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 (complete) – 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: in need of volunteers or funding)
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
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”) 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 Historical Documents: Western Civilization & The United States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
Leonard O. Goenaga
Excellent Offsite Sources
- The Founders’ Constitution: Online library a joint project of Liberty Fund, Inc (who produced this five volume wonder, and the University of Chicago.
- Liberty Library of Constitutional Classics: A project of Jon Roland’s Constitution Society. Filled with original full text source documents dating back to the 4th Century BC., all the way up through the founding era.
See also Jon Roland’s Constitution Society page arranged by subject.
- Library of Economics and Liberty, The Library of Economics and Liberty is dedicated to advancing the study of economics, markets, and liberty. It offers a unique combination of resources for students, teachers, researchers, and aficionados of economic thought. The website is provided by Liberty Fund, Inc., a private, educational foundation established to encourage the study of the ideal of a society of free and responsible individuals. The Foundation develops, supervises, and finances its own educational activities, with the goal of fostering discussion and thought on enduring topics pertaining to the creation and maintenance of such a society.
- Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary.