Now in American History tv. A conversation marking patriots they. A massachusetts state holiday commemorating the battles of lexington and concord in 1775. We will hear a portrayal of Thomas Jefferson discussing the events that led to the 13 colonies breaking away from Great Britain. Oh my, well i finished. Good afternoon indeed. To all of our friends, welcome once again to our house, to monte carlo. Mr. Light, as you refer of course to patriots they, so we have heard it now referred to ourselves in virginia. Nothing could please as more in virginia to be reminded, if you will, about our initial associations with massachusetts. Yes, patriots day is something that we are happy to be reminded of as i know all of our friends in massachusetts continue to be reminded of that occasion in which the citizen body there stood staunchly against the further encroachments of the british upon their rights, upon their property. If i remember, it occurred in three particular villages. Lexington and co
Bible. Rvices matthew a building that was built in the 1730s, 40 years before there was any such thing as the United States of america and that that time, pennsylvania was a british colony and this was its capitol building. They would make laws for pennsylvania and each of the 13 colonies had its own government and these are the issues that will lead to the creation of the United States, most of which will happen in this room because the countys as time goes forward, or many people of the political classes colonies will start to grow the satisfied with the way the British Government is treating them, is affecting their lives locally, and one of the other side issues is s living in the colonies do not get to vote in british elections. When the parliament makes laws for americans, the most infamous being the taxes you learn about in school, we are going to say this is taxation without representation and it is that idea that you are not getting the voice. Thomas jefferson would write in t
For being with us today. I look forward to a fascinating conversation. My pleasure. Thank you for being with us. I could not be the more delighted to welcome my old friend general washington to be in company once again. It has been a time, general. It has been, search. Its actually my pleasure and my honor to be with you, although i confess i do not understand how this is happening. Well i believe, general, it is because of one of the duties written explicitly in our constitution. One of the duties of the legislative body. The pursuit of science. Which i am a strong supporter of. Our first question then. It is for the two of you. What do you remember as your first meeting . First meeting. You know. If you will allow me, mr. Jefferson, i reckon that those who are viewing may or may not be aware that i am older than yourself by 11 or 12 years. 11 years, your excellency. We were both born under the old style calendar. Thats correct. Very confusing at different times. I actually believe i
Madisons role as the agenda maker for the philadelphia convention, and the particular argument i wanted to make is, as madison prepares himself for the convention in the weeks just before it was due to meet in midmay 1787, i think the key item he worked on in his agenda is the idea that a system of federalism based upon the voluntary compliance of the states with the recommendations, the resolutions, the requisitions that came from the Continental Congress, was never going to work. When he reasons about this, he does so in a very interesting way. He combines a set of empirical observations about what had taken place in the mid1770s and lessons americans like him had learned since 1776 by watching how the system functions. He takes a step back, and when he takes a step back, what he really does is to think abstractly, and what we can see at least implicitly again theoretic framework where he comes up with the idea that, because states have different interests and different interests wit
I first took my seat in the ancient bodin the spring of 1769. I must tell you, your excellency, you were already a legend in my family when i was a young boy. My father, peter jefferson, spoke very highly of you. He as you well know was a surveyor commissioned by the western authority surveying lintz of virginia and beyond. Lands of virginia and beyond. He was a young major. I believe you both sat together in the Virginia House of burgesss, just before he passed away. He passed away in 1757. When i came to the house 12 years later, i had already known of you as a boy that attended the old World College in williamsburg, william and mary and george whiff and practicing law in williamsburg. In fact, general, i do not know whether you remember, but when i was a young man, a good 25 years of age, i had already become a de devote of theater and never missed an opportunity when virginia burg performed in the theater and i believe mrs. Campbell was quite the destiny for you. You enjoyed her oc