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This Constitution

Savannah Eccles Johnston & Matthew Brogdon

42 episodes

1 week ago

What if the Declaration of Independence wasn’t just Jefferson’s triumph, but John Adams’s victory too? In this episode of This Constitution, Savannah Eccles Johnston and Matthew Brogdon make the case for giving John Adams his due. Often remembered as prickly, pompous, or perpetually overshadowed, Adams was in fact one of the most important and hardest-working architects of American independence. Savannah and Matthew trace Adams’s rise from a New England farmer’s son to the fiercest and most r...

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What if the Declaration of Independence wasn’t just Jefferson’s triumph, but John Adams’s victory too? In this episode of This Constitution, Savannah Eccles Johnston and Matthew Brogdon make the case for giving John Adams his due. Often remembered as prickly, pompous, or perpetually overshadowed, Adams was in fact one of the most important and hardest-working architects of American independence. Savannah and Matthew trace Adams’s rise from a New England farmer’s son to the fiercest and most r...

Show more...

Episodes (20/42)

This Constitution

Season 3, Episode 8 | The Weaver of Our Foundational Fabric: Justice for John Adams

What if the Declaration of Independence wasn’t just Jefferson’s triumph, but John Adams’s victory too? In this episode of This Constitution, Savannah Eccles Johnston and Matthew Brogdon make the case for giving John Adams his due. Often remembered as prickly, pompous, or perpetually overshadowed, Adams was in fact one of the most important and hardest-working architects of American independence. Savannah and Matthew trace Adams’s rise from a New England farmer’s son to the fiercest and most r...

2 weeks ago

38 minutes

This Constitution

Season 3, Episode 7 | The Declaration and Slavery: The Question 1776 Could Not Settle

Did you know that Thomas Jefferson originally wrote a fierce condemnation of slavery into the Declaration of Independence, only for Congress to remove it before signing the final document? And did you know that in 1776, no one was certain whether slavery in America would fade away, transform, or expand? In this episode of This Constitution, Savannah Eccles Johnston and Dr. Nicholas Cole, Pembroke College, University of Oxford, explore the complicated world of slavery at the time the Declarati...

4 weeks ago

27 minutes

This Constitution

Season 3, Episode 6 | The Declarations That Shaped the Declaration

What if the story of American independence didn’t actually begin with Jefferson at his writing desk? What if long before the Declaration of Independence, more than a hundred towns, counties, militias, and even grand juries had already taken matters into their own hands and declared themselves free of Britain? In this episode of This Constitution, Savannah Eccles Johnston and Matthew Brogdon uncover the astonishing world of forgotten declarations that came before July 4, 1776. Savannah and Mat...

1 month ago

24 minutes

This Constitution

Thomas Paine: Revolutionary, Not Patriot

Did you know the man who wrote Common Sense, the pamphlet that inspired Americans to fight for independence, died alone with only six mourners at his funeral? In this episode of This Constitution, Savannah Eccles Johnston and Matthew Brogdon unpack the fascinating and tragic story of Thomas Paine, a man who helped spark the Revolution but couldn’t find a home in the nation he helped create. They follow Paine’s incredible journey from a struggling English immigrant to one of the most gifted wr...

1 month ago

33 minutes

This Constitution

Season 3, Episode 4 | Were the British Really That Bad? The Grievance Politics That Justified the Revolution

How did the Americans go from loyal British subjects to full-blown revolutionaries? Were the British really that bad, or were the colonists simply overreacting? In this episode of This Constitution, Savannah Eccles Johnston and Matthew Brogdon unpack the long and escalating list of grievances that transformed loyal British subjects into determined revolutionaries. Moving beyond the myths of the Boston Tea Party, they trace a history of constitutional conflict, from the Proclamation of 1763 an...

2 months ago

34 minutes

This Constitution

Season 3, Episode 3 | The Folk Origins of Freedom: How Ordinary Americans Shaped the Declaration

Have you ever wondered where America’s revolutionary ideas really came from? Was it the genius of the Founders? What if the story of the Constitution didn’t begin in Philadelphia in 1776, but in colonial homes, small-town churches, and the stubborn belief that no one has the right to rule another? In this episode of This Constitution, Savannah Eccles Johnston and Matthew Brogdon trace the folk origins of American self-government. Through the voices of farmers, ministers, and everyday colonist...

2 months ago

26 minutes

This Constitution

Season 3, Episode 2 | The Black-Robed Regiment: The Preachers Who Fought for Independence

What if the American Revolution didn’t begin in the halls of Congress, but in the pews of colonial churches? In this episode of This Constitution, hosts Savannah Eccles Johnston and Matthew Brogdon uncover the spiritual and intellectual fire that helped ignite the Revolution. Before muskets were fired at Lexington and Concord, preachers across New England were already preparing their congregations for rebellion, not just politically but theologically. From the sermons of Reverend Jonas ...

3 months ago

39 minutes

This Constitution

Season 3, Episode 1 | 1777: The Crucible That Forged George Washington

Season 3 of This Constitution focuses on the people and events surrounding the making of the Declaration of Independence. What if America’s Revolution had collapsed before it truly began? In this episode of This Constitution, host Savannah Eccles Johnston sits down with Dr. Kevin Weddle, retired U.S. Army colonel, military historian, and author of The Compleat Victory, to explore how George Washington survived the most dangerous year of the war. From the daring crossing of the Delaware to the...

3 months ago

43 minutes

This Constitution

Season 2, Episode 18 | America’s Greatest Invention: Collective Constitution-Making

What if America’s greatest strength wasn’t just its leaders, but the way everyday people came together to shape history? In this episode of This Constitution, host Matthew Brogdon sits down with Nicholas Cole of Oxford’s Pembroke College, creator of the Quill Project, to dig into the overlooked story of America’s founding. Far from being the work of a single “lawgiver” like Solon or Jefferson, the Declaration of Independence and other revolutionary texts were born out of spirited collaboratio...

3 months ago

43 minutes

This Constitution

Season 2, Episode 17 | George Washington: Merit, Power, and the Birth of Civilian Leadership

Did you know that George Washington could have become an American Caesar, but instead chose to walk away from power? Unlike Napoleon or Cromwell, he rejected dictatorship and dynasty, setting the precedent for civilian control of the military, limited executive authority, and the peaceful transfer of power. In this episode of This Constitution, host Matthew Brogdon sits down with eminent historian Jeremy Black to trace Washington’s extraordinary balancing act. From the battlefields of the Rev...

4 months ago

28 minutes

This Constitution

Season 2, Episode 16 | Parties and the Constitution: Why the Founders Feared Parties and Created Them Anyway

How did a political system founded by leaders who warned against factions end up making political parties an indispensable part of democracy? And why has the United States remained a two-party nation for nearly two centuries? In this episode of This Constitution, host Matthew Brogdon sits down with political scientist Daniel DiSalvo to trace the fascinating constitutional and political journey of America’s party system. From Jefferson’s “party to end all parties” to Martin Van Buren’s inventi...

4 months ago

42 minutes

This Constitution

Season 2, Episode 15 | Special Counsels vs. the Presidency: Who Holds the Power?

How should a democracy balance the need for independent investigations of government wrongdoing with the president’s constitutional authority over prosecutions? Where do we draw the line? In this episode of This Constitution, hosts Savannah Eccles Johnston and Matthew Brogdon dig into the fascinating and often murky world of special counsels. From their origins in President Grant’s efforts to distance himself from scandals, to the dramatic moments of the Watergate era and the "Saturday Night ...

5 months ago

39 minutes

This Constitution

Season 2, Episode 14 | High Crimes or Political Fights? When Impeachment Becomes a Constitutional Battleground

When we hear “impeachment,” most of us immediately think: the President. But what if that’s only part of the story? In this episode of This Constitution, Savannah Eccles Johnston and Matthew Brogdon explore the lesser-known history of impeaching cabinet secretaries and other executive officials, revealing how the process has always been more political than legal. They revisit the case of Secretary of War William Belknap, who resigned in tears in 1876, hoping to dodge impeachment—only to face ...

5 months ago

28 minutes

This Constitution

Season 2, Episode 13 | Judging the Judges: Impeachment and the Courts

In This Episode In this episode of This Constitution, Savannah Eccles Johnston and Matthew Brogdon explore one of the least understood and most powerful tools in the U.S. Constitution: impeachment. But forget presidents for now, this episode dives deep into judicial impeachments: how they work, why they're rare, and why judges have historically been the ones who get removed. Savannah and Matthew unpack what it means for Congress to wield this political sword, why it's not a criminal process, ...

6 months ago

30 minutes

This Constitution

Season 2, Episode 12 | John Dickinson: The Reluctant Revolutionary Who Shaped a Nation

In this Independence Day episode of This Constitution, Matthew Brogdon is joined by Dr. Jane Calvert, Director of the John Dickinson Writings Project and author of Penman of the Revolution. Together, they explore the legacy of John Dickinson, one of America’s most influential yet often overlooked founders. Best known for Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania, Dickinson was a leading advocate for colonial rights but notably opposed the rush toward independence. Jane explains how Dickinson’s be...

6 months ago

36 minutes

This Constitution

Season 2, Episode 11 | Courting Controversy: Judicial Review and the Constitution

What happens when nine unelected judges have the final say on the most divisive questions in American life? In this episode of This Constitution, Savannah Eccles Johnston and Matthew Brogdon break down the Supreme Court’s most consequential and contentious tool: judicial review. They explore how this authority allows nine unelected justices to strike down laws, reshape policy, and act as a final check on Congress and the presidency. But where does this power actually come from? Is it rooted i...

6 months ago

40 minutes

This Constitution

Season 2, Episode 10 | The Emancipation Proclamation: The Path to Juneteenth and the End of Slavery in America

Abraham Lincoln claimed he only wanted to save the Union. So how did he end up freeing millions of enslaved Americans? In this special Juneteenth episode, host Savannah Eccles Johnston is joined by Diana Schaub, professor emerita of political science at Loyola University Maryland and nonresident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. A leading Lincoln scholar, Schaub brings deep insight into the political, legal, and moral complexity of emancipation. Together, they explore how Li...

6 months ago

34 minutes

This Constitution

Season 2, Episode 9 | The Legislative Veto: Constitutional Check or Power Grab?

Can Congress say no after it already said yes? For more than 50 years, the legislative veto let Congress give power to the president, then yank it back when it didn’t like the results. It was a political safety net, a constitutional gray area, and a ticking time bomb. In this episode, hosts Savannah Eccles Johnston and Matthew Brogdon unpack how this backdoor power worked, why it exploded in the landmark case INS v. Chadha, and what that means for modern government. They trace its roots from ...

7 months ago

31 minutes

This Constitution

Season 2, Episode 8 | Executive Resistance: The Veto Power as a Constitutional Check

In this episode, hosts Savannah Eccles Johnston and Matthew Brogdon examine the presidential veto — what it is, what it isn’t, and why it remains one of the most potent constitutional powers in modern governance. They dissect the mechanics of Article I, Section 7, and explain the differences between the qualified veto (which Congress can override) and the pocket veto (which Congress cannot). Along the way, they revisit presidential losers like Andrew Johnson, discover why Reagan and Clinton b...

7 months ago

33 minutes

This Constitution

Season 2, Episode 7 | Checks, Balances, and Budget Showdowns

This Constitution | Season 2, Episode 7Checks, Balances, and Budget Showdowns The President can’t spend a dime without Congress. But how often does Congress actually say no? In this episode, hosts Savannah Eccles Johnston and Matthew Brogdon examine the constitutional power of the purse and how budget appropriations and oversight give Congress a critical check on the presidency. From historical roots in the British monarchy to today’s broken appropriations process, they unpack how Congr...

7 months ago

38 minutes