1690 Media

1690 Media explores power, justice, and accountability through history, ethics, and first principles. From criminal law and public policy to historical case studies, each article examines the tension between state authority and individual liberty.

Welcome.

This publication is a candid look at what happens when state authority collides with individual liberty. Moving past the noise of the daily news cycle, we look at crime and power not as partisan talking points, but through the enduring lens of first principles, historical context, and the nation’s founding ideals.

When the stakes are highest, abstract theories falter. Understanding the machinery of the system puts authority back where it belongs: in your hands.

Why Subscribe?

Every article is built on a foundation of historical research, ethical rigor, and real-world experience and cases. We deliver uncompromising, story-driven insights that challenge assumptions and reveal how power works when the cameras are off.

By subscribing, you join a community of readers who value deep, non-reactionary analysis over headline-driven outrage.

Subscribe to never miss an analysis.

The Origin

Our name honors Publick Occurrences Both Forreign and Domestick, America’s first multi-page independent newspaper, published in Boston in 1690 by Benjamin Harris. Disapproving of its raw reporting on the colonial apparatus, the British Crown shut the newspaper down after only four days and ordered the destruction of every copy.

1690 Media operates in that exact independent lineage. Check out the full story here: https://1690media.substack.com/t/1690-origin

J. Steven Bromwich is a criminal investigator, ethicist, historian, and founder of 1690 Media.