Season 1 Extra, Episode B | A Woman’s Voice in America’s Revolution: The Legacy of Mercy Otis Warren

This Constitution

Mercy Otis Warren was no ordinary figure in America’s founding story. How many women of her time had the opportunity to receive a classical education, let alone become influential political thinkers and writers? As one of the few, Warren used her intellect and talent to champion liberty during the American Revolution. But why is her name so often left out of the history books?

In this episode of This Constitution, Matthew Brogdon sits down with Kirstin Birkhaug, assistant professor of political science at Hope College, to uncover the life and work of this revolutionary thinker. What made her writings so impactful that even John Adams admitted to feeling intimidated by her intellect? How did her radical views on liberty shape her critiques of the U.S. Constitution, and what can they teach us in today’s political climate?

During the conversation, Matthew and Kristin delve into Warren’s enduring legacy—her critiques of unchecked power, her defense of individual rights, and her advocacy for civic virtue. It also addresses her political affiliations and relationships with prominent figures like John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, clarifying her alignment with Jefferson’s ideals and the complexities of her evolving relationship with Adams, which transitioned from initial camaraderie to tension.

In This Episode

• (00:00:37) Introduction to Mercy Otis Warren
• (00:01:32) Early life and education
• (00:03:33) Marriage and political influence
• (00:05:49) Mercy's literary career begins
• (00:06:47) Correspondence with prominent figures
• (00:07:15) James Warren's political role
• (00:07:58) Mercy's plays and political commentary
• (00:09:24) Conflict with Thomas Hutchinson
• (00:10:56) Use of pen names
• (00:12:52) The History of the American Revolution
• (00:15:15) The role of memory in Warren's history
• (00:16:23) Warren's concerns about Washington
• (00:17:33) Warren's Critique of the Constitution
• (00:19:51) Warren's observations on the new Constitution
• (00:21:16) Massachusetts ratification convention
• (00:23:15) Warren's advocacy for press freedom
• (00:24:37) Warren's civic engagement perspective
• (00:26:58) Warren's Lockean influences
• (00:29:56) Introduction to Freedom
• (00:30:15) Mercy Otis Warren's political context
• (00:31:07) Warren's alignment with Jefferson
• (00:32:07) Warren and Adams' fractured relationship
• (00:33:23) Reconciliation of Adams and Warren

Notable Quotes

• [00:03:33] "I feel a sense of inferiority whenever I speak to you; I feel that your attainments dwarf those of most men." — Kirstin Birkhaug
• [00:04:44] "Mercy kind of takes up the mantle of continuing his kind of progressive thoughts and ideas into the revolution and beyond." — Kirstin Birkhaug
• [00:12:06] "Warren is caught between this intellect that pulls her towards writing political propaganda plays and the inherent tension she feels about her role as a wife and mother." — Kirstin Birkhaug
• [00:15:15] "She wants to capture this memory of the American Revolution, the keen despair people felt at the loss of liberty, and the steam this movement picked up." — Kirstin Birkhaug
• [00:17:33] "Mercy Otis Warren hopes to reinvigorate the memory of the American Revolution and its principles, which she says are well encapsulated in the Declaration of Independence." — Kirstin Birkhaug
• [00:25:52] "Mercy Otis Warren thinks that the Constitution is a departure from the spirit of the Revolution, not a continuation of it." — Matthew Brogdon

Our Guest

Dr. Kirstin Birkhaug is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Hope College. She teaches a variety of political science courses, including Introduction to American Politics and upper-level political theory. Her research focuses on early A