Remembering the nation's 'Lost Founder'

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Listen to the Life Kit podcast in the NPR app or wherever you get your podcasts. This is Fresh Air. I'm Dave Davies. As we celebrate America's 250th birthday, we'll hear a lot about George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and others. But what if I told you that one of the nation's founders, one of only six who signed both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, a critical voice at the Constitutional Convention, and arguably the man most responsible for the government we've had for two centuries, is someone you've never heard of.

That's Precisely the case made by our guest today, Jesse Wegman. He's a journalist who writes about the Constitution and democracy. Wegman's new book is about James Wilson, a man regarded as one of the American colony's most brilliant lawyers in the late 18th century, and one who led a colorful and impactful life. He was nearly killed during the Revolutionary War when rioters attacked his house in Philadelphia.

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