Episode 211: Considering John Marshall, Part 2

by Emily SneffNovember 6, 2018

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Can a biography help us explore big historical questions?

Can knowing about the life of John Marshall, the fourth Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court, help us better understand the Supreme Court and how it came to occupy the powerful place it has in the United State government?

The Doing History: Biography series continues and explores these questions with Richard Brookhiser, author of John Marshall: The Man Who Made The Supreme Court.

About the Series

The Doing History: Biography series explores the genre of biography, how it relates to and is different from the genre of history, and how historians and biographers can best uncover and understand the lives of people from the past.

The Doing History series explores early American history and how historians work. It is part of Ben Franklin’s World, which is produced by the Omohundro Institute.

Be sure to check out Doing History season 1, Doing History: How Historians Work and Doing History season 2, , Doing History: To the Revolution!

About the Show

Ben Franklin’s World is a podcast about early American history.

It is a show for people who love history and for those who want to know more about the historical people and events that have impacted and shaped our present-day world.

Each episode features a conversation with a historian who helps us shed light on important people and events in early American history.

Ben Franklin’s World is a production of the Omohundro Institute.

Episode Summary

The Doing History: Biography series continues and explores whether a biography can help us answer a big historical question with Richard Brookhiser, author of John Marshall: The Man Who Made The Supreme Court.

During our conversation, Richard reveals why he likes to research and write biographies; Details about the stature of the Supreme Court in 1801; And, information about two landmark Supreme Court cases: McCulloch v. Maryland (1818) and Dartmouth College v. Woodward (1819) and John Marshall’s majority opinions in both of those cases.

What You’ll Discover

Why Richard Brookhiser likes to research and write biographies
Why Brookhiser likes to research and write biographies of Federalists
Goals for Brookhiser’s biography of Marshall
John Marshall’s politics
The United States Supreme Court in 1801
How justices “rode the circuit”
The development of majority and unanimous Supreme Court decisions
Marshall’s influence on the Supreme Court
The power of biography to study and explore institutions
Marshall’s views on the Supreme Court, the Constitution, & the people’s rights
Jefferson and judicial review
McCulloch v. Maryland (1818)
Second Bank of the United States
Dartmouth College v. Woodward (1819)
Marshall the biographer

Links to People, Places, and Publications

Richard Brookhiser
Richard on Twitter: @rbrookhiser
John Marshall: The Man Who Made the Supreme Court
Bob Woodward,The Brethren: Inside the Supreme Court
Joel Sharpton and Pro Podcasting Services
What Makes Me Weird podcast

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Time Warp Question

In your opinion, what might have happened if John Jay had agreed to President John Adams’ request that he return to the Chief Justiceship of the Supreme Court? What would have happened to the Supreme Court and the development of the judicial branch if Marshall had not served as Chief Justice?