July 08, 2020

How Did Americans React to the Declaration of Independence When It Was First Released, and How Did They Understand It Over America's First Few Decades?

28 minutes

The Declaration of Independence is far more than a document of a moment or even of its times, and Americans' acceptance and understanding of it has evolved over the last 244 years. In this episode I look at how it was first received and understood by Americans, and how Thomas Jefferson looked back on it at two separate points in his life, years later.

Suggested Readings:

Declaration of Independence, 4 July 1776

Celebrations of Independence in Boston and Watertown, Massachusetts, 18 July 1776

Letter to John Holmes, Thomas Jefferson, 22 April 1820

Letter to Roger C. Weightman, Thomas Jefferson, 24 June 1826

...more

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By Jeremy Gypton

July 08, 2020

How Did Americans React to the Declaration of Independence When It Was First Released, and How Did They Understand It Over America's First Few Decades?

28 minutes

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How Did Americans React to the Declaration of Independence When It Was First Released, and How Did They Understand It Over America's First Few Decades?

How Did Americans React to the Declaration of Independence When It Was First Released, and How Did They Understand It Over America's First Few Decades?