The America That Almost Was

The Supreme Court Was an Accident. | Nebula Original

Spectacles — Fri, 11 Sep 2026 16:00:06 +0000

This is the story of the Judiciary That Almost was.

Discuss this episode on the Nebula subreddit.

Citations always in captions. Sources always in description.

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Patreon: https://spectacles.link/patreon

Merch: https://spectacles.link/shop

Discord: https://spectacles.link/discord

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Sources

A. Madison, James. Notes of Debates in the Federal Convention of 1787, ed. by Adrienne Koch (Ohio University Press, 1966).

B. Federalist Papers, https://guides.loc.gov/federalist-papers/full-text.

C. Thomas Jefferson to William Stephens Smith, 13 November 1787, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/01-12-02-0348.

D. Marbury v Madison, https://www.oyez.org/cases/1789-1850/5us137.

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Includes Music by Tom Fox

America Almost Had a Parliament. | Nebula Original

Spectacles — Fri, 07 Aug 2026 17:54:34 +0000

This is the story of the Congress That Almost was.

Citations always in captions. Sources always in description.

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Patreon: https://spectacles.link/patreon

Merch: https://spectacles.link/shop

Discord: https://spectacles.link/discord

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Sources

A. Madison, James. Notes of Debates in the Federal Convention of 1787, ed. by Adrienne Koch (Ohio University Press, 1966).

B. Federalist Papers, https://guides.loc.gov/federalist-papers/full-text.

C. Thomas Jefferson to William Stephens Smith, 13 November 1787, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/01-12-02-0348.

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CHAPTERS

00:00 INTRO

02:30 THE CONGRESS QUESTION

03:15 POWER

05:30 STRUCTURE

08:35 PROPORTION

14:00 SELECTION

16:50 THE GRADE

19:50 CONCLUSION

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Includes Music by Tom Fox

America Almost Had 3 Presidents. | Nebula Original

Spectacles — Fri, 03 Jul 2026 16:00:03 +0000

This is the story of the Presidency That Almost was.

Citations always in captions. Sources always in description.

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Patreon: https://spectacles.link/patreon
Merch: https://spectacles.link/shop
Discord: https://spectacles.link/discord

—

Sources

A. Madison, James. Notes of Debates in the Federal Convention of 1787, ed. by Adrienne Koch (Ohio University Press, 1966).

B. Federalist Papers, https://guides.loc.gov/federalist-papers/full-text.

C. George Mason, Draft Speech for 4 June 1787, https://www.consource.org/document/draft-speech-by-george-mason-1787-6-4/.

D. Robert Yates, Notes of the Secret Debates of the Federal Convention of 1787, https://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/yates.asp.

E. Thomas Jefferson to William Stephens Smith, 13 November 1787, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/01-12-02-0348.

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00:00 FORGOTTEN VISIONS
02:30 PRESIDENCY
03:00 SELECTION
08:36 TERM OF OFFICE
12:13 COMPOSITION
15:44 GRADING THE FOUNDERS
21:10 CONCLUSION

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Select imagery/video supplied by Getty Images
Includes Music by Tom Fox