Category Archives: Revolutionary War

Washington Kept His Promise

Posted on by December 8, 2015

GW Rules“Undertake not what you cannot Perform but be Careful to keep your Promise.”

I’m sure that George Washington must have thought often of this Rule he learned in his youth, when he struggled with his soldiers in the nearly 7 years of the Revolutionary War.

When he was first elected by Congress as the Commander in Chief of the newly united American armies, I don’t think he could have fully understood the troubles and distresses they would have to endure for the next several years.

The victory at Dorchester Heights, was a great beginning. But the battles of New York nearly destroyed the whole army, and except for miraculous happenings even George Washington would have been killed. read more

Thanks to the Founding Fathers

Posted on by November 25, 2015

Founding Fathers coverHappy Thanksgiving. As I was writing my report yesterday about how thankful I am for learning about the Illegal Trial of Christ, it occurred to me that I wouldn’t have ever written that book if the distributor for my book “Founding Fathers—Uncommon Heroes” hadn’t known that I had given several presentations about that trial. The distributor knew me well.

When Mel Gibson’s movie “The Passion” came out and was so successful, my distributor called me and said they wanted me to put my material about the trial of Christ into a book. And because of current interest, they wanted it NOW! read more

John Adams and the Constitution

Posted on by November 23, 2015

JohnAdamsShortly after the Declaration of Independence was adopted by Congress, Adams was sent to France to join Benjamin Franklin as a minister to France. Congress didn’t invite him to return home, even after the Revolutionary War had ended, and he and Franklin had constructed a Peace Treat, very much in favor of the United States.

Instead they sent him to Great Britain to attempt to produce a treaty of commerce with England. Can you imagine that? To try to put together a new treaty with your most recent war enemy? Impossible. Well, at least terribly difficult. read more

Benjamin Franklin and Gossip

Posted on by November 20, 2015

Ben Franklin thumb picture
As you know Benjamin Franklin was a great diplomat. He proved that over and over again. In the Continental Congress with the Declaration of Independence with Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, and others. In his victories with France in obtaining the funds and cooperation of the French in the Revolutionary War. In the Constitutional Convention when the arguments were starting to take over the discussions. And just generally in his life time habits and discourses.

Here’s an example of how he achieved so much: read more

Jefferson’s War and the Barbary Pirates

Posted on by November 17, 2015

ThomasJeffersonIn the early days of our Nation, John Adams at first didn’t want to build up our Navy after the Revolutionary War. When Thomas Jefferson was elected to replace Adams, the nations of Europe and the United States were becoming more and more subject to the pirates of the Barbary coast.

When merchants wanted to sail through the Mediterranean Sea they were charged a bounty by the Barbary Pirates in order to pass Tripoli and other ports without being attacked. The Barbary Pirates were actually Muslims trying to extort benefits for not destroying the ships together with their cargoes. Most nations went along with this blackmail. It was just easier than fighting. read more

Patrick Henry’s Claim to Fame

Posted on by November 10, 2015

PatrickHenryMost people today don’t know very much about Patrick Henry. Through my study of the Founding Fathers, he has become one of my favorites. He had much to say to us and to do for us. Not the least off which was his example of good character.

Perhaps a fitting epitaph of this amazing man is the one paid to him by his grandson who described Henry as always setting “a good example of honesty, benevolence, hospitality and every social virtue. He assisted in the education of his . . . children and especially devoted much time to earnest efforts to establish true Christianity in our country.” read more

President and Mrs. Washington and President and Mrs. Madison

Posted on by November 5, 2015

There is a touching and even heart-rending irony in that neither George Washington, the “Father of our Country” nor James Madison, the “Father of the Constitution” had any children of their own. However, they both married widows and raised step-children.

George Washington married Martha Dandridge Custis, the lovliest and perhaps the wealthiest widow in Virginia. Martha had two children with her previous husband, Daniel Custis. Martha was very beautiful, as science has now confirmed with the new methods of reproducing what someone would have looked like at a certain age. (Click here to see a picture). At barely 5’, Martha stood only as tall as Washington’s chest. George was nearly 6’4” tall. read more

Governor Patrick Henry, Give Me Liberty . . .

Posted on by November 3, 2015

PatrickHenryI can recall a time after High School, when I could sort of remember the name of Patrick Henry. I even knew that he gave a monumental talk at some point in his life where he said the words: “Give me liberty . . . or give me death!”

I didn’t know when he gave that speech, or where it occurred. But I seemed to think it was sometime around the Civil War period. As you can guess, history was not my favorite subject in High School.

Then in 1976, yes, 1976, as a young attorney, I was elected to represent a Phoenix Mayor’s committee at a National Convention of Citizens Crime Commissions, to be held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that year. For those of you who weren’t around then, that was our Nation’s Bi-centennial celebration of the adoption of our Declaration of Independence. read more

Benjamin Franklin’s Airbaths

Posted on by November 2, 2015

Ben FranklinFranklin had a habit of engaging in a daily “Air Bath.” When Ben would arise every morning, he would open every window in his room, remove all of his clothes and sit around in the room for an hour or so in the “altogether”. Not even cold winter weather would discourage him in this practice.

He often recommended this practice to his friends or fellow traveling companions. He once told John Adams that this was the reason he rarely suffered from a cold. John Adams, however, couldn’t quite convert to it! read more

Jefferson and Listening

Posted on by October 27, 2015

ThomasJeffersonThomas Jefferson served with Patrick Henry and George Washington in the House of Burgesses. He served later in the Continental Congress with Benjamin Franklin. One thing Jefferson learned from these three men, and especially Franklin and Washington, was how to listen. George was especially adept at this trait.

Jefferson made it a point not to argue and to try to be a peacemaker. Of his experience in Congress he wrote in his autobiography:

“Our body was a little numerous, but very conscientious. Day after day was wasted on the most unimportant questions. A member, one of those afflicted with the morbid rage of debate, of an ardent mind, prompt imagination, and copious flow of words, who heard with impatience any logic which was not his own, sitting near me on some occasion of a trifling but wordy debate, asked me how I could sit in silence, hearing so much false reasoning, which a word would refute? I observed to him, that to refute indeed was easy, but to silence was impossible.” read more