Today in History: Andrew Jackson Sends Troops into Maryland

Today in 1834, President Andrew Jackson called forth soldiers to suppress a labor dispute for the first time. The event was considered to be a bold, unprecedented extension of executive authority. After workers on the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal rioted over working conditions, the government of Maryland begged President Jackson for federal assistance, hastily interpreting…

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Today in History: Benjamin Franklin’s Birthday

Happy Birthday, Benjamin Franklin! Born today in 1706. The quote in the image below is one of our favorites, and quite relevant for today. It was first written by Franklin for the Pennsylvania Assembly in its Reply to the Governor (11 Nov. 1755) A little-known fact – Franklin was a member of the “Committee of…

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Today in History: Virginia Passes the Statute for Religious Freedom

On this day in 1789, the Virginia General Assembly adopted Thomas Jefferson’s landmark Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, which later would become the basis for the First Amendment to the Constitution for the United States. It was authored by Jefferson and ushered through the Assembly by James Madison. Jefferson considered this one of his most…

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West Virginia Bills Would Terminate Common Core in the State

CHARLESTON, W.V. (Jan. 15, 2018) – Three bills introduced in the West Virginia House of Delegates would end Common Core in schools throughout the state. Dels. Pat McGeehan (R-Hancock) and Michael Folk (R-Berkeley) introduced House Bill 2214 (HB2214) on Jan. 10. The legislation would void Common Core standards and create a framework to establish proven…

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Podcast: The Jefferson Years and Mr. Madison’s War

Historian Dr. Kevin Gutzman recently appeared on episode 38 of the podcast, The Liberty Chronicles hosted by Dr. Anthony Comegna to discuss a variety of topics, including Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, the Revolution of 1800, the Louisiana Purchase, and the War of 1812. Gutzman pointed out that the election of 1800 brought a bloodless revolution to…

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New York Bill Would Allow Common Core Opt Out

ALBANY, N.Y. (Jan. 11, 2018) – A bill introduced in the New York Senate would allow some students to opt out of Common Core Standards and testing, a small step toward nullifying nationalized education in the state. If passed, the law would provide additional legal backing to some of the hundreds of thousands of New…

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Mississippi Bill Would End Common Core in the State

JACKSON, Miss. (Jan. 10, 2018) – A bill introduced in the Mississippi Senate would end Common Core in schools throughout the state. Sens. Angela Burks Hill (R-Picayune) and Michael Watson (R-Pascagoula) introduced Senate Bill 2053 (SB2053) on Jan. 3. The legislation would void Common Core standards and create a framework to establish state standards to…

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