Touchstones of Democracy: After the Declaration

The University of Virginia’s Karsh Institute of Democracy is committed to addressing the urgent challenges facing democracy today and creating a future where democracy’s aspirations and its reality are unified. Uniquely situated in one of the nation’s most esteemed public institutions, the Karsh Institute is a catalyst for action and impact that builds upon UVA’s expertise in the study of democracy, public policy, and leadership, and its history as a public institution founded to prepare citizen-leaders to serve as active participants in democracy.

UVA Karsh Institute of Democracy

How did an American case against a British general provide the setting for the new nation to assert its political and cultural independence?

UVA's Bond House

A dramatic trial during the Revolutionary War helped Americans reckon with the significance of independence from Great Britain. In <a href="https://upress.virginia.edu/title/10198/" title="https://upress.virginia.edu/title/10198/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">The American Revolution on Trial: A New Nation Confronts the Burden of Independence</a>, T. H. Breen, emeritus professor of American history at Northwestern University, explores how a court case against an American colonel and the response of American military officers to a British general provided the setting for the new nation to assert its political and cultural independence and to show itself and the world that it was capable of delivering justice and securing the rule of law.During this saga, an American prosecutor, who trained in the law offices of future president John Adams, helped to establish the legitimacy of the American republic, as he offered a critique of nobility and aristocratic privilege while making the case for a political order based on equality. Breen joins moderator Paul Halliday, UVA professor of history.A limited number of lunches will be available on a first-come, first-served basis beginning at 11:30 AM. Breen’s book will be available for purchase. Parking is not available at Bond House. You can access Bond House by riding <a href="https://parking.virginia.edu/transitroutes" title="https://parking.virginia.edu/transitroutes" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">UVA Transit’s Orange Line</a>. If you plan to drive, there is paid parking within walking distance at the Oakhurst Inn and Central Grounds Garage. For additional handicap accessible parking spots, consult the <a href="https://clicks.eventbrite.com/f/a/jsaUh1WCaAh8CaPTwlThkg~~/AAQxAQA~/RgRnon1EP0RDaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZm0udmlyZ2luaWEuZWR1L2RvY3MvZ2VzL0FEQV9SZWdpb25zX0NlbnRyYWxHcm91bmRzLnBkZlcDc3BjQgplvsRJwWW8xE4kUhJlZDJhdEB2aXJnaW5pYS5lZHVYBAAAAAA~" title="https://clicks.eventbrite.com/f/a/jsaUh1WCaAh8CaPTwlThkg~~/AAQxAQA~/RgRnon1EP0RDaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZm0udmlyZ2luaWEuZWR1L2RvY3MvZ2VzL0FEQV9SZWdpb25zX0NlbnRyYWxHcm91bmRzLnBkZlcDc3BjQgplvsRJwWW8xE4kUhJlZDJhdEB2aXJnaW5pYS5lZHVYBAAAAAA~" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">UVA accessibility map</a>.The Nau Lab's “Touchstones of Democracy” series explores key events, places, thinkers, and texts that inform the history and principles of democracy.

Touchstones of Democracy: After the Declaration

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Touchstones of Democracy: After the Declaration

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