
father's experiences at the Western frontier.
The leaders of the early American Republic.

(01:59:38):
Shared the anxiety that the European powers in North
America, primarily Britain and Spain as well as the Indian
tribes would try to prevent America's Westward Expansion,
beyond the Mississippi River. Indeed, these worries increased
with the third Treaty of San ildefonso of October. 1800 a
secret Franco, Spanish agreement, whereby Spain agreed

(02:00:00):
to give France the sizeable Louisiana Territory west of the
Mississippi. In exchange for some Italian
lands under French control. France's leader at the time, was
first Consul in Napoleon Bonaparte the Revolutionary
General who had seized power in November, 1799, and put an end
to 10 years of political instability in Paris while.

(02:00:22):
Napoleon seemed to create a new North American Empire.
The prospect of Paul Jefferson as the important port of New
Orleans, the economic Lifeline of the southern states, would
fall under French control to prevent this from happening and
to secure the national interest.The Francophile Jefferson was
even prepared to Ally with Britain before that however, he

(02:00:46):
would offer to buy New Orleans from Napoleon.
The president entrusted James Monroe with the delicate task of
handling these negotiations. Alongside the American
ambassador in Paris Robert DevinMonroe had recently been
governor of Virginia and had been a close friend of Jefferson
and Madison's. Since the 1780s developments in

(02:01:08):
early 1803 made the sale of New Orleans attractive to Napoleon
as the uneasy peace between France and Britain.
Signed at ammiel in March, 1802 seemed destined to collapse with
both sides blaming the other forfailing to comply with its
terms. Furthermore Napoleon's Ambitions
in the Americas have been thwarted in the former French

(02:01:30):
colony of sound of Mac. Modern day Haiti, where a
military force, he sent to crushthe slave Uprising.
Had been decimated by yellow fever.
Unable to retake the richest colony in the Caribbean and with
Louisiana vulnerable to potential.
British attack. The polio decided to cash in and
proposed selling the entire Louisiana.

(02:01:50):
Territory to the United States for 15 million dollars, Monroe
and Livingston signed the treatyat the end of April, even though
they had only been authorized tobuy New Orleans for 10 million
dollars. News of the treaty was announced
on the 4th of July 1803. The 27th anniversary of
Independence and the Louisiana Purchase was ratified by

(02:02:12):
Congress in October. Jefferson was widely, acclaimed
for his deal-making, but opponents claimed that he had
acted unconstitutionally since Congress had only allocated 10
million dollars for the purchase.
Indeed, Jefferson himself may have had reservations about the
expansion of executive power. Had he not been the president?

(02:02:34):
Overnight, the United States of America had more than doubled in
size. In fact, neither the French nor
the American negotiators are thepurchase, had any precise idea
where its borders were early in 1803.
President Jefferson had already received Congressional approval
for an expedition to the Pacificto survey and document the

(02:02:55):
western territories and appointed.
As its leader, his secretary Captain Maryweather, Louis of
Virginian veteran of the Revolutionary War in the summer.
Louis invited fellow, Virginia, native Lieutenant.
William Clark to be co-leader ofthe Expedition.
And as both men, made their preparations and recruited men
in their Corps of Discovery. Jefferson gave instructions to

(02:03:19):
explore the newly acquired LewisLouisiana, Territory, departing
from Saint. Louis on the Mississippi, in the
spring of 1804 Lewis and Clark reached, the Pacific coast in
November 1805, completing the round trip by September. 1806
Jefferson, and The Wider American public.
Followed news of the Expedition with great interest reading

(02:03:41):
accounts of their encounters with Indian tribes, and the
natural landscapes that confronted them on their
Journey. Prompting the president to set
aside a room in the presidentialMansion to display a collection
of natural artifacts sent to himby Lewis and Clark.
For Jefferson these western territories represented, new
opportunities for the American people.

(02:04:02):
To cultivate the lands reflecting his ideal of an
agrarian Republic. Jefferson had won widespread
popularity during his first termby lowering taxes and signing
the Louisiana Purchase. And while his Federalist
opponents remained vocal in the Press, he handsomely won
re-election in 1804 with 162 electoral votes to 14.

(02:04:26):
The Federalists position was so weak that Jefferson was more
concerned about opposition from his own side.
Including those Republicans who claimed that Jefferson had
compromised too much with the Federalist, cause a further
concern came in the form of VicePresident, Aaron Burr.
Who had killed, Alexander Hamilton in an Infamous duel on

(02:04:47):
the 11th of July 1804, the killing of Hamilton, who was
widely, mourned and celebrated as one of the chief architects
of the United States government ended burst political career,
and Jefferson picked George Clinton of New York.
As his running mate for vice president.
In the 1804 election, Jefferson was happy to be rid of Bear.

(02:05:08):
But in 1806 rumors, reached him that his former vice president,
was planning on leading a military force, either to take
control of Louisiana or Spanish,Mexico, or even to overthrow the
government in Washington Jefferson, had his Congressional
allies introduced measures to allow the president to use
federal troops to quell internalinsurrections, another measure

(02:05:31):
he would surely have opposed, had he not been President
Jefferson accused of treason andgave orders for his arrest.
The form of vice president was detained in March 1807 and put
on trial for which, he was eventually acquitted.
As Jefferson was busy dealing with domestic security, the
prospect of war with Britain. Once again reared its head in

(02:05:54):
June 1807 after the British shipHMS leopard opened fire on the
USS Chesapeake. When the latter refused a
British request to search the ship, for deserters the ACT,
outraged, American public opinion, and Jefferson was
prepared to declare war. However he knew that the United
States was in no position to fight a naval war with Britain

(02:06:17):
instead on the 22nd of December 1807, he signed the Embargo Act
in to law. Forbidding American Trade, not
only with Britain but all foreign countries.
Although the Embargo prevented war and stimulated the
development of American industryto replace imported goods.
The policy led to higher prices for food and other basic

(02:06:38):
necessities and proved highly unpopular in a turning of the
tables. The Federalists were now
protesting about President Jefferson's Executive power
though Jefferson's preferred successor, James Madison, easily
won the 1808 presidential election.
After leaving the presidency, Thomas Jefferson returned to

(02:06:58):
Monticello on the 15th of March 1809 where he would spend the
remaining 17 years of his life. The 65 year old former president
enjoyed playing with his grandchildren and attended to
their every need. As for his children, with Sally
Hemmings who were similar in age, Jefferson treated them, the
same as all his other slaves andwhile visitors to Monticello

(02:07:22):
would remark privately on how some of the slaves bore a
striking resemblance to the Master of the House, Jefferson
would never pay attention to such talk.
He bassed in the glow of a respectable Elder Statesman in
his Hilltop Retreat. Full of reminders of yesteryear
including busts and portraits ofhis fellow founding fathers

(02:07:43):
Washington Adams. Even Hamilton a surprise to many
visitors who had witnessed theirbitter rivalry.
At the encouragement of some friends and far removed.
From the political fights of the1790s Jefferson was happy to
resume his correspondence and friendship with John Adams.
As the two men reminisced about the past and shared their hopes

(02:08:06):
and anxieties for the future of the nation.
In 1812, the same year, the two men, resumed their
correspondence, the war between Great Britain, and the United
States, which Jefferson had tried to avoid had finally
broken out although British troops burned, Washington.
DC in August 1814, the final piece settlement restored, the

(02:08:26):
pre-war status quo, and the United States was safe for the
time, being secure from externalenemies, by the end of the
decade, disagreements, over whether Missouri should be
admitted to the Union as a free state, or a slave state,
threatened to tear the nation apart.
Once again, writing to Adams, Jefferson could see that the

(02:08:47):
question of slavery was a far greater threat to Unity than any
of their political battles. But while Jefferson continued
writing and thinking about slavery in the Twilight of his
life, this was a political battle to be fought by Future.
Generations of politicians for this very purpose.
He founded the University of Virginia in Charlottesville in

(02:09:09):
1819, hoping that it would nurture political leaders in the
values of Liberty and freedom, which he held dear After 1820
Jefferson's Health was in steadydecline.
Although, in 1824, the 81 year old was still able to meet his
old friend Lafayette, who was visiting the United States on a

(02:09:31):
farewell tour. Receiving great acclaim
everywhere, he went and catchingup with his old revolutionary
comrades, including the 8080 year old, John Adams, in 1826,
the 50th anniversary of Independence, neither Adams, nor
Jefferson were in a condition tojoin in the celebrations, in
Washington, by the end of June, both were Gravely ill on the 4th

(02:09:54):
of July. John Adams died at 6:00 in the
evening at his Massachusetts. Home at 90 years old, the dying
man's final words to those gathered around his bedside
recalled, his friend and rival, Thomas Jefferson, survives,
unbeknownst to him. The 83 or Old Jefferson had died
at 1 in the afternoon, 50 years to the day after his Declaration

(02:10:19):
of Independence was adopted by the Continental Congress.
Thomas Jefferson is routinely considered one of the greatest
Statesmen in the history of the United States.
Born a subject of the British Empire.
His political views radicalized over time.
And by his early thirties, he had written one of the most
consequential documents in worldhistory.

(02:10:40):
A powerful statement of Universal human rights and
Liberties which continues to inspire The Defenders of Freedom
against dictators and despots around the world to this day.
He dominated American politics for half a century serving as
Secretary of State and vice president before climbing to the
highest office in the land. As president, he doubled the

(02:11:03):
size of the United States of America, not through Conquest,
but through diplomacy opening upnew lands and economic
opportunities for the American people throughout his life.
He defended the rights of the individual against the threat of
the tyrannical State. His house at Monticello, is a
site of pilgrimage for many. Americans and attracts half a

(02:11:25):
million visitors, a year. Yet the universal human rights.
So eloquently preached by Jefferson did not apply within
the walls of his Monticello estate.
Since DNA testing has given strong evidence that Jefferson
was the father of Sally hemings children.
He has been labeled a hypocrite,especially among

(02:11:45):
African-Americans. He may have opposed slavery and
principle but he was happy enough to keep his children as
slaves. And only set them free as part
of the agreement, he made with their mother in France, unlike
Washington, who freed all his slaves in his will nearly all of
Jefferson's slaves remained in bondage at his death.

(02:12:07):
Historical figures should be judged by the standards of their
time, but in Jefferson's time, there were plenty of Americans
who opposed slavery both in private and in public, he had
the foresight to recognize that slavery.
Could tear apart the union, but while he was prepared to fight
political battles against his form of friends in, Defense of

(02:12:29):
the individual rights of white Americans, he was happy to keep
slaves at Monticello. And while in national office
made, no effort to encourage hispolitical base in the
slave-holding South to give up their slaves.
Indeed, Jefferson's famous wordsin the Declaration of
Independence stating that it wasself-evident, that all men were

(02:12:51):
created equal, would prove to beproblematic due to the fact that
slavery. Perpetuated, across numerous
States for nearly a century after the Declaration.
This is the contradiction at theheart of the Declaration of
Independence that the implicit message conveyed by, it was that
only white men were created equal.

(02:13:11):
What do you think of Thomas Jefferson?
Was he the great Statesman who championed individual liberty,
against tyrannical, regimes, andcharted.
America's path to Greatness? Or was he a hypocrite whose talk
of Rights and Liberties was? Merely intended to protect the
wealth and prosperity of the Virginia Slave holding class to

(02:13:33):
which he belonged. Please let us know in the
comments section. And in the meantime, thank you
very much for watching. The Man known to history as Dr.
Benjamin Franklin was born on the 17th of January 1706 in

(02:13:55):
Boston. The capital of the Massachusetts
Bay Colony in a small two-room house.
His father was Josiah Franklin born in 1657 in the
northamptonshire village of Acton in England to A working
class Protestant family who for Generations were known for their
intelligence creativity and independent thinking being a

(02:14:16):
younger son, Josiah left. Acton in the 1670s to make his
way in the world, moving to the Oxfordshire town of Banbury to
work as a silk and Clothier. After noticing that many
Protestants were sailing to Massachusetts Josiah realized
that the opportunities availablein America were greater than
anything he could ever have in England.

(02:14:37):
So in 1683 he and his wife and child and their three children,
say to Boston Josiah became a Tallow Chandler, making candles
and soap from animal fat becausethere was little need for a dire
in the colony. And his first wife died after
the birth of their seventh. Child in 1689.

(02:15:01):
Josiah soon. Found a virtuous woman to be his
second wife. A buyer Folger born in 1667, was
the daughter of Peter and Mary fogger and the youngest of 10
children. Her parents were Flemish
Protestants whose family had fled to England in the 16th
century because of their harsh treatment during the reign of
Charles. The first they decided to

(02:15:22):
emigrate to Boston in 1635 Josiah and a buyer Marie.
Married in 1689. A buyer would bring Josiah
another 10 children with Benjamin being the youngest boy,
Benjamin proved to be a precocious child, who many
agreed was quote. Generally, the leader among the
boys. He loved to play along the banks

(02:15:44):
of the Charles River and swim sometimes experimenting with
makeshift propellers, so he could move faster through the
water. He also loved to fly kites, and
once combined, his love of swimming with his love of kites,
by setting a kite to fly on a windy day over a pond.
While floating on his back, to let the wind pull him across the

(02:16:05):
water. His family believed in
education, so they taught him toread at an early age to help
educate his children. Further, just Sia often had a
sensible friend or neighbor overfor dinner and conversations.
Always included some ingenious or youthful topic for discourse
to improve the minds of his children.
Benjamin Loved These Diner conversations to prepare him to

(02:16:30):
possibly attend Harvard. Josiah sent Benjamin at age 8 to
the Boston Latin School, Benjamin made rapid progressing
to the top of his class and quickly moving to the next grade
level. However, he was taken out of
school one year later, when Josiah realized that Benjamin
was not suited for the clergy because of his clever mind and

(02:16:51):
rebellious nature. So he sent Benjamin to study
writing and arithmetic for a year at an academy Run by
George. Brownell Josiah took 10 year old
Benjamin, out of school to work in the Chandler's shop to help
support the family, Benjamin hated working over the boiling
cauldrons of smelly animal fat and resented, the tedious task

(02:17:12):
of cutting Wix. He once expressed his wish to go
to Sea, which is farther, resoundingly, refused him.
Realizing he had to find a tradefor his son.
Josiah, took him on a tour of the city's Craftsman.
These tours. Instilled in Benjamin, a
lifelong, respect for Tradesmen and offered him an insight into
skills. He would later use as a

(02:17:33):
scientist at age 12 after finding nothing to his liking.
Benjamin began an apprenticeshipwith his brother James h21 who
had recently returned from England after completing his
apprenticeship, as a printer. Benjamin soon, realized he had
found his life's calling Few would dispute that Benjamin

(02:17:53):
Franklin, personifies, the Age of Enlightenment, an era of
intense societal and scientific change after almost two
centuries of religious wars because of the Protestant
Reformation starting in 1517, when the augustinian monk Martin
Luther protested. The corruption.
He saw within the Catholic Church, the people of Europe

(02:18:14):
were tired of constant, religious hatred, and looked for
answers outside of religion to explain how their world worked
the resulting. Scientific Revolution was
propelled for wood by the invention of the printing press
by Johannes Gutenberg in 1440. This revolution of ideas laid,
the foundation for the Age of Enlightenment during this time.

(02:18:38):
Great philosophers, such as Renee Decker, Thomas Hobbs John
Locke, David Hume and Voltaire actively questioned, societal
values and sought answers through human logic scient.
Exploration and Discovery also excelled during this period,
every day newspapers were filledwith mentions of new scientific

(02:18:59):
or technological innovations. From the likes of Francis,
Bacon, Sir, Isaac Newton, John Bartram Godfrey, Wilhelm
Antelope nates. Benjamin.
Franklin was born into this world of free.
Flying ideas and embraced it. Wholeheartedly While it may seem
strange to us to say, that Benjamin Franklin began his

(02:19:20):
adult life at age 12. It was common at this time.
For young people, to begin training for a trade early
Benjamin. Initially resented the idea of
being bound to his brother for nine years.
However, he soon realized that working in the printer sharp
meant he had access to not only newspapers, but also books
pamphlets and other writings as well as the opportunity to

(02:19:43):
interact with some of the most powerful people in their
society, through the printing ofgovernment documents reports,
legal forms, and legal tender. Benjamin learned fast, and soon,
became proficient at typesettingand other printing tasks.
He also worked hard to improve himself by reading anything
available to him, to refine his writing style, he practiced by

(02:20:06):
copying essay samples. Such, as those found in the
British publication, The Spectator.
He also liked to debate, he and a co-worker, John Collins once.
Argued the question of the benefits of educating women
spurred on by Ben's reading of Daniel defoe's an essay upon
projects which discussed this issue, he learned that subtlety

(02:20:28):
rather than direct attacks in debate through tactics promoted
by Socrates and others worked best.
All of these experiences taught Benjamins skills that he would
use in later life. Benjamin initially worked on the
Boston Gazette, which was owned by William Brooker, but operated
by James Franklin, Benjamin's brother.

(02:20:50):
After two years of working for Brooker, James launched his own
paper, the weekly New England, Quran in 1721 this tracked, not
only reported the news, but alsopromoted literary writing and
soon gained a reputation for being boldly independent.
Since his brother always needed copy, Benjamin decided to take

(02:21:13):
his writing practice and put it to good use.
So he wrote an essay disguising his handwriting and using the
pseudonym silence dogood a widowonce finished.
He slid his essay under the print shops door.
The staff was so excited by the essay that they published it in
the Monday, the 2nd of April 1722 edition of the Kurt, this

(02:21:35):
was Benjamin's first published essay surprisingly.
This 16 year old boy managed to Channel A Woman's view to
Perfection as she talked about, her mixed feelings regarding
getting remarried, the need for arms for spinsters.
And other political and societalissues, Benjamin wrote a total
of 14 silence dogood essays before he was caught in October,

(02:21:57):
her success helped fuel Benjamin's Pride it all.
So infuriated his brother That summer Benjamin had another
opportunity to show his metal, when his brother James, spent
three weeks in jail without trial, after publicly
questioning, the government's efforts to control piracy, this
left Benjamin in charge of the print shop, in spite of his

(02:22:20):
tender age. He published three editions of
the Quran. However, James found himself in
trouble. Again, in early 1723, when he
wrote an article on hypocrisy inreligion, although silence, do
good managed to get away with writing on a similar topic with
her prudish, almost naive voice,James direct, tone offended,

(02:22:41):
government and religious officials.
The general court order James Franklin to cease publishing the
quran's to get around this little problem.
They remove James's name on the master headboard.
If their relationship had been fraught before this with James
nasty, temper and periodic, beatings of Benjamin it became

(02:23:04):
even more. So after Benjamin demonstrated,
just how talented he was, it didnot help that to make this
Masthead change to their paper, they had to release Benjamin
from his indenture agreement. Early only to turn around later
to create a new one. Benjamin chafed at this with
only a few years left, in his indenture, he decided to run

(02:23:25):
away. He sold most of his personal
books to raise money for travel,fare and secretly booked passage
on a ship to New York, which sailed on the 21st of September
1723, Once in New York, Benjaminmet the sole printer in the city
William Bradford, who had written editorials that
supported James Franklin's efforts to address political and

(02:23:48):
social problems in Boston. He had no job for Benjamin but
he suggested that he continued on to Philadelphia to inquire of
his son. Andrew Bradford.
Also a printer Benjamin quickly made his way to Philadelphia and
met with the younger Bradford. Although Andrew also had no work
for him, he suggested that he took with the other printer, in

(02:24:08):
town, Samuel khima, who did havean opening happy to have found
work. Benjamin soon, made friends with
the other Clarks in the shop. He also made a strong impression
on important clients. One fateful meeting was with Sir
William, Keith then, governor ofPennsylvania.
Governor Keith was impressed by the young man's pluck and took

(02:24:29):
an interest in his future duringconversations of a meals at
local taverns and invitations todinner at his home.
He promised Benjamin help in Reconciling him to his family.
And in setting up his own shop in April 1724.
Benjamin went home to Boston to visit his family, with the
letter from the governor in hand, encouraging Josiah to

(02:24:51):
finance. His son's new business venture
while proud of his son. Josiah chose not to provide
financial support. During this visit Benjamin met
with cotton mother, the religious Sage had learned a
Benjamin's recent success in Philadelphia and his bravado
around Boston. He decided to invite Benjamin

(02:25:12):
over to review. His large Library.
During this visit, while they traveled through a narrow Hall
in the home mother, suddenly shouted, stoop stoop, Benjamin
not understanding the warning whacked his head on a low beam.
While Benjamin rubbed, his saw her head mother said, let this
be a caution to you. Not always to hold your head.

(02:25:33):
So high, stoop young man stoop as you go through this world and
you'll miss many hard lumps. Benjamin soon learned what
Mather had hoped to teach him when Benjamin returned to
Philadelphia, he met with Governor Keith, upon learning
that Josiah refused to provide money for Benjamin to start a
printing shop of his own. The governor declared that he

(02:25:56):
would do it. But first Benjamin had to go to
London to purchase supplies. He promised to provide a list of
required materials and a letter of credit.
Benjamin assumed all would be well, yet in November 1724, he
found himself sailing to Englandwithout these papers.
All he had was a fellow printingclerk, James Ralph for

(02:26:17):
companionship. The arrived in London on
Christmas Eve. He now understood mother's
warning. Luckily a fellow passenger
befriended Benjamin his name wasThomas denim, a Quaker Merchant.
It was from denim that he learned about Governor Keith's
character, with advice, from denim Benjamin resolved to make
the best of a bad situation. He found an inexpensive Place to

(02:26:41):
live and landed, a printing job at the Printing House of Samuel.
Palmer Ralph on the other hand, tried, several professions all
the Dismal failure, but they hadfun on Benjamin's income
attending the theater and other entertainments.
They eventually had a falling out over a girl.
During his time, in London, Benjamin's ideas about life

(02:27:04):
began to solidify after reading William, wollaston's, the
religion of nature. Delineated, he had a revelation
Wollaston explained that the only way to understand God's
Divine character was to study science and nature Benjamin.
Agreed, he would eventually become a nominal deist, where
followers believe in a Divine being who established the world

(02:27:27):
and then saw fit to, just let itmanage itself afterwards.
He had Benjamins stood apart from that belief, because he
realized that all organized, religions served as a medium for
encouraging people to do. Good works to help others.
At this time, Benjamin moved to a better job with better.
Pay at John Watts printing houseand began to feel safe in his

(02:27:49):
new life yet. When denim told Benjamin he
planned to return to Philadelphia, and wanted to make
him his clerk at his store, their Benjamin decided to take
the offer one reason. Was the denim provided a good
example of how to conduct oneself that benchman wanted to
model, for example, before they left for America.
Denim through a lavish dinner, for his creditors during the

(02:28:12):
meal, he thanked them profusely for their assistance and at the
end of the meal asked them to look under their dinner plates,
there, they found their paymentswith interest, this impressed
Benjamin, On the voyage, back toAmerica, in July 1726 Benjamin,
resolved to live, a more effective life through better

(02:28:33):
Behavior. He had seen through Ralphs and
others behaviors, how people canbe led astray by, not
controlling their desires and emotions.
Thus, he established four rules of conduct summarized, as first
to live frugally and pay all debts, second to only speak the
truth. Third to work hard as industry

(02:28:55):
and patients with the only way to True prosperity and forth to
speak ill of no one about 10 years later, he would more
formally. Codify these ideas through what
he called. The plan for attaining moral
perfection. The plan contained 12.
Virtues Temperance. Eat not to dullness.

(02:29:15):
Drink, not to Elevation silence,speak not.
But what may benefit others? Or yourself avoid trifling
conversation order? Let all of your things have
their places, Let each part of your business have its time
resolution resolved to perform what you ought perform without
fail. What you resolve frugality?

(02:29:38):
Make no expense, but to do good to others or yourself.
That is waste, nothing industry,lose, no time.
Be always employed in something,useful, cut off all unnecessary,
actions since, charity use no hurtful deceit, think,
innocently and justly, and if you speak speak accordingly,

(02:30:00):
Justice wrong, none by doing injuries or omitting the
benefits that are your duty moderation, avoid extremes, 4
bear resenting injuries. So much, as you think they
deserve cleanliness, tolerate Nouncleanliness in body clothes,
or habitation Tranquility, be not Disturbed at Trifles, or it

(02:30:22):
accidents, common, or unavoidable.
Chastity. Rarely use venery or sexual
Indulgence, but for health or offspring never to dullness
weakness or the injury of your own or another's, peace or
reputation. He purchased a little book to
track his Daily Progress. He dutifully reviewed his

(02:30:43):
conduct each evening marking, those virtues where he slipped
during the day and resolved to work on those faults.
The next day, he would refer to this little book for the
remainder of his life. He later admitted, that order
gave him the most trouble. One time he showed the little
book to a quaker friend, who remarked that Benjamin had
forgotten to add an important virtue.

(02:31:05):
That he was often guilty of violating Benjamin quickly added
a 13th virtue, humility with thegold to imitate Jesus and
Socrates Benjamin loved working as a merchant and was good at
it. However, disaster struck when
denim died suddenly and did not leave Benjamin the shop in his

(02:31:26):
will, which meant he had to obtain work in 1727.
He found himself back working for kymer, but this time, as a
manager Benjamin had numerous successes including creating the
first Foundry in America for casting printer type molds.
When the New Jersey assembly awarded Kyma the account to
create new paper money Kyma, selected Benjamin to do the work

(02:31:48):
a year later. Benjamin joined a co-worker who
Meredith in establishing his ownPrinting House.
At this time, Benjamin also began his lifelong Endeavor to
be civically minded. His first effort was to create
what he called, the leather apron Club.
But most called it. The Gentoo, this group consisted

(02:32:10):
of fellow Tradesmen, who wanted to improve themselves through
Reading and intellectual conversation on matters of the
day being fond of creating procedures.
Benjamin wrote a list of 20 questions to serve as the
foundation of their conversations such as have you
lately. Observed, any encroachments on
the just Liberty of the people or have you lately heard of any

(02:32:32):
citizens thriving well, and by what means these conversations
became the inspiration for public service ideas that led to
the founding of the first subscription library in America
known as the library company of Philadelphia in 1731 which still
exists today. The development of a volunteer

(02:32:53):
fire force, the union Fire Company 173.
And the creation of the Academy of Philadelphia 1751 renamed.
The University of Pennsylvania in 1791.
These were only a handful of their, many Civic.
Pursuits. As one of three printers in
town, Benjamin had to make his Mark.

(02:33:14):
He used his talents by writing under the pseudonyms.
Martha, careful. And Celia short face and wrote
his Busy Body essays after a year of stiff competition.
Kyma, finally, folded Benjamin bought him out and became the
owner and publisher of the Pennsylvania Gazette in October,
1729, Benjamin continued, to write essays one of his most

(02:33:38):
famous was the apology for printers published in 1731 in
which he expressed a clear defense of free speech in the
press. It was obvious, he had learned
some important lessons from his brother, James's experiences to
this day. It is considered one of the most
important arguments in support of freedom of the press.

(02:33:58):
This essay got the attention of the Pennsylvania assembly, which
brought more businesses his way.He was soon asked to join the
Freemasons as well, which he didin 1731.
Officially successful, Benjamin renewed, the friendship he had
with Deborah Reid before he had sailed for England, she had

(02:34:20):
married in the interim to a rogue, John Rogers, who
abandoned her leaving a trail ofdeath behind him because they
did not know if Rogers was stillalive the resolved, the
situation by pursuing a common law marriage which they
consummated in September 1730, it proved to be a fruitful and
positive marriage for both Benjamin called her his good and

(02:34:43):
faithful helpmate. Around this time a surprise
appeared in the form of an illegitimate child.
Father by Benjamin named William, franklyn born sometime
between April, 7th, 1930, and 1731.
The date is uncertain. The mother of this child has
never been disclosed Benjamin took responsibility for the

(02:35:05):
child and Deborah accepted serving as the baby surrogate
mother. Although some think she may have
been his mother, we will never know, for sure.
Deborah did give Benjamin two children of their own.
Only one group to adulthood Sarah, born in 1743, their son.
Francis was born in, 1732 but died for years later of smallpox

(02:35:28):
his death haunted Benjamin for the rest of his life because he
had considered inoculating his child, but had not found the
time to do it. Benjamin also continued to
contemplate the meaning of life through deism and his life
experiences, he concluded that there was a clear connection
between serving his fellow man and honoring God, he manifested

(02:35:51):
this idea through actions that filled a community need such as
those mentioned earlier, in the Civic, Pursuits achieved by
Benjamin and the Gentoo, he alsosaw no contradiction with this
belief while building his media Empire.
His first step in this effort was to publish an annual
Almanac, which was a popular wayto provide information about

(02:36:14):
seasonal, weather predictions, for the coming year, and advice
on topics ranging from marriage and wealth to Friendship.
If done. Right, it could serve the public
good by providing useful advice that could make life more
pleasant and productive for everyone.
He wrote it under the Sydney of Richard Saunders, the first
edition of Poor Richard's Almanac was published in 1732,

(02:36:38):
And ran for another 25 years through this medium.
He wrote some of his most famousmaxims such as early to bed
early to rise makes a man healthy wealthy and wise, God
helps them who help themselves and he, that lies down with
dogs, shall rise up with fleas. It proved to be incredibly

(02:36:59):
profitable. His increase in wealth and
prominence helped him acquire two key government posts that
pulled him even deeper into governmental Affairs in 1736 the
Pennsylvania assembly chose Benjamin to serve as its clerk
it. Not only provided a healthy
monetary income but also put himin contact with the leaders of

(02:37:20):
the day and provided him with a front row seat to the workings
of government. The next year, Benjamin was
offered the commission to be Philadelphia's postmaster.
Again, a lucrative governmental position that served the public
good. Always want to enjoy good
conversation with an open flow of ideas.
Benjamin made a proposal to create what could be considered

(02:37:42):
an intercolonial gentle in May 1743?
He published a circular entitled, a proposal, for
promoting useful knowledge amongthe British plantations in
America. He explained the concept in
detail emphasizing that because he served as both postmaster and
printer, he could function as the collector of ideas,

(02:38:03):
basically, scientists and intellectuals could send their
reports to him through the post and he could create a booklet of
abstracts of these ideas that could be sent out regularly to
all members. That way, the great minds of
America could share their ideas amongst one another.
He suggested a name for this newgroup, The American

(02:38:24):
philosophical Society, it began meeting in the spring of 1744
but was slow to start. However eventually it became
very Active and continues publication today.
Ever since the British and French first settled, the North
American continent, they had vied for the support of Native
Americans. This led to a series of four

(02:38:48):
Wars King William's war in 1688 to 1698, Queen, Anne's war in
1702 to 1713. King George's War in 1744 to
1748 and the Seven Years War in 1754, to 1763.
Each had a European component tovarying degrees.

(02:39:09):
Although there had been little action directly in Pennsylvania,
there was a growing concern for those settlers out on the Far
West, and portions of the colony.
What made things worse? Were two main factors Quakers.
Who refused to bear arms, due totheir religious convictions and
a proprietary governor, who prevented the assembly from
taxing, the governor's lands in order to raise funds to equip

(02:39:32):
the militia. During the King George's War in
1747, Benjamin stepped into The Fray.
By making a radical suggestion. He proposed through a pamphlet
entitled plain truth to create amilitary force, that would be
independent of the Pennsylvania colonial government.
He stated all so that this new militia would run democratically

(02:39:55):
with no class distinctions officers would be elected by the
men not appointed based on wealth and status or by a
government official. He received a positive response
to furnish this new military association with cannons and
related equipment. He organized a lottery that
raised 3,000 pounds, although this Association never saw

(02:40:18):
action, the incident had a profound effect in America by
teaching American's that they should look to themselves.
Rather than the British government, in times of need
Benjamin also made a lasting enemy in the colonies proprietor
Thomas Penn. In 1748, Benjamin Had become
financially secure enough that he could launch into a new phase

(02:40:41):
of his life. As a retired Tradesman with time
now to explore his other interests, what he called his
scientific amusements, he turnedover the operation of his
printing house to his Foreman, David Hall, but continued to own
it and many of his other business ventures.
It was a smooth transition because he had already used his

(02:41:02):
newspaper and Almanac as platforms to discuss natural
phenomenon for years. He also took the lessons in
humility learned early, in life and applied them to his
scientific Pursuits. His goal was to make any
discoveries useful to someone and he really took credit or
applied for a patent. He did his work for the common

(02:41:24):
good. In 1743.
Benjamin had an auspicious meeting Dr. Archibald Spencer
from Scotland came to Boston to present his traveling scientific
show. When Benjamin happened to be
visiting family, Benjamin attended, although the whole
show fascinated him what caught his attention.
Most was the rubbing of a glass tube leading to the creation of

(02:41:48):
electrical Sparks that the demonstrator could pull out for
several feet when Dr. Spencer came to Philadelphia in 1747.
He, inquired of the doctor and asked how he could also acquire
a similar glass tube. He soon ordered the equipment
through his contact in London, Peter Collinson, as well as
Contracting Philadelphia Crosmanto make particular pieces of

(02:42:11):
equipment. With the key equipment, in hand,
Benjamin began experiments with electricity in Earnest.
He soon learned that the glass jars did not create the spark
but only collected it he theorized that there must be
negative and positive charges that either pulled things
together or repelled them based upon the charge.

(02:42:32):
He then experimented with materials and their level of
conductivity he found that a sharp pointed piece of metal,
drew the spark but a blunt one did not draw a charges
effectively and if grounded it did not charge at all, he then
began experiments to capture andstore electricity using glass

(02:42:52):
jars called lightning jars afterthe Dutchtown where the were
first created. He covered the outside of the
jars with metal foil but inside there was led water or metal
with the glass serving as insulation.
He used to charge the interior contents, what he learned was
that if the interior content Wascharged the outside foil had an

(02:43:16):
equal and opposite charge. He discovered that it was the
glass the electricity, not the contents, all the metal foil.
So he took this a step further and stacked small piece of
glass, edged them with metal andwhite them together.
Creating what? Today we call the electric

(02:43:36):
battery. In 1749.
He noticed that these electricalSparks and lightning had at
least 12 similar attributes. He wondered if lightning was
really a form of electricity up to this point.
No one had proven it. He thought of a way one might
prove it and wrote his thoughts,down in two letters, he sent to

(02:43:56):
Collinson, who then forwarded these to the Royal Society.
In London, the society publishedhis letters in the gentleman's
magazine. In 1750, these letters were
translated into French. Two years later, Benjamin became
an international sensation when incident in 52 called the Buffon
and Tomas. France Alibaba led a group of

(02:44:19):
scientists in a demonstration ofthis experiment in front of the
French King. Louis, the 15th, it worked
Benjamin later, tried this experiment himself with his
famous kite and key experiment. This discovery led the creation
of the lightning rod which protects tall buildings from
Damage caused by lightning strikes and is still used today.

(02:44:42):
Benjamin would be the first person living outside of Britain
to be awarded the gold copper medal for this achievement in
1753 Harvard and Yale universities.
Also awarded him honorary degrees.
Benjamin continued to impact signs and technological
developments in numerous ways including experiments in heat

(02:45:03):
conduction and smoke control through the invention of the
Franklin stove in 1741. A flexible medical catheter in
1752 a musical, instrument called the harmonica in 1762 and
by focal eyeglasses in 1785. He also discovered what to

(02:45:23):
today, we call the Gulfstream during his many voyages to, and
from Europe. Benjamin also achieved on the
political front as well in 1751.He was elected to the
Pennsylvania assembly. His son William replaced him as
Clark as part of the assembly. He was able to get bills passed.

(02:45:44):
Not only to pave the Streets of Philadelphia.
But also to install Street lampsas well, his inventiveness
helped to solve a tricky Problemby creating Street Lamp covers
that helped to vent the smoke from the lamp.
So the smoke would not Cloud. The glass, the modified the
traditional design into a systemof four panes of glass, the

(02:46:05):
permitted easy replacement of broken sections.
In addition, in 1753, he became joint postmaster with William
Hunter for all of the American colonies.
Tensions. Continue to escalate on the
frontier, between the Native Americans and the Western
settlers hoping to deflate tensions.
The assembly sent a delegation to talk with tribal leaders near

(02:46:29):
the village of Carlisle. In 1753 Benjamin, was appointed
to serve as one of the three Commissioners to attend this
meeting. Although they heard the Native
American leaders complaints. Nothing really came of this
except the realization that something had to change.
The new war was coming. Also anticipating trouble.
London asked the colonies to send representatives to a

(02:46:52):
conference in Albany. New York in June 1754, not only
to negotiate terms for an alliance with the Iroquois
Confederacy, but to also determine ways to provide a
unified Colonial. Defense Benjamin was selected as
one of the four Pennsylvanian Commissioners to this meeting.
Benjamin had already come to a similar conclusion because of

(02:47:14):
his experience in the last war. During his travels North, he
created what became known as theAlbany Plan of Union in it.
He encouraged the creation of a colonial Congress consisting of
representatives from each of thecolonies with representation
proportioned upon population, size and prosperity of the

(02:47:34):
colony to run. This Congress would be a leader
called the president-general. Who would be appointed by the
king of England Benjamin. Even Drew up an emblem for this
idea. It was a snake.
Cut into eight pieces. Representing the colonies with a
caption that read Join or Die. He published this in his
newspaper. On the 9th of May 1754, the same

(02:47:58):
month, the Seven Years War Began.
It was one of the first political cartoon to ever
created in a vote. During the old Albany
conference. His idea was voted down because
many colonial governments did not want to relinquish their
independent power. Yet the idea did not disappear.
The relationships between the Quakers, the Proprietors or

(02:48:21):
owners of the colonies and the Pennsylvania assembly had not
changed much. Since the last war with
fundraising through taxation going nowhere, when General
Edward Braddock arrived in the colonies to head up the British
campaign. He demanded supplies.
Benjamin eager to help. Declared that Pennsylvania would
rise to the occasion, only to find himself.

(02:48:43):
Soon, responsible for acquiring the much-needed supplies,
although he had to practically beg and barter even offering his
own personal bond to procure. The supplies.
He managed to pull it off. The received a commendation for
his efforts, but at a tremendouscost after Braddock was ambushed
and killed the following year. Benjamin was almost ruined by

(02:49:06):
the amount of loans. He had incurred.
If the new British general in charge, William Shirley had not
belt him out. Benjamin would have lost
everything. Desperate for money, the
assembly begged, the Pennsylvania proprietor to
permit. The taxation of properties, to
raise funds. For the war effort, only to be

(02:49:26):
haughtily. Refused eventually a deal was
worked out with Thomas Penn. The proprietor that he would
supplement 5,000 pounds to whatever the assembly.
Raised Benjamin's response to this token.
Effort was to say those who would give up essential Liberty
to purchase a little temporary safety deserve.
Neither Liberty nor safety Benjamin never forgave the

(02:49:50):
Proprietors Act of selfishness and became an Ardent opponent of
the Penn family. Now, with funding in hand, the
Pennsylvania assembly had to raise troops, so they
resurrected Benjamin's militia plan.
Benjamin donned a military uniform and spent his 50th
birthday in a military camp withhis son, William.

(02:50:10):
He soon found himself elected Colonel of the regiment since he
felt uncomfortable in that role and because politically it made
him a threat to the Proprietors.He chose to resign his
Commission in response. The Pennsylvania assembly had
another role for Benjamin to play.
They chose to send him to Londonto serve as their agent.
His mission was to convince the Proprietors to permit taxation

(02:50:34):
of their Colonial Properties. If that faild he was ordered to
request assistance from the British government.
He said sale with his son to England in June, 1757 Once he
had arrived in London, Benjamin took time to visit important
contacts, like, Collinson and William Strachan through these
visits. He would make the acquaintance

(02:50:55):
of people who would become lifelong, friends, such as Dr.
John fothergill a prominent physician Sir, John Pringle, a
moral philosopher and physician Joseph Priestly a fellow
scientist who wrote a history ofelectricity and who would
isolate oxygen and Jonathan Shipley.
The bishop of Saint Assaf. He also mixed and mingled with

(02:51:17):
the elite through various socialand scholarly clubs such as the
fellows of the Royal Society. And the club of the honest
Whigs, Since he was there on urgent assembly business, he met
with key officials such as Lord Grenville, the president of the
privy Council and the Pennsylvania.
Proprietors he soon discovered that the British saw the

(02:51:38):
colonies not as partners in a greater British Empire, which
was how Benjamin saw them. But more, as vassals, there to
do, the government's bidding, his meeting with Lord Granville.
For example, was an expose of condescension, making it clear
to Benjamin that the role of thecolonial assemblies was to
follow the dictates from England, his meeting with the

(02:51:58):
pens was initially cordial as each party used the opportunity
to feel each other out. However, when they met in
January, 1758, the conversation was explosive.
Any influence, Benjamin had before this evaporated after
this meeting. As a result, benchman used his
time in England, to provide Insight information to his

(02:52:20):
colleagues in the colonies. So they would know what to
expect. In November 1758.
Benjamin received notice of a final response from the pens in
it. They stated that the assembly
had no power beyond advice and consent.
They also said, they did not want to work with Benjamin
anymore. His response, however, was to

(02:52:42):
suggest to the assembly that he used his time in London, to
attempt to pull Pennsylvania away from the Penn family,
transferring control to the crown as other colonies had
done. He said he would use the
Proprietors lacks actions regarding Native American
Affairs and their insistence of having their way over the needs
of the Empire, as leverage his allies in the assembly, told him

(02:53:06):
to stay and fight. During his time in England,
Benjamin took the opportunity totravel during the Summers as
much as he could. One of his first trips was to
visit Acton and its environmentswith his son, William to do some
genealogical exploration, he then traveled through, Northern
England into Scotland. There, he received an honorary

(02:53:27):
degree from the University of Saint Andrews in 1759 from this
point forward. He was known as Dr. Franklin.
Three years later, he received an honorary doctorate from
Oxford and in 1761 he visited France and Holland and was
treated like a celebrity everywhere.
He went because of his scientific exploits.

(02:53:48):
During all of these travels, he met newest intellectuals of the
day, including the economist Adam Smith and the philosopher
David Hume Before Benjamin left England in 1762.
He wrote an important pamphlet, the interest of Great Britain
considered with regard to her colonies which outlined why

(02:54:09):
Britain must keep Canada within the British Empire rather than
return it to France when the current war ended.
He also managed to get a royal appointment for his son, William
serving as the new Royal Governor of New Jersey.
What he had not anticipated was like father like son.
William had sired an illegitimate child named William

(02:54:31):
Temple, Franklin known to familyas Temple.
Benjamin would take on the responsibility of rearing this
child. Benjamin was not home in
Philadelphia long before controversy over proprietary
rights broke out again. Infuriated by the poor defense,
their region had received duringthe war, several Western

(02:54:51):
settlers attack groups of christianized Native Americans.
The Paxton Boys as they came to be known moved towards
Philadelphia with the intent of killing more Native Americans,
and any whites protecting them, the government panicked.
Eventually, the government sent a delegation to meet with the
boys, the delegation banished toget them to see reason and

(02:55:13):
pulled back from their attack afterwards.
Benjamin wanted the government to hold the members of this mob
accountable but they refused. In fact, they encouraged the mob
to take Native American Scouts and receive a bounty.
Benjamin was horrified. Benjamin again, attacked
proprietary rights and their refusal to contribute to

(02:55:35):
expenses for defense in March. 1764 he wrote a series of
resolutions calling for the end of the ineffectual proprietary
government and even started a petition drive to do.
So the assembly voted to return.Benjamin to England to work
towards ending the proprietorship and creating a
more Equitable relationship withEngland.
Possibly getting a representative for all of the

(02:55:58):
colonies. In Parliament, he left for
England in November 1764. Benjamin arrived in London
unaware, that a new storm was brewing.
The British government had determined that if the Colonials
could not pay for their own protection against the Native
Americans and the French, then they would have to be taxed in

(02:56:18):
order to pay for the expense in March 1765.
Parliament, passed. The Stamp Act to raise funds for
this military protection. Benjamin hoping to keep on good
terms with the government calculated badly by suggesting
his good friend, John Hughes be appointed the tax collector in
Pennsylvania. What he did not know was that

(02:56:38):
mob? Violence had already broken out
all over the colonies and some began to see Benjamin as the
agent of their troubles. And not only attacked Hughes,
but also threatened to attack Benjamin's home but were beaten
back by friends. These events, led some Americans
to begin to question their placewithin the British Empire
galvanizing their thinking As Americans not Britain's.

(02:57:03):
In England, Benjamin was slow topick up on the growing tensions.
Back home, he desperately wantedhis precious Pennsylvania to
remain within the greater British Empire, but the question
was, how with careful prodding by friends back in America?
He refocused his efforts to try to get an American
representative in Parliament on the 13th of February, 1766.

(02:57:25):
He got the chance to present hiscase.
His moderate presentation, convinced many in Parliament,
that they should revoke. The Stamp Act in the colonies,
he was seen as the most effective spokesperson they had.
So he became not only the agent for Pennsylvania, but also
Georgia New Jersey and eventually Massachusetts.

(02:57:46):
Yet. He did not have long to
celebrate because the British then imposed the Townsend Act in
June 1767, which taxed Imports into the American colonies.
Benjamin tried to take the middle ground, but his actions.
Led some people back home to believe.
He was a loyalist, doing the government's bidding yet.
The British saw him as two Americans came to a head.

(02:58:10):
When he finally received word that Parliament rejected, his
petition to end, proprietary rule of Pennsylvania as he
floundered. He also, feared things were
about to explode, back home, it did on the 5th of March 1770
when a little Skirmish in Bostonchanged everything today, we
call it the Boston Massacre although this led to the repeal

(02:58:33):
of the Townsend duties on everything but tea tensions
remained High. In 1773 Benjamin wrote several
satirical pieces in an attempt to defuse tensions, the essay
Rules by which a great Empire may be reduced to a small one.
Try to explain the American perspective to the British

(02:58:54):
people. Whenever the injured come to the
Capitol with complaints, he wrote they punish such suits
with long delay, enormous expense, and a final judgment in
favor of the oppressor. In another more famous piece, an
edict by the King of Prussia, hetook on the voice of the King of
Prussia, who argued that since Germans previously settled

(02:59:15):
England, he felt justified in stating quote that a revenue
should be raised from said colonies in Britain, by leaving
duties of 4.5% on all English imports and exports.
As it turned out, the British were in, no laughing mood.
It did not help that on the 16thof December, 1773 some 50

(02:59:36):
Americans dressed as Mohawk. Indians dumped. 10,000 pounds
worth of tea in the Boston Harbor.
On the 29th of January 1774, Benjamin found himself in a room
called the cockpit at the palaceof Whitehall in Westminster
where King Henry the 8th had once watched cockfights.

(02:59:56):
Benjamin was asked there by Parliament, to defend his
actions. Regarding six letters written by
Massachusetts, governor Thomas, Hutchinson that was secretly
published. In American newspapers, these
letters exposed, the systematic efforts by the British
government to oppress the colonists, of course, the
British government was Furious and gave Benjamin little quarter

(03:00:17):
during their verbal thrashing. The next day they striped
Benjamin off his role as postmaster.
The only Ray of Hope was secret talks between him.
Former Prime Minister William Pitt, the Elder who was Lord
chatter and Richard and William Howe while they sympathized with
the plight of the American's politically.
They could not change British policy in the midst of all of

(03:00:40):
these Benjamin's wife, Deborah died.
On the 18th of April 1775 a little battle occurred in the
village of Lexington, that wouldbecome known as the shot.
Heard around the world. The Revolutionary War had
started, Benjamin was already under sail to return home when
it occurred. He landed in a country that had

(03:01:02):
already held. Its first Continental Congress
Benjamin, literally stepped off the ship as delegates gathered
for the Second Continental Congress.
He joined the next day as a delegate and Ardent Patriot he
had finally decided, which side he would take.
But first, he had to talk with his son.
William in an attempt to pull him to his side.

(03:01:22):
During a meeting at Travis ownedby Joseph, Galloway and located,
north of Philadelphia. The two Franklins talked William
insisted that they all remain neutral in the American
conflict. Only to hear his father.
Say that the only recourse for the terrible treatment.
The Americans had experienced was complete in dependents,

(03:01:43):
William. Responded, that his Beloved
Country would soon be inflamed if the Americans continue their
violent course, both left this meeting, bitter and sad, knowing
that they had chosen opposites. This was not the case for every
delegate to the Second Continental Congress, many still
held out. Hope that the British would see

(03:02:04):
reason on the 5th of July 1775, John Dickinson pushed through
what became known as the Olive Branch Petition to be sent
directly to the king. Insisting, that the troubles
were started by meddlesome members of parliament and
requesting that the king come totheir rescue.
The delegates hope that through this along with the Declaration

(03:02:25):
of the causes and necessity for taking up arms, hostilities
would end even though the British had burned, Charleston,
South Carolina and won the bloody Battle of Bunker Hill a
month before. After his mistreatment in
England, Benjamin knew exactly what direction things had to go.
And began a draft for a declaration for Independence

(03:02:47):
that draft document used, many of the same arguments found in
his essays written in England. He also knew that the colonies
had to become more dependent upon one another if they were to
survive a tour. So he pulled out his old Albany
Plan from 1754 and revised it tofit.
The new situation, including a system of government with the

(03:03:10):
division of powers between the central federal government.
And that of the States. It also spelled out how these
Powers would be divided. He presented it to Congress in
Late July. During much of 1775.
Benjamin was busy with Congressional activities,
ranging from establishing the manufacturer of gunpowder,

(03:03:31):
negotiating alliances with Native Americans promoting trade
with other countries to addressing military discipline
within the militia. He was so busy that John Adams
wrote to his wife, Abigail the Benjamin quote does not hesitate
at our boldest measures but rather seems to think us too
irresolute in March. 1776 Benjamin was asked to head a

(03:03:55):
committee to meet with officialsin Canada in the hope of pulling
them to the Colonial sight. He never got a chance to ask
because he soon realized that the colonies could barely stand
on their own and lacked solid monetary and Military Support
the Canadians for their part, fearful of incurring, the Roth
of parliament, proved in hospital.

(03:04:16):
Upon his return from this Mission.
The attitudes of the Congressional delegates had
galvanized because there had been no response from the King.
There were mounting threats fromBritain with more troops on
their way and increased public pressure to act due to the
impact on public opinion of Thomas.
Paine's, pamphlet Common Sense. First, published in January,

(03:04:37):
1776 Congress. Determined it was time to
declare independence. So it is established a committee
of five to write it. They met at Benjamin's home,
just a few blocks away. Jefferson was given the honor of
writing the initial draft and itwould be Benjamin who offered
minimal but key edits on the second of July.

(03:04:58):
The delegates voted for Independence and signed the
document, a month later in essence, signing their death.
Warrant if things went badly Now, they had to form a system
of government, although he presented his Albany Plan as an
option, the resulting Articles of Confederation completed in
1777 after much. Arguing would look nothing like

(03:05:22):
it but Benjamin would have otherthings to worry about because he
was selected to sail to France to request financial and
possibly military assistance. He would be saddled with two
difficult characters. As his Co Commissioners Silas
Deane, who would later be sent home in disgrace for financial,
improprieties and other issues and the mentally, unstable,

(03:05:44):
Arthur Lee. Once in France, Benjamin sent
out to build upon the work of Dean who had arrived earlier and
managed to get a shipment of arms.
To the colonies working with theFrench foreign minister.
The compta Virgen Benjamin determined to use his scientific
celebrity to build friendships and win the hearts of the French

(03:06:04):
court and people he would appeardressed as a colonial rustic,
wearing simple clothes and a marten fur cap, he'd purchased
during his recent trip to Canada.
The French loved it. He settled in the village of
passy just outside Paris to his American cohorts.
He seemed not to work at all, but only attend parties salons

(03:06:28):
and discussion of scientific Endeavors.
In reality. He proved the Bedrock of the
delegation of the next five years by 1778.
He had achieved treaties of Alliance and commerce with
France helped by the dramatic American victory at Saratoga on
the 19th of September 1777. He achieved much in spite of

(03:06:52):
having to address constant, squabbles among the American
delegation Silas, Deane was recalled.
Soon after the signing of the Alliance treaty with France,
Arthur Lee suffered from paranoia seeing Evil under every
chair including sending letters home about Benjamin seeming
laziness and disloyalty. Yet one of Lee's accusations

(03:07:12):
that the delegations secretary Edward Bancroft was a British
spy proved to be true. Benjamin would soon have to deal
with the fragile ego of John Adams, as well in 1778.
The tensions had got so bad withAdams who arrived early that
year, the he made a request to Congress to separate the
delegation which they did. And made Benjamin the minister

(03:07:36):
planetary in 1779. Through it all Benjamin, took
the Long View and endeavoured tobalance idealism with the
reality on the ground. Although he worked well with the
comp division, he was not above secretly meeting with the
British against French wishes inorder to achieve a peace treaty,
the stunning French and Americanvictory at Yorktown on the 19th

(03:08:00):
of October 1781, ease the way for a peace treaty when it
became clear that the war was ata stalemate.
The delegation decided to negotiate and the final peace
treaty arrived, John, Jay who had arrived in June 1782, would
play a leading role but Benjamin, although ill pulled
the levers behind the scenes. Now all they had to do was wait

(03:08:23):
for a sympathetic British government which arrived in
July. When William Petty, the Earl of
Shelburne was elected, prime minister, the American
delegation of Benjamin, John JayJohn Adams and Henry Lawrence
with Benjamin's grandson Temple.Franklyn as secretary Signing
signed a provisional treaty to end the war in November 1782.

(03:08:45):
After doing some damage control,with the Conte version, since it
was clear that the Americans hadnot followed the French
requirement that they be involved in all negotiations.
Benjamin was able to soothe ruffled feathers, although
displeased the Conte version relented.
But stated that the French had been solely used by the
Americans, the final peace treaty, the Treaty of Paris was

(03:09:08):
signed on the 3rd of September 1783 after a year-long, goodbye
while he waited for his replacement, Thomas Jefferson to
arrive. Benjamin made his way home
setting sail in December 1784. It soon became clear after his
arrival home that the Articles of Confederation finally
approved by all 13 colonies in 1781 could not provide the

(03:09:33):
governmental stability or Unity.The newly freed State's truly
needed. In fact, it was everything
Benjamin had feared, 13, independent states with an
ineffectual Congress things. Came to a head in August 1786
with a rebellion of farmers in Weston, Massachusetts, unhappy
about taxes and their collectionled by Daniel Shays.

(03:09:57):
It demonstrated to the world, just how weak the United States
government was even though George Washington was able to
deflate the conflict by early 1787.
It was during a border dispute meeting between Maryland and
Virginia. At Washington's Mount Vernon
that it was decided the delegates should be sent from
all the colonies to meet in Annapolis.

(03:10:19):
Maryland in September to talk about the troubled,
Confederation only five states sent delegates.
And so a meeting date for a moreintense discussion was set for
May 1787 in Philadelphia. Once the delegates arrived, it
became clear that they had to domore than just revised the
Articles of Confederation. They had to create a whole new

(03:10:42):
system, while Benjamin had opinions about what should be
done. He remained silent and instead
used his diplomatic skills developed over the years of
difficult negotiations. Both in England and in France to
guide the delegates to sensible Solutions.
Often use the Socratic method. He had learned years before his

(03:11:02):
comments were few but his words carefully chosen made the
delegates. Think about what was truly at
stake. It was in this role as the
enlightenment Sage that he helped this Constitutional
Convention. Create one of the longest
lasting constitutions ever to exist in the history of human
kind once this Congress approvedof this constitution Benjamin

(03:11:25):
stated, thus, I can censor to this constitution because I
expect no better. And because I am not sure that
it is not the best as historian Walter.
Isaacson wrote for him compromise was not only a
practical approach but a moral one tolerance, humility and
respect for others, required. This attitude served his Beloved

(03:11:47):
Country. Well, when it needed most,
Although in febold with gout andkidney stones, Benjamin remained
active in intellectual Pursuits,he continued writing to
philosophical and scientific friends throughout Europe.
He also took on a new Pursuit, the abolition of slavery while
he had written on the matter numerous times during his life.

(03:12:10):
He finally acted by accepting the presidency of the
Pennsylvania Society. For promoting the abolition of
slavery in 1787. One of the final political acts
of his life was to send a slave free abolition petition to
Congress in February, 1790 On the 17th of April, 1790 Benjamin

(03:12:32):
Franklin died at the age of 84 over. 20,000 mourners lined, the
streets to watch the funeral procession as it worked.
Its way to the burial ground at Christchurch in Philadelphia.
There he was buried next to his beloved wife.
Deborah. If this outpouring of respect
was not Testament in enough to his life's achievements.
In front of his casket walked clergy from every Faith,

(03:12:56):
representing the importance of service to and tolerance of
others. A fitting end to an impactful
life. What do you think of Benjamin
Franklin? Do you think he made an
important mark on his society aswell as achieving his goal of
doing good by helping others, please let us know in the
comment section and in the meantime, thank you very much

(03:13:20):
for watching. The Man known to history as John
Adams, was born on the 30th of October, 1735 in the town of
Braintree, in Massachusetts, just south of Boston, and

(03:13:41):
overlooking. Boston Harbor.
His father was John Adams, senior a farmer, and Deacon who
also dabbled in shoemaking and was a tax collector in the local
region. He was the great-grandson of
Henry Adams who had immigrated to Massachusetts from Braintree
in Essex, in England in 1638 andestablished.

(03:14:02):
The First Colonial settlement atBraintree Massachusetts, which
he named after his hometown backin England, John Adams, senior
was an affluent enough figure inBraintree that he was able to
purchase his own Farmstead at Quincy to the north of the Town
itself. Though, the family could not be
said to have been specially wealthy John's.

(03:14:24):
Mother was Susana Boylston a member of a prominent
Massachusetts family from Brooklyn who had married John
Adams senior in 1734? The first child, John, Junior
arrived. The following year, they had two
further Sons together. Peter born in 1738 and elihu
born in 1741. John's early life was typical of

(03:14:48):
the middle classes of colonial, Massachusetts in the mid-18th
century. He was educated in a mixed
gender school, where the curriculum centered on the New
England primer, a textbook, which had been first published
by Benjamin Harris in the late 1680s and which comprised of
readings, which inculcated New England's.

(03:15:09):
Children into the puritanical religious beliefs that had
drawn, their ancestors to New England, to begin with in the
17th century. A place where they could worship
freely while the catechisms and religious excerpts of the New
England primer prepared, children like Adams, for the
spiritual world, and helped themto learn to read.
And write, they did little for The Wider intellect.

(03:15:33):
And so once he had finished his Elementary School in Adams was
sent to Braintree Latin School. Here he undertook the first
stages of a classical humanist education in which he learned
Latin rhetoric. Logic philosophy and arithmetic
though. The curriculum was fast changing
in line with the scientific breakthroughs made in Europe

(03:15:55):
since the 16th century and the advance of the Enlightenment
Adams was clearly an intelligentstudent.
But already in his early teenageyears, his rebelliousness and
his questioning of authority, got him into considerable
trouble while attending the Latin School in Braintree.
His fracture Spirit would later proved ideal for a

(03:16:17):
revolutionary. Adams was born and grew up at a
time when America was a very different place to the one which
he would live in during his later years.
In the mid-18th century, the east coast of North America was
dominated by British French and Spanish colonies.
The Spanish held Florida while the French had colonized New

(03:16:38):
France, a region approximate to what is now Eastern Canada.
The British had begun settling colonies between these French
and Spanish positions in the early 17th century first in
Virginia and New England and then expanding further, north
and south from those positions. By Adam's time, there were 13
individual colonies stretching from New Hampshire in the north

(03:17:02):
to Georgia in the South. These were generally divided
into three categories in the north were the New England
colony of New Hampshire Rhode Island Connecticut and Adams
native Muscat which with the city of Boston was the most
prosperous part of England to the South with the middle
colonies. Consisting of New York, New

(03:17:24):
Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware.
These were the most ethnically and religiously mixed of the 13
colonies and were growing in economic importance.
Owing to the growth of the cities of New York and
Philadelphia. The southern colonies of
Maryland, Virginia North Carolina, South Carolina, and
Georgia were less urbanized, andtheir economy.

(03:17:48):
Centered on the production of cash crops such as cotton and
tobacco. A development which had led to
the emergence of a large slave population here.
All 13 colonies were controlled by the British government.
The colonial Community was subject to the crown and paid
taxes as such though, they had no political representation in

(03:18:09):
England, all issues, which wouldsoon lead to political unrest.
Revolution was not on John Adams, mind in the 1750s in he
was growing into a substantial scholar in 1751.
He had begun attending Harvard University in nearby Cambridge
Massachusetts. The oldest college in North

(03:18:30):
America here, he became keenly interested in the works of the
great Greek. And Roman authors notably
historians such as the city's Livi and tacitus, and the
rhetorical and political writings of Cicero, and
quintillion, he was also influenced by the new political
philosophical, and cultural writings and viewpoints of the

(03:18:52):
European Enlightenment which were discussing the idea of
political Liberty and representation in reaction to
the absolutist monarchies of countries like Russia and
France. During the pre-revolution on
sale regime a highly influentialwork in this regard was the
spirit of law published by Charlotte deck on down the

(03:19:13):
Montesquieu in 17 8, this was quickly translated into English
in 1750, and with its arguments about political Liberty and the
rights of citizens before the law was a seminal text in
influencing some of the foundingfathers such as atoms in the
1750s and 1760s. Indeed, Adams interest in the

(03:19:35):
law, had become profound having completed his artium
baccalaureus or a B at Harvard in 1754.
He quickly began studying law, earning and am the equivalent of
a master's from Harvard in 1758.And then gaining admittance to
the bar to practice law in 1759,when he was just 24 years of

(03:19:58):
age. Around the time that he was
completing his am and entering the bar Adams had begun
courting. His third cousin Abigail Smith,
it was a slow courtship by the standards of the time and Adams
did not propose for several years.
Consequently, they were not finally married until October
1764, it was a relationship based on mutual.

(03:20:21):
Respect and Abigail was a moderating voice on John.
Who while always viewed as honorable by his political
colleagues in later years was often guilty of being unwilling
to accommodate the views of others and also showed a certain
level of arrogance, he and Abigail settled down on his nine
and a half. Acre farm at Quincy outside

(03:20:43):
Braintree, which had been inherited after his father's.
Passing in. 1761 Adams began building a successful legal
practice one which was based on his growing reputation for
intellectual and legal rigor in the city of Boston.
He and Abigail also soon starteda family.
When a daughter named Abigail after her mother was born in

(03:21:06):
1765, five more children would follow John Quincy and 1767
Susanna in 1768, Charles in 1770, Thomas in 1772 and
Elizabeth in 1777. Unfortunately, the two younger
daughters did not survive. Susanna died in infancy in 1769.

(03:21:30):
While Elizabeth was still born. While Adams was studying
building his law practice and courting Abigail the 13
colonies, were embroiled in Conflict, back in 1756.
Britain and France went to war in a conflict, which has become
known as the Seven Years War andwhich has been viewed as the

(03:21:51):
first global conflict of modern history, as it involved clashes
between the two main belligerents, plus their allies
in Europe, the Americas and Asiathe causes of the war were Anglo
Franco rivalry in general, but border disputes and clashes
between the British position andthe 13 colonies and the French
in New France or Canada. And Louisiana was also a major

(03:22:15):
contributory Factor. Many British subjects in the
130s fought for the British during the conflict Adams did
not go to war as he was studyingat Harvard when it broke out in
1756. However, he like many other
British subjects in the 13th wasenormous.
Impacted on by the conflict whenit ended.

(03:22:36):
The British were victorious and acquired Canada from France in
the peace of Paris, which brought it to an end in 1763,
the colonial community of the 13.
Colonies had made an enormous contribution to the war effort
and many believed in the aftermath of the conflict that
they should be given a greater degree of political

(03:22:57):
representation by the British government in Stead.
They would be disillusioned to find that London's only
intention was to impose higher levels of Taxation on the
colonies. This would begin to radicalize
Adams and many others from the mid-70s onwards.
Adams political views were beginning to become clearer

(03:23:19):
during these years and he began to write and publish frequently
on many political issues. He did this somewhat secretly
publishing articles under the pseudonym.
Humphrey plow jogger, in the Boston Evening, Post here.
He assumed the Persona of a simple-minded.
New Englander to criticize the political views of several

(03:23:39):
prominent bostonians, who had been publishing in the Boston
Gazette and other newspapers of the time in total.
He published at least six essaysunder the guise of Humphrey plow
jogger throughout. He tried to maintain a
non-partisan stance criticizing writers who were themselves
overly. Critical of British rule in the

(03:24:00):
13th where he deemed at appropriate, but elsewhere
suggesting that one needed to appraise Crown officers in North
America on the basis of their actions rather than solely on
their designation as representatives of the crown.
There was a growing sense in these that he wished to defend
the rights of the colonial Community against overt.

(03:24:22):
British interference in the 3 0 0 In 1765, the British
government introduced the Stamp Act, this was a decree that all
the subjects of the 13 colonies would have to pay a tax on,

(03:24:42):
almost any form of paper or printed material, which they
purchased be at a newspaper or adeck of playing cards.
These were all to be embossed with a revenue stamp.
Hence its name. The Act was designed to increase
the revenue generated for the British government from its
subjects in the 13th on the basis that the crown had paid

(03:25:03):
large amounts of money to protect them from Invasion by
the French during the Seven Years War, but it was markedly
unpopular. When it was introduced in 1765,
Adams, became a vocal opponent of it in Massachusetts pennings,
several articles under his pseudonym, Humphrey plow jogger.
And another document called the brain tree instructions in which

(03:25:27):
he laid out his opposition on the grounds that America's were
not being taxed in the Same way,in which subjects of the crown
in England were such was the Ferrari, which it provoked that
the British government quickly rode back on its decision and
repealed the Stamp Act in March 1766.
Nevertheless, it is viewed as a major episode in the growing

(03:25:49):
disaffection of the colonial community in the 13 colonies
with Crown. Royal it also saw Adams publicly
identify himself as an opponent of British policies in
Massachusetts for the first time.
By the late 1760s Adams had moved his young family to Boston
and emerged as the pre-eminent lawyer in the city.

(03:26:11):
He continued to voice his complaints against heavy-handed
policies. Imposed by the Westminster
parliament in England, notably the Townsend acts which were
introduced in 1767, and 1768 andinvolved new taxes again on the
13th yet. He was also capable of acting in
accord with the government. This was seen most clearly

(03:26:34):
following the Boston Massacre, an incident, which occurred on
the 5th of March 1770 on King Street in the city.
When a group of British soldierswere surrounded by an angry mob.
Leading them to open fire and kill five people.
Although the boss of Massacre was heavily criticized, by
Leading New England, political figures.

(03:26:55):
Such as Adams own cousins, Samuel Adams, John agreed, to
provide legal defense for the British soldiers who had been
involved in In the incident at the trials Adams, expertly
contrived to pack the juries with sympathetic citizens and
succeeded in having Captain Thomas Preston.
The British officer in charge and his soldiers.

(03:27:16):
Acquitted of all charges, just afew months, later, Adams was
appointed to the Massachusetts legislature.
When a seat opened up all of this indicates that while he was
critical of elements of British rule in North America by the
early 1770s. He was not yet committed to the
idea of revolting against the crown.

(03:27:39):
If there was an incident which finally convinced atoms that the
position of the inhabitants of the 13 colonies, could not be
improved by peaceful negotiatingwith the crown and the British
government and the violent opposition would be needed.
It came in 1773 with the introduction of the Tea Act.
This was an action by the British government designed to

(03:28:01):
crack down on the illegal. Smuggling of tea in the colonies
by Dutch merchants and at the same time, force the colonial
community in North America to purchase the Surplus T stocks
which were being held in warehouses in London by the
British East India Company. Although the desire to crack
down on illegal T, smuggling wassome understandable on the

(03:28:25):
British government's part? The manner in which the Tea Act
was introduced was so badly handled that it aroused, violent
and rest. In the colonies, the most famous
example was unquestionably, the Boston.
Tea party when enraged bostonians boarded the Dartmouth
a British ship in Boston. Harbor on the 16th of December

(03:28:46):
1773 destroying 342 crates of tea, much of which was thrown
into the harbor, this action, which resulted in the
destruction of tea, which was worth nearly 2 million dollars
in today's money was applauded by atoms as one of the grandest
events in the history of opposition to British rule in

(03:29:07):
the 13th. It was not just the Tea Act,
which had aroused Adams, indignation, and radicalized him
against the British government in the course of the early to
mid-1770s. There were also growing signs of
judicial and political ovary in the colonies by Westminster.
For instance, the British government had begun paying the

(03:29:29):
wages of judges in Massachusettsand elsewhere directly from
England, an action, which atoms and others viewed as a move to
end judicial Independence and established tyranny in the 13s.
This was compounded when in response to the Boston Tea
Party, the British, imposed a naval blockade on Boston Harbor.

(03:29:50):
The Fallout was the decision by opponents of British rule in
North America, who would come tobe known as the Patriots to
convene a meeting of delegates from 12 of the 13 colonies.
Georgia accepted to decide how they could act in conjunction
with each other against the government.
The first Continental Congress as it became known met in

(03:30:13):
Philadelphia in September 1774 Adams was selected as one of the
four delegates from Massachusetts and headed for
Pennsylvania. At the First Continental
Congress, Adams developed a reputation immediately as
someone who could bring the different parties together to
compromise on issues before themof the 56, delegates.

(03:30:35):
Some such as John's cousin, Samuel were Radical Patriots.
Who were in favor of initiating,a military conflict in order to
establish a new nation independent of Britain.
But others believe that there was still room for negotiation
with London. On the far end of the spectrum.
There were those who believed that, the First Continental

(03:30:56):
Congress is aim should be to gain concessions from King,
George the third in England, butthat they could be no talk of
splitting from the crown and Britain permanently John offered
a middle ground and was one of the key figures in ensuring that
the delegates arrived at a compromise within a few weeks.
This came in the shape of the Continental Association, an

(03:31:19):
agreement whereby, each of the 12 colonies represented at the
Congress agreed to boycott, British trade with the goal of
pressurizing. The decision makers in London
into granting, concession and addressing the Patriots
grievances petitions, outlining their complaints and what
exactly they wanted were also addressed to King.
George, the third, and the English Parliament with this

(03:31:42):
done, the First Continental Congress disbanded and Adams
returned to Massachusetts. The response in Britain to the
Continental Association and other developments in the
colonies was not conciliatory, pointing to the fact that
militias of irregular soldiers were being formed by the
Patriots in Massachusetts. And elsewhere the parliament at

(03:32:04):
Westminster sent a statement to the king in February 1775, in
which they declared that the colonies were in Rebellion
against the crown in all practical census.
Thus in mid-april the Commander in Chief of the British armed
forces in North America, Thomas,Gage, ordered that all militia
men, begin relinquishing their arms when they attempted to

(03:32:27):
forcibly disarmed units in New England on the 19th of April
1775. The first armed clashes of the
American Revolutionary War occurred at Lexington.
And Concord in Massachusetts, the outbreak of hostilities in
the refusal of the government, in England to offer any
concessions in response to the petitions of the first.

(03:32:49):
Continental Congress convinced atoms that British rule now
needed to be overthrown altogether in the 130s though he
would continue for some time to present himself as a moderate
figure who sought reconciliationwith the British on the 22nd of
April. He visited a patriot militia
camp, where he sounded his support for their actions, but

(03:33:12):
was disturbed by how poorly equipped the men were just days
later. He was chosen to lead the
Massachusetts, delegation to a new meeting of representatives
from the 30s at Philadelphia. He arrived to what is now known
as the second continental congress in mid-may.
The summer of 1775 following theconvening of the Second

(03:33:35):
Continental Congress on the 10thof May was a very significant
period in the American Revolution, one of its first,
major measures, which was promoted strongly by Adams in
response to his concerns about the state of the militias.
Their poor equipment, and lack of discipline was to establish a
professional Army to fight the war against Britain.

(03:33:56):
Thus on the 14th of June 1775, the Continental Army was
established by decree of the Second Continental Congress
Adams, proposed that George Washington of Virginia
landholder who had extensive military experience from his
time, as a British commander during the French and Indian
Wars. And the sudden Years War should

(03:34:19):
be made. Its first Commander in Chief,
the gold being to acquire greater support for the Revolt
in the southern colonies by appointing a Virginia as head of
the Patriot's Army as such Adamswas critical in the ascendancy
of George Washington. At this time, conversely, he
played a much more limited role in drafting the Olive Branch

(03:34:41):
Petition, an appeal, which was adopted by the Congress on the
5th of July and sent directly toKing George.
The third professing, the Loyalty of the colonial
community and imploring the kingto intervene directly and open
negotiations between the government and the Congress
Adams, signed the petition as did all members of the Congress.

(03:35:03):
But he viewed this late effort at negotiating as pointless and
now believed war and Independence was the only
realistic path forward for the Patriots.
The Olive Branch Petition was rejected, unequivocally in
Britain. And in August, the colonies were
formally declared to be in Rebellion.

(03:35:23):
Thus during the course of the autumn and winter of 1775 and
into 1776 atoms. And the other members of the
Second Continental Congress, began building a government from
scratch with all the Manifest issues of raising revenue and
appointing officials to carry out Myriad due duties by the

(03:35:44):
early summer of 1776 as the war continued to intensify and the
crown and government in England showed no sign of adopting a
more conciliatory line. The time had come to declare to
the world that a new nation was being created in North America
in order to do so a committee offive members of the Congress was

(03:36:05):
established to draft a document,declaring their independence
from British rule Adams was one of the five and was joined by
Benjamin Franklin. Sherman, Robert Livingston and a
Virginian named Thomas Jefferson, was the primary
author of the Declaration of Independence which created the

(03:36:25):
United States of America. But he did amend the tax, he had
ridden and introduced new points, which were raised by his
fellow committee members, particularly Adams and Franklin.
It was the beginning of a close relationship between Adams and
Jefferson one, which would see them Ally with each other, as
friends and lock horns. As enemies for decades to come

(03:36:47):
one of their first acts was to present the Declaration of
Independence to the Congress, which was Julie ratified on the
fourth of July 1776. After Adams had defended it
passionately before. The other Congress members, the
United States had been established.
Now, it would have to make a reality of its independence

(03:37:09):
through armed conflict. In its first, major phase
between 1775 and 1778. The American Revolutionary War
was largely fought in New England and the middle colonies
after a lengthy Siege. The Patriots.
Succeeded in capturing, Boston, from the British in the spring

(03:37:29):
of 1776 following, which the British commander-in-chief, Sir,
William Howe decided on a new strategy of trying to cut New
England off from the Patriots capital in Philadelphia by
securing, New York and New Jersey, he himself was
relatively successful in this effort, seizing, New York City

(03:37:50):
in November 1776 before moving against Philadelphia itself and
capturing the seat of the secondcontinental congress.
In the summer of 1777, though, the leaders of the revolution
had fled from the city in advance of his rival.
But while how was successful, the British war effort was

(03:38:10):
dealt, an immense blow in October, By 1777, when a large
army of over 7,000 troops which had come south from Canada
under, the command of John Burgoyne was utterly defeated at
the Battle of Saratoga in the Hudson River Valley by section
of the Continental Army, led by Horatio Gates and Benedict

(03:38:30):
Arnold earlier of burgoyne's, men were killed or wounded and
the remaining 6,000 were taken prisoner with this.
The tide of the war changed and France, which had been providing
financial and material Aid to the Patriots for some time.
Officially joined the conflict on the congress's side.
Henceforth. British policy changed to trying

(03:38:54):
to secure the southern colonies and the Continental Army soon,
recaptured Philadelphia. Throughout these early years of
the war Adams was a senior member of the Second Continental
Congress. And a key figure in many of its
activities, he sat on 90 different committees and shared
over two dozen of them. A workload which was unmatched

(03:39:17):
by any other Congress member. Two of his positions, Stand Out
above others in June 1776. He was appointed as head of the
board of war and Ordnance this was effectively the
administrative arm of the Continental Army before any
Soldier could fire a rifle or musket at Saratoga or in New

(03:39:37):
England. Someone had to oversee acquiring
weapons and gunpowder for the Continental Army that someone
was John Adams who spent months in the second half of 1776 and
into 1777 working 89 days to ensure that the Patriot armed
forces were provisioned properly.
This was tied to his second major.

(03:40:00):
All during these years, his efforts to Foster strong
diplomatic ties with some of theother major European powers such
as France. The Dutch Republic and Prussia
in order to acquire weapons, andother necessary equipment from
them accordingly, he was Centralto the drawing up of the model
treaty a template for commercialtreaties between the United

(03:40:23):
States. And these European nations in
time these diplomatic and economic ties would expand into
direct military alliances with France and the Dutch Republic
measures which were hugely significant in shaping.
The course of the American Revolutionary War.
The model treaty and Adams, advocacy of closer ties to some

(03:40:46):
of the European powers who were antagonistic to Britain soon,
saw him leaving North America ofall Europe's Nations.
None had more to gain from British weakness than France and
it was the most likely Nation toAlly with the new United States
from early in the war. It began, providing economic aid

(03:41:07):
and War material. But with the victory at Saratoga
in October 1777 the Second Continental Congress believed,
it could convince King Louis the16th government in Paris to
agree to a more formal military Alliance where France would
dispatch an armada and soldiers to North America to fight the

(03:41:27):
British. To this end Adams was appointed
as a commissioner to France in November 1777.
Just a few weeks are after Saratoga.
He departed in the early spring of 1778, bringing his Eldest
son, John Quincy along with him and leaving Abigail who by now
was growing used to her husband's extended absences at

(03:41:49):
home in Braintree with the otherchildren.
The mission to France was a mixed Affair by the time Adams
arrived in Europe. He learned that the French
government had already agreed toa military Alliance, but
thereafter Adams was frustrated in achieving anything, the
French preferred, the more relaxed and what deferential
approach of Benjamin, Franklin, whereas Adams was increasingly

(03:42:13):
ignored by Louis the 16th ministers, by the end of 1778.
A decision was taken in Philadelphia to appoint
Franklin. As minister plenipotentiary to
France, effectively making him the official US ambassador to
the country Adams. Felt slighted by all of this and
decided unilaterally to sail forhome arriving back in

(03:42:36):
Massachusetts in March 1779. Upon his return to North
America. The Second Continental Congress.
Determined that the war had reached a point.
When negotiations might be entered into with the British
Adams was selected to oversee, the possibility of this.
He was consequently, sent back across the Atlantic to Paris

(03:42:58):
once again, just over six monthsafter returning to New England
where it was hoped, he would be able to send feelers out to
London there. The old problems with the French
arose and the war had reached something of a stalemate by
early 1780, which made the British reluctant to enter into
concerted. Peace talks.

(03:43:18):
Frustrated Adams, took lever Paris, in mid 1780 and headed
for Amsterdam, in hopes of convincing.
The Dutch Republic to provide greater support the United
States yet here too. He was met with indifference the
government in The Hague refusingto acknowledge Adams credentials
as the US ambassador to the country.

(03:43:38):
Consequently Adams was growing increasingly pessimistic about
the European powers perceiving that each was interested in
manipulating the war in North America to their own Advantage
but none would true. Unequivocal allies of the United
States worn out by years of exhaustive work, he suffered a

(03:43:59):
major out of illness in Amsterdam in August 1781, which
may have been a minor nervous breakdown of some kind.
Adams despair in Europe in the late summer and Early Autumn of
1781 was relieved by news from North America.
Concerning the war, following the disaster at Saratoga in

(03:44:19):
October 1777. The focus of the British was on
securing, the southern colonies and using them as a base to
continue the war against the Patriots further to the north.
However, even this effort was thwarted by the shifting
International situation, Francisentry to the war had brought
Naval support for the Patriots and in time Spain, and the Dutch

(03:44:42):
Republic went to war with Britain as well.
In 1780 5000 5,500, French troops landed on Rhode Island to
help Washington's continental army, try to seize New York.
The only major city in the Middle Colonies and New England
still in British hands. However, they soon changed
course and headed south to perceived General Charles

(03:45:04):
Cornwallis and his significant Force at Yorktown.
In Virginia, a three-week Siege followed in the Autumn of 1781
with a combined franco-american Army of approximately 16,000 men
and nearly 30 warships, pinning corn, wallaces 9,000 men into
Yorktown Washington oversaw, TheSiege, which quickly resulted in

(03:45:28):
British surrender with a captureof over 7,500 British troops, it
became untenable for the Britishto continue the war in any
meaningful fashion. And from late 1781 onwards,
peace, negotiations, commenced in Paris.
When news of what had occurred at Yorktown reached Europe late

(03:45:48):
in 1781 Adams found his positionbeginning to change as popular
sentiment in the Dutch Republic.Quickly turned in favor of the
Patriots. In April 1782.
He convinced the Dutch government in The Hague to
acknowledge the United States, as an independent nation and
negotiated a large loan for the Congress thereafter.

(03:46:10):
He headed for Paris again. Where concerted peace?
Negotiations to end the war had been entered into following the
arrival of a British delegation headed by David Hartley.
It was now inevitable, that Britain would have to recognize
the independence of the United States but many issues still had
to be resolved concerning for example, the boundary between

(03:46:32):
the new country and Britain's colonies in.
What is now Canada, while fishing rights in the waters
around, Newfoundland, and Nova Scotia were also major concerns
as were reparations to British loyalists.
Who wished to leave the United States and return to Britain.
These were all worked out by late 1782, but it took until the

(03:46:53):
third of September 1783 before the Treaty of Paris was signed
by Hartley for the British and Adams, Franklin and John Jay for
the United States, officially bringing the American war of
independence or Revolutionary War to an end.
The end of the war and the signing of the treaty did not

(03:47:14):
lead to Adam's returning home inStead.
He was appointed to perhaps his most difficult ambassadorial
position yet when he was made the first ambassador of the
United States to Britain. He arrived in London in 1785,
where his brief involved. Nothing less than trying to
establish cordial relations withthe country.

(03:47:35):
The US had just been at war withand which was the largest
trading Nation on Earth and alsothe country with which the
United States had its longest border.
He met King George. The third shortly after his
arrival in England and they established a genius
relationship based on a certain mutual respect.
But Adams time in London was otherwise Complicated by the

(03:47:58):
failure of both the British and the US governments to fulfill
all of the elements of the Treaty of Paris in Philadelphia.
For instance, the government wasin no rush to compensate British
merchants And American loyalists, while in turn, the
British refused to relinquish control, over a number of forts
along the Ohio River as had beenpromised.

(03:48:20):
Adams frustrations though, were relieved by the fact that his
children were now old enough that Abigail was able to join
him in London. The first time they had spent a
protracted period of time together in some years By 1788,
it was clear that atoms, could accomplish little more in
England than could be achieved by a less senior figure moreover

(03:48:45):
back home. The political landscape was
shifting as senior Statesman would drafting the constitution
for the new country and plans were being put in place to hold
the first presidential election Adams, and Abigail, consequently
took their leave of Britain and headed home.
There, he witnessed a tussle between advocate of a popular

(03:49:05):
democracy with a wide franchise,and conservatives, who wanted a
limited form of democracy, wherelandholders and the wealthy
would hold much of the power. The end result was the US
Constitution primarily drafted by James, Madison of Virginia,
political theorist who had been a member of the Second
Continental Congress, along withothers, such as Alexander.

(03:49:29):
Hamilton Madison was significantly influenced by the
Massachusetts constitution of 17A document, which atoms had
contributed significantly towards in the late 70s. 70s.
The US Constitution, which was finally agreed on in 1789
provided for a bicameral Congress.

(03:49:50):
One consisting of an upper housecalled the Senate after the
Senate of ancient Rome and a lower house called the House of
Representatives as such, the desire for a popular democracy
would be met by the House of Representatives.
While the Senate would plausibly, more serve the
interests of the landed Elite and Wealthy business class.

(03:50:11):
Additionally, the Constitution provided for a federal
government as each state, regardless of its size
population or wealth would send to delegates to the Senate, thus
ensuring that each state had thesame power as any other to
decide on legislation Beyond Congress.
The Judiciary would be overseen by a supreme court of Judges.

(03:50:35):
While the executive branch wouldbe formed of a president elected
for terms of four years, throughthe vote of the Electoral.
College a system whereby, each state would have a certain
amount of votes in an election effectively.
This was a compromise Constitution designed to offer
something to conservatives and liberals.
And also to those who wanted a strong federal government.

(03:50:57):
And those who wanted individualsto retain a large amount of
Independence, it was intended that sufficient checks and
balances would exist within it. Whereby one branch of government
could block another from exercising, too much power, John
Adams, watch the proceedings in developing the US Constitution
with interest from his home at Quincy near Braintree.

(03:51:21):
In Massachusetts for Adams was eager to serve as the nation's
first president. However, it soon became apparent
that George Washington was the overwhelming favorite across the
13 states in the presidential election, which was held over
several weeks, in late, 1788 and1789, accordingly, Adams, and

(03:51:42):
several other candidates throughtheir hats into the ring to
become vice, president leaving Washington unchallenged for the
more senior position in America's early days.
The vice president was elected through the Electoral College
too, rather than being a runningmate, chosen by the president.
As it is today Adams won the race to become vice president.

(03:52:04):
Consequently in the spring of 1789, he set off for New York
City, which had briefly become the temporary capital of the
nation in the late. 1780s though, it was soon removed back
to Philadelphia. While a new administrative
Capital was being billed along the Potomac River a place, which
would eventually be named Washington DC after the first

(03:52:26):
president. While the office of vice
president has become more powerful.
In modern times, for much of thehistory of the United States.
It has been a rather insignificant post with the vice
president, holding little by wayof constitutional power.
Other than to preside over the Senate from the beginning Adams
aroused, opposition from membersof the Senate primarily over the

(03:52:49):
issue of how the President should be addressed Adams,
conservatism and suspected residual.
Appreciation of monarchy was on display.
When he proposed that the term highness, which was usually
reserved for kings and queens should be used.
Most of the Senators dissented and Mr. President was eventually

(03:53:09):
decided upon these and other actions early in his vice
presidency and him the animosityof many senators and though he
cast more deciding vote in the Senate than any other vice
president other than John Calhoun in the 19th century, he
soon became disillusioned With his role and became more

(03:53:30):
withdrawn. This was compounded by George
Washington's, decision to largely ignore him.
The exception was concerning France.
When the revolution broke out inthe summer of 1789, followed by
the Revolutionary Wars Washington was interested.
In Adams view of developments there.
Owing to the vice president's former experience of the country

(03:53:50):
for his part Adams was hopeful concerning the revolution when
it began but soon perceived it to have descended into barbarism
once the so-called Terror began in the early 1790s Washington's
consultation with him on French Affairs.
Aside Adams was broadly speakingmarching alized within the
administration as vice presidentand in time he began to assert

(03:54:15):
that the government had created for him.
Quote the most insignificant office that ever the invention
of man contrived. Adams years as vice president.
In the 1790s were significant, more broadly in US politics for
the development of the first party system.
This was dominated by two parties, the Federalist Party

(03:54:37):
which was established by Alexander Hamilton and which as
its name implied was strongly infavor of fostering, a strong
Federal Union in the new nation,as well as encouraging
industrial growth in the cities.It had a stronger base of
support in New England and more urbanized states, such as New
York and Pennsylvania. Their Rivals were the Democratic

(03:55:00):
Republican party established by Jefferson and Madison with a
strong base of support in the southern plantation.
States the Jeffersonian Republicans as they became
colloquially. Known were promoters of
republicanism agrarianism and were more in favor of slavery
than the Federalists this four-runner of the democratic

(03:55:21):
party all so promoted us Expansionism believe in the
country should be looking to establish itself as the
preeminent power in North America Adams soon.
Join the Federalist Party being in favor of Hamilton's fiscal
policies and the parties view that it should look to establish
closer relations with Britain inopposition to the Revolutionary

(03:55:44):
government in France. He also was an advocate of a
strong centralized federal government When Washington
decided towards the end of his second term, that he would not
stand for re-election. Believing the presidency would
take on the air of monarchy or amilitary dictatorship.
If one person occupied the office for too long, he opened

(03:56:05):
the way for the first contested presidential election in US
history. Jefferson was the FrontRunner
for the Democratic Republican party, though.
Both parties put forward multiple candidates though.
Hamilton and Adams distrusted each other.
Hamilton could not deny. That Adams had the best chance
of defeating Jefferson. And so he became the primary

(03:56:27):
candidate for the Federalist Party, the various candidates
did not campaign in person as was the custom at the time, but
the war of words in the newspapers was acrimonious
highlighting the division between the once United founding
fathers. In the end Adams emerged with a
narrow Victory. Receiving 71 Electoral College

(03:56:48):
votes compared to Jefferson's 68While the other Federalist
candidate Thomas Pinckney, came,a close third with 59 votes.
The Democratic Republican party had overwhelmingly carried the
southern states for Jefferson while the Federalists were
dominant in New England, but Adams had picked up enough

(03:57:08):
support in the middle states of Pennsylvania, New York, New
Jersey, and Delaware, the original swing states to win the
election as Jefferson had come. Second, he became vice
president, though, he and Adams had Grown Apart throughout the
southern 1990s, and their friendship had descended,
increasingly into Rancor and rivalry.

(03:57:29):
Adams was sworn into office on the 4th of March 1797.
His presidency was dominated by the issue of whether or not to
declare war on France, a nation that was now at war with most of
the major European powers and whose own revolution had
descended into radicalism and extreme antipathy towards

(03:57:50):
organized religion. An issue which moved some in the
US in favor of joining the anti-french alliance led.
By Britain Adams Federalist Party was strongly in favor of
war and Toad a pro British line.But many in the US still
harbored strong anti-british feelings and viewed the French
as their allies from the war of independence Adams.

(03:58:13):
Thus, inclined towards peace andcentered diplomatic Embassy to
France. But it ended in disaster when
Three French ministers, coded x,y and Zed in the dispatches
demanded Hefty bribes before. They would fully commit, To
negotiations when word of this was eventually released into the

(03:58:34):
public domain attitudes, towardsthe French sowed across the US.
Atoms, could have used this development to bring the us into
the war against France, but he resisted calls to do.
So the US would largely remain neutral in the conflicts which
raged until 1815. Although the second half of 1798

(03:58:54):
and early, 1799 saw Naval clashes with France, which
forced Adams to begin. Remilitarizing the country yet
this Quasi War never developed into a major conflict and the US
avoided involvement. In the main Wars across the
Atlantic establishing a precedent which would last in
one form or another until the second world war of trying to

(03:59:18):
avoid becoming in Tangled in European conflicts.
While the US avoided full-scale war with France in the late
1790s the XYZ Affair, did see a series of measures introduced to
combat. The possible development of a
fifth column of foreign interests in the US, the Alien

(03:59:38):
and Sedition Acts involved four pieces of legislation that
specifically targeted, french-born settlers living in
the United States. And agents of the French
government. All four acts were passed in the
space of two weeks in the summerof 1798.
They were soon. Being employed against
pro-democratic. Republican party newspapers,

(04:00:00):
they were consequently criticized, as being
instruments, designed to allow Adams to attack his political
opponents, particularly Jefferson.
But this ignored many issues surrounding the Alien and
Sedition Acts. Not totally, the fact that they
were not proposed by atoms, but originated amongst members of
Congress. While atoms only reluctantly

(04:00:21):
agreed to sign them into law. Nevertheless Adams has
regularly, been accused of censorship of the press and
executive overreach ever since. Adams presidency was also
notable for his being the first president to reside in
Washington DC. The capital of the United
States. In its first years, was

(04:00:43):
typically in Philadelphia with abrief transfer to New York in
the late 1780s. But a decision was taken early
in Washington's presidency to establish an entirely new city
as the capital of the new nation.
The site selected was the Potomac River on the board of
between the states of Maryland and Virginia.
The goal being too Foster greater ties to the southern

(04:01:05):
states, which were least in favor of a strong federal
government in the 1780s and 1790s the new city, which was
eventually christened WashingtonDC.
After the war hero, and first president took several years to
construct, but at last in November 1800, things were
Advanced enough that Adams was able to move in to the

(04:01:28):
president's Mansion which would later be renamed the White
House. And congress met for the first
time in, what was called at the time, the Congress house later.
Known as the Capitol Building, he had not all was harmonious
shortly. Before the move to DC,
Pennsylvania had been disturbed by civil unrest.
Led by a german-american named John fries is rebellion as it

(04:01:54):
became known was bloodless in the end, but was the third tax
revolt that had occurred since Independence an indication that,
whereas, the British could be removed from the country,
excessive taxation was still viewed with disapproval across
much of the nation as it has been ever since in the United

(04:02:14):
States. For his part Adams was inclined
to show lenient to Wards the leaders of the revolt.
And if issued an executive pardon to freeze and several
others who had been sentenced tohang, The late 1790s were all so
notable for the further deterioration of the
relationship between atoms and his vice president, Thomas

(04:02:35):
Jefferson, what had once, been aclose friendship had
deteriorated greatly. Even before Adams entered office
in 1797, things did not get any better during Adam's time as
president. At the heart of the issue, was
the simple fact that Adams and Jefferson held opposing views on
most of the major policy issues of the day.

(04:02:57):
For instance, Jefferson was unequivocally Pro French.
And even after the XYZ Affair continued to press for an
alliance with the Revolutionary government in Paris, they also
held different views on the nature of the government while
they occupied polar opposite positions.
When it came to the institution of slavery Adams termed, it an

(04:03:20):
apparent and was Central to Massachusetts becoming one of
the first states to gradually abolish slavery beginning.
As early as the 70 in 80s, whileJefferson was a strong Advocate
and owned over 600 enslave people during his lifetime.
All of this increased, the division between the pair and
Adams, rarely consulted with Jefferson as his vice president

(04:03:43):
in much. The same way that Washington had
not consulted him. The Discord between Adams and
Jefferson would come to a head in 1800 as atoms first term
neared, an end the presidential election of that year would see,
the two one-time friends and nowRivals square off again as they

(04:04:04):
had in 1796. However, on this occasion, the
rules of the election had been changed.
This was the first election where the two main parties
nominated. A single candidate who then
chose a running mate who would be vice president in the event
of him. Winning Adams was the Federalist
candidate with Charles Pinckney as his running mate.

(04:04:26):
While Jefferson was the Democratic Republican Party
candidate with Aaron Burr. A lawyer and Veteran of the
Continental Army running with him.
It was a rancorous campaign withJefferson's party attacking
Adams for his handling of relationships, with France, and
Britain, and excessive taxation.While also arguing that the

(04:04:47):
government was trying to Create an overly powerful centralized
government in Washington at the expense of the independence of
the individual states. In this sense, it was a
surprisingly modern campaign andelements of these arguments have
persevered in American politics for over two centuries.
In the end disunity within the Federalist Party between atoms

(04:05:09):
and Hamilton damaged. Their ability to present a
unified front and Jefferson won the election narrowly receiving
73 Electoral College votes to Adams 65.
When he left office Adams returned to his family farm at
Quincy outside Braintree. Already in his mid-sixties, he

(04:05:30):
intended to retire largely from public life and instead
concentrate on farm work and writing he began an
autobiography though. He never completed it.
Adams was also beset by financial difficulties in
retirement, much of his money was held by and invested in bird
Savage, and bird a london-based trading company, which

(04:05:52):
specialized in exporting manufactured goods from England
to North America, and bringing back raw materials.
Such as cotton, from the United States to feed the textile
factories, which was springing up everywhere in cities, like
Manchester and Sheffield in Industrial Age.
Britain, the company collapsed spectacularly in the last months
of 1802 and early 1803, losing Adams some 13,000 dollars, which

(04:06:19):
would be more than 300,000. Dollars in today's money.
Luckily his eldest son, John Quincy was by that time, a
successful lawyer, and Diplomat and was able to provide his
parents with liquidity by buyingsome of their property.
But while John Quincy was a success Adams was troubled by

(04:06:39):
his other Sons. Charles had begun drinking
heavily while still a teenager in the mid-1780s after years of
alcoholism and extramarital Affairs.
He died of pleurisy in 1800 a few years later, after John's
retirement his youngest son Thomas, who had trained as a
lawyer move back to Quincy there.

(04:07:01):
He also gradually descended intoalcoholism largely abandoning
his legal practice and increasingly working as a
caretaker around the farm gripped by debt, and mental
health problems, which caused his father, no, little amount of
concern. Adams was determined upon his
retirement to follow the precedent, established by George

(04:07:23):
Washington of, staying out of politics and not interfering in
the administration and policy decisions of his successes.
However, Adams was less successful in this endeavor than
Washington. While he did largely remain
silent for the first years of Jefferson's presidency.
Eventually major events Drew himinto the public sphere.

(04:07:44):
Such was the case in 1803. When Jefferson's government
proposed by buying a huge swatheof land from the French
government comprising, much of what is termed.
The Midwest today, the LouisianaPurchase was carried out for 15
million dollars and brought overtwo million square kilometers of
land. Stretching from New Orleans, in

(04:08:06):
the South to Montana and North Dakota in the north and west to
Wyoming and Colorado under United States ownership.
Adams was broadly, supportive ofthe move though.
He was Critical of the Embargo Act of 1807, which imposed an
embargo on the trade of all foreign nations in an effort to
try to prevent the British. Royal Navy from coercing

(04:08:28):
American Sailors to join their Fleet an issue which had Arisen
as the war between Britain and Napoleonic, France intensified
in Europe elsewhere. Adams, supported the
presidential bids of Jefferson'seventual, successor James
Madison, and was broadly favorable towards Madison's
handling of the War of 1812 whenwar broke out a fresh with

(04:08:50):
Britain. Adams retirement also saw a
complete sundering of his relationship with Jefferson when
he left office, early in 1801, he wrote to his successor,
wishing him. Good fortune in his time as
President Jefferson rather discouragingly decided not to
respond, though. This may have been owing to

(04:09:11):
Adams having not attended Jefferson's inauguration leaving
the White House at 4 a.m. on themorning of the day.
Jefferson was sworn into office.It was the last straw in a
relationship which had become severely strained in the course
of the 1790s. And as a consequence of it Adams
and Jefferson would not speak toeach other or correspond with

(04:09:34):
one another for the next 11 years.
Despite an attempt by Adam's wife, Abigail to begin
corresponding with Jefferson in.1804 following the death of his
daughter Polly from complications of childbirth,
when she was just 25 years old. In the end, it was not until
1812 that a Reconciliation between the two men who had

(04:09:57):
written the Declaration of Independence and then convinced
the Second. Continental Congress to adopt it
was affected with Benjamin Rush a fellow member of the Congress
in 1776 and a signer of the Declaration acting as a mediator
in their aproxima What followed was an extensive correspondence
over the next 10 plus years early on Adams attempted to turn

(04:10:21):
their discussions towards their political differences.
Staking that quote you and I or not to die before we have
explained ourselves to each other Jefferson demure, though
and said, they should let bygones be bygones atoms,
eventually agreed and their letter took on the shape, their
after of two men in the Twilightof their lives, describing their

(04:10:43):
habits in retirement and reflecting on their
philosophical views of life. Adam's last years were tinged
with sadness and no doubt a certain Pride Abigail died of
typhoid fever in 1818. At 73 years of age, her last
words to her, 82 year, old husband were John.

(04:11:05):
It will not be long in actuality.
John would survive for another eight years in that time, he
lived to see his eldest son, John Quincy who had spent years
serving in various ambassadorialroles to Europe, which Adams
himself had held decades earlier, all.
So serve as US Secretary of States in the administration of

(04:11:27):
President, James Monroe, between18 and 17 and 1825, when
munroe's second term ended, John, Quincy stood for election
as the Democratic Republican Party, candidate beating and
rejection in one of the closest elections in US history.
Thus the second President of theUnited States.

(04:11:48):
Lived long enough. To see his son sworn in as the
sixth president on the 4th of March, 1825 Adams died.
Just over a year later at 90 years of age on the 4th of July.
1826 at his farm near Quincy by a most remarkable set of a
coincidences. This was the 50th anniversary of

(04:12:10):
the signing of the Declaration of Independence and just hours
before Adams died. Jefferson had also passed away
at his home at Monticello in Virginia Adams, was laid to rest
at the United. First Parish Church in Quincy in
Massachusetts, next to Abigail, John Adams was one of the most

(04:12:32):
significant figures of the American Revolution.
This was perhaps somewhat surprising as he was a late
convert to the Patriot cause having believed for much of the
1760s and early 1770s that British rule could continue in
the 130s if the crown made concessions and reformed, its

(04:12:53):
governing methods in North America, he even acted as legal
counsel for the British following the Boston Massacre in
1770. However, the Tea Act and other
developments between 1772 and 1774, convinced him that British
rule was descending into tyranny.
And the establishment of a new independent nation was the only

(04:13:16):
path forward when the American Revolution began.
He was critical to it proposing the creation of the Continental
Army, acting as its administrative had by running
the board of war and ordinance and playing Significant role in
both drafting the Declaration ofIndependence and ensuring it was
ratified by the Second Continental Congress.

(04:13:39):
His accomplishments did not stopthere in the 1780s.
He successively, acted as ambassador to the Dutch
Republic, helped negotiate, the Treaty of Paris.
Then served as ambassador, to Britain a fraud role in the
post-war period and then returned to America to become
the first vice president of the nation.

(04:13:59):
Finally, in 1797, he became the second President of the United
States throughout. He was surprisingly enlightened
for his time in viewing slavery as disgraceful.
And of the five founding fatherswho eventually became president
of the United States. He was the only one not to be a

(04:14:20):
slave owner. Few of the founding fathers were
as distinguished as he was. And yet there has always been a
paradox to Adams as a political figure one in which he
constantly played second fiddle to others, Adams was Central to
the creation and management of the Continental Army.
But he was overshadowed by George Washington who led it in

(04:14:43):
the field of battle. He was an important contributor
to the Declaration of Independence but Thomas
Jefferson gets nearly all of theAcclaim for writing it in the
1780s. He was one of the main
negotiators for the United States in Paris, but the Treaty
of Paris is usually credited to Benjamin Franklin.
And when he finally obtained thepresidency, it was only for his

(04:15:06):
time in office, to be mired in controversy and played by the
issue of whether to go to war with the French who had reviled
Adams in Paris 20 years earlier and had now returned to plague
his presidency. As a result of the first five
presidents of the United States,the only 5 who have Acclaim to

(04:15:27):
have been involved in the American Revolution and were
consequently founding fathers ofthe nation.
Only Adams was limited to one term leaving office after four
years, where Washington Jefferson Madison and Monroe.
Each served for eight years. This is most likely, the reason
why atoms is less revered and regarded by the general public

(04:15:51):
than some of his colleagues in the formation of the United
States. But as has been made, clear,
perhaps Adams was every bit as consequential of figure as
George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin
in the birth of the United States.
What do you think of John Adams?Was he perhaps the greatest of

(04:16:13):
the founding fathers whose role in the American Revolution has
been unfairly eclipsed by GeorgeWashington and Thomas Jefferson.
Please let us know in the comment section and the
meantime, thank you very much for watching.

(04:16:36):
The Man known to history as James, Madison was born on the
16th of March 1751 at Belle, Grove Plantation near Port
Conway. Virginia, his father was James
Madison, Senior a tobacco planter and the largest
landowner in Piedmont, where hisfirst Plantation Mount Pleasant

(04:16:58):
was located. His mother was Nelly Conway.
Both parents came from families of Rich local Planters and
Madison was very conscious of this privileged status James,
Madison Jr. Known to the world simply as
James Madison through his birth,was deeply connected with
Virginia, Colonial politics by alarge and very close family that

(04:17:21):
intersected with most of the elite families of Virginia.
Madison's ancestors, were relative Lake comes to Virginia
arriving in 1653. However, within a few short
years, the Mattison's had becomeprosperous Planters in the
Piedmont region located in the foothills of the Appalachian
Mountains. A danger nine, Madison's family

(04:17:43):
moved to a new home called Montpellier known as Junior to
those close to him, Madison had 11 siblings who he was close to
throughout his life despite occasional familial fights.
He also grew close with the family of Donald Robertson, his
Schoolmaster and future Princeton college.
Professor, John Witherspoon, these two Scottish Educators,

(04:18:06):
helped Madison, develop a deep passion for reading and learning
something. That would be a Hallmark of
Madison's life. He behaved well, around these
teachers. However, Madison was equally as
mischievous as the other local boys.
This was who Madison was Regal and dignified, but Mrs, around
those who knew him. Well, he returned home from

(04:18:28):
Princeton in 1772 but a new interest would soon capture his
attention. In 1774, Madison noticed, the
religious persecution of the Baptists of Virginia by the
local anglicans Madison, had no tolerance for it.
Calling it that diabolical help conceived principle of

(04:18:49):
persecution, he fought and argued tirelessly on behalf of
the marched in allies Baptists to know of Vail.
From this experience, religious freedom became a core principle.
Madison enthusiastically protected, though.
Not actively engaged in religion.
Madison retained a belief in Godthroughout his life.

(04:19:10):
Soon after these, local religious persecutions, Madison
was swept up in larger politicalissues, affecting all the North
American British colonies for the past.
Decade tensions, had simmered between the colonists in America
and the British Empire. Many American colonists were
perfectly content. Being a part of the British
Empire. However, they believed that they

(04:19:32):
deserve to receive the same rights as their fellow citizens
in Great Britain. As British government officials
attempted to exert control over the colonies and enforces status
as subjects tensions. Grew more heated Buster that hot
pot of Yankee and rest led the charge against the increased
pressure from British leaders. However, unrest, and

(04:19:54):
discontented spread across the North American Seaboard from
Canada to Georgia. In every Colony people were
questioning and debating their place in the Empire.
At this point, the fort of leaving the empire was still out
of the question, however, soon to parties began to Lap that
parallel, the major parties in Great Britain, fittingly named

(04:20:14):
the Whigs and the Tories, the Whigs emphasized.
That the rights of Englishmen must be applied to those in the
colonies. These rights included,
representation in Parliament, byphysical Representatives, who
could vote for, or against taxation?
Americans were not against taxation.
But resisted British taxes on matter principle.

(04:20:34):
They believed that they were all.
So equal members of the Empire and deserved the same Rights
passed down through generations of Englishmen some Tories on the
other hand disagreed, that it was necessary that they have
physical representation. Arguing for the idea that by
being part of the Empire, they were virtually represented by

(04:20:55):
Parliament, other Tories agreed with their wig friends to a
degree. They concurred that the British
Parliament was wrong to try to govern without American
Representatives. However, the urged more caution
and more patients from their fellow.
Americans. James Madison was very much a
wig though. A sickly small man.

(04:21:16):
Measuring only five feet four inches.
He was fervent in his desire to protect his beloved Virginia and
the other colonists from tyranny.
Many Americans had long worried about the possibility that
either Parliament or the king could become too powerful and
take away the rights of the people wigs in Boston.
Determined to dramatically resist British Imperial tyranny

(04:21:38):
in 1773 revolutionary bostoniansdumped a massive shipment of
tea, into the harbor in protest.This Boston, Tea Party was
lauded by Patriot's, but in furiated British ministers,
seeing danger in Boston, and wanting to make an example.
Out of those Rebels. Parliament passed the

(04:21:59):
Intolerable Acts a series of laws aimed at forcing Boston,
and all colonists, to shape up and submit to the British crown,
rather than subduing. The colonists, the laws instead
promoted, Anger and panic acrossthe colonies for many, the
harshness of the acts, confirmedtheir fears at the British.
Government did not care at all about their rights, Madison

(04:22:21):
became much more engaged with the wigs.
Now known as the Patriots and began to protest.
The actions of the British Parliament. 1775, brought the
first battles of the American Revolution.
When Patriot forces around, Boston, confronted British
soldiers as they were attemptingto take Patriot ammunition

(04:22:42):
stores. These now, historic battles of
Lexington and Concord ignited, unrest across the entire
British. North American colonies, James
Madison quickly, voiced his support and became more deeply
anti-british. As he read about numerous
attacks on the Americans by 1776.
Madison and other Virginians hadhad enough of the Empire they

(04:23:05):
organized themselves to work towards independence.
Then on the 15th of May, the Virginia convention, a shadow
government, operating in Williamsburg voted to ask the
Continental Congress to vote forIndependence, Madison.
A member of the convention was appointed to draft Virginia's
Declaration of Rights Madison partnered with George Mason.

(04:23:27):
A 50 year old delegate renowned for his gruffness to draft, The
document Madison helped craft anamendment that stated all men
were entitled to worship as theywished only a few years removed
from the persecution of the Baptists.
Madison did not want his new state to be able to persecute
and harm religious minorities after several revisions the

(04:23:49):
amendment was added a huge success in the previously
Anglican dominated Colony. However, Madison lost the
election of 1777 locals. Wanted a leader who was more
friendly and personable, particularly one, who would
Supply free alcohol at rallies Madison believed in a more
dignified approach to elections and felt that resorting to

(04:24:12):
bribery was immoral. He refused to buy a rounds of
beer for the local men which cost him his seat, but Madison's
writing and negotiating skills had made him popular among
Virginia Elites and soon. He was back in Virginia's
capital on the governor's Council, then two years after
that in 17. 29. He was elected to the
Continental Congress in Congress.

(04:24:35):
Madison came into contact with the best and brightest from
across all 13, new States, thesefriendships and connections that
he formed. During the years of the American
Revolution would be critical to his development as a politician.
And as a negotiator, one of the friends he gained during these
years was the fiery young Thomas, Jefferson the author of

(04:24:58):
the Declaration of Independence and one of Virginia's leading
Statesman Politics and nation-building were not.
The only things on Madison's mind during his tenure as a
congressman. While in Philadelphia in 1783
Madison fell in love with Catherine Kitty Floyd the
daughter of a New York Congressman she was nearly 16

(04:25:20):
years old but such a courtship was not a rarity in those days.
Madison saw things progressing wonderfully until in July, Floyd
broke off their courtship to marry a medical student.
Madison was devastated and wroteto his friend, Thomas Jefferson
mourning. The loss of his love Jefferson
recently. Having lost his own wife was

(04:25:41):
sympathetic and sought to comfort his friend.
With his love life in turmoil. Madison continued to devote
himself to his country. While Madison threw himself into
supporting the new government. He quickly learned of many of
its shortcomings governance. During the war had been
problematic. The new nation constantly
plagued by lack of funds and an inability to tax.

(04:26:04):
America won its independence in 1783, but there was still a lot
of work to do the Articles of Confederation a document joining
together. The 13 independent states in to
a confederation of States, attempted to govern the new
nation. However, Madison and others
couldn't help but see how ineffective it was the document,

(04:26:27):
made the central government. Exceptionally weak in an effort
to prevent tyranny or rather a repetition of the events prior
to the colonies leaving, Great Britain.
The largest problem was that Congress had very little power
to do anything, especially to raise taxes.
For a Young Nation, entering theworld stage.
World full of powerful Empires aweek.

(04:26:47):
Decentralized government. Did not seem to be the way to
maintain the liberty of the new nation.
This is perhaps why Madison formed a working friendship with
a bright young lawyer named. Alexander Hamilton now famous
because of lin-manuel, Miranda'sBroadway, musical.
Hamilton a young man, like Madison and one of the sharpest

(04:27:08):
Minds in US Congressional circles, teamed up with Madison
to solve, various problems plaguing Congress.
However, even as they worked together, the two young men,
butted heads as they looked to solve problems differently.
Hamilton favored a strong central government, while
Madison looked to make incremental changes over time.
Madison was deal-maker. Hamilton, a brilliant Firebrand.

(04:27:32):
These early experiences between the two men would cement Decades
of occasional cooperation and rivalry between the little
Virginia and the Immigrant New Yorker.
Congress struggled. To survive under the Articles of
Confederation from 1783, to 1787, the government's control
of the country was tenuous and never certain inflation crippled

(04:27:55):
the once thriving, economy, leaving many families,
struggling, and resentful formersoldiers, demanded their payment
for their services in the Army and Congress broke, as usual was
forced to issue. Ious, which only infuriated the
soldiers more for many. It seemed as if the nation was
on the brink of collapse, James Madison worried about the future

(04:28:17):
of the nation and how he could help it survive as he wondered,
he sought to make the best of anincreasingly Drury.
Predicament by serving again andagain in public office.
James Madison's first term as a congressman ended in 1784
following which Madison went to work in the lower House of

(04:28:37):
Virginia's legislature. While there he maintained
contacts with friends in Congress and abroad and
continued to fight for religiousliberty.
In the state of Virginia, by removing taxes, designed to
support religious institutions. He worked alongside George
Washington to develop a canal across the Appalachian Mountains
along the Potomac River and served as a ghost writer, for

(04:29:01):
Washington, for drafting specific proposals during the
process, as well as this Madisonalso continued to work with
Hamilton in an effort to strengthen the weak United
States. For these young Statesmen, the
United States was ungovernable and risked being broken apart,
and reabsorbed by larger European Empires while many

(04:29:21):
modern viewers may think that the United States growth was
inevitable. Nothing could be further from
the truth with each small Christ.
The young United States seemed ready to implode Madison wanted
to change that the question in his and other leaders Minds was
how Madison took great effort tostudy and prepare himself for

(04:29:43):
future debates. He studied history books, sent
to him by Thomas Jefferson, who was then residing in Paris,
Madison pondered on the example of past confederacies or loose
unions. He became increasingly convinced
that in order to survive the nation needed a stronger central
government that could manage thequarrelsome States.
But by 1786 tensions, in the United States were reaching

(04:30:08):
breaking point of the Union splitting apart was rampant
throughout the nation mob violence such as Shays Rebellion
in Massachusetts. Put everyone on edge Madison was
one of the key organizers for the Constitutional Convention
and put much of his energy into recruiting the national hero.
General George Washington to come to Madison arrived in

(04:30:29):
Philadelphia on the 14th of May,but the convention was delayed
until the 25th. When the rest of the delegates
arrived Maddison came thoroughlyprepared for the Constitutional
Khan. With a plan for government
structure, that became known as the Virginia Plan.
Madison argued that the Confederation should be scrapped
and be replaced by a government.That included A two-house

(04:30:52):
legislature, an executive and a Judiciary.
The plan, also highlighted the problems with too much state
power. Transferring it instead to the
national government. Some delegates began to fear
that the new government would even abolish state governments.
And the Virginia Plan was hotly contested, especially by
delegates, from small states. For six weeks.

(04:31:15):
Delegates, argued with each other in what is now known as
Independence Hall? They were well, aware of the
gravity of their situation knowing that they were seeking
to recreate the government of the United States.
As different plans, were proposed and debated the
delegates work slowly towards a consensus, Madison wanted to
create a nation, Not Just A Confederacy of states.

(04:31:37):
He continued to argue that the people were the source of
government, not the state governments themselves, but
concessions had to be made Madison was deflated that his
plan had been mangled and meltedwith plans, still favoring small
states, but his Virginia Plan was still very influential.
In the final result by Septemberthe convention adjourned and

(04:31:59):
sent the new United States Constitution to the state to be
ratified, while none of the delegates were perfectly happy
with the final result. They believe that it was far
better than the Articles of Confederation.
After the convention, Madison was tasked with a new objective
to defend the Constitution. So that it would be accepted by

(04:32:21):
the people of the 13 states. After four months, five states
Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia and Connecticut
accepted the new document. However, the larger States like
Virginia, Massachusetts and New York were not on board yet.
Fierce debates erupted across the country as a loose Coalition

(04:32:41):
of anti-constitutional known as the Anti-Federalists, went to
work attacking the document and trying to prevent ratification
Madison soon, joined a literary debate happening in America's
newspapers, between Hamilton andRobert Yates, a New York
Anti-Federalist these debates which soon expanded Beyond
Hamilton and Yates Kent be knownas The Federalist Papers.

(04:33:04):
These documents clearly and persuasively outline the logic
of the new constitutional government written mostly by
Hamilton and Madison. The Federalist Papers have
become a standard document in the study of the formation of
the United States Constitution, for Madison.
This new occupation, as a journal writer was difficult,
weak. After week of intense writing

(04:33:26):
stressed, the young Statesman, the writing's may have helped
the debate shaping New York, butsoon, Madison was on his way to
Virginia, to help keep the Constitution alive.
In Virginia. The opposition was led by the
legendary Patrick Henry, and other leaders of the American
Revolution, Madison noted, that many people desired a Bill of

(04:33:47):
Rights. Something that they saw as
essential to the liberty of Americans.
In 1788, Madison went to Virginia's ratification
convention where he debated relentlessly for the national
Constitution? Although he was not a great
orator. He went toe-to-toe with Patrick
Henry, and one over many by promising to bring up a Bill of
Rights as amendments on the 25thof June.

(04:34:10):
The US Constitution was ratifiedin Virginia with a vote of 89 to
79. After all the stress of the
convention, Madison had, yet another task winning a seat in
the new Congress. So he could deliver on his
promises and helped guide the new government.
Patrick Henry, make sure that Madison was unable to be
appointed as a senator, as Madison ran for the House of

(04:34:33):
Representatives Henry. Again, attempted to keep Madison
out of the new government. Running against the former
friend James Monroe, Madison emphasized, his support for
amendments to make a Bill of Rights.
He won by several hundred votes thus guaranteeing him a spot in
the new United States government.
George Washington took the oath of office in New York City, on

(04:34:55):
the 30th of April 1789, using anaddress that he had crafted with
Madison's help, the new government appeared to be
working He served in Congress, Madison was not flamboyant or
impressive when it came to delivering speeches, he
preferred to work behind the scenes.
Accomplishing the Dirty Work of forming a new nation.

(04:35:16):
Madison was a member of the Continental Congress from 1789
to 1792 the most influential formative years of the new
Republic Madison learned, much about how to create compromises
during this period. One instance involved preserving
Benjamin Franklin's job as America's Chief Diplomat and
binding, America closer to France, he did, however, make

(04:35:39):
enemies he didn't get along wellwith John Adams.
The man who had helped spur America towards independence and
served as president from 1797 to1801.
The two became bitter enemies and avoided one another, during
the early months of working as acongressional delegate, Madison
worked hard to get the Bill of Rights into the Constitution.

(04:36:01):
Madison believed that these rights were not Your rights or
stemmed from nature. And God, these natural rights
were enshrined in English tradition.
And he felt they ought to be protected by the American
government, some of Madison's proposed amendments fail to
garnish, sufficient support. However, the following 10 did

(04:36:21):
first, he proposed the right to freedom of religion speech,
press assembly, and petition second the right to keep and
bear arms. Third, the right to prevent the
government from using citizens, homes as Barracks for soldiers
forth, a ban on unreasonable search and seizure fifth
protections for people accused of crimes.

(04:36:42):
Forbidding Double Jeopardy or being charged twice for the same
offense and seizing property without just compensation, the
right to refuse to self incriminate, the right to jury
and the right to due process, orfake positive.
The right of the accused to havea speedy and public trial by an

(04:37:02):
impartial jury certain the right.
A jury trial, in federal civil cases, 8 a ban on excessive bail
and fines and cruel, and unusualpunishment, 9th, and
acknowledgment of unenumerated, Rights, or additional rights.
That haven't been explicitly listed and 10th, a statement
that writes not listed in. The Constitution are under the

(04:37:24):
direction of the states and the people these rights.
Have since become an indispensable, Hallmark of US
law and a model for free governments around the world
without Madison the Bill of Rights.
And the freedoms that it protects may never have existed.
One author has since stated. If Madison was not quite the
father of the Constitution success has a thousand fathers,

(04:37:47):
he was its midwife Following thesuccesses Madison was considered
one of the leaders of the US House of Representatives, his
friends like Washington, Hamilton and Jefferson, were
leading figures in the fledglinggovernment and the transition
away from the Articles of Confederation was working,
however, not everything ran smoothly among leading Statesmen

(04:38:09):
as Hamilton unveiled. His plans, to fix the national
debt Madison shifted from Ally to enemy.
He proposed legislation different to Hamilton's and
argued against accepting Hamilton's ideas.
At the same time, a crisis was brewing in Congress of where to
place the nation's capital. According to Thomas Jefferson,
he arranged a meeting between Madison and Hamilton were a

(04:38:33):
bargain was struck that allowed the nation's capital to be moved
to its present site at Washington DC.
While Hamilton's plan was allowed to pass through Congress
with without attacks from Madison.
This solved the immediate issue at hand, but did not end
Madison's Feud with his former collaborator.
Alexander Hamilton 10. The next major fight between
these two political leaders was over the National Bank Hamilton

(04:38:56):
sought to transform the AmericanRepublic.
To be more stable and be a placewhere International creditors
could invest their Surplus Resources.
Hamilton wanted the United States to be a republic.
He was not interested in transforming the nation into a
monarchy. Neither, was he a Democrat?
He believed that most people were not educated enough or

(04:39:17):
selfless enough to be in charge of government.
Hamilton wanted to mimic what leaders in the British Empire
had done decades earlier by tying the prosperity of the
wealthiest men to the prosperityof the government.
Thereby, theoretically benefiting the masses, Madison
disagreed. Believe in like Jefferson that
the power of the Republic could be spread to the Yeoman farmer,

(04:39:40):
the independent man and not justthe elites, he believed that the
idea for the First National Bankof the United States was
unconstitutional, his Protests were in vain.
However, because in February of 1791, Congress passed the bank,
Bill and Washington after listening to both Madison and

(04:40:00):
Hamilton signed the bill, much to Jefferson's and Madison's
consternation Madison became increasingly disenchanted with
the Washington administration, especially Washington's,
handling of the French Revolution.
Madison and Jefferson were francophiles or people who loved
France though. Not as Extreme as Jefferson in
his hatred. For the British Madison was

(04:40:22):
upset by Washington's seeming support for the British in the
wars of the French Revolution. Madison supported the radicals
of the Revolution and Jefferson's attacks on John
Adams who had begun writing and support of hereditary
government. Soon, Madison's and Jefferson's
attacks on leading government. Men such as Hamilton Adams.

(04:40:42):
And even Washington, drove National politics towards a
bitter, divide Across the Nationcamps, began to form, nominally
known as Federalists and Republicans today known as
Democratic Republicans or Jeffersonian Republicans.
Madison refused to believe that he was introducing parties into
the American system. He claimed his opponents had

(04:41:03):
done it already. However, Madison's attacks did
more to Spur the creation of theparty system than anything.
John Adams, had done his decisions to focus on the
creation of a party focused on the lower and middle class,
granted him and Thomas Jeffersonsuccess over the next two
decades, Washington attempted tostop.
The fights between the people inhis cabinet and was losing

(04:41:27):
battle Madison and Jefferson attempted to oust Vice
President, John Adams, during the election of 1792 further
angering the Federalists, meanwhile In France, the events
of the French Revolution had deteriorated to mob control and
mass executions. The guillotine killed thousands
of people while thousands more died in battles with the British

(04:41:47):
and prussians, many Americans had initially supported the
French Revolution until it turned sadistic and violent.
And while some Americans reversed their stance on the
French Revolution, others hardened in their conviction
that the citizens of France wereright.
Madison was one of these men. He accepted honorary, French

(04:42:08):
citizenship and became astonished defender of the
French Revolution, when Washington declared American
neutrality. Madison went to work seeking to
undermine the president's position when Madison supporters
began directing attacks at George Washington, the tides
began to turn against him. Already many Americans were
nervous as French revolutionaries abandoned,

(04:42:29):
Christianity, and continued, thepurges of France's enemies
attacking the father of the country was one.
Step two far Madison, and Jefferson feeling the wrath of
Americans, beat a hasty Retreat.Again supporting Washington
publicly. However, the damage had already
been done Over the next few years, Madison continued to work

(04:42:51):
with Thomas Jefferson to help their party regain support.
However, in 1794, Madison had more pressing matters than
National Politics on his mind inPhiladelphia, the nation's
capital James, Madison at age, 43, met Dolly Payne.
Todd dolly was a widow, her husband having died in the
yellow fever. Epidemic of 1793 Madison was

(04:43:14):
introduced Todd by one of his political allies.
Aaron Burr. Madison was quickly smitten with
the beautiful woman, many of Madison's friends, including
George Washington showed excitement of the possible match
by August of 1794. Madison had won the heart of
Dolly and the two were married on the 15th of September 1794

(04:43:35):
dolly was happy and affectionateand outgoing.
And flirty woman, Dolly loved the world into which James
Madison brought her prior to hermarriage.
She had been a Quaker, the quickly adapted to the gate of
Philadelphia and later Virginia,High Life, the two would add a
wing on to Madison's Plantation Montpellier which sum today

(04:43:56):
suggests looks like the combination of a Virginia
Plantation. Manor and a fella Delphia
townhome. She would remain a devoted and
faithful companion to the shy and quiet Statesman throughout
his life. As Madison adapted to his role,
as a husband, and father Dolly had one child from her previous
marriage. He also began to clash with his

(04:44:17):
former Idol, George Washington, more frequently.
His first Clash was over Jay's Treaty a secret treaty signed by
American Diplomat. John Jay with the British in
November of 1794, the treaty wasquickly signed by both the
Senate and Washington in part because they knew the treaty
would be extremely unpopular. The treaty secured some

(04:44:39):
victories for the Americans and helped ease tensions with Great
Britain. But for many the treaty did
little, but embarrassed the nation initial resentment from
the public began to shift. However, as Hamilton launched a
brilliant, PR campaign supporting Jay's, Treaty
Madison. And Jefferson were Furious when
Madison's allies in the house, attempted to confront Washington

(04:45:00):
about the Treaty Washington, dismissed, their efforts.
Now, Madison felt, he had to fight his friend.
The results were not pretty Washington.
Ceased all interactions with hisformer friend at 64 years old,
Washington, was unwilling to deal with those.
He viewed as backstabbers Maddison unhappy at the results

(04:45:20):
was further saddened when his efforts to defund the treaty or
keep funds from making the treaty possible, failed
Madison's 7 years in Congress, had worn out the Virginia and he
was ready for a break. In 1796 Madison retired, from
Congress and headed back to his Plantation in Virginia, his

(04:45:42):
former friend, George Washingtonalso retired in his farewell
address Washington took. Some parting shots at Madison
and his colleagues reminding Americans to avoid Party
politics and not become attachedtoo much to foreign Nations.
However, the country was engulfed in its first contested,
presidential election, Adams, and Jefferson faced off with

(04:46:04):
John Adams, coming out the Victor James Madison had tried
to help Jefferson obtain the victory.
Now, Jefferson was to be Adams. Vice president, the two old
friends now enemies will, once again together Madison
encouraged the enmity, stoking the Party politics as much as he
could, he also refused to act asa minister to France seeing an

(04:46:27):
opportunity to allow the Federalist Party to sink itself.
He wanted to watch their party collapse as much as any other
Jeffersonian. Republican, he would be content
himself to stay in Virginia and take care of personal matters.
Over the next few years, Madisoncontinued to worry about the
Federalists Madison believed that his political enemies would

(04:46:50):
Doom the country and Destroy Everything.
The American Revolution had stood for, he saw evidence in
the hostilities between France and the United States as well as
the passage of the Alien and Sedition Act.
A law that targeted radical Democratic elements in the
United States Madison and Jefferson both began to plan to
combat the Federalist attempts to control the press and

(04:47:12):
suppress their parties more radical supporters.
And so they launched an offensive called the Kentucky
and Virginia resolutions Penn secretly by Madison written for
Virginia and Jefferson who wrotefor the legislature in Kentucky.
These resolutions were to act asa rallying cry for the nation,
the call as these resolutions was for the States to declare

(04:47:33):
the Alien. And Sedition Acts
unconstitutional medicine was far more succinct and less fiery
than Jefferson in his writing. But the point was made The
nation was on the edge of collapse.
The nation's response was a negative condemning the
resolution and their authors forthreatening the American
Republic. However, Federalists in fighting

(04:47:55):
left an opening for Madison and Jefferson and they took it
Madison re-entered politics in 1799 by running and winning a
seat in the Virginia assembly from his seat.
In the Virginia legislature. Madison continued to defend the
Kentucky and Virginia resolutions, while helping
Scituate Jefferson for victory, in the upcoming presidential

(04:48:18):
election of 1800, the election was close, but Jefferson
narrowly won in 1801. Madison traveled to the nation's
new capital in Washington DC andbegan his Service.
As Secretary of State. Madison enjoyed a close
relationship with Jefferson and was his primary advisor during
his presidency with the Jeffersonian Republicans in

(04:48:39):
power. Much of the opposition to
Madison Came From Within his ownparty.
Particularly, those who felt wronged by Jefferson's right
hand, man, some were men who hadsought patronage appointments
only to be turned away. Others were radicals who felt
Madison was too conservative forthe party.
Madison did little to fight backagainst their Verbal attacks, he

(04:49:02):
was too focused on outside matters to be terribly concerned
with intra-party, fighting France and Britain were still at
War. But with the jeffersonians in
power American policy, flipped to now favor, the French under
Napoleon. However, France had emerged as a
military superpower and had wrested control of Louisiana

(04:49:22):
Territory from the Spanish Madison went to work to convince
the French the best option for them was to help the United
States gain control of Florida and sell the Americans.
New Orleans Napoleon was uninterested in listening,
however, the disaster of Napoleon's invasion of sand, the
mang, no known as Haiti ended, French efforts to reassert

(04:49:44):
control in the new world. This led to a remarkable change
of Fortunes when the French soldthe Americans.
The Louisiana Territory a massive expansive territory,
doubling the United States size for Madison.
This was a perfect outcome and one which he believed would
greatly impact future Generations.
At the start of Jefferson's second term Madison focused much

(04:50:08):
of his efforts on securing the Louisiana Purchase and acquiring
Florida from Spain, Spain, proved to be resistant to
American threats and offers and was determined to hold on to
their colony. However, far more threatening to
the Jeffersonian Administration,was the British Empire, which
was engaged in a war, with France, in 1805.

(04:50:29):
But British officials began attacking American Merchant, men
to stop trade with France. Madison was frustrated by the
British policy and attacked it with pamphlets and threats.
But the situation took a drasticturn for the worst when Napoleon
and the British began a trade war and forbade, the United
States from Trading with each other by 1807, America was

(04:50:52):
powerless in the face of the great Powers because it had only
a small Navy and both Madison and Jefferson refused to get
involved in a war in Stead. They decided to impose an
embargo of American's trading with France or Britain, Madison
defended the policy, which crippled the American economy
with little repercussions for the Britain or France, while

(04:51:13):
Jefferson retreated from the drop, in popularity, following
the passage of the Embargo Madison doubled down on his
position, he was determined to give no ground.
However, the Embargo souidi deepand bitter seeds throughout the
nation, particularly in New England, In 1808 Madison began,

(04:51:33):
working to secure the nomination.
For the Democratic Republican, ticket to contest the up and
coming presidential election andreplaced Jefferson as president
of the United States, Madison's successes and his closeness.
With Jefferson, proved to be a significant Boon to his
prospects, his chief party opponent fellow Virginian.

(04:51:54):
James Monroe was unable to secure enough, major political
allies to mount a successful campaign against his former
friend. And after the Federalists
nominees performed, terribly Madison swept to Victory and
became the fourth President of the United States of America.
After taking the oath of office on the 4th of March, 1809 with

(04:52:15):
George Clinton becoming his vicepresident.
However, despite his victory Madison found a strong
opposition within his own party and among the Federalists, these
two groups helped vote down the hated embargo, ending one of
Jefferson, and Madison's. Keir attacks on the British with
the Embargo of failure. Madison was now facing a world

(04:52:36):
with two hostile and belligerentworld powers, France, and Great
Britain. And as well as this Madison's
life in Washington was far from peaceful while his wife Dolly
set out to create a vibrant and glamorous environments in the
nation's, 8 year old Capitol in Washington DC, Madison's
enemies, made his life Difficultby constantly opposing him and

(04:52:59):
fighting his decisions. While Madison faced enemies in
Congress, he did achieve a significant Victory when his
administration annexed the Western half of Spanish Florida,
had long been a prize Madison wanted to seize and after
American settlers moved, their Madison ordered an army to enter
the territory proving to his critics that he could act

(04:53:22):
decisively in favor of the United States.
This victory was tempered by theincreasing hostility of Great
Britain and the refusal to cooperate with the United States
decision to remain neutral, British officials sent to the
United States further. Antagonized relations between
the two states, leading many Americans to become more hostile

(04:53:42):
to the British, Madison continued to hope that an
embargo would produce the correct effects.
However, most Americans were tired with fruitless economic
sanctions that achieved little of the desired effect.
In 1811 Madison, reorganized, his cabinet, and brought in his
former friend once enemy. But now friend, again, James

(04:54:04):
Monroe, Monroe was seen as the perfect Virginian to succeed,
Madison and Madison knew it. He also received various
officials that he had come to dislike Madison.
Wanted a stronger cabinet one that would help him.
Fulfill his plans for the American Republic.
This was desperately needed as Madison's party was beginning to

(04:54:24):
fracture as new younger Jeffersonian.
Republicans entered the Nationalstage men like Henry Clay.
And John C Calhoun made their mark on the new Congress in the
fall of 1811. These young senators and
representatives saw in the cells.
The future of the new nation while they respected the
founders such as Madison. They also saw them as holding

(04:54:46):
back the nation from its true potential and Glory.
Meanwhile in New England Federalists were becoming
increasingly disaffected with the administration. while still
supportive of the United States,they were frustrated by the
Madison administration's policies towards Great Britain
who they saw as a bulwark against Napoleonic France,

(04:55:08):
Another challenge Madison face was reigning in his own party
who had become increasingly hawkish on Great Britain,
Britain long antagonistic towards the Jeffersonian
Republicans had ignored all calls for the negotiations.
Furthermore, Native American wars on the frontiers of the
American Republic were spurred on by British agents Who

(04:55:29):
provided encouragement to the tribes resisting, the conquest
of their homelands by American forces.
On the first of June 1812, Madison sent a war message to
Congress after two and a half weeks of debate.
Both houses of Congress voted togo to war every Federalist
voted, no, but the Jeffersonian Republicans, had the upper hand

(04:55:50):
Maddison. However, presided over a
dilapidated and pathetic Army and Navy the Jeffersonian
Republicans over the past, decade had reduced the Army, and
Navy to Mere Shadows of their former selves declaring war on
the strongest nation. In Europe was bold.
And ambitious, not a bit foolhardy.

(04:56:10):
However, the Americans were committed, but at least the
Jeffersonian Republicans and no power on Earth was going to stop
them. Perhaps medicine believed the
Britain would not commit many resources to the conflict.
France had recently invaded Russia, and Britain's Army was
bogged down in Spain and Portugal, Madison.

(04:56:31):
Even offered peace terms soon. After the declaration of war
American forces soon, were marching on Canada which
resulted in an absolute disaster.
Unfortunate timing. Inept, commanders and logistical
challenges, not to mention the poor quality of the soldiers led
to stinging defeats for the Americans.
The only positives came from thesuccesses of the US Navy, which

(04:56:53):
continued to defy the odds, and win battles against British
ships. And as the war dragged on
Madison was re-elected. But only through the support of
the Pennsylvania Republicans, ifnot for their support, Madison
would have lost the race. However, with his election
secured, Madison continued to try to solve the problems of the

(04:57:15):
US military, while he had some success, the war was quickly.
Breaking the fragile, Unity of the Young Nation, new
englanders, hated the war. And Federalists were beginning
to contemplate a complete separation from the south.
Then it late 1812. The war took a decidedly worse
turn for the Americans when Napoleon's invasion of Russia

(04:57:36):
completely failed with France. Now weakened the British turned
more of their attention, the warin America.
Then in 1813 Madison was hit by a bilius fever.
The fever threatened his life and Madison was left, bedridden
for weeks critics and Friends alike wondered if it was the end

(04:57:57):
of the small Virginian, however,in August of 1813, Madison
gradually began to recover 1813,also brought some small
victories on the Great Lakes forthe Americas.
The most famous being the Victory on Lake Erie by Captain
Oliver Perry. Several victories were also
achieved by American generals against Native American forces.

(04:58:19):
These victories would pave the way for settler expansion in to
Native American lands following the war.
While Madison celebrated these victories, he was also
Desperately Seeking to end the war in part because Madison
understood that Britain was stronger and better equipped
than his American Army in 1814, Madison's sent five men,

(04:58:42):
including John, Quincy, Adams, and Henry.
Clay to negotiate a treaty between Great Britain and the
United States. When Napoleon abdicated in the
spring of 1814, the British officials sent more troops to
North America to crush the Americans.
However two years of war had hardened up the American troops

(04:59:02):
and along the Canadian Frontier.A stalemate kept either side
from achieving a significant Victory and any successes were
offset by devastating attack launched by the British on the
Chesapeake Bay Area. Madison had attempted to prepare
for an assault. However, his poor choice in
commanders specifically William Winder led to disastrous

(04:59:24):
results. When on the 19th of August, 1814
British troops landed at Benedict, Maryland only 35
miles, south of Washington DC and Madison's cabinet collapsed.
Some felt Baltimore would be thelogical next Target.
James Monroe, began acting as a scout and Madison wrote out to

(04:59:44):
the Troops. Eight miles, south of the
capital and encouraged them on unlike in previous years.
Where the American militia had stalled British advances, the
British marched leisurely towards Washington DC.
After a short battle later, in titled, the Bladensburg races
due to the Flight of the American forces, the British
marched into the capitol retaliating for the American

(05:00:08):
burning of York in Canada. Now known as Toronto, the
British burned, the Capitol building and the White House
Madison and his family had safely evacuated.
But now the capital was in Ruinsand the British triumphant
seemingly poised to destroy the much larger and economically
more important city of Baltimorein September.

(05:00:29):
The British moved against Baltimore, only to be repelled
at Fort McHenry. It was a victory, but it rang
Hollow as the smolders of Washington burned.
Madison found in the fall, a very deflated and frustrated
Congress. The war was going poorly and
Madison's allies were doing little to make it any more

(05:00:49):
popular, James Monroe, advocatedfor a draft, something that was
deeply unpopular in all regions of the country in December.
1814, New England, Federalists gathered in Hartford Connecticut
and discussed seceding from the United States though.
Not taking that drastic step theFederalists threatened to

(05:01:09):
secede. If their demands were not met.
They petitioned for several Constitutional Amendments
seeking to curtail the power of the Jeffersonian Republicans
Madison, who had advocated similar ideas in the 1790s.
When protesting Federalist powerwas Furious.
However, Madison was saved by the fortuitous success of
General, Andrew Jackson, Who decidedly outwitted the British

(05:01:33):
in the small town of New Orleans.
The battles swung American public opinion in favor of
Madison who learned of it aroundthe same time that he received
the Treaty of Ghent, a true between the British and the
Americans. With the war at an end, Madison
was able to ignore the Federalists and rejoice with the
rest of the nation. Observers stated that Madison

(05:01:56):
was giddy and the life of the party, following the end of the
war. The rest of his two years in
office were spent fortifying hislegacy and preparing the nation
for the next Virginian President, James Monroe, he saw
his term as a success and was pleased with the turn of events,
following the war for Madison. He believed that National Honor

(05:02:17):
had been saved and that the piece was a victory for the
Young Nation. Madison looked to the future
with optimism and hope believingthat the United States was on
the brink of great success. Following his retirement from
Party politics, Madison returnedto his Plantation Montpelier
Madison, as one of the last of the founding generation was an

(05:02:37):
American icon. Visitors flocked to his home.
To see the former President Madison was the last of the
framers of the Constitution and America drifting towards the
Sectional conflicts of the CivilWar.
Look to him, though, not involved in National politics.
He continued to give advice. He argued continually for the
idea of American Union. Something he saw as essential in

(05:03:02):
order to preserve American Liberty.
He was terrified that soon the nation would devolve into war
and break asunder never to achieve its destined greatness
but while he remained an icon hedid experience troubles in
perpetuating his farm as prices dived and Virginia land lost
value family problems. Also ate a wet Madison's

(05:03:23):
fortunes leaving the man barely staving off bankruptcy.
These financial troubles did notdeter Madison from working on
various projects, including writing opinions on Supreme
Court rulings and supporting theestablishment of the University
of Virginia. He also supported the American
Colonization Society. A group established two,
emigrate, free, and enslaved, African-Americans back to

(05:03:47):
Africa. Madison himself, never mustered
the courage to free his enslaved.
People he hid from what he knew to be wrong.
Madison's last hours were recorded by Paul Jennings.
One of the men enslaved by James.
Madison Jennings, recalled. The death of his enslaver
several decades later. His recounting is surprisingly

(05:04:09):
not angry or full of malice, just a simple recollection of
what he saw the day that the father of the United States
Constitution died. It was the 26th of June 1838
only 23 years before the start of the American Civil War
Madison had been in his bed for nearly six months.
Unable to walk on the morning ofhis death, he had trouble eating

(05:04:32):
and his niece asked. What is the matter?
Uncle James, Madison simply said, nothing more than a change
of mind, my dear Jennings statedhis head instantly dropped, and
he ceased breathing, as quietly as the snuff of a candle goes
out in the days, following Matteson was taken to the Grave,
followed by an immense procession of both white and

(05:04:54):
black Americans to bury the Small man from Montpelier
Virginia in the graveyard. Medicine was an American
founding father. And one of the primary authors
of the United States Constitution, he was a man whose
life was tied closely to the formation and growth of a new
United States and helped shape the United States on its course

(05:05:16):
to become a global superpower. His death occasioned much sorrow
in the United States. The last of the founders Madison
had truly made his mark on the United States.
His decision-making had been keyin state and National
constitutional conventions. His dedication to Liberty, and
the freedom of white Americans laid a precedent for future

(05:05:37):
Generations. While he struggled to Envision a
future where White's and blacks could live together in peace,
his greatest work. The US Constitution was used by
some abolitionists to justify the end of slavery.
Madison, the short Virginian lived, a life immersed in
politics and the creation of a new nation his friends and

(05:06:00):
enemies. Numbered amongst some of the
most famous of America's founding generation and is
meticulous record-keeping allowshistorians today.
A glimpse into the past world ofthe founding fathers Madison
made his Mark and his Mark as lasted until the present, the
United States Constitution, being a model for many other
nations Often, overshadowed by other figures such as George,

(05:06:22):
Washington, Thomas Jefferson or his old adversary John Adams.
Madison has remained one of the most prominent founders of the
United States of America. What do you think of James
Madison, does he deserve his reputation as a hero of the
early American republic? Or was he a political operator
bent on preserving his own classand status as a slaveholder?

(05:06:47):
Please let us know in the comments section and in the
meantime thank you very much forwatching.
The Man known to history. As Alexander Hamilton was born

(05:07:08):
in Charlestown. The capital of the island of
Nevis in the British Lee would Islands, which now forms part of
the island nation of Saint Kittsand Nevis.
His birthday was the 11th of January the year of his birth
Remains the subject of some historical debate.
And while, as an adult Hamilton claimed to have been born in

(05:07:29):
1757, several documents from hischildhood suggested, that he was
actually born in 1755. His father, James Hamilton was
born around 1718. The fourth son of a Scottish
landowner. The LED of Grange in Ayrshire an
in 1741. He traveled across the Atlantic

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to Saint Kitts, hoping to make his fortune in the sugar
business. In the 18th century, the
Caribbean islands including Nevis with a home of sugar,
plantations generating vast amounts of wealth for the
European Colonial Powers. The Venture proved unsuccessful
for James. And he had to be bailed out by

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his brothers and family friends,back home.
In Scotland as his parents were unmarried at the time of his
birth Hamilton had a difficult childhood and was always
reluctant to discuss his upbringing in later life.
Hamilton's mother was Rachel fat.
The daughter of a French huguenots physician and an
English woman. Born in Nevis around 1729, she'd

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moved to the Danish island of Saint Croix.
With her mother where she married Danish, man named
Johann, Michael lavien at the age of 16.
Although they had a son together, named Peter, the
marriage was an unhappy one and by 1750, Rachel had left.
Her husband, who responded, by having her imprisoned for
adultery. After her release, she fled and

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Kroy leaving our husband and sonbehind without obtaining.
A divorce in the early 70s. Rachel, levian would meet James
Hamilton and Saint Kitts. She was a young woman around 10
years, his Junior. Who at the time remain married
to her estranged husband, despite This legal impediment,
the couple would live together as James and Rachel Hamilton for

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around 15 years during Which time Rachel gave birth to two
children. James, Junior and Alexander.
Alexander Hamilton was thereforeBorn Into the layer of West.
Indian Society below that of theplantation owners and
slaveholders, but above the slaves.
However, as an illegitimate child, he was denied the formal

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schooling provided by the churchof England and would have to
receive lessons privately. While his mother may have taught
him to speak French fluently. On Nevis, he witnessed.
The cruel nature of a slaveholding society with
public, whippings and slave auctions commonplace, the ordeal
of a slave working on sugar plantations was particularly

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hard and three out of every fiveslaves died within five years of
their arrival from Africa. In February 1759, Johan Levy and
finally decided to request a divorce from Rachel, but the
terms of the separation was suchthat he was free to remarry, but
she could not in 1765. Rachel returned to St.

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Croix. While James was carrying out
some business on behalf of his brother in Glasgow, but after
this was accomplished in January1766, he abandoned his family
forever. The reasons behind this are
unclear, but Alexander later suggested that his father had
run out of money to support themthough.
Some say he wanted to spare, Rachel, the indignity of being

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charged with bigamy. Rachel made a living as a
shopkeeper in Christiansted. While hiring out the five slave
she inherited from her mother, living above the shop.
Alexander had access to a library of 34 books and although
no record of them, survives The Poetry of Alexander Pope
Pluto's. Lies and Mucky Evelyn's, the

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prints were among the earliest literary Inspirations for the
young Hamilton at this time. He received tuition from a
private school run by Jewish head mistress Further tragedy
would follow the family on the 19th of February 1768.
When Rachel died from a fever. That Alexander also contracted

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an almost succumbed to Rachel's meager inheritance passed to
Peter lavien, her, sole legitimate, son, leaving,
Alexander, and his brother Jamespenniless.
They were transferred to the care of their 32 year old
cousin, Peter Litton, only for him to commit suicide in July
1769, without mentioning them, in his will following Peter's

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death. The two Hamilton brothers.
Were separated for Good. James was Apprentice to an old
carpenter while Alexander workedas a clerk for the trading firm
Courtright in Kruger and moved in with the family of the
merchant Thomas Stevens, he became particularly close to
Edward Stevens. One of the five children in the

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family and the two teenagers didnot only share similar interests
but an extraordinary physical resemblance.
This is prompted, rumors. That Alexander was the
illegitimate son of James Hamilton.
But of Thomas Stevens, this might explain why James Hamilton
senior abandoned the family, so abruptly in 1766 for the

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distance, Alexander chose to keep with his father and brother
later in life. As a merchant clerk Hamilton
learn how to manage money convert currencies and keep
track of the ships making their perilous journey across the sea
carrying, all sorts of commodities for the plantation
economy. The young Clark's talent for

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organization and management was clear.
And when Nicholas Krueger returned, home to New York for
health reasons in late, 1771 the16th for five months.
Once a year caught writing Krueger would also become
involved in the transport of slaves for sale at auction an

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overtime. This became an increasingly
significant part of the businessthe slave population.
Once in, croyde doubled in a decade, which increase the risk
of runaway slaves and slave insurrections.
Every man over the age of 16 will serve in the islands
militia which was established tokeep an eye on the slave
population and prevents slave revolts The teenage Hamilton was

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also a talented writer and wrotepoetry for the Royal Danish.
American Gazette in 1772 Hamilton met Hugh Knox, a
liberal Presbyterian Minister, who allowed the young man to use
his library and encouraged him in his literary.
Exploits after a devastating hurricanes in the 30th of August

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1772, Knox, persuaded Hamilton to publish a letter, which he
had sent to his father, describing the impact of the
storm, a group of businessmen, on the island was so impressed
by the evocative letter that they pulled fans to send its
author to North America for a formal education.
After arriving, in New York, during the winter of 1772

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Hamilton began his studies at Elizabethtown Academy in New
Jersey, a proprietary school on the grounds of a Presbyterian
Church where he took courses in Latin Greek and Mathematics
being ambitious and always looking to get ahead in life
Hamilton left Elizabethtown within six months hoping to get

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into Princeton college. But his request to embark on a
fast, track course of studies was refused and he instead went
to King's College in New York present day Columbia University
when he began his studies in early 1774, Hamilton received
private studies with without belonging to any class.
Although, he hoped to be adopter, Hamilton red Whiteley

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and became a familiar with the writings of classical Antiquity
as he did, with the enlightenment philosophy of
thinkers such as John Locke, David Hume and Montesquieu.
Hamilton arrived in North America during a period when
political tensions were gradually, increasing between
the 13s in North America and theauthorities.

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In London, in 1763 Britain, defeated France, in the French
and Indian War and conquered Canada.
And in order to pay for the defense of their North American
territories, the British government sought to raise taxes
on the colonies. This inspired opposition from
the colonists who demanded political representation in the

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British Parliament as subjects of the British Empire dividing
American society between the Patriots who resisted
parliament's demands and the Loyalists who wished to remain
on. Good terms with London, the most
notorious piece of Taxation was the Stamp Act of 1765.
But despite being repealed the following year Parliament

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continued to assert the right totax the colonies in 1767, the
Townsend acts named after the British Chancellor, Of the
exchequer at the time Levy duties on.
Paint LED glass paper and tea inresponse to the threat of a
boycott of British trade in retaliation Parliament.

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Repealed all the taxes except the one on T and 1769, although
tensions temporarily calmed, on the 16th of December 1773 the
Patriot organization's Sons of Liberty stage, what has become
known as the Boston Tea Party boarding, a ship belonging to
the British East, India Company and throwing its Precious Cargo

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of tea. Overboard by May 1774, the
British responded by closing down the port of Boston and
increasing its military Garrisonin the city.
The British response to the Boston Tea Party prompted.
The colonies to convene a continental congress in
Philadelphia to organize a boycott of British trade all the

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New York, had a large population, that remained loyal
to the British Empire and benefitted from a closed hemic
relationship from London. There was no, shortage of
Patriots at a meeting of the NewYork Sons of Liberty Branch in
1774. The 19 year old amateur
astonished the crowd with an electrifying speech defending.

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The Boston Tea Party promoting Colonial.
Unity. An endorsing a boycott, which he
argued will prove the salvation of North America and her
liberties. Hamilton's radicalism placed him
at odds with Dr. Miles Cooper, the president of Kings College
who was one of the most Ardent loyalists in New York, but this

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does not prevent him from championing.
The Patriot, cause in a couple of anonymous pamphlets that
argued that the Patriots, enjoyed political rights given
to them by God, which Parliamentcould not take away like many
patriots, Hamilton's dispute waswith Parliament rather than
King, George the third, but he welcomed the prospect of a

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limited monarchy. Although Britain was a powerful
Imperial power Hamilton suggested that the economic
potential of the American colonies was far greater than
that of the mother country. He was not afraid of war with
the British an argued that it would be almost impossible for
the British to subdue the Americans.
If they adopted a regular attacks and refused to meet the

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enemy in pitched battle, On the 18th of 841775 the first shots
of the American Revolutionary War rang out at Concord and
Lexington in Massachusetts wherepatriotic militiamen forced the
British Redcoats to flee, back to Boston when the news reached
New York, volunteer company, sprang up an armed themselves

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with weapons seized from the city hall, Arsenal and Hamilton
himself. Joined a militia company and
dedicated himself to learning about military.
Tactics on the 10th of May, hundreds of protesters stormed,
King's College intent on, lynching the hated Mars Cooper
alerted to their imminent approach.
Hamilton managed to hold the morbid Bay for several minutes

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to allow Kubota to escape out ofhis window and onto a ship,
which carried him to England. This episode reflected
Hamilton's anxiety, that revolutionary further might get
out of control and lead to Anarchy as a politician and
Statesman Hamilton would spend His life trying to find the
right balance between Liberty from oppression and the

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maintenance of political order. On the same day that Cooper made
his narrow escape the second continental congress met in
Philadelphia serving as a forum to strengthen cooperation
between the colonies to more effectively wage war against the
British. George Washington of Virginia,
was appointed as Commander in Chief of the Continental Army,

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on the 15th of June and a coupleof days later, the Patriots in
Boston demonstrated, they were capable of providing strong
resistance to the British at themisnamed Battle of Bunker Hill
with the majority of combat taking place on retail nearby by
1776. Hamilton was intensively
studying law but in April Patriot forces commandeered, the

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college and used it as a hospital in March Hamilton.
Dedicated himself to the war effort by being appointed.
Captain of an artillery company in the militia where he
eventually had 68 men under his command, he proved an effective
officer and leader and Lobby hard for his mentor receive the
same Provisions as their counterparts.

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In the Continental Army, his talents were soon recognized by
senior officers in the Continental Army, including
Nathanael Greene who Washington considered his most talented
subordinate. After the Continentals captured
Boston in March, 1776 Washington, rushed to New York,

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anticipating a British assault in June, a force of 32,000 men
and 70, warships gathered under the command of the brother's
General. William Howe an Admiral, Richard
Howe as the Howe Brothers plan their attack on the second of
July delegates at the Continental Congress, adopted a
resolution written by Thomas Jefferson of Virginia.

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Calling for the independence of the 13th States of America,
which was passed in its final form on the 4th of July
Hamilton. Due to his age, lack of
experience. Unlike of social status, was not
qualified to be a member of the Congress.
And so, missed out on signing the crucial document, the words

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of the Declaration of Independence, had a galvanizing
effect on the Defenders of the city on the 12th of July
Hamilton's company was stationedat the battery.
In direct line of fire of two British warships as the company
fired. Its guns, one of the Cannons
exploded and killed up to six men though it's Captain was not

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blamed for the incident and emerged with his military
reputation. Enhanced on the 26th of August
of 6000. Continentals left isolated on
Brooklyn. Heights was soundly defeated by
the British, but the damage was limited by a daring night
Retreat. Carried out by Washington on the
29th. As the Continentals marched up.

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The Hudson River out of the cityin September Hamilton's company
was part of the rear guard, which resisted house, men and
sheltered Washington's main Force, as it retreated to the
hall of heights. It was here that Washington met
Hamilton for the first time and received his first impression of
the artillery captains Talon. In late November, Washington was

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forced to withdraw to New Jersey.
And once again, Hamilton distinguished himself by
covering the retreat across the rare return River.
Although seriously ill, he roused himself to take part in
Washington's daring, crossing ofthe Delaware on the night.
After Christmas to surprise the Garrison of Hessian mercenaries
at Trenton where the fire from Hamilton's guns helped to force

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the surrender of almost 1000 Hessians at the Battle of
Princeton, on the third of June Hamilton, said to have deployed
his canon, in the grounds of thecollege sending a cannonball
through the portrait of King George.
The second in the chapel, these Continental victories gave
Washington's depleted Army. The opportunity to recover at
winter quarters in Morristown New Jersey.

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Hamilton joined Washington at the camp on the first of March
and was appointed to his staff as a decom with the rank of left
ten and Colonel. Although Hamilton expressed some
disappointment. Of being given a desk job.
This was the start of a fruitfulpartnership, which would lead
the two men from the battlefieldto the halls of government.

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He was a prosperous landowner and an experienced politician.
Washington was not as articulateas many of the most prominent
American, political leaders of the day as commander in chief.
He had to deal with a large volume of correspondence with
Congress and the individual states and Hamilton soon,
applied his organizational skills to managing.

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This workload on Washington's behalf as de facto Chief of
Staff. He channeled the commanders,
thoughts into orders and lettersand were soon allowed to issue
orders with Washington's Authority in his own name.
The fact and an illegitimate immigrant could achieve such
Heights at the age of 22 was a reflection of the American
meritocracy that Hamilton would forever remain grateful for as

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Washington was the closest thing, the Patriot cause had to
a political leader Hamilton was also exposed to political
debates in Congress while Washington pleaded for increased
supplies for his army, the represented.
Divs of the 13th States. Continued to squabble amongst
each other and promote the interests of their own States at
the expense of unity. In 1777, Hamilton was joined on

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Washington's staff by two men who had become his closest
companions during the war. John Laurens was a few months
older than Hamilton and was the son of Henry Lawrence.
A wealthy South Carolina politician who became president
of the Continental Congress in November 1777 as a teenager
Lawrence, went to school in Geneva and studied law in

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England. And after he returned to North
America, to take part in the Revolutionary struggle.
He proved Hamilton's equally intellect and ambition in July.
They were joined by the Marquee de Lafayette, a 19 year old
French nobleman who joined the American calls motivated by both
a genuine commitment to the cause of Liberty, and a

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youthful, desire for military Glory, In Late July house, Army
left, New York, and headed towards Philadelphia.
The Continental Capital althoughHamilton was eager to do battle
with the British. Washington was soundly defeated
at Brandywine Creek on the 11th of September, while carrying a
mission to destroy flour. Mills on the Schuylkill River

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Hamilton's boat came under attack and he was forced to swim
to safety and dissipating. An eminent British attack
informed Congress, whose membersfled the city and reconvened in
Lancaster Pennsylvania while howdelayed his attack on the
American Capital Hamilton was. Given the delicate task of
requisitioning supplies from thecity to bolster Washington's.

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Dwindling supplies while preventing them from falling
into the hands of the British. By setting his sights on
Pennsylvania. How had missed the opportunity
to cut off the American coloniesin two by coordinating
operations. With General, John Burgoyne in
the North in July bulgarians hadcaptured Fort Ticonderoga in

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Upstate New York and was marching southwards to link up
with how however Burgoyne was left isolated by house
operations against Philadelphia and on the 7th of October.
He and his 5,700, men surrendered to General Horatio
gates at Saratoga. The battle proved a turning

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point in the war and Prompted France to recognize American
independence and join a militaryAlliance in February 1778, with
the North Moore. Secure Washington dispatched
Hamilton to request reinforcements from gates, after
covering 300 miles. In five days, Hamilton, used to
diplomatic skills to persuade the hero of the hour to give

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Washington to of the three brigades asked of him using his
own initiative. He also managed to convince
General, Israel Putnam to send two of his brigades to
Washington. The mission took a heavy toll on
Hamilton's health and it was only in January 1778.
The he rejoined Washington at winter quarters in Valley Forge.

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At Valley Forge, Hamilton witnessed an army that was
poorly armed, poorly fed and poorly clothed in early 1778.
A Prussian officer named Baron Friedrich.
Born Steuben arrived at Washington's headquarters.
The Russian army was considered the most effective and
disciplined in Europe attributesthat Washington's men.

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Sawley lacked owing to his poor command of English, the baron
usually spoke French, and reliedon Hamilton.
And Lauren's, as interpreters within weeks Steuben, drilled
the men to march in formation, load muskets and fix banners.
And soon revised the Army's drill manual with Hamilton
acting as translator and editor upon receiving news.

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That a French fleet was sailing across the Atlantic to join up.
The Continental Army, the new British commander Sir, Henry
Clinton decided to withdraw his 8,000 men from Philadelphia to
New York and Washington chose topounds on the retreating enemy.
After General Charles Lee mishandled the attack at
Monmouth, courthouse, on the 28th of June Hamilton watched

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with admiration as Washington calmly restored, order Hamilton
himself, altered a retreating infantry Brigade, an organized,
a bayonet charge and was badly injured.
When his horse was shot from underneath him.
Hamilton arrested, Lee for insubordination and gave damming
evidence at his court-martial which found the general guilty

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on all counts and suspended him from the Army for a year.
When a French Fleet under Admiral Jean Baptista arrived in
July 1778. Hamilton once again, served as
interpreter on behalf of the monolingual Washington, the
Frenchmen were impressed by Hamilton's talent and Military
knowledge. But while Hamilton never

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understated, the French contribution to the Patriotic
course, he considered the Frencharmy to be full of mediocrities
who owed their positions to nobility, rather than ability.
In addition to the French Alliance Hamilton.
Hoped to bolster the ranks of the continental army, with
soldiers, from the black population in late 1778.

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The British landed, an Army in the South where the population
was generally more sympathetic to the Loyalists, cause John
Laurens resigned from Washington's staff.
In order to defend his native, South Carolina and Hamilton
wrote a letter to Congress. Supporting Lawrence plans to
raise up to 3,000 blacks, soldiers, arguing that they

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would just as Brave. And willing to fight as white
men is specially. If they were offered their
freedom. Congress was unable to override
the objections of the South Carolina Planters.
An instead it was General Clinton who promised to free
runaway slaves, who joined the British in June 1779.
At the end of 1779 Washington took up, winter quarters in

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Morristown, where the Army had stayed three years earlier,
despite poor weather and low supplies.
Hamilton found comfort in an active social life courting
several pretty ladies. As he went on the second of
February, 1780 Elizabeth Schuyler the daughter of General
Philip Schuyler arrived in Morristown to join some

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relatives. Although it was not the first
time. The two met Hamilton was
infatuated by the end of March. The pair had agreed to marry,
Not only was Eliza a strong world and compassionate Woman
Who provided stability to her husband's turbulent life.
But a family was one of the wealthiest in the state of New
York. Hamilton delighted in the

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company of Eliza's Four Sisters in particular, Angelica whose
vivacious nature appealed to Hamilton's gallantry far from
feeling threatened. Eliza was delighted that her
sister was equally fond of her husband.
While he was courting, Eliza humbleton was also turning his
mind to the economic crisis facing the United States.

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He argued that while a shortage of goods had contributed to
inflation and the corresponding decline in the value of the
Continental dollar, it was exacerbated several times by a
lack of confidence in paper money, he suggested creating a
central bank, which could issue money and make loans.
And argued that in order to address, the lack of credit

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Congress, should seek a foreign loan of 2 million pounds later
that year Hamilton was under consideration to join Ben
Franklin, in Paris to negotiate such a loan from France, but
eventually the appointment fell to his friend Lauren's on the
military front. The Continentals were ferrying.
No better. In South Carolina, as a British

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Army under General Cornwallis captured, the American Garrison
at Charleston and soundly defeated General gates at the
Battle of Camden in August. In response to these setbacks
Hamilton wrote about the need for a greater centralization of
power. Although Congress had adopted
the Articles of Confederation which would eventually come into

(05:33:37):
effect in March, 1781, Hamilton believed that these measures did
not give the central government enough authority to carry out
the war. Effectively matters, were
generally decided by unwieldy committees rather, than
dedicated, ministers for war Foreign Affairs, finance, and
the Navy, During the summer of 1780 Hamilton was extensively

(05:33:59):
involved in planning, joint. Operations.
With the comparison ball, whose Army of some 5,000 Frenchmen had
landed in Newport Rhode Island in July.
In September while returning from a meeting with Rochambeau
in the company of Washington andLafayette.
Hamilton was witnessed to the treachery of Benedict Arnold, a

(05:34:20):
talented general of the Continental Army who felt the
decks were not Julie rewarded byWashington and promised to
surrender. The fort of West Point to the
British in November, he was granted leave to visit the
shilas in Albany and on the 14thof December. 1780 Alexander
Hamilton and Elizabeth. Sheila, were married at the

(05:34:41):
Shiloh mansion After almost fouryears serving on Washington's
staff, Hamilton longed for a field command, but was
repeatedly refused for the commander-in-chief Hamilton was
too valuable an asset to lose. But now that he was connected to
the shires, he was no longer solely dependent on Washington's

(05:35:02):
patronage after informing Washington of his intention to
leave his staff in February. Hamilton carried out his final
duties as a staff officer in March 1781, this did not prevent
him from pestering Washington for his desired field command,
which was finally granted in July after Hamilton threatened
to resign from the Army. While Hamilton took command of a

(05:35:25):
New York light infantry battalion, the Shiloh house in
Albany was raided by the British, on the seventh of
August seeking to kidnap prominent Americans, but the
pregnant Eliza. And the rest of her family,
managed to escape on harmed, although Washington had planned
on laying Siege to New York City.
News of the French Fleet under Admiral de Grasse was headed for

(05:35:46):
Chesapeake Bay prompted. The American Commander to lead
his men to meet with DeGrasse and jointly Lacey to General
Charles Cornwallis who is trapped in Yorktown in Virginia
and surrounded by water on threesides with a continental army
under Lafayette sealing off the fourth on land.

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After being reunited with Lafayette and Lawrence.
In late. September Hamilton prepared to
play his part at the siege of Yorktown.
Cornwallis had built 10 readoutsaround the town to bolster his
defenses. And Hamilton saw that the two
out language, doubts, closest tothe besieging forces would have
to be taken the Allied, seedlings could not be completed

(05:36:28):
without taking these two positions and on the 14th of
October Washington, decided to storm the readouts with Ben
charges in a gesture to the franco-american alliance.
He decided that the French and the Continentals should each
take one of the rides. After some argument Hamilton was
command of the column of Continentals who charge for

(05:36:51):
Rochester and took the position within 10 minutes.
After losing both, Rudolph's Cornwallis realized.
That further resistance was futile and surrendered on the
17th of October 1781 Hamilton hurried to Albany to join Eliza.
Who in January 1782, gave birth to a son named Philip the first

(05:37:12):
of eight children, the couple would have Hamilton resigned for
the Army in March, as the wall was all, but over apart from
minor skirmishes in the South one of which would claim the
life of John Laurens in August leaving Hamilton devastated.
Upon his return to New York, Hamilton resumed, his legal

(05:37:33):
studies and passed. The bar exam within six months,
in November 1782, he went to Philadelphia to take up his
seat. As a member of the Confederation
Congress representing New York. He continued to believe in a
powerful central government witha standing Army and Navy for the
United States as well as giving Congress greater Powers over

(05:37:56):
taxation. He found a willing Ally in the
form of James Madison, a 31 year, old congressman, from
Virginia, and supported Madison's proposal for a 5%,
Federal Duty on impulse. Thus giving Congress, the power
of taxation, the poor governmentfinances were of a particular
concern for Hamilton knowing that many veterans of the

(05:38:18):
Revolution were still waiting for their pay on the 20th of
June 1783, a mob of mutinous, soldiers surrounded, the
Pennsylvania state house, where Congress was meeting.
Despite Hamilton's best efforts on behalf of Congress to force
the state, government to call upthe militia Congress, withdrew
to Princeton and eventually found a more permanent home in

(05:38:41):
New York in 1785. The incident further reinforced
Hamilton's belief that the central government was not
powerful enough and he called for a convention to revise the
Articles of Confederation many political leaders held the
opposite View. And after the United States and
Great, Britain ratified the Treaty of Paris on the third of

(05:39:02):
September 1783 to end the war, Thomas Jefferson suggested that
Congress should be disbanded. In late 1783 Hamilton and his
wife moved into a house on Wall Street, where he would spend the
next few years. Practicing law, and soon
developed a reputation as one ofthe leading lawyers in the
country. Hamilton's reputation in New

(05:39:25):
York, was rivaled by another young lawyer named Aaron Burr.
While Hamilton's oratory was unsurpassed Burr, made concise
and convincing arguments to the court.
During the war, New York passed,a wave of legislation targeting
British sympathizers and their property.
But after the peace treaty signed with Britain, Hamilton

(05:39:46):
defended the rights of the loyalists in court and in the
Press, although this led to AG is a nations of treachery and
claims that Hamilton had accepted British money.
His defense of the Lawless was motivated by both the belief
that an independent United States had to behave
respectively on the international stage and also the

(05:40:06):
fear that the vindictive campaign would drive out.
While he merchants and businessmen and damaged New
York's prosperity. In the case of Rutgers versus
wardington from 1784. Hamilton successfully argued
that the obligation to protect British property who were part
of an international treaty ratified by Congress, superseded

(05:40:28):
New York State legislation that allowed for its confiscation.
In June 1784 Hamilton played an instrumental role in, founding
the Bank of New York, which was intended to revive Commerce in
the city after the war and issueits own money.
In an economy that still used British pounds and was trading

(05:40:48):
in other foreign currencies withinconsistent exchange rates.
During this time, Hamilton was heavily involved in the New
York, manumission Society an organization campaign to abolish
slavery and to promote the education of free blacks.
He was also a member of the Society of Cincinnati.
An organization dedicated to thewelfare veteran soldiers, which

(05:41:12):
critics argued was the breeding ground for a hereditary military
aristocracy Hamilton denied these claims but hope that the
society would serve as a furthermeans of strengthening the
Union. In April, 1786 Hamilton was
elected to the New York State Assembly, during an economic
crisis in September. He was one of two New York

(05:41:36):
Representatives who attended a conference in Annapolis.
Maryland organized by James Madison.
Although the conference was set up to resolve problems,
concerning interstate trade, it served as an opportunity for
supporters of Greater centralization, to discuss their
ideas. The delegates decided to send an
appeal to the states to send delicates to a convention in

(05:41:59):
Philadelphia. The following May to amend the
Articles of Confederation the state of New York dominated by
its Governor. George Clinton was a staunch
defender of states' Rights and when choosing its delegation to
the Philadelphia Convention, theNew York assembly appointed to
opponents of centralization to accompany, Hamilton to the

(05:42:19):
meeting. The Philadelphia Convention
opened on the 25th of May 1787 and George Washington was
unanimously elected. Its president, although it was
convened to revise, the Articlesof Confederation the delicate
soon. Presented plans to discard the
Articles and create a new constitution.
The convention was soon split between a proposal from Virginia

(05:42:43):
to allocate congressional representation, proportionately
benefiting larger States. And one from New Jersey to give
each state one vote benefiting smaller State's after three
weeks of silence as the delegates, discussed the Rival.
Proposals Hamilton presented, his own plan which envisaged a
president and Senate elected forlife or be its subject to remove

(05:43:06):
all from misbehavior and a Houseof Representatives elected.
Every three years. The proposal was however, proved
unacceptable and Hamilton's critics later used it as
evidence of his belief in monarchy and aristocracy.
And labeled him as a traitor to the revolution.
Instead the convention agreed a compromise between the larger

(05:43:28):
and smaller states by having theseats of the House of
Representatives allocated proportionally.
While each state would be represented by two senators in
the Senate Senators would serve six-year terms, while
Representatives would be subjectto re-election every two years.
A president could theoretically serve for life but would have to
face election every four years while the justices of the

(05:43:51):
Supreme Court were appointed forLife.
The other major disputes splitting the convention was,
how to count the population of black slaves in determining
representation in the house by counting slaves even though they
had no political rights, the slaveholding states mostly in
the South would receive greater representation in Congress.

(05:44:12):
In the end, the notorious 3/5 compromise was agreed where upon
each slave was considered three-fifths of A free white
man. Although Hamilton was
dissatisfied with parts of the new constitution, he was a
member of the committee that revised the text and transformed
it into its final form. The Constitution was signed on

(05:44:35):
the 17th of September 1787, by 39 delegates from 12 States
including Hamilton and the convention decided that the new
document would come into effect after being ratified by nine
states within days. The United States was split
between the federalists who supported the new Constitution
and the Anti-Federalists who opposed the centralization of

(05:44:59):
power Hamilton conceived, an ambitious project to promote the
new Constitution and ensure thatas many Federalists as possible
were elected to New York's ratifying convention.
He invited four men to collaborate on the project but
only Madison and fellow New Yorker.
John, Jay accepted writing on the pseudonymous, over seven

(05:45:21):
months, the three men wrote. 100Pages worth of essays for the
New York Press, collectively known as The Federalist Papers
of the 85 essays 51 are attributed to Hamilton. 29 to
Madison and only five to J whosecontribution was limited by
illness. While Madison strengths were in

(05:45:43):
the presenting of the theory of government and using examples
from history Hamilton employed, his practical experience in
areas such as politics war and Taxation.
He argued that a loose Confederation risked, the
Anti-Federalists worst fears of falling under tyrannical rule or
far in Invasion and thus the United States required, a strong

(05:46:04):
military, which was in turn dependent on an equally strong
economy and a strong government.By the end of May, 1788 8 States
had ratified the Constitution, leaving the document on the
verge of adoption despite his efforts to influence the
elections to the New York convention Hamilton and his

(05:46:25):
fellow Federalists were significantly.
Outnumbered when it met in June,chaired by Governor Clinton, by
the end of the month. However, both New Hampshire and
Virginia had ratified the Constitution a New York.
Now faced being left behind by the new federal entity alongside
Rhode Island and North Carolina.This alone was not enough to

(05:46:47):
swing opinion to the Federalist camp.
But by Late July around, a dozenAnti-Federalists was
sufficiently persuaded by Hamilton's arguments to vote in
favor of ratification on the 26th of July New York voted to
ratify the Constitution by a margin of 30 to 27 and how
Hamilton was feted as the hero of the hour in New York City.

(05:47:11):
The often vicious nature of the political debate between the
Federalists and the Anti-Federalists.
Convince Hamilton of the need for a president who could unite
the country with some persuasionfrom Hamilton George Washington.
Agreed to be a candidate and waselected unanimously.
And on the 30th of April 1789, he was inaugurated president of

(05:47:32):
the United States in New York with John Adams of Massachusetts
as vice president. Although the Constitution
provided for a powerful executive its terms were vague
and made no provision for Cabinet Government.
Washington could not be expectedto carry out all the executive
functions alone. An in September Hamilton was

(05:47:53):
appointed to head, the new Treasury Department by accepting
the post. He was giving up his lucrative
legal practice and taking on a job of particular, political
sensitivity, especially as the revolution had been sparked by
disputes over taxation. Nevertheless Hamilton was intent
on using his office to implementhis vision of America's economic

(05:48:16):
and political system. Hamilton served in Washington's
cabinet. Alongside Secretary of State
Thomas, Jefferson Secretary of War, Henry, Knox and attorney
general Edmund Randolph, as Washington, shared Hamilton's
desire to strengthen the bonds between the 13 states in to a
single American Nation. But also wanted to appear as a

(05:48:38):
unifying, figure above the political Fray Hamilton became
an unofficial prime minister under the first president.
Upon taking on the role of the Secretary of the Treasury.
Hamilton had to carry out mundane, but urgent tasks such
as setting up accounting systemsand creating a custom service.
To collect the import duties that generated most of

(05:49:00):
government revenue. His most important tasks,
however, was to come up with a solution to America's public
debt of 79 million dollars in his Report on Public.
Credit presented to Congress in January 1790 Hamilton argued
that the United States must demonstrate as trustworthiness
in debt markets by repaying, thedebt owed to domestic and

(05:49:22):
foreign creditors. During the war Congress had
issued bonds to veterans in lieuof pay and many sold.
Their Holdings at steep discounts to speculators due to
the lack of faith in congress's ability to repay them with
Hamilton's promised to pay the debt.
The speculators would be handsomely rewarded while the
veterans would lose out. Hamilton, nevertheless decided

(05:49:46):
that the government securities belong to the buyers, rather
than the original owners on the principle that the government
should not interfere in private property.
He also proposed having the federal government assume State
debt, which would transfer bondholders loyalty to the
federal rather than state governments.
Since this system of economic management was clearly inspired

(05:50:07):
by the British and envisaged thefurther expansion of federal
power. It had many opponents, James
Madison, who was at the time representing Virginia in the
house rejected. The debt plan on the grounds
that the original holders of thedebt deserved to be paid, and
had been forced to sell by desperation.

(05:50:28):
Hamilton viewed, Madison's opposition as a betrayal of all,
they had worked for and their disagreement would lay the
foundations for the two-party system.
For the next five years, Hamilton's economic program
served as the dividing line for American politics by the spring
of 1790 Thomas Jefferson emergedas the leading opponent, to

(05:50:49):
Hamilton's Grand Visions after serving for five years as
minister to France, Jefferson returned to the United States in
November 1789 and did not accepthis appointment as Washington
Secretary of State until February 1790 During his time in
Paris Jefferson was radicalized in his opposition to monarchy

(05:51:10):
and aristocracy and witnessed the initial stages of the French
Revolution. When he arrived in New York to
join Washington's Administration, he was shocked
at the implications of Hamilton's economic program and
join Madison and opposing it claiming that it would a grand
dice capitalist speculators at the expense of honest Patriots,

(05:51:32):
thus Jefferson and Madison presented the cells as Defenders
of the Common Man in opposition to the so-called Northern
aristocracy despite the fact that they depended on the
support of slaveholding states in the south While Hamilton's
proposal for the public debt, was comfortably passed by
Congress. Jefferson and Madison joined

(05:51:53):
forces against Hamilton's plans to assume State debts, which was
defeated in the house by a margin of two votes.
In order to salvage, his economic plan, Hamilton saw to
compromise in the other major issue dividing, North and South
namely the location of the capital city while Hamilton
hoped that the capital would remain in New York, at least on

(05:52:15):
a temporary basis. There were also proposals to
relocate to Philadelphia while Washington Jefferson and Madison
favored a location on the Potomac River near their native
Virginia. During a dinner, at Jefferson's
house on the 20th of June Hamilton agreed to support a
capital on the Potomac. In return for an undertaking for

(05:52:35):
Madison to allow the passage of the Assumption bill in the
house. Hamilton's part in brokering,
the deal angered many of his fellow New Yorkers but the
Assumption bill was passed in July and kept Hamilton's
economic program on track as part of the compromise in late.
1790 the government moved to Philadelphia for 10 years while

(05:52:57):
the new capital was being built.In December, 1790 Hamilton
proposed to establish a central bank which could issue a
uniform, currency, expand, the money supply when required issue
loans to public and private entities, collect revenues and
hold government funds. Hamilton argued that a central

(05:53:18):
bank would stimulate Commerce byissuing loans, but the
jeffersonians were skeptical andviewed them as institutions,
which benefited Northern Merchants at the expense of
Southern farmers. In the house.
Madison argued that the proposalwas unconstitutional because the
Constitution did not have a provision for setting up a
central bank reversing his liberal interpretation in The

(05:53:42):
Federalist Papers after the house passed, the bill Madison
asked Washington to veto. The bank prompting, the
president to consult his cabinetafter Jefferson and round off,
raise their objections, Hamiltonpresented to Washington, a
steadfast defense of his interpretation of the
Constitution. Arguing that the bank was
constitutional as Congress had the power to pass legislation

(05:54:05):
deemed necessary and proper to carry out its duties.
And any other interpretation would paralyze, the operations
of the federal government Washington was persuaded by
Hamilton's arguments and signed the bank bill on the 25th of
February 1791. In December 1791, Hamilton

(05:54:26):
presented his report on manufacturers to Congress
drawing on his experiences during the Revolutionary War.
Hamilton believed that the United States had to establish
its own industrial capacity. And reduce its dependence on
British trade inspired by Adam Smith's Wealth of Nations.
He argued that manufacturing would increase economic

(05:54:47):
productivity through the division of labor into small
specialized tasks. While he endorsed the principle
of free markets and free trade Hamilton.
Concluded that government intervention was necessary to
encourage Industrial Development.
In a Young Nation to achieve these goals.
He proposed awarding subsidies an extending patent protection

(05:55:08):
to stimulate Innovation. He also advocated public
infrastructure programs of roadsand canals to connect Regional
markets into a national economy.Although Hamilton's ideas were
not implemented by Congress. They further contrib to His
Image as a creature of the New York financiers and the enemy of
the Common, Man Hamilton's critics felt Vindicated when a

(05:55:32):
speculative bubble in Bank shares and government Security's
burst in the spring of 1792. But the treasury secretary,
calmly responded by buying up public debt at the distressed
prices and in so doing stabilizethe market.
Although the founding fathers ofthe United States considered
political parties destructive and polarizing, by 1792,

(05:55:56):
American political opinion, was effectively divided into two
parties with rival. Agendas Hamilton and his
supporters mostly from the commercial Northeast came to be
known as Federalists implying, that their opponents did not
support the Constitution Jefferson and Madison's
followers were mostly farmers inthe South called themselves

(05:56:18):
Republicans implying that their opponents were not true
Republicans. The party split also influenced
foreign policy with the Federalist, favoring closer
political and economic relationswith Britain, while the
Republicans preferred to side with revolutionary France.
Since the United States at Fort Britain for Independence, Allied
to France, the Republicans believed that seeking closer

(05:56:41):
relations with the British was treachery on the other hand, the
Federer list warned that the Republicans supported the
Anarchy and bloodshed of the French Revolution, since the
federal government's revenues were dependent on customs duties
race. For international trade,
Hamilton maintained an interest in foreign relations, which
Jefferson resented as Head of the State.

(05:57:03):
Department. The bitter feud between Hamilton
and Jefferson was all over the Press with jeffersonians
labeling, the treasury Secretaryof monarchist, and hamiltonians
attacking the Secretary of State.
As a populist Rebel Rouser, despite being the most
controversial man in American politics, Hamilton was careless
enough to conduct a year-long affair.

(05:57:24):
With Maria Reynolds a young woman who arrived at his house
in the summer of 1791, seeking Refuge, from an abusive husband,
in December Maria's, husband, James informed, the treasury
secretary that. He knew about the affair and
blackmailed Hamilton into payinghush money, although he had to
end the Pharaoh on several occasions.

(05:57:45):
Hamilton was unable to resist responding to anguish letters
from Maria suggesting that she was part of the blackmail
scheme. When James Reynolds claimed to
his friend, Jacob clingman, thatHamilton had given him money to
speculate in government. Security's, Kingman informed,
Republican Congressman FrederickMuhlenberg who in turn Called on

(05:58:05):
Senator James Monroe and represented Abraham Venable to
investigate. When the three men met Hamilton
in December 1792. The treasury secretary denied
any corruption, but confessed, frankly to his adultery,
although he extracted a promise,that the affair would remain
secret Hamilton news that his political opponents could leak

(05:58:26):
information, that would destroy his reputation.
Washington's second term as president, which began in March
1793 was dominated by foreign policy questions in September
1792, the Revolutionary government arrested King Louie.
The 16th and proclaimed a republic after the King was

(05:58:47):
executed by guillotine, in January 1793, Great Britain,
declared war on the first of February, while both Hamilton
and Jefferson agreed. That the United States should
declare neutrality between Britain and France.
Jefferson did not wish to break the alliance signed with France
in 1778. Arguing that France at signed

(05:59:07):
the alliance motivated by a desire to defeat Britain.
Hamilton endorsed a foreign policy, motivated by
self-interest rather than sentiment.
When the French Ambassador Edmond Charles Genet arrived in
the United States in the spring of 1793, the Federalists were
alarmed by his popular receptionJanet had been trying to recruit

(05:59:28):
Americans to join the French privateers attack.
British shipping. When asked a stop, he threatened
to appeal over Washington's headto the American people.
When Hamilton leaked details of Janet's conduct to, the Press
Jefferson was forced to request his recall.
However, as the radical Jacobinsare taken power in Paris that
June Hamilton asked Washington to Grant the moderate asylum in

(05:59:52):
the United States. Sparing him for The
Executioner's blade. Following the Janae Affair
Jefferson resigned as Secretary of State on the 31st of December
1793 and was succeeded by EdmundRandolph, while the Janae Fair
shifted opinion against France. The British practice of
searching neutral ships and forcing American Sailors into

(06:00:15):
the Royal Navy, caused greater outrage.
Senior Federalist hope to send an Envoy to Britain to resolve
outstanding differences. Hamilton recommended John Jay
for the mission drawing up instructions to settle the
present, differences with London, and to seek a trading
relationship on a most favored nation basis.

(06:00:35):
Jason sale in May 1794. And by the time he returned 12
months later Hamilton had already resigned from the
treasury in January, while the Jay Treaty secured, minor
concessions from the British Republicans were outraged by the
fact that nothing was done aboutthe seizure of American ships.
And while Jay had agreed to Grant most favored nation status

(06:00:57):
to British Imports, the British refused to do so in return, When
a hesitant Washington asked Hamilton for advice, Hamilton
criticized, some of the articlesbut endorsed it as the means to
avoid a destructive war with Great Britain and the president
Julie signed off on the treaty in August.
Although, Hamilton spent most ofhis time working, as a lawyer

(06:01:20):
for high-profile clients in New York, he continued to influence
National politics when asked foradvice by Washington and members
of his cabinet in 1796, Washington decided he would not
stand for a third term and askedHamilton to draft a farewell
address, which would establish aconvention for presidents to

(06:01:40):
relinquish the office after two terms published on the 19th of
September, the tax service, simultaneously as a Timeless,
assertion of American, unity andIndependence as well as an
attack on the Republican position on the key issues of
the day. Despite his key role in
Washington's government. Hamilton decided not to stand,

(06:02:01):
as a candidate in the subsequentelection, perhaps acknowledging,
he was too divisive or that perhaps the Reynolds Affair
might become public while Vice President.
John Adams was the leading Federalist candidate for the
presidency, Hamilton was worried.
The opinionated Adams was too unpopular in the South and
tacitly supported the candidacy of Thomas, Pinckney of South

(06:02:24):
Carolina. Instead Adams, subsequently won
the election from Jefferson by 71, to 68 electoral votes, and
blamed Hamilton for the narran of his victory.
Thus, after being the right-hand, man, for the first
president Hamilton had become completely alienated from the
second. The animosity between Hamilton

(06:02:45):
and Adams split the Federalists and strengthen the Republicans
whose leader Thomas Jefferson was now Vice President,
meanwhile Hamilton's, personal standing was further affected
when information about the Reynolds Affair.
Finally became public in June 1797.
Once again, Hamilton faced claimed that his payments to

(06:03:06):
James Reynolds were to facilitate speculation rather
than the result of blackmail in response.
He wrote a lengthy pamphlet which admitted the affair with
Maria Reynolds in, painstaking detail in order to refute the
claims of corruption the pamphlet, embarrassed the
Federalists and delighted the Republicans, making the former

(06:03:27):
treasury secretary, the subject of considerable ridicule, but
Hamilton's political statue, remained largely intact, While
the Jay Treaty averted a war with Britain in 1798 war with
France, seemed imminent president.
Adam sent a three Mandela to negotiate with France but
foreign minister Sharma sent three.

(06:03:50):
Minor officials who implied thattally Hall would not meet them
unless given a bribe when the details reached the United
States. The country prepared for war
prompting. Disagreements between Hamilton
and Adams about the need for a standing army.
Hamilton was also hoping that hewould take command of the Army
in the imminent war and when Adams asked Washington to serve

(06:04:11):
as Commander in Chief, the old General agreed on the condition
that Hamilton was his second in command, with the rank of Major
General. Although Adams was prepared to
concede, the rank. He favored Henry Knox, the
former Secretary of War and chief of artillery during the
Revolutionary War, a second in command, on the basis of
seniority who was eventually forced to back down.

(06:04:34):
Since the 67 year old Washingtonwas not inclined to take up his
duties as Commander until war broke out.
Hamilton took charge of organizing equipping and
training, the Army. And as part of these efforts
introduced a bill establishing amilitary academy, at West Point
in New York, Hamilton's dreams of military Glory were

(06:04:56):
undermined as the further for war had diminished and
Washington warned Hamilton that it would be increasingly
difficult to find new recruits for the Army.
In February 1799, Adams decided to send another delegation to
come to an agreement with France, a decision, which
isolated him from Hamilton and the Federalists a lengthy

(06:05:18):
meeting between Hamilton and Adams.
In October to discuss the issue ended.
The relationship between the twomen while the death of
Washington on the 14th of December 1799 removed.
The one man who kept the Federalists United in November
1799 General Napoleon Bonaparte,took power in Paris and declared

(06:05:39):
an end to the French Revolution.Weakening Hamilton's warnings
about the Jacobin threat in May 1800 Adams authorized the
disbanding of the army an in July Hamilton disbanded his
headquarters in New York and resigned his military command
Bonaparte was Keen to come to anamicable agreement with the
United States and in October 1800 a treaty was signed

(06:06:03):
avoiding outright war and Indicating Adam's peace
initiative. The presidential election of
1800 was set to be a rematch between Adams and Jefferson.
Since atoms, had defeated Jefferson by three votes in the
previous election. Every vote counted, an attention
was drawn to the elections, to the New York City legislature in

(06:06:25):
late April, which in turn could determine the fate of New York's
electoral votes. New York City was a federalist
stronghold and Hamilton hoped tokeep it that way while his rival
Aaron Burr campaign to swing thecity, to the Republicans hoping
that his efforts could make him Jefferson's Vice Presidential
candidate for the national election.

(06:06:46):
Over the years Hamilton and Burrhad many reasons to dislike each
other in the 1790 senate elections Burger had defeated
Hamilton's father in law. Philip Schneider only for
Charlotte to win. Back his seat in 1796 in 1799.
Boneless did Hamilton's help in establishing the Manhattan

(06:07:06):
company which promised to provide safe drinking water.
To the city. But added a loop hole to enable
the company to function as a bank to compete, with Hamilton's
Bank of New York, by naming political Giants, and war
heroes, such as George Clinton and Horatio gates to his ticket
Burr ensured. A clean sweep for the
Republicans, which ensure the New York's 12 electoral votes

(06:07:29):
would move from atoms to Jefferson and a grateful
Republicans duly nominated Burr as their vice presidential
candidate alarm by the news fromNew York, in May 1800 Adams
dismissed, his Secretary of War James McHenry and his secretary
of state, Timothy Pickering, both of whom he inherited from

(06:07:50):
Washington's last cabinet and who were closed, Hamilton
supporters in response Hamilton sought to persuade Northern
Federalists to ditch Adams in favor of Charles cotesworth
Pinckney. The Federalist vice presidential
candidate and brother of Thomas Pinckney in a pamphlet published
in October. Hamilton attacked Adam's

(06:08:11):
policies and his character presenting him as a vengeful man
prone to bad temper and mental instability only to conclude
unconvincing by endorsing both Adams and Pinckney by the
Reynolds pamphlet Hamilton's attack on Adams on the eve of a
presidential election reflected,his poor political judgment,
when matters of personal honor were at stake, despite the

(06:08:34):
Federalists in fighting the election.
Produced a closed result with Jefferson and Bert ID on 73
votes and Adams and Pinckney picking up 65 and 64
respectively, Hamilton's, pamphlet failed to convince
Northern Federalists to withholdtheir support for Adams.
Nor did he prevent Republicans from sweeping Pinky's home state

(06:08:55):
of South Carolina. Hamilton had inflicted a mortal
blow to his own political aspirations and crippled the
Federalist Party for no gain. While the Republicans considered
Jefferson the presidential candidate, and by the vice
presidential candidate under theConstitutional Arrangements of
the day, there was no distinction and it was up to the

(06:09:18):
House of Representatives to break the tie.
As the Federalists still had a majority in the old house, they
considered supporting Burr as the candidate, who'd be more
malleable and be persuaded to adopt Federalist policies
Hamilton, who had first-hand experience of Burr's, double
dealing and lack of principles. Declared in favor of Jefferson

(06:09:38):
on the 11th of February, 1801. The house met to break the tie
in the unfinished, Capitol building in the new capital of
Washington DC. Each of the 16 States had a
single vote, the represented themajority opinion of each state
delegation for 35 ballots in a row Berwin, 6 States and

(06:10:00):
Jefferson 8, one short of the required majority in letters to
Federalist. Congressman Hamilton.
Argued that Jefferson would be acceptable as president.
If he maintained the public debt, the Navy and the j-two he
later denied. It Jefferson appears to have
agreed to an informal deal. And when the 36th palate was

(06:10:22):
cast on the 17th of February, heprevailed with the support of 10
states. After several Federalist
Congressman withdrew their support from Burr.
Thomas Jefferson was sworn in asthe third president of the
United States on the 4th of March 1801 as Hamilton
predicted. Although Jefferson had

(06:10:42):
criticized the extent of federalpower.
While in opposition, he was lesscritical once he was president
and had such power at his disposal.
When Jefferson asked his treasury secretary, Albert
Gallatin to uncover evidence of corruption and Hamilton's,
treasury operations Gallatin reported back stating that
Hamilton's system operated perfectly and did not need to be

(06:11:04):
changed while he dedicated more time to his family in presided
over the construction of a Country House North of
Manhattan, which he called The Grange Hamilton sought to
restore. The Federalist position in New
York by supporting the candidacyof his brother-in-law.
Stephen Van Rensselaer against the veteran, George Clinton for
governor in 1801, but fail to prevent Clinton from winning a

(06:11:29):
seventh term in order to regain their influence in the National
debate Hamilton and his Federalist allies, founded a new
paper. The New York Evening Post which
would serve as the vehicle for his attacks against Jefferson's
government within days of the papers launch.
It carried news of a fatal duel on the 23rd of November 1802,

(06:11:50):
which Claimed the life of PhilipHamilton Alexander's eldest,
son. The death of his son and the
political success of the jeffersonians plunged Hamilton
into deep depression, Reawakening, an interest in
religion, which is subsided since the outbreak of the
Revolutionary War. He spent most of his time at the

(06:12:12):
Grange but continued to run his legal practice where he defended
Federalist journalists from Jefferson's attempts to shut
their papers down. Jefferson reached the height of
his popularity in April 1803 with the Louisiana Purchase
which double the size of the United States overnight Hamilton
noted, the irony of the Republican president adopting, a

(06:12:35):
liberal interpretation of the Constitution by claiming that
Congressional approval was sufficient, to make the land
purchase. Although Hamilton had envisaged,
America's Continental future, and supported the Louisiana,
Purchase many Federalists now, argued that Jefferson was acting
unconstitutionally motivated by the fear.
The new territory was more reminiscent of The slaveholding

(06:12:58):
Agrarian South and the northern commercial interests would be
reduced to a permanent minority.After his attempt to snatch the
presidency from Jefferson in 1801.
Aaron Burr, was excluded from the President's Circle and that
he would not remain on the Republican ticket for the 1804
election. After George Clinton, stepped

(06:13:20):
down, as governor of New York, and later became Jefferson's
running mate. Burd decided to run for governor
by appealing to Federalists and disaffected Republicans.
The Federalist organization in New York was by now.
So, weak that the party could not find a candidate or how
Hamilton decided to support New York, chief justice Morgan.

(06:13:41):
Lewis the official Republican candidate, most of the
Federalists backed Burr in a bitter election campaign.
The Republican pres echoed Hamilton's view of as a man with
no principles. While Anonymous letters appeared
offering details of Burr's sexual liaison's when Burr was
soundly defeated in the April 1804 election.

(06:14:03):
He blamed Hamilton It would already denied him the
presidency through years before on the 18th of June birth.
Challenged Hamilton to a duel over insulting remarks.
He had allegedly made about Burrat a dinner three months
earlier, although he was a posedto Dueling.
Hamilton was not a man to shy away when his honor was at

(06:14:24):
stake. And despite attempts by the
seconds to avert, The Showdown and enable, both men to Back
Down With Honor on the 27th, it was agreed.
That the two men would fight a pistol duel.
Two weeks later At 7:00, in the morning of the 11th of July
1804, Alexander Hamilton, and Vice President, Aaron Burr

(06:14:45):
faced, each other on the duelingground in order to reconcile the
desire to defend his honor and his design not to kill in the
days before the duel. Hamilton had decided that he
would throw away his shot by deliberately firing wide knowing
that if ber shot to kill it would be considered murder and
Destroy any remaining hopes of resurrecting his political

(06:15:07):
career. While there were conflicting
accounts on who fired first, Hamilton shot through wide of
the mark while bird dealt Hamilton Immortal.
Blow above the right here. Hamilton was carried into the
Mansion of William Bayard. A Bank of New York, directors,
and summoned, his family to his bedside at 2:00 on the 12th, of

(06:15:28):
July 1804 Alexander, Hamilton died, from the wound inflicted
upon Him, 31 hours earlier. When Alexander Hamilton was born
in Nevis to unmarried parents, it would have been inconceivable
for a man of such humble birth to become a Statesman and
founding father of a new nation yet from a young age.

(06:15:50):
He proved himself to be talentedand ambitious, enabling him to
receive a formal education in North America.
Demonstrating his abilities. As a persuasive speaker and
writer. He embraced the American
Revolutionary cause which would bring him to the side of George
Washington in 1777 after servingfor four years as Washington's

(06:16:12):
indispensable, Chief of Staff, Hamilton claimed military, Glory
at Yorktown alongside his close friends, Lafayette, and Lauren's
after establishing himself, as one of New York's leading
lawyers, he played a key role inframing the Constitution of the
United States and was its greatest champion during the
ratification process after returning to Washington side to

(06:16:36):
Retrieve the treasury Hamilton conceived and implemented a
political and economic system ofpublic credit and stock markets,
which continues to Define American capitalism in the
process. He became the most controversial
man, in the United States ruthlessly attacked by the
jeffersonians as a monarchist, atraitor to the revolution, in

(06:16:57):
the pay of the British and a creature of speculators and
fraudsters. Hamilton's uncompromising views
and sense of Honor created a number of Rivals in the form of
George Clinton, and Aaron Burr, at the state level, and John
Adams, and Thomas Jefferson at the federal level, his fateful
intervention and delivering the presidency, to his arch, nemesis

(06:17:19):
Jefferson in 1801. So the seeds for the Fateful
confrontation with Burr in 1804,Despite his often crucial role
in the early years of the UnitedStates, in comparison to the
other founding fathers Hamilton has received, relatively little
attention, the subject of a stage play in 1917 and a film.

(06:17:42):
In 1931, it was the multi-award winning 2015, musical, which is
brought him. Once again, into the spotlight,
ironically, a plan to put Alexander Hamilton on a US bank
note, the very current currency he helped to create was shelved
due to the popularity of the musical.
What do you think of Alexander Hamilton?

(06:18:04):
Was he a great statement? Whose political and economic
system laid the foundations of American greatness in the later,
19th and 20th centuries, creating the economic and
military power, which is kept the nation's safe from foreign
enemies over the centuries. Or did he betray the ideals of
the American Revolution, by levying taxes and championing

(06:18:25):
closer trade, relations with theBritish Empire.
Please let us know in the comments section and in the
meantime, thank you very much for watching.

(06:18:45):
The Man known to history as John, Jay was born on the 23rd
of December 1745 or the 12th of December following the Julian
calendar, in New York City. Then a town of 10,000 people in
the colony of New York. One of more than a dozen

(06:19:05):
colonies on the North. American fringe of the British
Empire. John's father.
Peter J was born in New York in 1704 and followed in his
Father's Footsteps, becoming a wealthy Trader in Commodities,
including cloth Timber Firs and wheat, Peter J's, father, August

(06:19:28):
was a French Eugenia who fled from religious persecution in
his native country across the Atlantic to North America.
Eventually settling in New York City where he adopted the name.
Augustus J and became a prosperous Merchant.
John's mother. Mary Jane came from a prominent

(06:19:49):
Dutch family and her father Jacobus Van, Cortlandt was a
merchant and politician who served on the New York assembly
and was twice mayor of New York City despite not being able to
speak English very well, little is known of Mary's life and she
may have been illiterate, but she appears to have been an

(06:20:11):
intelligent woman who was often ill, heated, a married Van,
Cortlandt in New, York's Dutch Church in 1728 and the couple
would have 10 children, seven ofwhom survived to adult hood.
John Jay was born during a century of warfare between

(06:20:33):
Britain and France that spilled over from Europe to their
colonial, possessions in North America for the merchants of New
York City, the frequent anglo-french Wars disrupted,
their commercial activities, andplace them in danger from French
and Indian raids from the north a month before.

(06:20:53):
John's birth Peter, J decided toseek refuge in the countryside.
Moving to a farm in the village of ryde near Long Island.
Although the British and French made peace in 1748 still, it is
resumed. In 1754, when Colonel George
Washington of the Virginia regiment, clashed with French

(06:21:16):
and Indian troops near Fort Duquesne, in the contested Ohio
country, the incident triggered,the conflict known as the French
and Indian War in North America,which Later.
Formed part of the seven years war in Europe, by the end of the
conflict, in 1763 from France, lost nearly the entirety of its

(06:21:40):
huge North, American Empire seeding.
Canada in the north to Britain and Louise Anna in the west to
Spain. As a loyal subjects of the
British Empire. Peter J and his family
celebrated the Great British victory.
As a child, John began his studies tutored by his parents

(06:22:02):
and when he started to learn Latin at the age of six, his
father recognized him as an excellent student.
Before John's eighth birthday, he was sent to school in nearby
New Rochelle where he received lessons from a huge nose,
Schoolmaster Peter stoop for three years in 1756 at the age

(06:22:24):
of 10, he returned home and continued his studies with a
private tutor George Murray. In 1760, the 14 year old J in
rolled in King's College in New York City, the institution that
would eventually become ColumbiaUniversity by the time jet began

(06:22:45):
his studies there. The college was six years old
and only had around 20 students.In total, the college President
was Samuel Johnson, a minister in the Anglican Church who
taught the first year, students Greek and Latin using religious
and philosophical texts alongside rhetoric, auditory and

(06:23:08):
logic, From the second year onwards, the students would
study Sciences including mathematics surveying physics
and astronomy. In addition to the humanities,
although Johnson did not want the student scientific Pursuits
to undermine their Christian faith in 1762 during Jay's third

(06:23:30):
year, the Oxford classicist miles Cooper replaced Johnson as
president. And so he spent his final year
and a half in college, studying Homer, Herodotus and thucydides
During his time at King's College, John Jay became close
friends with Robert Livingston. Junior a member of a prominent

(06:23:54):
New York family, whose father served as a Justice of the
colonial Supreme Court. Although both were ambitious
young men, Livingston tendered to be outgoing and social while
Jay was understated and serious,Another student of King's
College who would become a lifelong friend and collaborator

(06:24:15):
was Gouverneur. Morris who would go on to become
a prominent politician in New York and a member of the
Constitutional Convention and Philadelphia where he wrote The
Preamble to the Constitution of the United States at his
graduation. On the 22nd of May 1764 J gave a

(06:24:36):
speech about the happiness and advantages from a state of
Peace. Following the end of the French
and Indian War in 1763. While the teenage John Jay acted
as his father's business representative during his time,
at King's College. After graduation, he opted for a

(06:24:58):
legal career and in June 1764, he worked as a clerk for the
lawyer Benjamin. Kissimm, while Jay was studying
law. The British government was
attempting to increase revenues from its American colonies to
replenish government offers after an expense of war and to

(06:25:18):
pay for the protection of the colonies, from Native American's
the frontier. As one of the major commercial
centers in North America. New York was significantly
impacted by changes and customs duties.
In 1764, the British Parliament passed the Sugar Act in an
effort to increase Customs revenue from the Americas.

(06:25:41):
While the law reduced, the duty from six pence per gallon, of
molasses to three Pence, it included measures to enforce the
duty and stipulated the cases would be Tried by judges
appointed by the king rather than in local Common Law Courts.
In response, the New York assembly, petitioned,

(06:26:02):
Parliament, and claimed that as British subjects, they would
only accept taxes imposed by their own elected
representatives. In March 1765, parliament
passed, the infamous Stamp Act, which levied attacks on
different types of printed material, including all legal

(06:26:24):
documents. In October 1765, New York city,
hosted the Stamp Act Congress, whose delegates sent yet another
message to Parliament, that theywould not consent to taxation
without political representation, as the Stamp Act
came into operation at the beginning of November a mob

(06:26:46):
rioted in New York City and attacked British troops.
In early November New York's lawyers had no access to stamped
papers and could not carry out any business.
So, Jay accompanied his friend, Livingston on a tour of New
England before returning to Rye,when the Stamp Act was repealed

(06:27:10):
in May 1766, J returned to work with kissim as he observed the
political developments and the 1760s.
J concluded that Parliament. Had backed down on the Stamp Act
and had amended the Sugar Act, as a result of the respectful
petitions and resolutions delivered by political bodies

(06:27:32):
such as the New York assembly. And the Stamp Act Congress
rather than violent protests such as the Stamp Act riots.
After a laborious and tedious, four-year clerkship writing
legal documents by hand. With limited guidance from
kissim who was often away at court.

(06:27:53):
J was sworn to the bar in October 1768 alongside his
friend. Robert Livingston the two men
decided to work together as a partnership on the belief that
by making use of their connections, it would be easier
to find work. J spent, most of 1769, as Clark

(06:28:14):
to the commission dealing with aboundary dispute between the
colonies of New York and New Jersey.
The members of the commission, included prominent men such as
Peyton Randolph. The speaker of the Virginia
House of Burgesses while kissingwas one of the lawyers
representing New York. After several months of

(06:28:35):
deliberation. The commission decided largely
in favor of New Jersey but optednot to consider Appeals.
Until a second session in Hartford Connecticut later, that
year, when the weren't enough Commissioners in Hartford to
form a quorum, those present decided to hold another session
in New York City. The following July, where only

(06:28:58):
one commissioner turned up. By this time, both sides at
largely agreed to the new boundaries that J still hadn't
been paid for his work by 1772 even after the governors and
assemblies in both colonies. Agreed.
On the new line. J refused to release the record

(06:29:18):
of the commission's proceedings.Perhaps, due to his unpaid
bills, and it was only after a special law was passed in New
York in February. 1773 that Jay relinquished the record. from
November 1770, Jay was part of agathering of New York, Lawyers,

(06:29:38):
known as the moot, where the members present discussed the
difficult legal issues of the day, many of which involved into
Colonial relationships, By this point, with enough work of his
own, he dissolved his legal partnership with Livingston
soon, he had hundreds of cases. Most of which involved acting

(06:29:59):
for clients, trying to recover commercial debts.
And by 1774, he was among the richest lawyers in the colony
earning about 1,000 pounds a year from his practice.
Jay was frustrated by the fact that many of the judges in the
lower courts had no legal training and in late 1772, he

(06:30:22):
and Livingston proposed to have lawyers appointed.
A circuit judges to serve as advisors, to judge's in lower
courts, though, the proposal wasrejected by the governor and his
Council. In spite of his reputation at
King's College. As an unsociable student in the
early 1770s, Jay was the managerof a dancing assembly dancers

(06:30:47):
were often the venue for young men to meet young women and in
the winter of 1772 to 73, he metSarah Livingston, the daughter
of William Livingston, a New York politician and lawyer and
cousin of his friend. Robert at the time said was an
intelligent and beautiful girl of 16 and already had many

(06:31:09):
suitors for her hand. On the 28th of April 1774, the
28 year old J married, the 17 year old Sarah at her father's
home in Elizabethtown New Jerseywhere a young Alexander Hamilton
had stayed a couple of years earlier after first arriving in
North America. Sarah J, proved to be a devoted

(06:31:32):
wife who supported her husband'spolitical career by siring as a
trusted advisor, running the household while he was out on
business and entertaining political leaders at their home
over the course of their marriage, the couple would have
six children, five of whom wouldsurvive childhood Despite the

(06:31:53):
repeal of the Stamp Act in 1766 tensions, continued to brew
between Britain and its North American colonies over
parliament's right to taxation. After a few years of calm,
parliament. Passed the Tea Act in May 1773
in an attempt to prevent the East India Company from going

(06:32:16):
bankrupt. This prompted another wave of
protests, including the Boston Tea Party of December 1773 when
the Revolutionary Sons of Liberty, bordered and East
India, Company, ship, and through, its cargo of tea in to
the harbor. In response, to the events in
Boston, parliament, passed a series of punitive laws closing,

(06:32:41):
Boston Harbor and imposing direct rule on the colony of
Massachusetts. In May 1774.
Jay was named to a committee which considered how to respond
to these latest acts of parliament popularly known as
the Intolerable or coercive ActsWhile the radicals wanted to

(06:33:04):
show solidarity with Boston by boycotting British trade, the
New Yorkers did not wish to act alone and called for a
continental congress similar to the Stamp Act Congress in July.
J was one of five delegates chosen to represent New York
City at the Congress in spite ofhis limited political

(06:33:26):
experience. In August, he left New York and
accompanied his father-in-law and fellow delegate William
Livingston to the First Continental Congress in
Philadelphia. Although each colony had its own
interests, the delegates were motivated by the spirit of
compromise and the desire to send a joint message to London

(06:33:49):
from the 12th colonies represented at the meeting.
A few days after Congress openedon the 5th of September 1774.
Jay was named to a committee tasked with formulating, a
statement of America's rights where he joined the radical John
Adams of Massachusetts in the belief that the colonists

(06:34:11):
political rights would give themnot only by the British
constitution. But by nature and God most of
the delegates wanted to avoid war and supported a boycott as
the most effective means of resistance indeed, even the more
radical dele Hoped to remain within the British Empire.
And when J was asked by Congressto draft the address to the

(06:34:36):
people of Great Britain. He reminded them of the
colonists contribution to victory in the French and Indian
War and called for a political union of equals between Britain
and its American colonies. J returned to New York in
November 1774 as the city was increasingly divided, between

(06:34:58):
the patriot who supported resistance and the Loyalists who
supported the British crown among the leading patient
voices, was the young Alexander Hamilton, a student of King's
College who Jay may have met at the Livingston house in
Elizabethtown on the 23rd of April 1775 news.

(06:35:19):
Reached New York, the British troops under General Thomas Gage
and exchanged fire with patriotic militiamen in Concord
and Lexington in Massachusetts setting off the fuse of the
American Revolutionary War. Jay was named a delegate to the
Second Continental Congress and arrived in Philadelphia in

(06:35:41):
mid-may. Supported the moderate position
of preparing for war, while trying to resolve the conflict
diplomatically and Is named to acommittee that drafted a
petition to King George. The third later, known as the
Olive Branch Petition appealing to the king as the protector of

(06:36:02):
American liberties. In June Congress established the
Continental Army, and appointed George Washington as its
Commander in Chief ordering him to take command of the Patriot
forces, outside Boston. After a summer, recess J
returned to Philadelphia in September where he took part in

(06:36:26):
debates about trade, he argued that the ports in North and
South Carolina that the British had to open should remain open.
And that the colonies should be alone to trade freely with other
nations. Despite laws that limited
colonial trade within the British Empire Congress decided,

(06:36:47):
otherwise and adopted, a generalban on trade with limited
exception. In January, 1776 Jay was
involved in secret negotiations,with Lord Drummond who claimed
that senior government ministershad approved.
His plan for the colonies to provide the king with a

(06:37:09):
Perpetual granted by whatever means the colonists decided were
appropriate. While Jay entertained, these
proposals, he also supported Benjamin Franklin's efforts to
establish relations with France.After returning home to attend
the birth of his son. Peter, Augustus J returned to

(06:37:31):
Philadelphia in March. Coming to terms with the fact
that the prospects of Peace wereincreasingly remote.
J turned to military matters andsupported the use of privateers
to attack British shipping in a secured, a commission, for his
friend, Alexander Hamilton in the artillery.
And was involved in military preparations in New York where a

(06:37:56):
large British fleet was expectedin Mayfield to attend the New
York provincial Congress where he was involved in arresting and
imprisoning Loyalists and forming a new state government
as a result, he was not in Philadelphia in early July.
July, when Congress adopted Jefferson's Declaration of

(06:38:19):
Independence? In late June, a large British
Fleet commanded by Admiral, Richard Howe carrying an army
under the command of his brotherGeneral.
William Howe arrived in New YorkHarbor.
The provincial congress met in the city of White Plains on the
9th of July and debated. The question of Independence,

(06:38:42):
where J drafted a bold resolution in favour of the
Declaration. That was unanimously adopted,
thus forming the state of New York.
In the summer of 1776, J was named to a committee that
attempted to bolster the defenseof New York City.

(06:39:02):
With little success. On the 27th of August
Washington's, Army Was Defeated at the Battle of Long Island and
it was only thanks to a daring night operation on the 29th that
washing to manage to evacuate his men to Manhattan in early.
September, J joined the provisional convention at its

(06:39:24):
new home in the village of Fishkill along.
The Hudson Valley, where he brought his wife and parents, He
was soon appointed to a conspiracies committee which
employed the Spy Enoch Crosby togather information about
suspected loyalists. New Yorkers who attempted to
remain neutral were forced by the committee to choose sides.

(06:39:47):
And when Jay's friend from King's College, Peter Van sharp
refused to take the oath of allegiance to New York.
He was exiled to New England. In the meantime, Washington
stumbled from defeat to defeat as his Continentals were driven
out of New York across New Jersey and escape to cross the

(06:40:10):
Delaware to Pennsylvania by early December at this time,
Jesus address of the convention of the representatives of the
state of New York to their constituents was published in
which he claimed that America was destined to win the war
since the millions of inhabitants and the new nation
would not submit to the loss of their liberties.

(06:40:34):
In early 1777 J worked on the New York state constitution.
Favoring A legislature with two houses and a powerful executive
reflecting his anxieties about giving the people too much power
by March the provincial Convention of evacuated further
up the Hudson to Kingston. And it was there that Jay

(06:40:57):
presented his draft Constitution, which included a
powerful governor elected, to a three-year term.
An assembly of the least 70 members elected each year and as
Senate of at least 24 members serving four year terms in
mid-april left, Kingston for fish, kill following the death

(06:41:20):
of his mother. And by the time he returned to
Kingston in early, may his Constitution had been adopted
with a few changes. Limiting, the governor's powers
on appointments and the convention elect.
Him Chief Justice of New York, although J supported his cousin
General Philip. Schuyler as Governor, George

(06:41:42):
Clinton was elected to the office and would retain the
governorship for the next 80 years.
At this time, the state of New York was being threatened by
British Redcoats, from both North and South in the north
General. John Burgoyne was marching down
the Hudson Valley towards Albanywith 5,000 men.

(06:42:05):
While in the south house, Army controlled New York City and its
surroundings in July J. And juvenile Morris met
Washington at his headquarters in Philadelphia, requesting
reinforcements and when refused revealed upon Congress to send
500 Riflemen in September chief justice J opened the state

(06:42:30):
supreme court with a speech defending the Revolutionary
cause and urging the people to abide by the Constitution, the
following month, the state government was forced to
evacuate Kingston after the Goan.
Reached saletoga that on the 17th of October, the British
general was Forced to surrender to General Horatio Gates.

(06:42:53):
While the victory at Saratoga convinced France to recognize a
medical Independents and join the war against Britain, the
South oh, a defeated Washington,at Brandywine Creek and had
captured the Continental capitalof Philadelphia.
In addition to his role as chiefjustice J was a member of the

(06:43:16):
state's Council of revision, which examined the
constitutionality of the laws passed by the legislature.
He soon realized that the council could simply be ignored
by the legislators in 1778. After Congress, returned to
Philadelphia Morris wrote to J and asked him to return to

(06:43:36):
Congress. Although he was reluctant to
leave his family behind GovernorClinton.
And the New York legislature asked Jay to go to Philadelphia,
to ask Congress to settle a dispute, over the territory, to
the west of the Connecticut River, which had been claimed by
both New York and New Hampshire.But in 1777, the New Hampshire

(06:44:01):
settlers declared independence as the state of the Mont.
In September 1778, the monster, political and military leader.
Ethan, Allen appeared in Philadelphia to lobby for
recognition of statehood before Congress.
Within days of returning to Philadelphia.

(06:44:22):
Henry, Laurens resigned as president of the Continental
Congress. And Jay was elected in his place
on the 10th of December. Although Congress had powers
over the Army and foreign policy.
It had no power of taxation and relied on funds from the states.
Many politicians in Congress believed as Jay had done that

(06:44:46):
their work in state legislatureswas more important.
The president of the Congress resided over its sessions and
although he was not usually an active participant in the
debates, he would summarize the issue and could influence the
way delegates voted During Jay'spresidency of Congress, the

(06:45:09):
United States was facing an economic crisis as the
Continental dollar sharply depreciated.
While Congress could print money, it could not raise taxes
and received limited funds from the states resulting in
hyperinflation. Furthermore, if the United

(06:45:30):
States were defeated in the war,the Continental dollar would be
worth. Noting J.
Drafted a letter from Congress to the people in which he made
the case that the United States had both the ability and the
political capacity to pay its War debts, ending with an
appeal, for Loan and Taxes from the state's as the price of

(06:45:54):
Liberty. In spite of the eloquence of
Jay's letter, it failed to prevent the Continental dollar
from losing even more value overthe course of the Year during
his Presidency J did not forget his obligations to his colleague
from New York and passed on messages from Governor Clinton

(06:46:14):
to Congress on the issue. A congressional committee sent
to the Monte in July, proved unsuccessful.
And in September Congress, accepted Jay's recommendation to
ask New York, New Hampshire, andMassachusetts to pass laws,
authorizing. A congressional, boundary
Commission. This latest approach failed when

(06:46:38):
New Hampshire, and Massachusettsrefused to pass such laws.
And the issue would not be resolved until Vermont's
admission to the Union in 1790. As president of the Congress J
met and corresponded with General Washington throughout
1779 and the two became firm friends.

(06:47:01):
Washington was also concerned about the economy which made it
increasingly difficult for him to supply his men.
Most of their correspondents involved.
Washington asking Congress for supplies, but the two men also
exchanged more personal letters and shared their frustration at
Congress and its lack of power'sdue to Congressional authority

(06:47:25):
over for an Affairs jet met frequently with foreign
representative, including ConradAlexandra, Jacques of France,
and Don Juan de Mireles The Unofficial Spanish
representative. Jay was often drawn at the
Congressional dispute by shahad in order to carry favor with
France. Well, neuralace, and Jay were

(06:47:46):
involved in heated, discussions about rights to the Mississippi
River, which separated the United States from Spanish
Louisiana in April 1779. France and Spain.
Signed a secret. Lions.
And by June, Spain had joined the war with Britain having

(06:48:07):
served as president of the Congress for almost a year.
At the end of September. J.
Agreed to go to Spain as minister plenipotentiary.
In October 1779, John and Sarah J.
Departed from the United States sailing thirst to the French
island of Martinique before boarding.

(06:48:29):
A French ship to Cadiz. Jay's instructions from Congress
were to seek diplomatic recognition, a military Alliance
and financial support since Spain had gone to war with
Britain to recovery brought her rather than out of any sympathy.
For a revolutionary Republic. This was an uphill task.

(06:48:51):
In March, 1780 J Ralls, the third was prepared only to admit
him as a private citizen, ratherthan as a diplomatic
representative with diplomatic recognition Out Of Reach J matte

(06:49:11):
Florida Blanca for a series of talks about an alliance and
financial support, but the Spanish foreign minister
insisted on recognition of Spanish rights to the
Mississippi and claimed that Spain was in no position even to
pay J's expenses. As a result J, could only pay

(06:49:32):
his bills with help from Benjamin Franklin in Paris.
After another year of fruitless negotiation in September 1781 J
presented to the Spanish Minister.
A draft treaty with terms including Spanish rights to the
Southern Mississippi in return for immediate Military, Support

(06:49:56):
warning that the terms would no longer be on offer in general,
peace, negotiation. Even after news of Washington's
victory over the Cornwallis at Yorktown reached Spain and
December. J realized that Spain was not
serious about negotiation though.
Jay failed to obtain an alliancewith Spain, the Spanish hat.

(06:50:20):
Nevertheless, giving indirect support to the American war
effort by capturing West Floridafrom Britain.
In March 1782, the British primeminister, Lord North's
government resigned Paving the way for peace negotiations.
Congress had named Jay among itspeace Commissioners and in late

(06:50:43):
June, he joined Franklin in Paris.
Although the British decided to end offensive operations in
North America, the British army remained in New York and
Charleston, South Carolina, France, and Britain were still
at War while Spain had captured Menorca and was planning to
attack Gibraltar in the 1778. Treaty Congress agreed with

(06:51:09):
France, not to negotiate with Britain separately a commitment
that franklyn and Jay were Keen to honor and France had also
agreed with Spain. Not to make A Separate Peace
with Britain. When J met British Ambassador
Richard, Oswald he objected thathis instructions did not

(06:51:29):
recognize a American independence and informed Oswald
that. Any peace terms would have to be
favorable to France and Spain. However, in discussions with
Spanish Ambassador, Aranda and French foreign minister, vergen
the Americans found that France supported Spanish claims east of

(06:51:50):
the Mississippi and realized they might get better terms to
talking directly with Britain though.
Franklyn remained cautious aboutoffending French sensibilities.
By the time Oswald received his new commission, recognizing the
13 United States of America. Franklin was Ill while John

(06:52:13):
Adams who had been appointed to the American Peace Commission
was still negotiating with the Netherlands.
As a result J, drafted a treaty that.
Recognized the independence of the United States set out its
proposed boundaries provided forthe evacuation of British troops

(06:52:33):
and an ambitious reciprocal, Free Trade Agreement.
Treaty included language that provided for the Articles within
to be inserted into an eventual,Franco British treaty thus
allowing the Americans to negotiate with Britain alone,
while keeping their commitment to France.

(06:52:54):
After the British rejected Jay'sdraft Sir.
Henry, stretchy arrived in Paristo assist in the negotiations.
At around the same time, John Adams arrived from the
Netherlands and Jay was happy tofind that his Massachusetts
colleague was more inclined to favor talks.

(06:53:15):
With the British without first Consulting, France an approach
franklyn eventually agreed to while The American's were happy
to compensate British citizens for their Lost Property.
They were not prepared to do. So for a medic and Loyalists
after further, talks between thefive men about boundaries and

(06:53:37):
fishing rights. J prepared.
A second draft by the fourth of November.
When the British tried to press their claim on compensation, for
the Loyalists Franklin, claimed that Congress was in the process
of investigating. How much the British champagne
for Damage Done to a Medicaid property and in the end, the

(06:53:59):
British settled for a token recognition of loyalist.
Claims On the 30th of November 1782.
The British and American negotiations agreed on
preliminary, peace, terms that proved extremely favorable to
the United States. Nevertheless, they had the

(06:54:19):
delicate task of informing the French on the one hand and
Congress on the other. When Franklin met an outraged,
vergen he denied. The American negotiators had
done anything improper. Meanwhile, Adams and Jay worked
on a joint letter to Congress which had explicitly instructed

(06:54:40):
them to consult with the French talking to the British as the
American Commissioners considered their negotiating
objective for the final treaty. They received news that the Earl
of Shelburne. The British prime minister had
resigned in March 1783 after being criticized for giving too

(06:55:00):
much away in the negotiation. In April, a new Administration
brought together, former prime minister, Lord North and his
rival, Charles James Fox that. Although they sent David Hartley
to negotiate a final treaty, eatbecame clear that the British
government did not want to seek parliamentary approval for new

(06:55:24):
terms and the final treaty copied the preliminary
agreement. Almost word for word, after
Britain had concluded, its negotiations with France and
Spain. The Treaty of Paris was signed
on the third of September. 1783 officially ending, the American
Revolutionary War. After the treaty was ratified by

(06:55:47):
both parties, and exchanged in May 1784 and Jay had settled his
accounts from his time, in Spain, the Jays left Paris and
arrived back home in Late, July,where he was soon.
Awarded, the freedom of New YorkCity upon his return.
He learned that he had been elected secretary for foreign

(06:56:08):
affairs filling a role that had been left vacant by his friend.
Robert Livingston's resignation,the previous spring in December
1784 J, accepted the post while congress met in Trenton, New
Jersey and at the same session, it decided to move temporarily
to New York City reconstruction work at started after the end of

(06:56:32):
the war and the J's built a grand three-story house, which
they moved into in 1785. The Jays were among the
wealthiest people in the city and in 708.
He opened an account at the Bankof New York founded by his
friend Alexander. Hamilton the previous year.
Jay was one of the few a medicalfounding fathers, who was a true

(06:56:58):
Christian believer. And he provided support to
rebuild the Trinity Church wherehe had previously worshiped.
Although Jay was responsible forthe American Foreign Affairs and
supervising American diplomats Congress had limited powers and
its delegates typically attendedto other business.

(06:57:20):
At the end of the Revolutionary War Washington disbanded, the
Continental Army, and without a standing army, or navy, J.
And his ambassadors, and little leverage in negotiations.
Despite the recent piece tensions remained between
Britain and the United States, as the British refused to

(06:57:42):
evacuate key force in the north west, while Britain protested
against state laws, that hindered the recovery of British
debts. In March 1785, John Adams was
appointed ambassador to Great Britain, and Jay urged him to
raise the North West forks with the British government while

(06:58:02):
urging Congress and the states to carry out their treaty
obligation in. October 1786, Jade presented a
report to Congress in, which he argued that the states had
delegated power to Congress to make War and Peace.
Therefore, any peace treaties made by the federal government

(06:58:23):
were binding on the whole nationand superseded state law.
He then determined that several states did enact to laws in v.
Nation of the Treaty of Paris inrelation to debt collection, and
the rights of loyalists accordingly.
J recommended that Congress urged.

(06:58:44):
The states to enact a law that he drafted to repeal any
offending laws and informed atoms that the United States had
indeed in violating the treaty in March, 1787, Congress adopted
Jesus approached, and by the summer, J was able to report to

(06:59:05):
Adams. That progress was being made.
Though when atoms left London inFebruary, 1788 Congress did not
send a replacement leaving many issues.
Unresolved In addition to ongoing issues with the British
J also had to deal with France. After Franklin agreed to an

(06:59:29):
unfavorable Consular convention with France in 1784, which was
rejected by Congress in December. 1787 J authorized
Thomas Jefferson to renegotiate a new convention that subjected
French consoles to American law which was one of the first

(06:59:49):
treaties ratified by the Senate.After the constitution of 1789
came into effect. As for Spain J returned to the
question of the Mississippi, which he had discussed with
Spanish diplomats several years earlier.
Now, that the United States was in dependent, it was enough

(07:00:10):
stronger. Diplomatic position though, the
Spanish continued to insist on exclusive rights to the southern
part of the Mississippi. On the basis that Jay had
offered this in, 1780 the Spanish representative godi,
warned that without agreement onthe issue, Spain would stop
trading with the United States. J.

(07:00:33):
Agreed with the northern states that the Spanish trade was more
important than the Mississippi and proposed to limit a medical
use of the river for 25 years. But Congress remained divided on
the issue and it remained unresolved.
Jay was also involved in dealingwith the Barbary Powers.

(07:00:54):
The Islamic states in North Africa, which routinely attacked
Merchant ships, in the Mediterranean in order to
capture slaves for ransom J. Authorized American diplomatic
representatives in Europe Adams Franklin and Jefferson to make
peace with the barbarous states.While a favorable treaty was

(07:01:16):
signed with Morocco, there was no progress with the three
others. During his Service as Secretary
of Foreign Affairs J lamented congress's lack of powers and
supported a strong national government.
By asserting the supremacy of federal law.
Overstate law in his report on amedical violation of the Treaty

(07:01:39):
of Paris J made a significant contribution to the process in
September 1786, Alexander Hamilton and the guinean.
James Madison were among those who called for a National
Convention in Philadelphia to discuss measures to improve the
effectiveness of the federal government.

(07:02:02):
Jay enthusiastically supported such an initiative, but was not
named among the three-man delegation from New York to the
convention that kept a close eyeon events in Philadelphia.
In a letter to George Washingtonfrom 1786 J.
Set out his favoured Constitution, which provided for

(07:02:24):
a separation of powers between the legislature executive and
Judiciary for the executive. He suggested a governor-general
with limited powers and tenure, while the legislature should be
divided into an upper house withmembers appointed for life, and
a lower house, whose members were elected annually for the

(07:02:47):
Judiciary. He proposed something along the
lines of New York's Council of revision, which together with
the executive should have the right to veto legislative acts.
When the Constitutional Convention met in May, 1787
Washington was elected to preside over the proceedings

(07:03:08):
inspired by Jay's report to Congress.
The convention agreed on the supremacy of Federal law, not
withstanding state laws in July,J wrote to Washington suggesting
that the presidency should be denied to foreign-born
Americans. An idea which the convention

(07:03:29):
agreed upon, modifying. The wording to open eligibility
to foreign born, Americans, who were citizens at the time of the
adoption of the Constitution, including Alexander Hamilton in
mid-september. The proposed Constitution was
published in a Philadelphia newspaper after its final text

(07:03:51):
was refined by the pain of Gouverneur Morris.
Although, J may have hoped that the convention had gone further
and transferred in legislative Authority from the states.
To the central government, he endorsed the document, The
constitutional convention decided that the document would

(07:04:12):
come into operation after ratification from 9 States and
stipulated that special conventions were to be elected
by the states for the purpose ofratifying.
The document, the country was soon split into Federalists, who
favored a stronger national government and supported the
Constitution and Anti-Federalists, who defended

(07:04:36):
states rights and opposed it in October. 1787, J Hamilton and
Madison worked together on a series of essays under the
pseudonym Publius aiming to persuade the country and New
York in particular to elect Federalist delegates to the

(07:04:56):
ratifying convention. After Hamilton opened the
series, Jay wrote the next four essays but owing to illness
during the winter. His contribution was limited and
he would only write one more in the series of 85 essays making
up The Federalist Papers, JS. Essays, primarily considered

(07:05:20):
questions of National Security and foreign affairs in
Federalist. Number 2, he argued that
rejection of the Constitution would inevitably lead to States
and regions fighting each other?He claimed that the country
belonged to one people sharing the same ancestors.
The same language and the same religion and that their bonds

(07:05:45):
are only been strengthened by fighting together during the
Revolutionary War. In Federalist number 3, he
argued that a national government would better provide
for National Security and avoid war by attracting the best men
in the country who would honor international law.
And in the following essay argued that the United States

(07:06:09):
could more effectively fight anddefend itself with a national
Army asking Pretoria how Would there with separate English
Scottish and Welsh armies. He built on the same theme in
Federalist number five, in whichhe presented the American Union
as an analogy of the British Union between England, Wales and

(07:06:34):
Scotland, prior to the act of Union of 1707 England, and
Scotland were frequently at War and Jay, argued that, without a
powerful national government. The northern and southern
states, may go to war with each other.
After recovering, from his boat of rheumatism in early 1788.

(07:06:56):
Jay wrote Federalist number 64, which Justified the president's
right to make treaties ratified by the Senate.
Since Congress would be prone tochanging its mind.
In the meantime, Jay had also written his address to the
people of the state of New York,which promoted the constitution

(07:07:17):
on the base's that it had been framed by a medicare's best men.
In May J was elected to the convention.
That would meet in Poughkeepsie.In June, although New York City
was full of Federalists voters in Upstate.
New York, gave the Anti-Federalists more than a

(07:07:39):
two-to-one majority. The Federalists had an uphill
battle, but Jay new, many of theAnti-Federalists led by Governor
George Clinton and hoped he could change their minds.
As eight states had already ratified the Federalists played
for time, hoping that either NewHampshire or Virginia, would

(07:08:02):
provide, the key 9th vote, and give them momentum for
ratification as the convention debated.
The document Clause by Clause, news arrived, on the 24th of
June, that New Hampshire had ratified the Constitution, the
Anti-Federalists held their ground, for the time being.

(07:08:23):
But privately, J reported that many of those opposed might
support ratification. If a few men boots were made to
the Constitution on the second Of July News, arrived of the
Juniors, ratification, leaving New York, North Carolina and
Rhode Island as the three State's remaining, the

(07:08:46):
Federalists allowed the Anti-Federalists, to formulate
their recommended amendments andon the The 26th of July, the
convention voted 30 to 27 to ratify the Constitution.
After Jay drafted a letter to the other states suggesting a
second convention to discuss amendments.

(07:09:08):
Although Hamilton was given muchcredit for the Federalist
Victory J played a key role and was a more effective mediator
than his friend. The Constitution of the United
States, came into operation on the 4th of March 1789.
And on the 30th of April, GeorgeWashington, took office as

(07:09:32):
president of the United States with John Adams as vice
president. Although he was expected to
continue overseeing Foreign Affairs.
Jay was also opened the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
And in August, I informed Washington that he would prefer
the judicial role this in able to Thomas Jefferson who was

(07:09:55):
recalled from Paris. In September 1789, to take over
responsibility for foreign affairs, as Secretary of State,
in late September, after Congress passed, the Judiciary
Act to set up the federal court system, Washington nominated J,
as chief justice along with fiveassociate justices, all of who

(07:10:19):
What promptly approved by the Senate, the Supreme Court opened
on the second of February 1790 that closed the first session
after a week, since there were no cases to decide.
Under the terms of the JudiciaryAct, the justices on the Supreme
Court. Also served on federal circuit

(07:10:41):
courts for each state as he rodethe Eastern circuit with William
Cushing of Massachusetts during the Spring of 1790, he gave the
same charge to the grand jury ofeach Court asserting.
The federal government's jurisdiction, under the new
Constitution, and reminding the citizenry of their duty to abide

(07:11:04):
by the federal laws, which served to protect their
liberties. Jay argued that Liberty was not
about individuals being able to do whatever they want but an
equal right to all the citizens to have enjoy, and to do in
peace security and without molestation, whatever the equal

(07:11:27):
and constitutional laws of the country admit, to be consistent
with the public good, when the justices met in August for the
second session of the Supreme Court.
They decided that it was not only undesirable but
unconstitutional to have justices deciding on a case at
the circuit court, before takingup the case, again, at the

(07:11:50):
Supreme Court but the issue remained unresolved for the time
being in November while he was in, Boston, J received a letter
from Secretary of the Treasury. Alexander Hamilton complaining
that the Jinnah legislature had threatened to disregard his
Financial reforms and suggested the federal Judiciary intervene

(07:12:14):
against an act which threatened to overturn the supremacy of
federal law. The Chief Justice refused and
wrote to Hamilton. The national government has only
to do what is right? And if possible be silent In
late 1790 the federal governmentrelocated to Philadelphia.

(07:12:36):
Forcing J to leave his hometown in order to attend sessions of
the Supreme Court while on circuit duties, in Spring of
1791, J began ruling on cases ofnational importance.
Striking down a Connecticut Law,the violating, the terms of the
Treaty of Paris and invalidatinga Rhode Island statute, which

(07:13:00):
violated the Constitution's currency provisions, When the
Supreme Court met in Philadelphia in August 1781,
they heard a case for the first time.
Only to dismiss it on a procedural point.
By 1792, J was tired of riding circuit and having to go to

(07:13:22):
Philadelphia. So he agreed to run against
George Clinton for governor of New York.
Although he enjoyed the support of prominent New Yorkers, such
as Alexander Hamilton and PhilipSchuyler J was subjected to
attacks in the Press from his college friend, Robert
Livingston, Chancellor of New York, who opposed the chief

(07:13:44):
justice as alliance with Hamilton.
When the votes were counted J appeared to have a not only
lead, but Clinton prevailed. After vote from disputed
counties were thrown out the controversial.
Election led to Violent clashes between J and Clinton
supporters, but despite their list appeals, he decided not to

(07:14:08):
contest the results. Jay did not actively campaign in
the election for governor and continued carrying out his
judicial duties. These duties largely involved
the invalid. Pensions Act passed by Congress
in 1792. Required circuit courts to
decide on claims made by Revolutionary War veterans for

(07:14:32):
their pensions subject to reviewby the Secretary of War.
In a blue. Jay issued, an opinion that
these duties were not properly. Judicial since they were subject
to review by the executive and as such the courts could not
hear them, implicitly stating that the law was
unconstitutional. However, since the judges were

(07:14:56):
willing to hear the case's J, interpreted the legislation to
mean that the judges had been appointed as Commissioners to
determine on such cases. Jay went on to hear dozens of
cases on the pensions act, as heand Cushing journeyed through
the eastern district, while in the August session of the

(07:15:16):
Supreme Court, the Justice decided to postpone judgment on
a pension case. Brought by attorney general
Edmund Randolph until Congress at the opportunity, to amend the
Pension Act and give circuit judges the right to appoint
three commissioners. In February, 1793 J and his

(07:15:39):
associate justices on the Supreme Court.
Heard the case of Chisholm versus Georgia a case where the
executor of a South Carolina Merchants estate sued Georgia.
After the state refused to pay debts owed, the state's defense
was that it was a sovereign entity and as such who'd not be

(07:16:01):
sued in federal court. The court decided four to one in
favor of the plaintiff and chiefjustice J gave a link the
opinion in which he stated the, unlike in Europe, where the
prince was Sovereign, and the people were subjects in the
United States, the people was suffering, he went on to argue

(07:16:24):
that Georgian could be sued as astate asking rhetorically
whether the state of Delaware should enjoy more legal immunity
than the city of Philadelphia. Even though they had similar
population, J, then cited the provision in the Constitution,
giving the federal courts jurisdiction over disputes

(07:16:45):
between states and citizens of another state which did not
exclude States from being defended.
In spite of the majority. Ruling the Court's decision in
the case was overwhelmingly opposed in Congress and State
legislatures and within two years, the 11th Amendment of the
Constitution was proposed and ratified providing for State

(07:17:10):
immunity in federal courts. In addition to his judicial
responsibilities J, served as anunofficial adviser to his
friends, Washington and Hamilton.
In particular on questions of foreign policy by the early
1790s the French Revolution had become increasingly violent and

(07:17:32):
in January 1793 King Louis the 16th was executed at the
guillotine leading to war between Britain and France.
The Federalists led by AlexanderHamilton sympathized with
Britain. Well, the Republicans led by
Virginia's. Thomas Jefferson, and James
Madison. Preferred France, though.

(07:17:54):
Both parties believed in stayingout of the war.
In April 1793 J helped to draft a proclamation for Washington,
which declared new charity, the presence of the French Envoy
Edmore Charlene who ran privateers to attack, British
ships from American ports, prompted Washington, and

(07:18:16):
Jefferson to ask the Supreme Court, but advice about the
legality of Genesis conduct under the 1783 treaty.
But in August J wrote to Washington stating that the
court would not give advice on abstract questions.
However, in his capacity as a leading Federalists politician,

(07:18:38):
J and New York. Senator roofers.
King attacked Jenny for seeking to appeal to the American
people. Over Washington's head prompting
a legal battle with the Frenchman.
While the gene Affair, undermined the French cause in
1793 by early 1794. It seemed as though, the United

(07:19:01):
States was at the brink of war with Britain, after the British
Navy began to seize American Merchant vessels in the West
Indies and forced the sailors onboard to enlist in the Royal
Navy, Federalist leaders in the Senate proposed sending an Envoy
to Britain to negotiate an agreement and avoid war.

(07:19:23):
Hamilton was initially offered the assignment, but declined and
suggested J who accepted Washington's offer in April
1794, despite the separation of powers in the Constitution, J
decided that the was nothing that it explicitly prevented
Supreme Court Justices from accepting officers such as that

(07:19:47):
of a special Ambassador and despite some opposition in the
Senate. His appointment was confirmed in
instructions drawn. Up by Hamilton Jay was tasked
with obtaining compensation for the damage to American trade and
the West Indies settling. The outstanding issues from the

(07:20:07):
peace treaty, including the Northwest, Forts and payments to
British creditors. And finally, to negotiate trade
terms with Britain and in particular to resume trade, in
the British West Indies, After departing from New York on the
12th of May 1794 J. And his son, Peter arrived.

(07:20:31):
In Britain in early, June and reached London on the morning of
the 14th. Few days later, he met foreign
secretary, Lord Grenville, a cousin of Prime Minister,
William Pitt, the younger. And in early July, he was
presented to the king and queen.Although the American Envoy was
warmly welcomed by his British hosts, the ensuing negotiations

(07:20:54):
would prove difficult while Grenville was sympathetic to
Jay's complaints about the seizure of vessels and
impressment of American Sailors.He did not commit to anything,
specific Beyond sending an instruction to British Naval
captains to cease these actions.In early, August J presented a

(07:21:16):
first draft of a treaty proposing commissions to resolve
the disputed boundaries in the Northeast, and north-west the
evacuation of the Northwest forts by June 1795 and that
Britain, and the United States would provide full compensation
for seized vessels and revolutionary era debts.

(07:21:38):
Respectively. J proposed.
The British ports around the world, the open to American
vessels and that American ports would be open to British vessels
in return. With the Proviso that American
ship could only import Commodities from the British
West Indies that as the was, no way to distinguish between goods

(07:22:01):
from the British French and Dutch West Indies.
This effectively prevented a medic and ship's from exporting,
any produce from these islands By late, August Grenville, had
prepared draft treaties agreeingto evacuate the forts by June
1796 and proposed to move the Northwest border south on the

(07:22:25):
basis that the Treaty of Paris had given Britain navigation
rights to the Mississippi and therefore the southern border of
Canada had to reach the river. The dispute on the northwest
boundary came about when the Treaty of Paris stipulated that
the north-west border of the United States should run from

(07:22:45):
the Lake of the Woods in modern-day Minnesota in a
straight line West to the Mississippi but it later emerged
that the Mrs. Sippy did not extend so far north in response,
J. Claimed that it was possible
that the original line did work and that the boundary

(07:23:06):
Commissioners would survey the course of the Mississippi and
rejected grenville's. Claim that the right to navigate
a body of water, resupply ownership of Ted at in next to
it. Granville conceded the point and
Jay ensured that the United States retained control of
Minnesota and eventually the mountains and plains all the way

(07:23:31):
to the Pacific coast, After Jay submitted a revised draft, which
included a declaration of a firminviolable and Universal peace,
and a true and sincere friendship between the two
Nations. The final treaty was signed on
the 19th of November largely. On the basis of grenville's

(07:23:55):
August offer, although he had not achieved all his negotiating
objectives. J believed it was the best deal
he could get from Britain to avoid war preferred, not to
risk, a winter Crossing J stayedin Britain until April 1785.
In the meantime, Thomas Pinkley,the American ambassador to

(07:24:17):
Britain had been asked to negotiate a treaty with Spain,
Pinckney would succeed, where Jay had failed on two, previous
occasions by opening, the Mississippi after Spain, decided
to grant favorable terms hiding.Jay had signed an alliance with
Britain. J returned to New York on the

(07:24:39):
28th of May. Well the Senate debated, his
treaty behind closed doors and ratified it in a vote along
party lines. Excluding the Proviso
prohibiting exports of West Indian produce which the British
agreed to emit for ratification.When the text of the J, treaty
was made public in early. July it provoked, a furious

(07:25:03):
response from Republicans who believed that Jay had given up
too much and accused the Chief Justice of accepting money from
the British. After Washington, signed the
treaty in August the outcry court and down and the United
States managed to avoid a costlywar with Britain.

(07:25:25):
While Jay was returning from England.
He was elected governor of New York in the 1795 election and he
resigned as Chief Justice on the29th of June.
Before taking up the governorship on the 1st of July.
The state had seen greater inward migration in Upstate New

(07:25:45):
York and owing to this. In 1796 the state capital was
transferred from New York City to Albany closer to the
geographical center of the state.
As a lawyer. He took an active interest in
reforms to New York's criminal laws which limited capital
punishment and abolished whipping.

(07:26:05):
Although a slave owner himself, Jay had been president of the
New York manumission society which aimed the gradual
abolition of slavery in the state and during his second term
as Governor. The state legislature passed a
law in 1799 providing for the Freedom of slave children, born

(07:26:27):
that year at the age of 25 for women and 28 for men as
Governor. Jay served as Commander in Chief
of the state militia and admiralof the state Navy, while his
calls for the state legislature to strengthen New York's
military capabilities were initially dismissed in 1798, the

(07:26:49):
outbreak of war between the United States, and France,
seemed likely, and the war scareprompted the legislature to
authorize, 150,000 dollars for fortifying.
New York Harbor, and a further 165,000 dollars to build an
Arsenal. And by weapon's, meanwhile, Jay

(07:27:11):
gave the task of strengthening New York's defenses, to
Alexander Hamilton, who had beenappointed second in command, in
the federal army, formed to prepare for war with France, In
the presidential election of 1796 Jay's friend, John Adams,
had defeated Thomas Jefferson bya narrow margin of 71 electoral

(07:27:34):
votes to 68. The 1800 election was a rematch
between the two men. And with Adams expected to carry
the northern states and Jefferson the South.
How New York to 12 electors, voted would determine the
election. New York.
Selectors were chosen by the state's legislature which had

(07:27:55):
previously enjoyed a federalist majority.
But in 1800 the Republicans swept, New York City and won a
majority in the state legislature faced with the
prospect of his great rival. Jefferson becoming President
Hamilton wrote a letter to Jay asking him to recall the

(07:28:15):
existing legislature with a federalist majority.
So it could pass a law allowing electors to be chosen
proportionately. Jay refused to do so contending
that it was a party political act, which would change the
rules of an election. After the fact, after the
presidential votes were counted in December Jefferson received

(07:28:38):
73, electoral votes, to Adams 65as Jefferson received the same
number of electoral votes as hisrunning mate, Aaron Burr.
It was up to the House of Representatives to break the
tie, many Federalists schemed toelect Burr, hoping he could be
persuaded to adopt Federalist views while the Republicans

(07:29:01):
feared the Federalists would stage a coup at this time.
President Adams. Informed J that he had been
nominated and confirmed to his previous office of Chief Justice
which had become vacant. But Jade declined and chose to
retire Adams appointed. His secretary of state John

(07:29:22):
Marshall in Stood and Marshall would serve as chief justice for
34 years, delivering some of themost consequential judgments in
American history. After relinquishing, the
governorship of New York of the end of June 1801.
J retired to his farm at Bedford.

(07:29:43):
New York, a short distance from his childhood home at Rye.
He supervised the modification of the modest Farmhouse into a
three-story home. Sarah J had been suffering from
ill health for several years anddid not move in until early
December, but just as her healthappeared to be gradually

(07:30:05):
improving, she fell seriously ill and died in May 1802, the
devastated John Jay was left with his five, surviving
children and by 1810 is eldest son.
Peter Augustus was a prominent lawyer in New York City where he
also served as his father's Agent.

(07:30:27):
J was rarely involved in political Affairs during his
retirement. And in the early 1800s, the
Federalist Party was in the process of decline When the War
of 1812 broke out with Britain at summer, J was disappointed
that the war he had hoped to avoid with his 1794 treaty ended

(07:30:51):
up being fourth. The only major Political issue,
he commented publicly on was the1819 crisis over Missouri's
admission to the union. The northern anti-slavery States
wanted Missouri to be admitted as a free state while the
southern states hoped that slavery would be permitted in a

(07:31:14):
letter to fellow New Yorker. Elias boudinot, Jay said, out
his opinion that slavery should not be extended to new States
and should be gradually abolished.
Where it existed? The question was eventually
resolved by a compromise whereby, Missouri was admitted
as a slave state. Maine was created as a free

(07:31:37):
state out of Massachusetts. And slavery was banned in the
Louisiana Territory north of the36th parallel.
In 1818 J resumed his correspondence with John Adams
and the two friends reminisced about their past collaboration.
He also received requests from the sons and grandsons of the

(07:31:59):
revolutionary leaders to provideinformation about events and the
authorship of documents. After his son, William
co-founded the American Bible society in 1816.
He served as vice president and later president, when he was
invited to attend, the 50th Anniversary, celebrations of the

(07:32:20):
Declaration of Independence in New York City on the 4th of
July. 1826, he declined on grounds of ill health.
In early 1829, his health further.
Deteriorated, and on the 17th ofMay, John, Jay die at the age of
83. Compared to the likes of

(07:32:43):
Benjamin Franklin. George Washington, John Adams,
Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison
John. Jay's name is relatively obscure
among the founding fathers of the United States.
Nevertheless, he has a long listof accomplishments to his name.
After a successful legal career,in New York City.

(07:33:06):
He served as a member of the first and second continental,
congresses at the same time. J played a key role in drafting
New York's state constitution and served as its first Chief
Justice. Although he emerged empty-handed
from his diplomatic mission in Spain, he played the leading

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role in negotiating. The favorable 1783 Treaty of
Paris, which ended the Revolutionary War with British
recognition of a medic and Independence in recognition of
his diplomatic skills. He served a Truth or thought an
Affairs where he helped to establish the precedent of the
supremacy of federal law over state law serving as a major

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influence on the Constitution, which he championed alongside
Hamilton and Madison in The Federalist Papers, after laying
the foundations of the American judicial system and asserting
the jurisdiction of the federal government as chief justice.
He negotiated a treaty with Britain which despite its

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deficiencies avoided, the war which the United States was in
no position to fight at the time.
He ended his distinguished political career, as governor of
New York and helped to end slavery in the state.
What do you think of John Jay? Does he deserve greater

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recognition for his contributionto the establishment of the
United States of America? Or did he betray the ideals of
the American Revolution, by supporting closer political and
economic relations with the British Empire and did these Pro
British sympathies prevent him from obtaining, a better deal in

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the treaty that bears his name. Please let us know in the
comments section and in the meantime, thank you very much
for watching. You.