The Blessings of Liberty with Jeffrey Rosen

America’s Founding Son: John Quincy Adams, from President to Political Maverick

"Exploring the personal and public life of America’s 'greatest public servant'" SHOW NOTES: In this episode of The Blessings of Liberty, Bob Crawford, bassist for the Grammy-nominated band The Avett Brothers, joins to discuss his new book, America’s Founding Son: John Quincy Adams, from President to Political Maverick. This accessible and entertaining biography tells the tale of Adams’s turbulent government career and his evolving views on slavery. Jeffrey Rosen, senior fellow at FIRE and CEO Emeritus of the National Constitution Center, moderates. Participants Bob Crawford [https://theroadtonow.com/] plays the upright bass, bass guitar, and violin for the Grammy-nominated Americana band The Avett Brothers. He is the co-host, alongside Dr. Benjamin Sawyer, of the history podcast The Road to Now, which explains the story behind important events and outstanding individuals of today’s world. Jeffrey Rosen [https://constitutioncenter.org/about/board-of-trustees/jeffrey-rosen] is a senior fellow at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) and CEO Emeritus of the National Constitution Center. He is also a professor of law at the George Washington University Law School and a contributing editor of The Atlantic. Additional Resources * Bob Crawford, America’s Founding Son: John Quincy Adams, from President to Political Maverick [https://www.amazon.com/Americas-Founding-Son-President-Political/dp/1638932603] (2026) * John Quincy Adams, “An Oration Addressed to the Citizens of the Town of Quincy, on the Fourth of July, 1831” [https://archive.org/details/orationaddressed1831adam] (1831) * John Quincy Adams, “Jubilee of the Constitution: A Discourse” [https://lonang.com/library/reference/jqadams-jubilee-constitution-1839/] (1839) * Theodore Weld, American Slavery As It Is: Testimony of a Thousand Witnesses [https://archive.org/details/americanslaverya1839weld2/page/n1/mode/2up] (1839) * United States v. The Amistad [https://www.oyez.org/cases/1789-1850/none] (1841) Stay Connected and Learn More * Continue the conversation by following us on social media. * Substack: @rosenjeffrey * Instagram: @TheBlessingsOfLiberty * X: @JeffreyRosenPod * X (Personal): @RosenJeffrey * YouTube: @TheBlessingsofLibertyPod * Explore Pursuit: The Founders’ Guide to Happiness [https://constitutioncenter.org/news-debate/podcasts/pursuit-the-founders-guide-to-happiness] * Follow, rate, and review wherever you listen Thank you to our presenting sponsor, FIRE, a nonpartisan nonprofit dedicated to defending and sustaining the individual rights of all Americans—especially freedom of speech and free thought. Through legal advocacy, education, and public awareness, FIRE helps protect open debate and a culture where ideas can be challenged instead of silenced. Learn more about FIRE’s work at FIRE.org/blessings [http://FIRE.org/blessings].

A Conversation with Justice Breyer

"Exploring America’s Founding Principles and his Upcoming Memoir" SHOW NOTES: In this episode of The Blessings of Liberty, Justice Stephen Breyer, retired associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, joins to discuss our republic’s Founding principles,  the First Amendment, and the Pursuit of Happiness. He also gives us a preview of his upcoming memoir and his foreword for the NCC’s new volume, The Promise of America: Reflections on Our Enduring Ideals. Jeffrey Rosen, senior fellow at FIRE and CEO Emeritus of the National Constitution Center, moderates.  Participants  Stephen Breyer [https://hls.harvard.edu/faculty/stephen-breyer/] served as an associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court from 1994 until his retirement in 2022 and is currently the Byrne Professor of Administrative Law and Process at Harvard Law School. He is also one of the co-chairs of the NCC and wrote the foreword for the NCC’s new volume, The Promise of America: Reflections on Our Enduring Ideals, a collection of essays exploring America’s founding principles.  Jeffrey Rosen [https://constitutioncenter.org/about/board-of-trustees/jeffrey-rosen] is a senior fellow at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) and CEO Emeritus of the National Constitution Center. He is also a professor of law at the George Washington University Law School and a contributing editor of The Atlantic.  Additional Resources * Stephen Breyer, Reading the Constitution: Why I Chose Pragmatism, Not Textualism [https://www.amazon.com/Reading-Constitution-Chose-Pragmatism-Textualism/dp/1668021536] (2024) * National Constitution Center, The Promise of America: Reflections on Our Enduring Ideals [https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Promise-of-America/National-Constitution-Center/9781668241844] (2026) * Jeffrey Rosen, The Pursuit of Happiness: How Classical Writers on Virtue Inspired the Lives of the Founders and Defined America [https://www.amazon.com/Pursuit-Happiness-Classical-Inspired-Founders/dp/1668002477] (2024) Stay Connected and Learn More * Continue the conversation by following us on social media. * Substack: @rosenjeffrey * Instagram: @TheBlessingsOfLiberty * X: @JeffreyRosenPod and @RosenJeffrey * YouTube: @TheBlessingsofLibertyPod * Explore Pursuit: The Founders’ Guide to Happiness [https://constitutioncenter.org/news-debate/podcasts/pursuit-the-founders-guide-to-happiness] * Follow, rate, and review wherever you listen Thank you to our presenting sponsor, FIRE, a nonpartisan nonprofit dedicated to defending and sustaining the individual rights of all Americans—especially freedom of speech and free thought. Through legal advocacy, education, and public awareness, FIRE helps protect open debate and a culture where ideas can be challenged instead of silenced. Learn more about FIRE’s work at FIRE.org/blessings [http://FIRE.org/blessings].

Justice Gorsuch on The Blessings of Liberty

"A Conversation on 1776 and The Promise of America" SHOW NOTES In this inaugural episode of The Blessings of Liberty, host Jeffrey Rosen speaks with Justice Neil Gorsuch of the U.S. Supreme Court about the American Revolution, our Founding ideals, and the importance of civic education and civil dialogue. He explores his recent bestselling children’s book, Heroes of 1776: The Story of the Declaration of Independence, and his superb epilogue for the NCC’s new volume, The Promise of America: Reflections on Our Enduring Ideals, a collection of essays exploring America’s founding principles. Participants * Neil Gorsuch [https://www.supremecourt.gov/about/biographies.aspx] is an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. He is also a co-chair of the National Constitution Center and the co-author of Heroes of 1776: The Story of the Declaration of Independence, currently the #1 New York Times best-selling children’s book. * Jeffrey Rosen [https://constitutioncenter.org/about/board-of-trustees/jeffrey-rosen] is a senior fellow at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) and CEO Emeritus of the National Constitution Center. He is also a professor of law at the George Washington University Law School and a contributing editor of The Atlantic. Additional Resources * Neil Gorsuch, Janie Nitze, and Chris Ellison (illustrator), Heroes of 1776: The Story of the Declaration of Independence [https://www.amazon.com/Heroes-1776-Story-Declaration-Independence-ebook/dp/B0FPFZZFT4/ref=sr_1_1?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.o_cxFfSGypxxLUrokK0MB6MLnaIQnC5CzbqK8ex_KPziJZ9hCSnpd5BuMop1aTwE0JsxF6xXH7uY5KCkgruKyFNFooA8Ti-NABx8KYHPqWfCpIi79epa1-1jOEksU1bFLvWBbnj885h0XRM3oJjgHIRjjll2eTZPEzACX2Nnqn0-Z_XYl5ZV0fopYdSow3PLE435-QbAbIe0D-NPQAL7e-3k4uGMFqb7jryOTQThaAM.R92VdIRwXHL3vzbz6gvDwuTQ9NnywGEN7sK8CpsSL-Q&dib_tag=se&hvadid=777917386531&hvdev=c&hvexpln=67&hvlocphy=9007300&hvnetw=g&hvocijid=16252126316844656083--&hvqmt=e&hvrand=16252126316844656083&hvtargid=kwd-2479471416924&hydadcr=22533_13821255&keywords=heroes+of+1776&mcid=18c982e9b54d311f862d8434dbe56cc5&qid=1779728124&sr=8-1] (2026) * National Constitution Center, The Promise of America: Reflections on Our Enduring Ideals [https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Promise-of-America/National-Constitution-Center/9781668241844] (2026) * Jeffrey Rosen, The Pursuit of Happiness: How Classical Writers on Virtue Inspired the Lives of the Founders and Defined America [https://www.amazon.com/Pursuit-Happiness-Classical-Inspired-Founders/dp/1668002477] (2024) Stay Connected and Learn More · Substack: @rosenjeffrey · Instagram: @TheBlessingsOfLiberty · X: @JeffRosenPod · YouTube: @TheBlessingsofLibertyPod · Explore Pursuit: The Founders’ Guide to Happiness [https://constitutioncenter.org/news-debate/podcasts/pursuit-the-founders-guide-to-happiness] Thank you to our presenting sponsor, FIRE, a nonpartisan nonprofit dedicated to defending and sustaining the individual rights of all Americans—especially freedom of speech and free thought. Learn more about FIRE’s work at FIRE.org/blessings [http://FIRE.org/blessings].