Self-rule: the great gift of Jamestown to the American experiment. Jamestown is not what we would call a free society, yet it was crucial in forming our American understanding of the principle of self-governance. Driven out of necessity, members of the colony embraced the influence of common law and parliamentary rule to create the first-ever example of a mixed government system in the western world — and more importantly, the first ever example of self-rule.

For years, individuals far and wide have traveled to the United States of America to escape religious persecution. A freedom that is uniquely American, religious freedom has come to be known as a cornerstone of liberty. Rick and Luke recall the story of how some thirty residents of a small settlement embodied the principle of religious liberty in the Flushing Remonstrance.

The freedom of expression is a core component of liberty. Now a well-known symbol for freedom of the press, John Peter Zenger shaped American history when he was famously acquitted in a libel suit. In this episode, Rick and Luke dig into one of the first cases of upholding freedom of the press.

Long before it was ever written, the principle of liberty existed in the heart of Americans. In 1776, dozens of men famously declared that all men are endowed with “certain unalienable rights” in the Declaration of Independence. Rick and Luke celebrate this cornerstone of American history and recount the ways in which it guaranteed the principles of liberty to Americans for generations to come.

Slavery — a prevalent force in early American ideas. How did the idea of slave holding intersect with the evolving principles of liberty? Rick and Luke dive into the case study of the Constitution of the New York Manumission Society and examine how these ideas impacted each other, both as a matter of practical politics and the demands of conscience.

In 1787, the Founding Fathers signed the most influential document in American history. Right next to the Declaration of Independence, the United States Constitution guarantees the “blessings of liberty” to Americans of all backgrounds. In this episode, Rick and Luke discuss how the signing of the Constitution changed the course of liberty forever.

In the early 1800s, there was a struggle for liberty across the world. In his annual message delivered to Congress, later known as the Monroe Doctrine, James Monroe delivered perhaps one of the best known declarations of foreign policy towards Europeans nations. Rick and special guest Jay Nordlinger narrate the background of Monroe’s observation of liberty abroad and his bold stance for the preservation of American freedom when dealing with foreign nations.

Can liberty ever fully exist when half of the country’s population is disenfranchised? In 1848, The Declaration of the Seneca Falls Convention, using the model of the Declaration of Independence, demanded the rights of women be respected in society. Rick and Luke examine how the 100 signatories changed the course of events to bring the principles of liberty to all Americans.