John Marshall: The Farmer’s Son Who Became America’s Greatest Chief Justice episode artwork

EPISODE · Jul 7, 2026 · 27 MIN

John Marshall: The Farmer’s Son Who Became America’s Greatest Chief Justice

from Our American Stories · host iHeartPodcasts

On this episode of Our American Stories, before John Marshall, the Supreme Court was still finding its place in the new American government. By the time he was done, it had the power to declare laws unconstitutional, and entrepreneurs had the legal framework they needed to help build a nation. Marshall's landmark decision in Marbury v. Madison established judicial review, forever changing the role of the Court.Yet beyond the bench, Marshall was a man of simple pleasures, devoted to quoits, wine, and his hero, George Washington. Richard Brookhiser, author of John Marshall: The Man Who Made the Supreme Court, shares the story of the Chief Justice who defined the Court's authority and left a lasting mark on American history. We'd like to thank the U.S. National Archives for allowing us access to this audio. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Jul 7, 2026

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John Marshall: The Farmer’s Son Who Became America’s Greatest Chief Justice

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