Introduction, Part 1
What if there was a recipe that turned ordinary men into the architects of liberty? The Founders didn’t just stumble upon greatness; they...
The Founders Recipe
The Founders Recipe
by Dr. Joe Wolverton (Author)
330 pages, 8.5x11x0.78, Paperback – August 18, 2020
Paperback and Kindle available on Amazon
PDF download available on ShopJBS
Our country stands at a crossroads, and the path to restoring our Republic lies in rediscovering the wisdom that guided our Founding Fathers. They weren’t just statesmen; they were scholars, steeped in the timeless lessons of history’s greatest thinkers. Imagine if we could cultivate a new generation of leaders with the same intellectual rigor and moral fortitude as James Madison. The secret? It’s in the books they read, the ideas they debated, and the virtues they practiced. In “The Founders Recipe,” we reveal the blueprint they followed—an accessible treasure trove of knowledge that’s literally at our fingertips today. These books didn’t just inspire the Founders; they armed them with the insights needed to confront and overcome the very challenges we face now. By diving into these lectures, you’re not just learning history; you’re equipping yourself to be part of the .008 percent—the small but powerful force that can reignite the flame of liberty in America. Join us, and let’s ensure our Republic doesn’t fall victim to the same political diseases that destroyed so many before us. The future of our nation depends on it.
Introduction, Part 2
The Founding Fathers didn’t just study history—they lived by it. They knew that the key to safeguarding America from the fate of fallen republics lay in...
01. St. Paul
The apostle who turned divine inspiration into letters that shaped Western thought; his epistles pack more punch than any tweet. ...
02. Montesquieu
The French philosopher who advocated that power in government should be split like a pie, ensuring liberty with each delicious slice. ...
03. Sir William Blackstone
The legal giant whose Commentaries on the Laws of England became the encyclopedia of common law; he laid down the law like no...
04. John Locke
The philosopher who made the case for life, liberty, and property; his ideas sparked revolutions and helped lay the foundation of popular sovereignty....
05a. David Hume
The Scottish skeptic who questioned everything and still managed to charm with his wit and wisdom. His “History of England” was immeasurably influential....
05b. David Hume
The Scottish skeptic who questioned everything and still managed to charm with his wit and wisdom. His “History of England” was immeasurably influential....
06. Plutarch
The biographer whose Parallel Lives made ancient heroes feel like next-door neighbors; he brought history to life with every pen stroke. ...
07. Cesare Beccaria
The young Italian thinker who argued that punishment should fit the crime; he insisted that justice was a cause worth fighting for. ...
08. John Trenchard and Thomas Gordon
The dynamic duo who wrote Cato’s Letters, stirring up republican sentiment with their pen-and-paper rebellion. ...
09. Jean-Luis Delolme
The Swiss writer who dissected the English constitution with surgical precision, revealing the secrets of its success. ...
10. Samuel Pufendorf
The German jurist who saw the law of nations as a science, making the case for natural rights with academic flair. His blending...
11. Sir Edward Coke
The legal lion whose fight for common law and parliamentary power roared through history, leaving an indelible mark. ...
12. Cicero
Rome’s greatest orator whose speeches and writings laid the groundwork for republican ideals, natural law, and eloquence. ...
13. Thomas Hobbes
The philosopher who saw life as “nasty, brutish, and short” but gave us the social contract to make it bearable. ...
14. William Robertson
The historian whose narratives of Scotland and the Americas offered a grand view of human progress. ...
15a. Hugo Grotius
The father of international law, whose work laid the foundation for a more just and orderly world. His On the Law of War...
15b. Hugo Grotius
The father of international law, whose work laid the foundation for a more just and orderly world. His On the “Law of War...
16. Jean-Jacques Rousseau
The philosopher who believed in the goodness of man and the corrupting influence of society; he inspired revolutions with his radical ideas. ...
17. Lord Bolingbroke
The statesman and philosopher who blended political theory with practical wisdom, advocating for a balanced constitution. ...
18. Francis Bacon
The father of the scientific method who urged us to think empirically and systematically; knowledge truly is power. He wrote of an imaginary...
19. Richard Price
The Welsh moral philosopher and mathematician who championed liberty, reason, and social progress in equal measure. He argued that education is the key...
20. William Shakespeare
The Bard whose plays and sonnets captured the human condition in all its glory and folly; his influence transcends time. ...
21. Livy
The Roman historian whose tales of early Rome blended myth and fact into an epic narrative that is more captivating than any adventure...
22. Alexander Pope
The satirical poet whose sharp wit and heroic couplets skewered the pretentious and illuminated the human experience. His insights on good government were...
23. John Milton
The poet and polemicist whose republican writings taught our Founding Fathers the value of freedom of speech and nearly cost Milton his life....
24. Tacitus
The Roman historian whose Annals and Histories are unmatched in their incisive critique of power and corruption. ...
25. Plato
The philosopher who envisioned an ideal republic and explored the depths of human knowledge through dialogue and allegory. ...
26. Abbe Guillaume Raynal
The French writer whose critique of European colonialism called for justice and humanity in a global context. ...
27. Abbe Gabriel Mably
The philosopher and historian whose ideas on equality and justice challenged the status quo of his time. A friend of John Adams and...
28. Niccolo Machiavelli
The political strategist who revealed the darker side of power in “The Prince,” and whose “Discourses on Livy” taught the Founders the key...
29a. Emer de Vattel
The Swiss legal theorist whose work on international law influenced the formation of nations and the conduct of states. His Law of Nations...
29b. Emer de Vattel
The Swiss legal theorist whose work on international law influenced theformation of nations and the conduct of states. His Law of Nations was...
30. William Petyt
The legal antiquarian whose writings on the history of Parliament and liberty were foundational for later constitutional thought. ...
31. Voltaire
The French Enlightenment writer whose sharp wit and advocacy for civilliberties made him a champion of free thought. ...
32. John Robinson
The pastor and leader of the Pilgrims who guided them with wisdomand faith through their journey to the New World. ...
33a. Algernon Sidney
The republican martyr whose Discourses Concerning Governmentargued passionately for liberty and against tyranny and was considered the handbook ofthe War for Independence. ...
33b. Algernon Sidney
The republican martyr whose Discourses Concerning Government argued passionately for liberty and against tyranny and was considered the handbook of the War for...
34. John Somers
The statesman and lawyer whose work on the Bill of Rights helped to cement the principles of constitutional government. ...
35. James Harrington
The political theorist whose The Commonwealth of Oceanaenvisioned a republican society governed by reason and equality, where private propertypromoted peace among citizens. ...
36. Paul de Rapin-Thoyras
The historian whose History of England provided a comprehensive and influential account of the storied past of England and how liberty and good...