Jeffrey Rosen will enlighten Chicago Humanities audiences with an illuminating journey into the minds of our Founding Founders, providing profound insight into a foundational American value. A professor of law at George Washington University, National Constitution Center President and contributing editor of The Atlantic, Rosen delves into the Founders' understanding of "the pursuit of happiness" as an unalienable right in the Declaration of Independence. Chronicling six of the most influential Founding Fathers: Franklin, Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Madison and Hamilton, Rosen explores their classical perspective of the pursuit of happiness as a quest for virtue, not immediate pleasure. While drawing attention to how their ideals were incompatible with the enslavement of African Americans, Rosen investigates these American legends' quest for the habits of industry, moderation, sincerity and the American virtues of personal self-government that make our political self-government possible.

A book signing will follow this program.

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