EPISODE · Mar 24, 2025 · 13 MIN
How Political Infighting Produced the Bill of Rights and a Controversial Map
from American Tales with Dustin Bass · host The Sons Of History
Differing political philosophies instigated the American Revolution, but after defeating the British, new, yet familiar philosophies butted heads. As Federalists and Antifederalists faced off in literary and verbal spars, a most important Founding Father switched sides. The ongoing political conflicts would soon result in one of the most controversial and enduring political maneuvers in American history.Recommended reading: Gerrymandering in America: The House of Representatives, the Supreme Court, and the Future of Popular Sovereignty by Cambridge University Press. Cartoon - https://www.si.edu/object/cartoon-gerry-mander-1813%3Anmah_509530Brief history - https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/gerrymandering-explained?ceid=%7B%7BContactsEmailID%7D%7D&emci=946d3453-90d5-ed11-8e8b-00224832eb73&emdi=ea000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000001&utm_medium=PANTHEON_STRIPPEDElbridge Gerry - https://prologue.blogs.archives.gov/2018/06/21/the-gerry-in-gerrymandering/Gerry bio - https://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2006/spring/gerry.html Short Gerry bio - https://www.nga.org/governor/elbridge-gerry/ First gerrymander - https://www.jstor.org/stable/23546676?read-now=1&seq=5#page_scan_tab_contentsRedistricting reform act - https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/2670Madison timeline - https://www.loc.gov/collections/james-madison-papers/articles-and-essays/james-madison-timeline-1751-to-1836/1784-to-1807/Washington gallows quote - https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/abs/political-writings-of-george-washington/to-joseph-reed-president-of-the-supreme-executive-council-of-pennsylvania-december-12-1778-excerpt/07E587064BF8A503DB32AD985D1F8BAABrutus - https://constitutioncenter.org/the-constitution/historic-document-library/detail/brutus-essay-no-1#:~:text=%E2%80%9CBrutus%E2%80%9D%20was%20the%20pseudonym%20for,a%20New%20York%20state%20judge. Antifederalist essays - https://history.nycourts.gov/about_period/antifederalist-papers/ 89-79 vote on pg 5 (785) - https://www.jstor.org/stable/23546676?read-now=1&seq=5New York Convention - https://archive.csac.history.wisc.edu/ny_ratifies_the_constitution.pdfBill of Rights - https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/bill-of-rights/how-did-it-happen#:~:text=Introducing%20the%20Bill%20of%20Rights%20in%20the%20First%20Congress&text=But%20James%20Madison%2C%20once%20the,relentlessly%E2%80%9D%20to%20secure%20its%20passage. Signers of Const - https://www.whitehouse.gov/about-the-white-house/our-government/the-constitution/#:~:text=On%20September%2017%2C%201787%2C%2039,slavery%20and%20the%20slave%20trade.Unanimous rejection - https://www.loc.gov/exhibits/creating-the-united-states/demand-for-a-bill-of-rights.html#:~:text=In%20the%20final%20days%20of%20the%20Constitutional%20Convention%2C%20as%20delegates,little%20debate%2C%20the%20proposal%20was Mass 187-167 - https://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2006/spring/gerry.htmlMadison first election - https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Madison/01-11-02-0219 Madison to antifederalist voter - https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Madison/01-11-02-0297Federalist resurgence - https://www.jstor.org/stable/24768844?read-now=1&seq=2#page_scan_tab_contentsGerrymander - https://blogs.loc.gov/law/2017/02/elbridge-gerry-and-the-monstrous-gerrymander/Patrick Henry short - https://www.lva.virginia.gov/exhibits/political/patrick_henry.htmVirginia ratifying convention - https://edu.lva.virginia.gov/oc/stc/entries/virginia-ratifying-convention-journal-june-25-1788#:~:text=This%20broadside%20published%20Virginia's%20decision,of%20America%20to%20do%20so.Madison as Secretary - https://history.state.gov/departmenthistory/people/madison-james
What this episode covers
Differing political philosophies instigated the American Revolution, but after defeating the British, new, yet familiar philosophies butted heads. As Federalists and Antifederalists faced off in literary and verbal spars, a most important Founding Father switched sides. The ongoing political conflicts would soon result in one of the most controversial and enduring political maneuvers in American history.Recommended reading: Gerrymandering in America: The House of Representatives, the Supreme Court, and the Future of Popular Sovereignty by Cambridge University Press. Cartoon - https://www.si.edu/object/cartoon-gerry-mander-1813%3Anmah_509530Brief history - https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/gerrymandering-explained?ceid=%7B%7BContactsEmailID%7D%7D&emci=946d3453-90d5-ed11-8e8b-00224832eb73&emdi=ea000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000001&utm_medium=PANTHEON_STRIPPEDElbridge Gerry - https://prologue.blogs.archives.gov/2018/06/21/the-gerry-in-gerrymandering/Gerry bio - https://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2006/spring/gerry.html Short Gerry bio - https://www.nga.org/governor/elbridge-gerry/ First gerrymander - https://www.jstor.org/stable/23546676?read-now=1&seq=5#page_scan_tab_contentsRedistricting reform act - https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/2670Madison timeline - https://www.loc.gov/collections/james-madison-papers/articles-and-essays/james-madison-timeline-1751-to-1836/1784-to-1807/Washington gallows quote - https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/abs/political-writings-of-george-washington/to-joseph-reed-president-of-the-supreme-executive-council-of-pennsylvania-december-12-1778-excerpt/07E587064BF8A503DB32AD985D1F8BAABrutus - https://constitutioncenter.org/the-constitution/historic-document-library/detail/brutus-essay-no-1#:~:text=%E2%80%9CBrutus%E2%80%9D%20was%20the%20pseudonym%20for,a%20New%20York%20state%20judge. Antifederalist essays - https://history.nycourts.gov/about_period/antifederalist-papers/ 89-79 vote on pg 5 (785) - https://www.jstor.org/stable/23546676?read-now=1&seq=5New York Convention - https://archive.csac.history.wisc.edu/ny_ratifies_the_constitution.pdfBill of Rights - https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/bill-of-rights/how-did-it-happen#:~:text=Introducing%20the%20Bill%20of%20Rights%20in%20the%20First%20Congress&text=But%20James%20Madison%2C%20once%20the,relentlessly%E2%80%9D%20to%20secure%20its%20passage. Signers of Const - https://www.whitehouse.gov/about-the-white-house/our-government/the-constitution/#:~:text=On%20September%2017%2C%201787%2C%2039,slavery%20and%20the%20slave%20trade.Unanimous rejection - https://www.loc.gov/exhibits/creating-the-united-states/demand-for-a-bill-of-rights.html#:~:text=In%20the%20final%20days%20of%20the%20Constitutional%20Convention%2C%20as%20delegates,little%20debate%2C%20the%20proposal%20was Mass 187-167 - https://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2006/spring/gerry.htmlMadison first election - https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Madison/01-11-02-0219 Madison to antifederalist voter - https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Madison/01-11-02-0297Federalist resurgence - https://www.jstor.org/stable/24768844?read-now=1&seq=2#page_scan_tab_contentsGerrymander - https://blogs.loc.gov/law/2017/02/elbridge-gerry-and-the-monstrous-gerrymander/Patrick Henry short - https://www.lva.virginia.gov/exhibits/political/patrick_henry.htmVirginia ratifying convention - https://edu.lva.virginia.gov/oc/stc/entries/virginia-ratifying-convention-journal-june-25-1788#:~:text=This%20broadside%20published%20Virginia's%20decision,of%20America%20to%20do%20so.Madison as Secretary - https://history.state.gov/departmenthistory/people/madison-james
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How Political Infighting Produced the Bill of Rights and a Controversial Map
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