Today in History: Thomas Paine Publishes First Chapter of “The American Crisis”

On this date in 1776, Thomas Paine published the first chapter of The American Crisis. As historian Robert Dennehy put it, the essays helped "recharge the American Revolution."

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Today in History: British Surrender at Yorktown

Today in 1781, the Battle of Yorktown concluded with a Franco-American triumph over the British, a decisive conclusion to the American War for Independence.

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Warnings Ignored: George Washington’s Farewell Address

September 19, 1796 - Pres. Washington published his farewell address to “friends and fellow-citizens.” It was filled to the brim with warnings of political dangers the people must avoid to prevent despotism. They’ve been almost completely ignored for generations. And the results haven't been good.

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Parties and Cult of Personality

George Washington warned that a party-first approach to politics would lead to "a frightful despotism." Partisanship leads to a cult of personality. That leads to a lot of power in the hands of a few. And that leads to tyranny.

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The Danger of Factions: Nothing New Under the Sun

A “frightful despotism,” would be the result of an “alternate domination of one faction over another,” warned George Washington. He was joined - with similar warnings - by Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Mercy Otis Warren, Thomas Jefferson and many others. But this opposition to factions didn’t start with the founding generation at all.

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