EPISODE 88 - Born Free and Equal: The Declaration of Independence & State Constitutions

The widely circulated first draft of the Virginia Declaration of Rights was a key influence on the Declaration of Independence. Chris Anadale interviews law professor Nathaniel Fouch about the influence of the Declaration of Independence on state constitutions, the authority of America's founding principles, different responses to Jefferson's egalitarian rhetoric, and more. Nathaniel Fouch is Assistant Professor of Law at Capital University School of Law in Columbus Ohio, where he teaches Criminal Law and Torts and studies state constitutional law, legal history, jurisprudence, appellate law, and religious liberty and conscience rights. He earned his Juris Doctor at the University of St. Thomas School of Law. He was also a Nisbet Fellow at our society's March 2026 conference in Omaha, where he presented a paper titled "The Relationship Between the Declaration of Independence and State Constitutions." Christopher Anadale is podcast editor for the Ciceronian Society, and Associate Professor of Philosophy at Mount St. Mary's University in Emmitsburg, Maryland. ====== 0:00 Introduction to The Sower Episode 881:24 Summary of the Declaration of Independence's Influence on State Constitutions10:44 Why the Declaration's Authority is Still Relevant in 202615:55 PAUL DEHART FAN CLUB CHECK IN19:22 George Mason's First Draft of the Virginia Declaration of Rights24:37 Three Responses to Jefferson's Claim in the Declaration31:47 Two Tools for Learning More About State Constitutions38:35 What Parents and Teachers Can Do Now Avalon: https://avalon.law.yale.edu/ State Constitutions: https://stateconstitutiontool.org/ ====== The 2026 Fall Symposium: “Scholars and Educators in a Brave New World”, Oct 22-24 in Holland, MI Proposals due June 1, 2026: https://ciceroniansociety.org/fall-symposium/fa26cfp/ 2027 Spring Conference in Virginia Beach, VA, March 11-13 Proposals due Sept 1, 2026: https://ciceroniansociety.org/conference-spring/call-for-conference-papers/ To learn more about the Ciceronian Society, our events, this Podcast, our journal, Pietas, to sign up for our newsletter, and to make your tax deductible gift, please go to https://ciceroniansociety.org/ Check out our other podcast, Cicero On Duties, publishing weekly throughout 2026: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1B7f66VCvfaF3PYETBIJG4AGMpanUNE3 Chapters (00:00:00) - Introduction to The Sower Episode 88(00:01:24) - Summary of the Declaration of Independence's Influence on State Constitutions(00:10:44) - Why the Declaration's Authority is Still Relevant in 2026(00:15:55) - PAUL DEHART FAN CLUB CHECK IN(00:19:22) - George Mason's First Draft of the Virginia Declaration of Rights(00:24:37) - Three Responses to Jefferson's Claim in the Declaration(00:31:47) - Two Tools for Learning More About State Constitutions(00:38:35) - What Parents and Teachers Can Do Now