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We hope you will join us for our next series which will explore the origins of the American Revolution in honor of the forthcoming 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Lecture topics will look at the intellectual traditions of the 18th century that drove the Revolution, cultural practices in the colonies, Native American history, women in the lead-up to the Revolution, and more, concluding with the battles of Lexington and Concord.
The series will take place in McElreath Hall. Doors open at 1:30pm and lectures begin promptly at 2pm with a brief intermission. Parking is free.
About the Lecture
Virtue and the Founding Fathers
One of the consistent themes of the writings of the Founding Fathers was the essential relationship between virtue and self-governance. Their ideas were rooted in ancient Greek and Roman texts, yet they were also informed by Enlightenment era concepts of freedom and individualism. But what did the Founding Fathers mean by virtue exactly? And how should we think about their understanding in light of the many unvirtuous actions and enterprises in which we know many of them were involved? This lecture explores these questions and others as it tries to understand what political virtue might look like in the 21st century United States.
Joseph Crespino, Senior Associate Dean of Faculty and Divisional Dean of Humanities and Social Sciences and the Jimmy Carter Professor of History at Emory University
Joseph Crespino is the Senior Associate Dean of Faculty and Divisional Dean of Humanities and Social Sciences and the Jimmy Carter Professor of History at Emory University. Crespino has published three books, has co-edited a collection of essays, and has written for academic journals as well as for popular forums such as the New York Times, the Washington Post, Politico, and the Wall Street Journal.
