It’s Independence Day! The perfect occasion for a special episode of In The Past Lane! This week, we take a close look at the document at the heart of the July 4th celebration — the Declaration of Independence. There’s a lot more to this patriotic piece of parchment than you might think. So here’s the lineup: we’ll start with a look at three key things about the Declaration and how it came to be — including the fact that America’s actual Independence Day is July 2, not July 4. Next, we examine the fascinating story of how American’s understanding of the Declaration changed after 1800 and as a consequence, how it has inspired countless rights movements in the US (women’s rights, labor rights, civil rights, etc) and around the world for more than 200 years. Happy July 4th to all!
Recommended Reading
Joseph J. Ellis, American Sphinx: The Character of Thomas Jefferson
Pauline Maier, American Scripture: Making the Declaration of Independence
Edmund S. Morgan, The Birth of the Republic, 1763-89
Backstory podcast, “Pursuits of Happiness” – especially the feature on Frederick Douglass and his famous speech, “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?”
Music for This Episode
Jay Graham, ITPL Intro (courtesy, JayGMusic.com)
Kevin McCleod, “Impact Moderato” (Free Music Archive)
The Bell, “I Am History” (Free Music Archive)
