Sparks Commentary

“An act to allow a drawback of the duties of customs on the exportation of tea to any of his Majesty's colonies or plantations in Ameri...

“Therefore no one in the armed forces is treated as familiarly as are spies , no one is given rewards as rich as those given to spies , and ...

Many pirate movies take place in this general time period, and so do many history movies I grew up on pirate movies like “Treasure Island,” ...

Warning: This blog post contains some disturbing pictures. One of these in particular is very graphic, and may merit special caution. I grew...

“An act to discontinue, in such manner, and for such time as are therein mentioned, the landing and discharging, shipping of goods, wares, a...

“An Act for making more effectual Provision for the Government of the Province of Quebec in North America …” – Long title of the “Quebec Ac...

The eighteenth century was a crucial period for the  British Empire . It saw the birth of the “Kingdom of Great Britain” itself , in the 17...

“ L’état, c’est moi. ” (“I am the State.”) – A line attributed to King Louis XIV of France – a line that he may or may not have actually sa...

“The Congress, whenever two-thirds of both houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose amendments to this constitution , or on the applica...

“Resolved. that the right of suffrage in the first branch of the national Legislature ought not to be according to the rule established in t...

“[The Congress shall have the power] To make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execution the foregoing powers,...

“What do we mean by the American Revolution ? Do we mean the American war? The revolution was effected before the war commenced. The revolut...

“And the Articles of this Confederation shall be inviolably observed by every State, and the Union shall be perpetual; nor shall any alterat...

"Neither of the two Parties [France or America] shall conclude either Truce or Peace with Great Britain, without the formal consent o...

What's the best movie about John Adams ? Young John Adams My answer would be that it depends on what you're looking for. A...

The History Channel has made a few documentaries about the lives of the  Founding Fathers . There is one in particular that I would like t...

"I may as well confess it, since my denial of it will be believed by nobody ... perhaps I shall a good deal gratify my own vanity. I...