In this episode of America’s Founding Series on The P.A.S. Report Podcast, Professor Nick Giordano brings to life the powerful story of Benjamin Rush, a brilliant and provocative Founding Father who helped shape the moral and medical foundation of the United States. As a signer of the Declaration of Independence, an early abolitionist, and the father of American psychiatry, Rush fought for liberty not only with his pen, but through revolutionary ideas on public health, mental illness, and education. From challenging slavery to reconciling Adams and Jefferson, this episode explores how Rush’s fearless voice helped heal a new nation and why his legacy still matters today.
Episode Highlights:
- How Benjamin Rush fused Enlightenment ideals with revolutionary action to become one of the most influential and outspoken Founding Fathers
- Rush was one of the earliest abolitionists and mentored Black leaders like Richard Allen
- The dramatic reconciliation of John Adams and Thomas Jefferson—engineered by Rush behind the scenes
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Timestamps
- 00:52 The Life and Legacy of Benjamin Rush
- 01:35 Benjamin Rush Earns a Medical Degree and Becomes a Champion for the Enlightenment
- 03:56 Signer of the Declaration of Independence
- 04:45 The Principles of Liberty Were Worth the Sacrifice
- 06:21 Rush's Fight Against Slavery and Advocacy for Education
- 08:10 Rush Viewed the American Revolution as an Ongoing Process of Societal Improvement
- 10:03 He Emphasized the Need for Civic Virtue
- 11:09 Rush Sought to Reconcile the Rivalry Between John Adams and Thomas Jefferson
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