Major Works
Work# 1. Democracy In America, by Alexis de Tocqueville: 1831
Work #2. Notes of the Debates in the Continental Congress: 1775-1776, by John Adams
Work #3. Novanglus Essays by John Adams
Work #4. Thoughts On Government, by John Adams—January 1776
Work #5. The American Crisis, by Thomas Paine
Work #6. Defense of the Constitutions of the United States, by John Adams, January 1787
Work #7. Madison’s Notes: The Federal Convention of 1787
Work #9. The Federalist Papers
Work #10. The Anti-Federalist Papers
Work #11. A Plea for the Constitution of the United States, by George Bancroft classic founding case against paper money and in favor of gold and silver as the only legal tender.
Work #12. Commentaries on the Constitution of the United States by Supreme Court Justice Joseph Story (In progress)
Work #13. The Works of John Adams (in progress, in need of volunteers or funding for this project)
Work #14. The Works of Alexander Hamilton (in progress: in need of volunteers or funding)
Work #15. Common Sense, by Thomas Paine
Work #16. The Genuine Principles of the Ancient Saxon, or English Constitution, by Demophilus
Work #17. History of the United States, by George Bancroft (in progress)
Work #18. Life of George Washington, by Washington Irving (in progress)
Work #19. Commentaries on the Laws of England, by William Blackstone (in progress)
Work #20. Second Treatise of Government, by John Locke (in progress)
Work #21. Letters From a Farmer in Pennsylvania, by John Dickinson (in progress)
Work #22. The Fabius Letters on the Proposed Constitution, by John Dickinson
Interested in volunteering or providing funding for these or other projects at Self-Educated American? Please send us an email (subject heading “Volunteer at Self-Educated American” or “Provide Funding for Self-Educated American”) to Editor In Chief, Steve Farrell at [email protected]
Special Collections
Collection 1. They Were Believers: America’s Founding Fathers on Matters of Religion, Faith & Morality
Collection 2. Called Unto Liberty: Religious Sermons and Writings from the Founding Era right on up through the 21st Century. Demonstrating the Judeo-Christian roots of the American Revolution, of the Constitution, of Inalienable Rights, and of the various fundamental laws and principles which bring about, uphold, prosper, and enduringly perpetuate a free, prosperous, and happy people.
Collection 3. Historical Documents: Western Civilization & The United States
Collection 4. U.S. Historical Essays by Clarence B. Carson
Collection 5. Economic Classics
- Adam Smith: On the Wealth of Nations
- Henry Hazlit: Economics In One Lesson
Early American Thought: Letters, Speeches, Quotes
John Adams
- John Adams on Natural Philosophy & Reasoning (1756)
- An Obligation That Never Ceases
- John Adams: On Property and the Laws of God
- John Adams: Property Sacred as the Laws of God
- John Adams on the Importance of Innocence
- Democracy Corrupted: John Adams
- John Adams in 1776—Constituting the Best of Governments
- Road to Tyranny: Replace God’s Property Laws with Socialism’s
- The Real Constitution: John Adams
- John Adams: Freedom to Worship God: A Right and Duty
- John Adams: There’s a Divinity that Shapes Our Ends
- John Adams on Paper Money
- John Adams—On Economic Policy
Samuel Adams
- The Direct Definition of a Slave, 1778
- Republics, Natural Aristocracy, and the Effects of a Proper Education on All Men
- The Truest Friends of Liberty and Country: 1748
- Preserving Morals, Property, and Right: 1764
- The Basis of Public Happiness: 1764
- On the Right to Trial By Jury: 1764
- Samuel Adams to the Sons of Liberty: Repeal of the Stamp Act
- On Just Opposition to Law: 1766
- Nothing Can Deter Us From Asserting Our Rights: 1766
- The Great End of Government, 1768
- An Appeal To Honor The Non-Importation Agreements: 1770
- The Feudal System in its Perfection
- Let us beware of the poison of flattery: 1771
- Unbridled Executive Power: The Ruin of Free Constitutions: 1771
- Remonstrance Against The Least Infringement Upon Our Rights: 1771
- Liberties Worth Defending at All Hazards: 1771
- A Tyranny Seems To Be At The Very Door
- On Arbitrary Power Exercised by Britain Against The Colonies.
- Principles Upon Which The Americans Opposed The Stamp Act
- Rights of the Colonists: 1772
- Acts of Parliament made against the Magna Charta are Void
- Channels of Communication Vital to the American Cause: 1773
- Right to Life, Liberty, Property Under God: 20 Nov 1782
- If Ye Love Wealth Better Than Liberty: 1776
- On American Independence: 1776
- A Conspiracy to Ruin a State Deserves Death
- The Cure to the Enemies’ Venom: 1779, letter to John Adams
- Recurrence to First Principles: 1781
- Junius Americanus
- Seeking the favor of Heavenly Father 1780
Fisher Ames
Edmund Burke (British Statesmen)
- Our Presumption and Pert Loquacity: Edmund Burke
- Legitimate Power and the Great Accounting
- Edmund Burke: When Passions Forge Fetters
- Edmund Burke: Society Is a Contract
- Edmund Burke: The Difficulty of Grand Ideas
- Madman and Murderers: ‘Liberty’ and the French Revolution
- Edmund Burke: Just Revolutions Begin As Very Last Resort
- The Seasonable Energy of One Man Confiding in the Aid of God
- More Like Thieves Who Have Got Possession of a House
- Edmund Burke: A Day of Accounting that Will Come
- Edmund Burke in Defense of God, His Moral Law, and Rational Liberty
- Edmund Burke: The Rights of Man are Sacred Things
- Thinking About the Definition of Patriotism on Memorial Day
- The Influence of Religion on the Fierce Spirit of American Liberty: 1775
J. Fenimore Cooper
John Dickinson
Benjamin Franklin
- Plain Truth, 1747, Democratic Thinker
- Make Use of the Scriptures, 1747
- Albany Plan for Union: 1754
- A Plan for Colonial Union: 1754/66
- Benjamin Franklin on Self-Denial
- Imitators v. Counterfeiters
- On the Need for Unity: July 4th 1776
- On Safety
- Dangers of a Salaried Executive Branch: 1787
- Have We Now Forgotten That Powerful Friend? 1787
- On the Federal Constitution
- An Account of the Supremest Court of Judicature in Penn, Viz. The Court of the Press: 1789
Thomas Jefferson
- Where Reason is Left Free, 1801
- Jefferson’s First Inaugural Address
- Happiness From Power Over Others? Jefferson
- Almighty God Hath Created the Mind Free: Thomas Jefferson
- Two Measures If Not Taken, We Are Undone
- Jefferson: Preserving the Spirit of Resistance
- Jefferson’s ‘One Hundred and Seventy-Three Despots’
- We Should Soon Want Bread
- Thomas Jefferson: Second Inaugural Address
- Slavery & Secession: Treason Against the Hopes of the World
- Jefferson: The Monroe Doctrine and America’s Foreign Policy
- Suggestions on Improving the Union by Thomas Jefferson: 1786
- Departure from Principle and the Power of Precedent
- Jefferson: The True Foundation of Republican Government
- Securing Rights: Representative Govt. and Qualified Voters
- Thomas Jefferson: Two Tyrannies
- Thomas Jefferson: A Deliberate, Systematical Plan
- Four Pillars of Our Prosperity
- Thomas Jefferson on the Free Exercise of Religion and the Establishment Clause
- Jefferson: Guarding the Sacred Deposit of Rights and Liberties
- Thomas Jefferson: Departing from principle in one instance
- John Adams (refers to Jefferson)—On Economic Policy
Alexander Hamilton
- Anarchy Is Not the State of Nature: 1775
- On the Disastrous Inefficiencies of the Confederation: 1778
- Call for a New Confederation Under a New Constitution: 1780
- On the Need for Wise Encouragements and Restraints: 1782
- Consumption Taxes Best for America: 1787
- Unseating the Mistress of the World: 1787
- Neutrality: A Privilege of the Strong: 1787
- Government and the Nature of Law, 1787
- Free Prosperous Commerce a Blessing to Agriculture, 1787
- On the Adoption of the New Constitution, 1788
Patrick Henry
- There is a Just God Who Presides
- Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death
- Virginia Resolves on the Stamp Act
- Tyranny Always Follows Blind Trust in the Goodness of Rulers, 1788
John Jay
- John Jay on the Holy Bible: The Best of All Books
- A Wise Union: The Design of Providence
- John Jay—They Will Act Accordingly Toward Us
Abraham Lincoln
- Eulogy on Henry Clay: July 6, 1852 (Lincoln via Clay’s life explains his position on slavery) Intro Steve Farrell
- Honest Abe: 1836
- The Political Religion of the Nation: 1838
- Lyceum Address: 1838, with brief Into by Steve Farrell
- My Proudest Plume: 1839
- Lincoln Sees Evidence of Conspiracy – 1858
- The Case Against Slavery: Lincoln To The Kentuckians, 1859
- Dare to Do Our Duty: 1860
- First Inaugural Address: A Plea for Union: March 4, 1861
- Message to Congress in Special Session: July 4, 1861
- Gettysburg Address: 1863
- More Harm Than Good: 1864
- The Natural Condition of the Human Race
John Locke
- John Locke: Mutual Toleration and True Religion
- Advancing the Kingdom of God Or Another Kingdom: John Locke
- John Locke: Conversion Comes Not By Fire and Sword
- Locke: Liberties and Limits of Civil Magistrates On Religion
- Princes of the World Cannot Bring Men to Heaven
- John Locke: Usurpation and Tyranny Defined
- Where There is No Law, There is No Liberty: John Locke
- State of Liberty, Not a State of License: John Locke
- John Locke on the Ultimate Aim of Usurpers
- Locke: Reason and Revelation Disfavor the Rule of One
- Locke: Majority Rule, Compact, and Lawful Government
- Locke: An Eternal Rule to All Men
- Reason, Revelation, and John Locke vs. Legalized Suicide
- Locke on the Purpose and Limits of Political Power
- State of War and the Right to Self-Defense
- Answerable for Our Own Sins: John Locke
- John Locke: The Seed-Plot of All Other Virtues
- Too Great a Temptation
- John Locke: On the Principle of Representation
- John Locke: Freedom of Men Under Government
James Madison
- Vices of the Political System of the United States, letter to G. Washington, April 1787
- Be Watchful to Enroll in the Annals of Heaven, 1772
- James Madison: Prudent Jealousy, the First Duty of Citizens
- Gradual and Silent Encroachments
- The Very Definition of Tyranny
- James Madison on the Commerce Clause
- James Madison: On a Just Partition of Power
- James Madison on a Well Regulated Militia
- Madison: War and the Degeneracy of Manners, Morals & Liberty
- If Men Were Angels: James Madison
- Madison: Limits on Treaty Making Power
- Madison to Jefferson on the Need for a More Perfect Union
- “Never was an Assembly of Men … More Pure in Their Motives”—Madison
- Impossible Not to Perceive the Finger of that Almighty Hand
- Summarizing the Constitution: Madison to Jefferson, Oct 1787
- Efficient Governments are the Worst, Inefficient the Best
- James Madison asks: “Is There Virtue in the People?”
- Wherever There is an Interest and Power …
- Madison: Foreign Relations are the Most Susceptible to Abuse
- Checks and Balances and the Separation of Powers
- James Madison: On Preventing and Repelling Danger
- Founders on the Need for a Vigorous but Limited Executive
- James Madison on Federalism and the Limitation of Powers
- James Madison: Is There No Virtue Among Us?
James Otis
Thomas Paine
- African Slavery in America, 1775
- Thoughts on Defensive War, 1775
- If this is not slavery, 1776
- Letter on the Female Sex 1775
- Liberty, Hard Work and Blessings (Excerpt from The Crisis)
- The American Crisis (Complete)
- A Precedent That Will Reach to Himself
- On Being Temperate and Moderate
William Pinkney
Alexis de Tocqueville
- Europe Must Look to God, Moral Refinement, and a New Political Science to Guide Democratic Impulse: 1835
- The New Despotism: 1840
George Washington
- On Being Appointed Commander In Chief
- Washington’s First Inaugural Address
- Washington’s Farewell Address
- The Need For and Key to Enlightened Public Opinion: Washington
- George Washington: Determine Now to Be Enslaved or Free
- George Washington on Paper Money
- Resolve to Conquer or to Die: George Washington
- Washington On The Debt of Gratitude We Owe to God
- George Washington on Christian Soldiery
- George Washington: The Sin My Soul Abhors
- Union A Main Prop of Our Liberty—George Washington
- George Washington: Representation: Local, State, National
- So Long as There Shall Remain Virtue in the People
- Let Loyalty to God, Country, and Moral Integrity Comes First
- George Washington on the Duty to Obey Law
- Providence, Permanent Felicity, and Virtue—Washington
Daniel Webster
- Daniel Webster: Other Misfortunes May Be Borne
- The First Pillar in the Temple of Republicanism
- A Fire that Cannot be Extinguished
Roger Williams
James Wilson
- On Federalism
- On Constitution, State Sovereignty, and Consolidation 1 Dec 1787
Contemporary Essays and Articles
Sheldon Richman
Jonathan Dolhenty
Dennis Behreandt
Steve Farrell
- Regarding Ancient Greek Tyrants, Modern Elites, and Manly Duty: Dec. 10 2011
- Tyranny Unmasked: Defense Bill Will War Against Americans: Nov. 30 2011
- On Orchestrated Character Assaults: Nov. 29, 2011
- Denying Spiritual Man
- We Should Soon Want Bread
- Men, Freemen, Christian Freemen
- Vice President: Loving Heir Apparent
- The Great and Terrible Lie
- The Public Consequences of So-Called Private Choices
- Laying Claim Upon the Higher Law
- Hooker, Paine, Roots of the Law, and the Need to Reform
- For the Sake of Party or Principle?
- Fast Asleep in Philosophical Tranquility As a Civil War is Born
- Johnathan Edwards: New England and the Latter-day Glory
- Christianity and Religious Freedom: On a Candlestick or Under the Bushel?
- Getting Up Front and Personal With the Ten Commandments
- Hang the Ten Commandments Back Up!
- Candid Common Sense on Morality, Law, and the Nature of Man
- Divide and Command
- The President’s Unconstitutional and Immoral War
- Rights, Wrongs, and the Law
- Moral Beings and the Law