The Constitution began as an experiment. Once it took effect, Americans had to figure out what it actually meant. They did not agree.Host Dr. Katie Crawford-Lackey talks with <a href='https://history.stanford.edu/people/jonathan-gienapp'>Dr. Jonathan Gienapp, professor of history and law at Stanford University</a> and author of <a href='https://a.co/d/08uzPrZC'>The Second Creation</a> and <a href='https://a.co/d/0eyHTjUj'>Against Constitutional Originalism</a>. They look at what the word "constitution" meant in 1787, why Madison saw the Articles of Confederation as a treaty rather than a true constitution, and how the First Federal Congress wrestled with questions the document left open: who can remove executive officers, a question the Supreme Court took up again in 2026, and whether Congress could charter a national bank.They also take on the "James Madison problem." Did Madison flip-flop in the 1790s, or did he refine his views through experience? And Gienapp offers advice for anyone who looks to the founders for answers today: assume less, not more.

The Constitution began as an experiment. Once it took effect, Americans had to figure out what it actually meant. They did not agree. Host Dr. Katie Crawford-Lackey talks with Dr. Jonathan Gienapp, professor of history and law at Stanford University and author of The Second Creation and Against Constitutional Originalism. They look at what the word "constitution" meant in 1787, why Madison saw the Articles of Confederation as a treaty rather than a true constitution, and how the First Federal Congress wrestled with questions the document left open: who can remove executive officers, a question the Supreme Court took up again in 2026, and whether Congress could charter a national bank. They also take on the "James Madison problem." Did Madison flip-flop in the 1790s, or did he refine his views through experience? And Gienapp offers advice for anyone who looks to the founders for answers today: assume less, not more.

The Constitution began as an experiment. Once it took effect, Americans had to figure out what it actually meant. They did not agree.Host Dr. Katie Crawford-Lackey talks with <a href="https://history.stanford.edu/people/jonathan-gienapp" rel="noopener noreferrer">Dr. Jonathan Gienapp, professor of history and law at Stanford University</a> and author of <a href="https://a.co/d/08uzPrZC" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Second Creation</a> and <a href="https://a.co/d/0eyHTjUj" rel="noopener noreferrer">Against Constitutional Originalism</a>. They look at what the word "constitution" meant in 1787, why Madison saw the Articles of Confederation as a treaty rather than a true constitution, and how the First Federal Congress wrestled with questions the document left open: who can remove executive officers, a question the Supreme Court took up again in 2026, and whether Congress could charter a national bank.They also take on the "James Madison problem." Did Madison flip-flop in the 1790s, or did he refine his views through experience? And Gienapp offers advice for anyone who looks to the founders for answers today: assume less, not more.

The Unfinished Constitution

We know James Madison the thinker. The architect of the Constitution. The author of the Bill of Rights. But Madison was also a working politician — and a very good one.<a href='https://www.whitehousehistory.org/staff/matthew-goetz'>Dr. Matthew Goetz, senior historian at the White House Historical Association</a>, joins Katie Crawford-Lackey to look at the side of Madison we tend to skip.  With Jefferson, he built the country's first political party and its first partisan newspaper — then wrote attacks on the Washington administration under a pen name and admitted he found the work grating. Goetz also makes the case for Madison's most overlooked chapter: the War of 1812. The first wartime president in American history never passed a sedition law, never arrested a newspaper editor, and never considered postponing the election. You compromise on politics, he believed. Not on principles.Along the way: a weasel, a mole, and a set of measurements sent to Paris. A deathbed offer Madison turned down. And why the messiest parts of American politics may be exactly what makes the system work.

We know James Madison the thinker. The architect of the Constitution. The author of the Bill of Rights. But Madison was also a working politician — and a very good one. Dr. Matthew Goetz, senior historian at the White House Historical Association, joins Katie Crawford-Lackey to look at the side of Madison we tend to skip. With Jefferson, he built the country's first political party and its first partisan newspaper — then wrote attacks on the Washington administration under a pen name and admitted he found the work grating. Goetz also makes the case for Madison's most overlooked chapter: the War of 1812. The first wartime president in American history never passed a sedition law, never arrested a newspaper editor, and never considered postponing the election. You compromise on politics, he believed. Not on principles. Along the way: a weasel, a mole, and a set of measurements sent to Paris. A deathbed offer Madison turned down. And why the messiest parts of American politics may be exactly what makes the system work.

We know James Madison the thinker. The architect of the Constitution. The author of the Bill of Rights. But Madison was also a working politician — and a very good one.<a href="https://www.whitehousehistory.org/staff/matthew-goetz" rel="noopener noreferrer">Dr. Matthew Goetz, senior historian at the White House Historical Association</a>, joins Katie Crawford-Lackey to look at the side of Madison we tend to skip.&nbsp; With Jefferson, he built the country's first political party and its first partisan newspaper — then wrote attacks on the Washington administration under a pen name and admitted he found the work grating.&nbsp;Goetz also makes the case for Madison's most overlooked chapter: the War of 1812. The first wartime president in American history never passed a sedition law, never arrested a newspaper editor, and never considered postponing the election. You compromise on politics, he believed. Not on principles.Along the way: a weasel, a mole, and a set of measurements sent to Paris. A deathbed offer Madison turned down. And why the messiest parts of American politics may be exactly what makes the system work.

You Compromise on Politics, Not on Principles

We tend to jump straight from the Revolution to the Constitutional Convention — from a young James Madison to the Father of the Constitution. But the years in between are where the promises of independence collided with the hard work of governing.<a href='https://franciscogliano.com/'>Dr. Frank Cogliano</a>, professor of American history at the University of Edinburgh and author of <a href='https://a.co/d/09tcQAwl'>A Revolutionary Friendship: Washington, Jefferson, and the American Republic</a>, joins Katie in the studio to walk through that chapter. They start with the question of who the Revolution actually included — enslaved people, Native nations, women, common people, loyalists — and what independence meant to each. Then they follow Madison home to Montpelier: the Orange County Committee of Safety, the Virginia Convention of 1776, Jefferson's Governor's Council, and a Congress whose failures taught him exactly what needed fixing.Along the way, Cogliano makes the case that Madison's willingness to change his mind is a strength, not hypocrisy. He explains why the Madison–Washington partnership may be more interesting than the famous Madison–Jefferson friendship. And he leaves us with a challenge for the semiquincentennial year: live up to the words, and relearn how to disagree without hating each other.

We tend to jump straight from the Revolution to the Constitutional Convention — from a young James Madison to the Father of the Constitution. But the years in between are where the promises of independence collided with the hard work of governing. Dr. Frank Cogliano, professor of American history at the University of Edinburgh and author of A Revolutionary Friendship: Washington, Jefferson, and the American Republic, joins Katie in the studio to walk through that chapter. They start with the question of who the Revolution actually included — enslaved people, Native nations, women, common people, loyalists — and what independence meant to each. Then they follow Madison home to Montpelier: the Orange County Committee of Safety, the Virginia Convention of 1776, Jefferson's Governor's Council, and a Congress whose failures taught him exactly what needed fixing. Along the way, Cogliano makes the case that Madison's willingness to change his mind is a strength, not hypocrisy. He explains why the Madison–Washington partnership may be more interesting than the famous Madison–Jefferson friendship. And he leaves us with a challenge for the semiquincentennial year: live up to the words, and relearn how to disagree without hating each other.

We tend to jump straight from the Revolution to the Constitutional Convention — from a young James Madison to the Father of the Constitution. But the years in between are where the promises of independence collided with the hard work of governing.<a href="https://franciscogliano.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer">Dr. Frank Cogliano</a>, professor of American history at the University of Edinburgh and author of <a href="https://a.co/d/09tcQAwl" rel="noopener noreferrer">A Revolutionary Friendship: Washington, Jefferson, and the American Republic</a>, joins Katie in the studio to walk through that chapter. They start with the question of who the Revolution actually included — enslaved people, Native nations, women, common people, loyalists — and what independence meant to each. Then they follow Madison home to Montpelier: the Orange County Committee of Safety, the Virginia Convention of 1776, Jefferson's Governor's Council, and a Congress whose failures taught him exactly what needed fixing.Along the way, Cogliano makes the case that Madison's willingness to change his mind is a strength, not hypocrisy. He explains why the Madison–Washington partnership may be more interesting than the famous Madison–Jefferson friendship. And he leaves us with a challenge for the semiquincentennial year: live up to the words, and relearn how to disagree without hating each other.

The Chapter Between the Revolution and the Constitution

In this episode of Consider the Constitution, we’re taking a deep dive into the sections or articles of the Constitution - the document as it was signed on September 17, 1787.  Our special guest is<a href='https://www.aei.org/profile/jay-cost/'> Dr. Jay Cost, the Gerald R. Ford nonresident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI)</a>, where he focuses on elections, politics, and public opinion. He has published several books about James Madison and the founding era, and his next book, Democracy or Republic: The People Under the Constitution, is due to be released by AEI Press later this year.

In this episode of Consider the Constitution, we’re taking a deep dive into the sections or articles of the Constitution - the document as it was signed on September 17, 1787. Our special guest is Dr. Jay Cost, the Gerald R. Ford nonresident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), where he focuses on elections, politics, and public opinion. He has published several books about James Madison and the founding era, and his next book, Democracy or Republic: The People Under the Constitution, is due to be released by AEI Press later this year.

In this episode of Consider the Constitution, we’re taking a deep dive into the sections or articles of the Constitution - the document as it was signed on September 17, 1787.&nbsp; Our special guest is<a href="https://www.aei.org/profile/jay-cost/" rel="noopener noreferrer"> Dr. Jay Cost, the Gerald R. Ford nonresident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI)</a>, where he focuses on elections, politics, and public opinion. He has published several books about James Madison and the founding era, and his next book, Democracy or Republic: The People Under the Constitution, is due to be released by AEI Press later this year.

The Original Constitution

Our special guest today on Consider the Constitution is Jade Ryerson, a scholar who is passionate about using public history to encourage civic engagement. Jade earned her master's degree in Heritage Studies and Public History from the University of Minnesota and currently serves as the historian with the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area. In this episode of the podcast, we discuss the First Amendment "right of the people peaceably to assemble." Opinions expressed are solely those of the guest and do not express the views or opinions of their employer.

Our special guest today on Consider the Constitution is Jade Ryerson, a scholar who is passionate about using public history to encourage civic engagement. Jade earned her master's degree in Heritage Studies and Public History from the University of Minnesota and currently serves as the historian with the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area. In this episode of the podcast, we discuss the First Amendment "right of the people peaceably to assemble." Opinions expressed are solely those of the guest and do not express the views or opinions of their employer.

Our special guest today on Consider the Constitution is Jade Ryerson, a scholar who is passionate about using public history to encourage civic engagement. Jade earned her master's degree in Heritage Studies and Public History from the University of Minnesota and currently serves as the historian with the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area. In this episode of the podcast, we discuss the First Amendment "right of the people peaceably to assemble." Opinions expressed are solely those of the guest and do not express the views or opinions of their employer.

Right to Assemble

<a href='https://lynnuzzell.com/'>Dr. Lynn Uzzell</a> is a scholar steeped in the foundational principles of America’s constitutional republic. She earned her Ph.D. in politics from the Institute of Philosophical Studies at the University of Dallas and spent four years as a Scholar in Residence at the<a href='https://www.montpelier.org/center-for-the-constitution'> Center for the Constitution at James Madison’s Montpelier</a>. In this episode, we discuss the Bill of Rights. What they are. Why they are so important. And whether they protect individuals today the way Madison conceived of them.

Dr. Lynn Uzzell is a scholar steeped in the foundational principles of America’s constitutional republic. She earned her Ph.D. in politics from the Institute of Philosophical Studies at the University of Dallas and spent four years as a Scholar in Residence at the Center for the Constitution at James Madison’s Montpelier. In this episode, we discuss the Bill of Rights. What they are. Why they are so important. And whether they protect individuals today the way Madison conceived of them.

<a href="https://lynnuzzell.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer">Dr. Lynn Uzzell</a> is a scholar steeped in the foundational principles of America’s constitutional republic. She earned her Ph.D. in politics from the Institute of Philosophical Studies at the University of Dallas and spent four years as a Scholar in Residence at the<a href="https://www.montpelier.org/center-for-the-constitution" rel="noopener noreferrer"> Center for the Constitution at James Madison’s Montpelier</a>. In this episode, we discuss the Bill of Rights. What they are. Why they are so important. And whether they protect individuals today the way Madison conceived of them.

Bill of Rights

Welcome to Consider the Constitution, a new podcast from the <a href='https://www.montpelier.org/center-for-the-constitution'>Robert H. Smith Center for the Constitution at James Madison’s Montpelier</a>. Every episode of this podcast provides insight into the Constitutional issues affecting every American. Hosted by Dr. Katie Crawford-Lackey,  Director of the Robert H. Smith Center for the Constitution at James Madison’s Montpelier, the podcast features interviews with Constitutional scholars, policy and subject matter experts, heritage professionals, and legal practitioners. Subscribe and join us as we Consider the Constitution.

Welcome to Consider the Constitution, a new podcast from the Robert H. Smith Center for the Constitution at James Madison’s Montpelier. Every episode of this podcast provides insight into the Constitutional issues affecting every American. Hosted by Dr. Katie Crawford-Lackey, Director of the Robert H. Smith Center for the Constitution at James Madison’s Montpelier, the podcast features interviews with Constitutional scholars, policy and subject matter experts, heritage professionals, and legal practitioners. Subscribe and join us as we Consider the Constitution.

Welcome to Consider the Constitution, a new podcast from the <a href="https://www.montpelier.org/center-for-the-constitution" rel="noopener noreferrer">Robert H. Smith Center for the Constitution at James Madison’s Montpelier</a>. Every episode of this podcast provides insight into the Constitutional issues affecting every American.&nbsp;Hosted by Dr. Katie Crawford-Lackey,&nbsp; Director of the Robert H. Smith Center for the Constitution at James Madison’s Montpelier, the podcast features interviews with Constitutional scholars, policy and subject matter experts, heritage professionals, and legal practitioners. Subscribe and join us as we Consider the Constitution.&nbsp;

Podcasting from James Madison’s Montpelier

Consider the Constitution is a podcast from the Robert H. Smith Center for the Constitution at James Madison's Montpelier. The show provides insight into constitutional issues that directly affect every American. Hosted by Dr. Katie Crawford-Lackey the podcast features interviews with constitutional scholars, policy and subject matter experts, heritage professionals, and legal practitioners.

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History

Consider the Constitution is a podcast from the Robert H. Smith Center for the Constitution at James Madison's Montpelier. The show provides insight into constitutional issues that directly affect every American. Hosted by Dr. Katie Crawford-Lackey the podcast features interviews with constitutional scholars, policy and subject matter experts, heritage professionals, and legal practitioners.

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