Though we only 250 years passed the writing on many of our nation’s Founding documents, the language the Founding Generation used is difficult for the modern ear to engage. Language is constant evolving. The Founders wrote with words and phrases in a version of English that is different from what we use today. The writing style has changed with spelling, capitalization, gendered references, and grammar nuances that can frustrate the most astute readers.
One of my favorite series of Founding documents is the Federalist Papers, written anonymously under the pen name Plubius by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay. However, these essays are notoriously cumbersome to dissect in the phrases, vocabulary, sentence structure, and period references of the late 18th century.
A similar issue occurs with the Bible with the Old Testament written in Hebrew and the New Testament in Greek. Few moderns readers of the Bible know Hebrew or Greek. The solution is that translations of the Bible into language suitable to ordinary people is the crux of much of Christian history with different translations serving different purposes.
Fortunately, Mary Webster has taken on the “translation” challenge for the Federalist Papers in book The Federalist Papers in Modern Language. This book has become my go-to book for reading these essays for more helpful insights to the Founders thoughts and insights. Of course, I still have an original language version, too.
I highly recommend this book for high school students–my daughter Grace has found it very helpful–scholars, and ordinary citizens who wish to seek a more in-depth understanding of our Constitution.