Monthly Archives: August 2020

3.21 – Source Notes



Special thanks to Matthew for providing the intro quote for this episode!

  • Allen, W B; and Seth Ames, eds. Works of Fisher Ames: Volume II. Indianapolis, IN: LibertyClassics, 1983 [1854].
  • Beach, Edward L. The United States Navy: 200 Years. New York: Henry Holt & Co, 1986.
  • Bernhard, Winfred E A. Fisher Ames: Federalist and Statesman 1758-1808. Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press, 1965.
  • Brighton, Ray. The Checkered Career of Tobias Lear. Portsmouth, NH: Portsmouth Marine Society, 1985.
  • Chernow, Ron. Alexander Hamilton. New York: Penguin Press, 2004.
  • Clinton, George. “To Thomas Jefferson, 20 January 1804,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/01-42-02-0278. [Original source: The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, vol. 42, 16 November 1803–10 March 1804, ed. James P. McClure. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2016, pp. 318–319.] [Last Accessed: 26 Jul 2020]
  • Dauer, Manning. “Election of 1804.” History of American Presidential Elections 1789-1968, Volume I. Arthur M Schlesinger Jr, ed. New York: Chelsea House Publishers and McGraw-Hill, 1971. pp. 159-169.
  • Eppes, John Wayles. “To Thomas Jefferson, 9 March 1804,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/01-42-02-0536. [Original source: The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, vol. 42, 16 November 1803–10 March 1804, ed. James P. McClure. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2016, pp. 611–612.] [Last Accessed: 26 Jul 2020]
  • Ernst, Robert. Rufus King: American Federalist. Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press, 1968.
  • Gannon, Kevin M. “Escaping ‘Mr. Jefferson’s Plan of Destruction’: New England Federalists and the Idea of a Northern Confederacy, 1803-1804.” Journal of the Early Republic. 21:3 [Fall 2001] 413-443.
  • “Intro.4 Ratification of Amendments to the Constitution.” Constitution Annotated: Analysis and Interpretation of the U.S. Constitution. https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/essay/intro-4/ALDE_00001236/. [Last Accessed: 26 Jul 2020]
  • Jefferson, Thomas. “To William A. Burwell, 26 March 1804,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/01-43-02-0087. [Original source: The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, vol. 43, 11 March–30 June 1804, ed. James P. McClure. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2017, pp. 94–95.] [Last Accessed: 26 Jul 2020]
  • Kaminski, John P. George Clinton: Yeoman Politician of the New Republic. Madison, WI: Madison House, 1993.
  • Kierner, Cynthia A. Martha Jefferson Randolph, Daughter of Monticello: Her Life and Times. Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press, 2012.
  • Lambert, Frank. The Barbary Wars: American Independence in the Atlantic World. New York: Hill and Wang, 2007 [2005].
  • Landry, Jerry. The Presidencies of the United States. 2017-2020. http://presidencies.blubrry.com.
  • Lomask, Milton. Aaron Burr: The Years from Princeton to Vice President 1756-1805. New York: Farrar Straus Giroux, 1979.
  • Malone, Dumas. Jefferson the President First Term, 1801-1805: Jefferson and His Time, Volume Four. Boston: Little, Brown and Co, 1970.
  • McKee, Christopher. Edward Preble: A Naval Biography, 1761-1807. Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press, 1996 [1972].
  • Randolph, Martha Jefferson. “To Thomas Jefferson, 14 January 1804,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/01-42-02-0247. [Original source: The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, vol. 42, 16 November 1803–10 March 1804, ed. James P. McClure. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2016, pp. 278–280.] [Last Accessed: 26 Jul 2020]
  • Zahniser, Marvin R. Charles Cotesworth Pinckney: Founding Father. Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press, 1967.

Featured Image: “Chief Justice Theophilus Parsons” by Sarah Goodridge [c. 1820], courtesy of Wikipedia


3.21 – A Plotting We Will Go



Year(s) Discussed: 1803-1804

In the wake of multiple political losses in the first few years of the 19th century, as the election of 1804 neared, numerous Federalist leaders from New England began to consider the possibility of whether their prospects and those of their home region would be better served by breaking away from the United States. In the meantime, Commodore Edward Preble arrived in the Mediterranean to prosecute war against Tripoli while back in Albemarle County, the life of one of Jefferson’s family members hung in the balance. Sources used for this episode can be found at http://presidencies.blubrry.com.

Featured Image: “Uriah Tracy” by Ralph Earl [c. 1790], courtesy of Wikipedia

Intro and Outro Music: Selections from “Jefferson and Liberty” as performed by The Itinerant Band


Interview with Jeffrey Einboden, Jefferson’s Muslim Fugitives



Year(s) Discussed: 1776-1863

Interactions between people from various parts of the globe are a common occurrence in the 21st century, but though more infrequent in the late 18th and early 19th century, cross-cultural interactions in that time had a decisive impact. To explore this topic in the context of the life and presidency of Thomas Jefferson, I am joined in this special episode by Jeffrey Einboden, Presidential Research, Scholarship and Artistry Professor at Northern Illinois University and author of Jefferson’s Muslim Fugitives: The Lost Story of Enslaved Africans, their Arabic Letters, and an American President. In our conversation, Jeff explains how Jefferson interacted with Muslim individuals, both enslaved and free, as well as aspects of Muslim culture and scholarship in his lifetime and provides great insight on American interactions with the Middle East in the Early Republic. Additional resources for this episode can be found at http://presidencies.blubrry.com.

Featured Images: Jeffrey Einboden and cover of Jefferson’s Muslim Fugitives, courtesy of the author

Intro and Outro Music: Selections from “Jefferson and Liberty” as performed by The Itinerant Band


From Me to All of You 2: A Quick Note



As we continue to face many challenges around the world, I wanted to send a quick note to all of you to hopefully provide some comfort as well as share a couple of updates about what’s coming with Presidencies. Take care, everyone!


S006 – Source Notes



Special thanks to Micah of Number One Observatory Circle, Shawn of the American History Podcast, Elizabeth of the FLOTUS Podcast, and Robin for providing the intro quotes for this episode!

  • Bush, Barbara. Barbara Bush: A Memoir. New York: Lisa Drew Books, 1994.
  • Chambers, William Nisbet. “Election of 1840.” History of American Presidential Elections 1789-1968, Volume I. Arthur M Schlesinger Jr, ed. New York: Chelsea House Publishers and McGraw-Hill, 1971. pp. 643-684.
  • Cooper, John Milton, Jr. Woodrow Wilson: A Biography. New York: Alfred A Knopf, 2009.
  • Ferraro, Geraldine A., and Linda Bird Francke. Ferraro: My Story. Toronto: Bantam Books, 1985.
  • Gould, Lewis L. Grand Old Party: A History of the Republicans. New York: Random House, 2003.
  • Landry, Jerry. The Presidencies of the United States. 2017-2020. http://presidencies.blubrry.com.
  • Murray, Robert K. The 103rd Ballot: The Legendary 1924 Democratic Convention That Forever Changed Politics. New York: Harper & Row, 2016 [1976].
  • O’Toole, Patricia. The Moralist: Woodrow Wilson and the World He Made. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2018.
  • Remini, Robert V. Andrew Jackson and the Course of American Freedom, 1822-1832. New York: Harper & Row, 1981.
  • Remini, Robert V. “Election of 1828.” History of American Presidential Elections 1789-1968, Volume I. Arthur M Schlesinger Jr, ed. New York: Chelsea House Publishers and McGraw-Hill, 1971. pp. 413-436.
  • Remini, Robert V. “Election of 1832.” History of American Presidential Elections 1789-1968, Volume I. Arthur M Schlesinger Jr, ed. New York: Chelsea House Publishers and McGraw-Hill, 1971. pp. 495-516.
  • Tarr, David R, et al. Guide to U.S. Elections, Sixth Edition, Volume I. Washington, DC: CQ Press, 2010.
  • Truman, Harry S. Memoirs by Harry S. Truman, Volume Two: Years of Trial and Hope. Garden City, NY: Doubleday & Co, 1956.
  • Witcover, Jules. Party of the People: A History of the Democrats. New York: Random House, 2003.
  • Wunderlin, Clarence E, Jr, ed. The Papers of Robert A Taft: Volume 2, 1939-1944. Kent, OH and London: Kent State University Press, 2001.

Featured Image: “A view inside the Interstate Exposition Building (known as the “Glass Palace”) during the [Republican National] convention” by C D Mosher [2 Jun 1880], courtesy of Wikipedia


S006 – It’s Convention Time!



Year(s) Discussed: 1824-1992

Since the first national party convention in the United States in September 1831, party conventions have played a key role in American politics. In this episode, we explore the role of these gatherings in determining presidential nominees as well as setting agendas through the party platform and examine a few notable conventions in detail. Sources used for this episode can be found at http://presidencies.blubrry.com.

Featured Image: “Eleanor Roosevelt addresses Democratic National Convention, Chicago, Illinois. July 18, 1940,” courtesy of Wikipedia