America250 Episode 8 Rerelease: Declaring Independence, the Rise of Alexander Hamilton, & the Fall of New York
About this episode
This episode recounts the complex process of declaring independence by the Second Continental Congress and introduces Alexander Hamilton's early life and role in New York.
In celebration of America’s 250th, we’d like to officially invite you to enjoy this special episode telling the tale of that audacious, terrifying, and formative step taken by the Second Continental Congress to declare Independence in the summer of 1776. Fought over bitterly on July 1st, voted on affirmatively on the 2nd, with the exact wording finalized on the 4th—I mean, how could we not resurface episode #8’s account of this story for this week? If you’re new here, you may not have listened to it—here’s your chance. And if you’ve been listening for a while, take a step back with me and remember why we revere this document. This is the story of independence and crushed hope. Congress is finally declaring independence but it isn’t a straightforward process. Delegates have different perspectives; John Adams and John Dickinson are taking the floor to argue passionately for and against it. The vote will come down to the wire. It’s also time to bring the "$10" Founding Father into the story. That’s right. We’ll meet Alexander Hamilton, get the backstory of his rough childhood in the Caribbean, and see how he ends up in the Big Apple. Speaking of NYC, George Washington…
More episodes of History That Doesn't Suck
- 208: The Pacific War, 1942–43: Guadalcanal, the Aleutians, and Operation Vengeance
- Introducing: Government That Doesn't Suck! with Professors Greg Jackson and Lindsey Cormack
- The Declaration of Independence at 250
- Bonus: Prof. Greg Jackson interview on The Road to Now with Dr. Ben Sawyer
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