One of America's most prominent historians, Joseph J. Ellis, joins us to discuss his new book, "The Cause: The American Revolution and its Discontents." The author of the 2002 Pulitzer Prize-winning, "Founding Brothers," focuses this time on how the Revolution was viewed by  Black Americans, slaves, Natives and women as the colonists waged war in hopes of scurrying the British out of America. Is America's dual failure to banish slavery and find peace with Native Americans a Greek tragedy or a Shakespearean one? In other words, would better leadership have led to different outcomes?

He also discusses if the strength of the Revolution built on the energy of those at the bottom of the political and social ladders, or at the top? He also explains the roots of the myths that surround the Revolution, and why many persist. He also argues that the roots of America's penchant for conspiracy theory and suspicion of Federal power are found in the country's earliest days.

Joseph Ellis has a website at josephellishistorian.com

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