The Declaration of Independence: America’s Birth Certificate - Richard Bell, The Great Courses

Written by Richard Bell, The Great Courses
Read by Richard Bell
Format: M4B
Bitrate: 128 Kbps
Unabridged

Length: 5 hrs and 37 mins
Release date: 06-04-26

The Declaration of Independence was a history-changing document, calling for a new form of government resting on a radical philosophical framework. It has inspired over 100 other declarations of independence over the last 250 years. In these 12 lectures, Professor Bell offers you far-reaching reflections on the meaning, the power, and the influence of the Declaration, as you engage with:

· A Masterfully Crafted Text. Unpack the Declaration’s dense opening paragraphs line by line; and see how writer Thomas Jefferson justifies rebellion through blistering rhetoric and hyperbole.

· A Historic and Agonizing Vote. Following the writing of the Declaration, trace the blow-by-blow unfolding of multiple speeches, arguments, delays, reverses, and maneuvers that culminated in the colonists’ vote for independence.

· Revising the Text. Take a detailed look at the editing and revisions to the Declaration by members of Congress; study the delegates’ deletions, additions, and enhancing of the text as they formulated the final Declaration that the world would see.

· The Declaration Travels Outward. Witness the publishing and spread of the Declaration throughout the colonies; learn about the response by the British press and crown; and the Americans’ efforts to secure a political alliance with France.

· A Global Legacy. In its first 50 years, observe how the Declaration served as a blueprint for numerous declarations of independence across Latin America; and note the huge wave of similar declarations across the world following the world wars.

· The Declaration and the American People. Assess the meaning that the Declaration of Independence has taken on for Americans. See how 19th to 21st century American thinkers and activists have invoked the words of the Declaration to promote comprehensive, global rights and freedoms for all peoples.

In 12 compelling lectures, The Declaration of Independence: America’s Birth Certificate takes you to the heart of our nation’s origins.