Jonathan Gienapp
@jgienapp.bsky.social
Professor of History and Law, Stanford University. Books on early Constitution: http://tinyurl.com/yynk95aa; and originalism and history: http://tinyurl.com/3dd5hnt6 jonathangienapp.com
How did John Dickinson’s failed attempt to reconcile Britain and its colonies anticipate American federalism? Jonathan Gienapp follows the strategic ambiguities that outlived the empire: bit.ly/4cLf1RG #ConstitutionDay @stanforduniversity.bsky.social
Happy Constitution Day to all who (are compelled by Section 111(b) of Division J of Public Law 108-447 to) observe!
In the wake of Trump v. Slaughter, everyone has been scrambling for a way to distinguish tenure protected officers from those who are removable at will. My updates to “The Interstitial Executive” drive home that history offers a basic yet overlooked way to make this distinction: statutes.
The William and Mary Quarterly forum on the recently discovered John Dickinson documents, revealing his previously unknown secret attempt to prevent the American Revolution, is now available online! The WMQ has generously made the issue open access for the next month. muse.jhu.edu/issue/57168
Good to be reminded that, on some of the most-studied phenomena of history, the work of bringing actual documentary evidence to light continues. We don't already know everything. We can keep looking.
Jonathan Gienapp@jgienapp.bsky.social · 3mo agoThe William and Mary Quarterly forum on the recently discovered John Dickinson documents, revealing his previously unknown secret attempt to prevent the American Revolution, is now available online! The WMQ has generously made the issue open access for the next month. muse.jhu.edu/issue/57168
Well done, all around, WMQ.
Jonathan Gienapp@jgienapp.bsky.social · 3mo agoThe William and Mary Quarterly forum on the recently discovered John Dickinson documents, revealing his previously unknown secret attempt to prevent the American Revolution, is now available online! The WMQ has generously made the issue open access for the next month. muse.jhu.edu/issue/57168
Having contributed to this Forum, there are many great things one can say about it. One of the most important is that it enables readers to view the deepening crisis of 1775 from a genuinely Anglo-American perspective, illuminating the calculations and miscalculations on both sides of the Atlantic.
Jonathan Gienapp@jgienapp.bsky.social · 3mo agoThe William and Mary Quarterly forum on the recently discovered John Dickinson documents, revealing his previously unknown secret attempt to prevent the American Revolution, is now available online! The WMQ has generously made the issue open access for the next month. muse.jhu.edu/issue/57168
The William and Mary Quarterly forum on the recently discovered John Dickinson documents, revealing his previously unknown secret attempt to prevent the American Revolution, is now available online! The WMQ has generously made the issue open access for the next month. muse.jhu.edu/issue/57168
The issue is out! Once it’s available online (it’ll be open access for thirty days!), I’ll post about the forum on the Dickinson documents discovery that I was so excited to help organize.
Gautham Rao (pronounced: Knicks in 5)@gauthamrao.bsky.social · 3mo agoAn incredible forum in the latest William and Mary Quarterly, spearheaded by Jane E. Calvert and @jgienapp.bsky.social. The contingency of the revolutionary moment can’t be clearer.
An incredible forum in the latest William and Mary Quarterly, spearheaded by Jane E. Calvert and @jgienapp.bsky.social. The contingency of the revolutionary moment can’t be clearer.
Originalism isn’t Originalist! Loved talking with @jgienapp.bsky.social about the real history of how the founding generation understood who decides what our constitution means. Spoiler: not SCOTUS! @courtacctability.bsky.social @meidastouch.com @legalafmtn.bsky.social youtu.be/HikaHUknPMI
An essay by me and Jane Calvert on the John Dickinson documents discovery that reveal his previously unknown secret attempt to prevent the American Revolution. It previews the scholarly forum on the documents that will be published soon. lawliberty.org/the-secret-e...
The Secret Effort to Prevent the Revolution – Jane E. Calvert & Jonathan Gienapp
Newly discovered letters by John Dickinson shed light on his opposition to American independence.
lawliberty.org
More coverage of the discovery of the new Dickinson documents with @jgienapp.bsky.social
The Secret Effort to Prevent the Revolution – Jane E. Calvert & Jonathan Gienapp
Newly discovered letters by John Dickinson shed light on his opposition to American independence.
lawliberty.org
An essay by me and Jane Calvert on the John Dickinson documents discovery that reveal his previously unknown secret attempt to prevent the American Revolution. It previews the scholarly forum on the documents that will be published soon. lawliberty.org/the-secret-e...
The Secret Effort to Prevent the Revolution – Jane E. Calvert & Jonathan Gienapp
Newly discovered letters by John Dickinson shed light on his opposition to American independence.
lawliberty.org
Not every day something you worked on gets on the front page of the print edition of the NYT!
Jonathan Gienapp@jgienapp.bsky.social · 4mo agoOne of the most incredible things I have ever worked on: Recently discovered documents, written by John Dickinson in 1775, that reveal his secret and previously unknown efforts to prevent the American Revolution. Now featured in the New York Times. www.nytimes.com/2026/06/30/u...
Happy 250th! For an interesting wrinkle to the whole thing, check out the exciting discovery below. 👇🏻
Jonathan Gienapp@jgienapp.bsky.social · 4mo agoOne of the most incredible things I have ever worked on: Recently discovered documents, written by John Dickinson in 1775, that reveal his secret and previously unknown efforts to prevent the American Revolution. Now featured in the New York Times. www.nytimes.com/2026/06/30/u...
Hoover Research Fellow @jgienapp.bsky.social was part of a team of scholars that authenticated recently discovered documents written by John Dickinson in 1775 that revealed the Founding Father's previously unknown efforts to prevent the American Revolution.
The Founding Father Who Sought a Last-Minute Deal to Avert the Revolution
Recently discovered documents reveal a back-channel attempt by a leader of the Continental Congress to make peace.
nytimes.com
“It’s hard to overstate the significance of this,” says @jgienapp.bsky.social. “This is a very serious attempt by arguably the leading politician in America at the time to broker a peace and prevent the American Revolution from happening that we’ve never known about before.”
The Founding Father Who Sought a Last-Minute Deal to Avert the Revolution
nytimes.com
Before the U.S. Constitution there was the Articles of Confederation, the drafting of which began before independence was even declared. Listen to me and Jane Calvert of @jdproject.bsky.social discuss it with @lizcovart.bsky.social on @bfworld.bsky.social. benfranklinsworld.com/episode-445-...
On this day in 1776, the Second Continental Congress held a vote on whether to declare independence from Great Britain. John Dickinson, who had spoken eloquently against it the day before, knew how the vote would go.
On this day in 1776, driven by conscience, John Dickinson gave his final speech against declaring independence. He was willing to ruin his reputation to save his country. Explaining that he wasn't opposed to independence per se, just the timing, he reiterated his concerns that America wasn't ready.
and, most remarkably, 7) protection women's religious liberty and freedom of public speech. Hear about these things and more on this episode of Ben Franklin's World with Jane Calvert and Jonathan Gienapp:
Episode 445: How Independence Happened, Part 3: The Articles of Confederation - Ben Franklin's World
Historians Jane Calvert and Jonathan Gienapp guide us through the drafting, debates, and compromises behind the Articles of Confederation.
benfranklinsworld.com
2) that only Congress could declare war; 3) no government officer could accept gifts from foreign leaders or heads of state; 4) no standing army; 6) a query suggesting slavery ought to be abolished;
In June 1776, John Dickinson made the most revolutionary contribution to the American Revolution. He wrote a draft of the Articles of Confederation intended to protect Americans' most basic rights. Among the key provisions were 1) a strong central government to which the states would be subordinate;
What better as an inaugural post than to announce the publication of an article in the NYT about the work of the John Dickinson Writings Project and the discovery of several remarkable new Dickinson documents?
The Founding Father Who Sought a Last-Minute Deal to Avert the Revolution
nytimes.com
One of the most incredible things I have ever worked on: Recently discovered documents, written by John Dickinson in 1775, that reveal his secret and previously unknown efforts to prevent the American Revolution. Now featured in the New York Times. www.nytimes.com/2026/06/30/u...
A Founder’s Previously Unknown Attempt to Avert the Revolutionary War
nytimes.com
woah. as i like to say, one has to make room for both T Paine & J Dickinson. JD was at every major deliberation from the stamp act congress thru 87, yet refused to sign the declaration. a man running PA and DE at the same time cannot be called unrepresentative. the revolution was big & complex.
Jonathan Gienapp@jgienapp.bsky.social · 4mo agoOne of the most incredible things I have ever worked on: Recently discovered documents, written by John Dickinson in 1775, that reveal his secret and previously unknown efforts to prevent the American Revolution. Now featured in the New York Times. www.nytimes.com/2026/06/30/u...
In honor of the last regular decision day of this appalling #SCOTUS term, @talkingpointsmemo.com has an adapted excerpt from my forthcoming book, The Political Supreme Court. Put it in your pocket for the next time someone tells you the justices are apolitical or calling balls & strikes.
For Most of Its History, the Supreme Court Didn’t Pretend to Be Apolitical
Today’s Supreme Court justices insist that they are not “politicians in robes”...
talkingpointsmemo.com