American Judiciary, Part 4: The Early Life of John Marshall
John Marshall is perhaps the most impactful and influential man in American history who was never president. Almost single handedly, Marshall created our national judiciary and established it as a branch of government co-equal to the legislative and executive branches. He was born on September 24, 1755, on the western frontier of the colony of Virginia and was raised in a frontier two-room log cabin, which he shared with his parents and numerous siblings. Obtaining an education on the frontier of Virginia was difficult and John had received less than two years of formal instruction. And except for a short six-week stint at the College of William and Mary studying law under George Wythe, that was all the schooling Marshall would ever receive.
Tom Hand, creator and publisher of Americana Corner, discusses the early life of John Marshall, and why it still matters today.
Images courtesy of National Portrait Gallery - Smithsonian Institution, Wikimedia, Library of Congress, Encyclopedia Virginia, University of South Florida, New York Public Library, U.S. Army.
John Marshall is perhaps the most impactful and influential man in American history who was never president. Almost single handedly, John Marshall created our national judiciary and established it as a branch of government co-equal to the legislative and executive branches.