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We the People

Hamilton: The Constitutional clashes that shaped a nation

We the People

National Constitution Center

News, News Commentary, History

4.61.1K Ratings

🗓️ 29 March 2018

⏱️ 74 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

This week, the National Constitution Center celebrates the March 2018 opening of its new exhibit, Hamilton: The Constitutional Clashes That Shaped a Nation. This compelling new exhibit highlights the competing ideas of Alexander Hamilton and his legendary rivals, including Madison, Jefferson, Adams, and Burr, and the personalities and constitutional debates that shaped America. The exhibit also provides an intimate look into Hamilton’s enduring role in the constitutional and political arguments that continue to create sparks to this day. Joining us to discuss the debut of this fascinating new exhibit and the life and constitutional legacy of Alexander Hamilton are two of America’s leading scholars of Hamilton and the Founding. Jay Cost is a political historian and journalist and a contributing editor at The Weekly Standard and a contributor to the National Review. He is the author of the new book The Price of Greatness: Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and the Creation of American Oligarchy. Nancy Isenberg is an American historian, and T. Harry Williams Professor of history at Louisiana State University. She is the author of Fallen Founder: The Life of Aaron Burr, and co-author (with Andrew Burstein) of a dual biography of Madison and Jefferson. Questions or comments? We would love to hear from you. Contact the We the People team at podcast@constitutioncenter.org The Constitution Center is offering CLE credits for select America’s Town Hall programs! Get more information at constitutioncenter.org/CLE.

Transcript

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0:00.0

I'm Jeffrey Rosen, president and CEO of the National Constitution Center, and welcome

0:10.0

to We The People, a Weekly Show of Constitutional Debate.

0:13.8

The National Constitution Center is a nonpartisan nonprofit, chartered by Congress to disseminate

0:20.2

information about the U.S. Constitution on a nonpartisan basis in order to increase awareness,

0:25.8

an understanding of the Constitution among the American people.

0:29.6

This week at the Constitution Center, we are celebrating the opening of a new exhibit,

0:35.8

Hamilton, the constitutional clashes that shaped a nation.

0:39.6

This compelling new exhibit highlights the competing constitutional ideas of Hamilton and his legendary rivals including

0:46.7

Madison Jefferson Adams and Burr and the personality and constitutional debates that shaped America.

0:52.8

There are so many fascinating artifacts

0:55.2

that are being installed right outside the podcast studio

0:58.4

as I speak, including Hamilton's portable writing desk

1:02.2

from the late 1780s, handwritten regulations for the

1:06.6

dual between Hamilton and Aaron Burr, and exact replicas of the original Hamilton Burr dueling pistols, including the hair trigger that was on

1:15.4

Hamilton's that I'm going to ask our guess a bit about, but if we have time soon.

1:21.1

It's now my honor to introduce two of Americans leading scholars and thinkers about

1:27.2

Hamilton's life legacy and constitutional thought as well as those of the other founding fathers.

1:34.4

Jay Kost is a political historian and a contributing editor at the Weekly Standard

1:39.3

and a contributor to the National Review.

1:41.5

He's the author of the new book The Price of Greatness,

1:44.3

Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and the creation of American oligarchy.

1:49.4

Nancy Eisenberg is an American historian and T. Harry Williams professor of history at Louisiana State University.

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