What the law requires (or allows) is not always fair or just or honorable. Politics is often polarizing. Stories in this collection help us to examine the highs and lows of "the law" over the centuries.
George Mason would not sign the U.S. Constitution because it did not contain a Bill of Rights. He set-forth the reasons for his objections, as...
Britain imposed "Penal Laws" on Irish Catholics in 1704. This image highlights some of the more onerous laws which adversely impacted Irish-Cath...
The Stamp Act was a tax, imposed by the British Parliament, on American colonists. It caused massive resentment when it took effect on the 1st of Nove...
John Dunlap and his partner, David Claypoole, first printed the draft U.S. Constitution so the public could assess it. This is a copy of that printin...
This image depicts the language of what became known as "The Volstead Act." It gave the federal government the right to enforcement Prohibition ...
Thomas Jefferson was a man of contraditions. He introduced a bill to end slavery, in 1779, yet he owned, and used, slaves at Monticello. I...
A slave owner himself, Thomas Jefferson wrote a scathing indictment against it in his early draft of America’s Declaration of Independence. ...
Thomas Jefferson wrote many, many letters during his lifetime. On September 6, 1819, he wrote to Spencer Roane. This image depicts that le...
Thomas Jefferson believed that freedom of religion is essential to living an independent life. He espoused his personal philosophy, along those ...
Thomas Jefferson had an opinion on how his country treated Native Americans. On the 13th of August, 1786, he wrote a letter to Benjamin Hawkins ...
Image of Thomas Jefferson's letter to Benjamin Banneker, dated August 30, 1791. Here is the transcription of this letter: To Mr. BENJAMIN BANNEKER...
Image of a pamphlet entitled Thoughts Upon Slavery, by John Wesley in 1778. Founder of the Methodist church, Wesley despised slavery, particular...
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