John Dickinson, the American Founding, and the Constitution with Jane Calvert | BRI Scholar Talks

The Constitution was written in the summer of 1787 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by delegates from 12 states, in order to replace the Articles of Confederation with a new form of government. It created a federal system with a national government composed of 3 separated powers, and included both reserved and concurrent powers of states.

What led to British culture’s fading and American culture’s emergence in the colonies? In this episode of Primary Source Close Reads Explained, Kirk examines John Dickinson’s “Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania” from 1767 and 1768. Dickinson offers strong words about taxation of the colonies yet does not call for full-blown independence. Why might Dickinson be opposed to a revolution in these letters? In what ways does his writing showcase the slow emergence of American culture in the British colonies? How can words, written and spoken, change history? “Primary Source Close Reading: Explained,” dives even deeper into some of the most pivotal pieces that shaped the America we know today. Join BRI’s Director of Content, Kirk Higgins, as he takes a detailed look at the language contained in the most formative documents, speeches, and court cases throughout the history of the United States. Learn the true meaning and story behind the writing that fashioned the country in a way you can easily digest!

John Dickinson was called “The Penman of the American Revolution.” During the 1760s and 1770s, he authored numerous important essays in defense of American rights, including The Late Regulations Respecting the British Colonies, the resolutions of the Stamp Act Congress, the Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania, the “Petition to the King,” and the Declaration of the Causes of Taking Up Arms.