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Imperfect Men
39: William Duer
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On this episode, Steve and Cody discuss William Duer, the man almost single-handedly responsible for America’s first financial crash.
Podcast to recommend: The Hellenistic Age (https://hellenisticagepodcast.wordpress.com/)
Sources
- Brown, Abram. “The High Crimes And Misadventures Of William Duer, The Founding Father Who Swindled America.” Forbes. 4 Jul 2019. <https://www.forbes.com/sites/abrambrown/2019/07/04/the-high-crimes-and-misadventures-of-william-duer-the-founding-father-who-swindled-america/>. Retrieved 15 Jul 2024.
- Jones, Robert Francis. The King of the Alley, William Duer: Politician, Entrepreneur, and Speculator, 1768-99. Philadelphia, PA: American Philosophical Society, 1992.
- Narron, James, and Skeie, David. “Crisis Chronicles: Central Bank Crisis Management during Wall Street’s First Crash.” Federal Reserve Bank of New York. 9 May 2014. <https://libertystreeteconomics.newyorkfed.org/2014/05/crisis-chronicles-central-bank-crisis-management-during-wall-streets-first-crash-1792/#.VmIYbXarTIW>. Retrieved 15 Jul 2024.
- Sylla, Richard, et al. “Alexander Hamilton, Central Banker: Crisis Management During the U. S. Financial Panic of 1792.” Business History Review 83 (Spring 2009). <https://w4.stern.nyu.edu/research/alexander_hamilton_central_banker.pdf>. Retrieved 15 Jul 2024.
- Wright, Robert E., and Cowen, David J. Financial Founding Fathers: The Men Who Made America Rich. Chicago, IL: U. of Chicago Press, 2006.
- See pinned post on Bluesky for general sources
More episodes
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83: Rufus King
31:58|On this episode, Steve and Cody discuss the persistent nominee and 18th century doppelganger of Larry Fine, Rufus King.Sources· Arbena, Joseph L. "Politics or Principle? Rufus King and the Opposition to Slavery, 1785-1825.'' Essex Institute Historical Collections 101 (January 1965): 56-77.· Ernst, Robert. Rufus King: American Federalist. Chapel Hill, NC: U. of North Carolina Press, 1968.· Reeser, Robert E. "Rufus King and the Federalist Party.'' Ph.D. dissertation, Los Angeles, CA: U. of California-Los Angeles, 1948.· See General Sources page on website for additional sources
82: William Samuel Johnson
34:56|On this episode, Steve and Cody discuss William Samuel Johnson, the legal genius and educator that guided the final text of the Constitution.Sources· Groce, Jr., George C. William Samuel Johnson: A Maker of the Constitution. New York City, NY: AMS Press, 1937.· McCaughey, Elizabeth P. From Loyalist to Founding Father: The Political Odyssey of William Samuel Johnson. New York City, NY: Columbia U. Press, 1980.· See General Sources page for additional sources
81: Thomas Johnson
22:43|This week's episode keeps us in Maryland and follows up the weirdest signer's name with the blandest signer's name, Thomas Johnson.Sources· Amt, Emilie. 2018. “Slavery at Rose Hill, Frederick, Maryland.” Research paper, Hood College. <https://emilieamt.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Slavery-at-Rose-Hill-Manor-Frederick.pdf>. Retrieved 3 Mar 2026.· Delaplaine, Edward. The Life of Thomas Johnson. New York City, NY: Grafton Press, 1927.· Court Listener. “Georgia v. Brailsford.” <https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/84680/georgia-v-brailsford/>. Retrieved 3 Mar 2026.· See General Sources page on website for a complete list of sources
80: Daniel of St. Thomas Jenifer
23:45|On this episode, Cody and Steve talk about the weirdly named signer who loved big cuffs, Daniel of St. Thomas Jenifer.Sources· Farrell, Joe, et al. Graves of Our Founders: Their Lives, Contributions, and Burial Sites. Mechanicsburg, PA: Sunbury Press, 2018.· See General Sources page on website
79.2: Thomas Jefferson, Part the Second
01:24:19|On this episode, Steve and Cody conclude their discussion on the Thomas Jefferson, the Sage of Monticello, and tackle the controversies surrounding his legacy.Sources· Crawford, Alan Pell. Twilight at Monticello: The Final Years of Thomas Jefferson. New York City, NY: Random House, 2008.· Ellis, Joseph J. American Sphinx: The Character of Thomas Jefferson. New York City, NY: Randon House, 1996.· Gordon-Reed, Annette. The Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family. New York City, NY: W.W. Norton & Co., 2008.· Maier, Pauline. American Scripture: Making the Declaration of Independence. New York City, NY: Knopf, 1997.· Meacham, Jon. Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power. New York City, NY: Randon House, 2012.· See the webpage for a list of general sourcesPodcast to recommend: The Copperhead Conspiracy (The Copperhead Conspiracy – Reckoning, Inc.)
79.1: Thomas Jefferson, Part the First
58:14|On the first installment of this two-parter, Cody and Steve discuss one of the giants of the Revolution, Thomas Jefferson, and go off on too many tangents to count.Sources· Crawford, Alan Pell. Twilight at Monticello: The Final Years of Thomas Jefferson. New York City, NY: Random House, 2008.· Ellis, Joseph J. American Sphinx: The Character of Thomas Jefferson. New York City, NY: Randon House, 1996.· Gordon-Reed, Annette. The Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family. New York City, NY: W.W. Norton & Co., 2008.· Maier, Pauline. American Scripture: Making the Declaration of Independence. New York City, NY: Knopf, 1997.· Meacham, Jon. Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power. New York City, NY: Randon House, 2012.· See the webpage for a list of general sources
78: John Marshall
01:01:31|On this episode, Cody and Steve discuss the founder to whom all other Chief Justices are measured, John Marshall.Sources· Currie, David. The Constitution in the Supreme Court: The First Hundred Years, 1789-1888. Chicago, IL: U. of Chicago Press, 1992.· Hobson, Charles F. The Great Chief Justice: John Marshall and the Rule of Law. Abilene, KS: U. Press of Kansas, 1996.· Newmyer, R. Kent. John Marshall and the Heroic Age of the Supreme Court. Baton Rouge, LA: Louisiana State U. Press, 2001.· Stites, Francis N. John Marshall: Defender of the Constitution. Boston, MA: Little & Brown, 1981.· See General Sources page on the website to see the complete list of general sources
77: John Jay
54:23|On this week's episode, Cody and Steve discuss the ambassador/Chief Justice/governor multitasker, John Jay.Sources· Bemis, Samuel Flagg. Jay’s Treaty: A Study in Commerce and Diplomacy. New Haven, CT: Yale U. Press, 1923.· Bemis, Samuel Flagg & Ferrell, Robert H. The American Secretaries of State and Their Diplomacy. New York City, NY: Cooper Square, 1963.· Littlefield, Daniel C. “John Jay, the Revolutionary Generation, and Slavery.” New York History 81, vol. 1 (2000), pp. 91-132. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/23181809>. Retrieved 6 Jan 2026.· Magnet, Myron. “The Education of John Jay.” City Journal 20, no. 1 (2010). <http://www.city-journal.org/2010/20_1_urb-john-jay.html>. Retrieved 6 Jan 2026.· Stahr, Walter. John Jay: Founding Father. New York City, NY: Hambledon & London, 2005.· See General Sources page on webpage for general sources used
Special 3: The Great Re-scoring
24:47|On this special episode, Cody and Steve go back through with updated information and re-score the subjects that need it.