The Complexity of Slavery and the Fear of Demagogues

Joyce Lee Malcolm, author of The Times That Try Men’s Souls: The Adams, the Quincys, and the Families Divided by the American Revolution—and How They Shaped a New Nation, and Eli Merritt, author of Disunion Among Ourselves: The Perilous Politics of the American Revolution, explore the origins and clashing ideologies during the American Revolution, how Loyalists and Patriots were divided, and how the differing opinions of both groups continue to shape our understanding of American identity. Jeffrey Rosen, president and CEO of the National Constitution Center, moderates.

Additional Resources

• Eli Merritt, Disunion Among Ourselves: The Perilous Politics of the American Revolution
• Joyce Lee Malcolm, The Times That Try Men's Souls: The Adams, the Quincys, and the Battle for Loyalty in the American Revolution
• The Declaration of Independence
• Eli Merrit, "Why demagogues were the Founding Fathers' greatest fear," LA Times



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