In this episode, Jeffrey Rosen, Professor David Blight and filmmaker Ken Burns explore how a lifelong love of learning and a desire to promote justice shaped the life of abolitionist Frederick Douglass. He met Abraham Lincoln three times, and those three meetings helped shape Lincoln’s evolving views on emancipation.

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By the end of his life, John Quincy Adams was an ardent opponent of slavery, earning the nickname “Old Man Eloquent” for his fierce advocacy in the House of Representatives. In this episode, Jeffrey Rosen, Professor David Waldstreicher and filmmaker Ken Burns unpack how this son of the Revolution became Congress’s primary enemy of slavery.

Now that you’ve learned that the pursuit of happiness means being good, not feeling good, how has that affected your daily life? Send a voice message with your thoughts on this question and we may even include excerpts in our final episode.

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While at Princeton, James Madison was exposed to faculty psychology, the idea that balancing the different parts of the soul achieves harmony. Jeffrey Rosen, Professor Colleen Sheehan and filmmaker Ken Burns explore how Madison infused these lessons about faculty psychology into his political philosophy and embraced the notion that personal self-government is necessary for political self-government.

Now that you’ve learned that the pursuit of happiness means being good, not feeling good, how has that affected your daily life? Send a voice message with your thoughts on this question and we may even include excerpts in our final episode.

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Alexander Hamilton was defined by his “ruling passion” for fame and spent his life trying to control his ambition. Jeffrey Rosen, historian Stephen Knott and Ken Burns will explore Hamilton’s life and legacy to see what lessons he can teach us about restraint.

Now that you’ve learned that the pursuit of happiness means being good, not feeling good, how has that affected your daily life? Send a voice message with your thoughts on this question and we may even include excerpts in our final episode.

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• Questions or comments about the show? Email us at podcast@constitutioncenter.org
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George Washington’s defining leadership quality is that he fulfilled his promise to relinquish power after the conclusion of both the Revolutionary War and his second presidential term. Jeffrey Rosen speaks with Ken Burns and Washington biographer Ed Larson about the importance of keeping your word and letting go.

Now that you’ve learned that the pursuit of happiness means being good, not feeling good, how has that affected your daily life? Send a voice message with your thoughts on this question and we may even include excerpts in our final episode.

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• Questions or comments about the show? Email us at podcast@constitutioncenter.org
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In 1773, Phillis Wheatley became the first African American to publish a book in English. Her poems show a deep understanding of previous poets, a drive to represent herself and her world in the printed page, and a belief in equality. Jeffrey Rosen, Professor David Waldstreicher and Ken Burns explore how her life highlights the importance of acting with sincerity, no matter how many people may be against you.

Now that you’ve learned that the pursuit of happiness means being good, not feeling good, how has that affected your daily life? Send a voice message with your thoughts on this question and we may even include excerpts in our final episode.

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• Questions or comments about the show? Email us at podcast@constitutioncenter.org
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• Explore the America at 250 Civic Toolkit
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Thomas Jefferson was well-known for offering advice about industry and frugality to his family members and friends, and he was passionate about expanding public education in America. Unfortunately, he did not always live up to his own ideals. Jeffrey Rosen talks with Dr. Alan Shaw Taylor and Ken Burns on what we can learn from Jefferson’s commitment to education and struggles with debt.

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In 1771, Thomas Jefferson sent his friend Robert Skipwith a curated reading list. In this episode, Jeffrey Rosen, with the help of scholar Eric Slauter and Ken Burns, dives into Jefferson’s recommendations and the importance of deep daily reading.

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• Questions or comments about the show? Email us at podcast@constitutioncenter.org
• Continue the conversation by following us on social media @ConstitutionCtr
• Explore the America at 250 Civic Toolkit
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