Walter Isaacson on the Sentence That Created America
From Old School with Shilo Brooks by The Free Press
June 11, 2026 · 53 min
About this episode
Walter Isaacson discusses the story behind the Declaration of Independence's famous line and its implications for America today.
If America has a mission statement, it is this: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” In a special conversation recorded at the George W. Bush Presidential Center, acclaimed biographer Walter Isaacson discusses his new book, The Greatest Sentence Ever Written, and the extraordinary story behind the Declaration of Independence’s most famous line. What happened behind the scenes as Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and the other founders argued over, revised, and refined the words that would become America’s founding creed? Plus: the tension between individual liberty and the common good, the complicated relationship between Jefferson and Adams, and the enduring challenge of living up to ideals that were revolutionary in 1776 and remain aspirational today. Old School is proudly brought to you by the Jack Miller Center. If you believe in the importance of civic education and want to help prepare the next generation to carry on our democracy, join us at JackMillerCenter.org. Become a paid…
People in this episode
Host: Shilo Brooks
Guest: Walter Isaacson
Topics covered
- Declaration of Independence
- American history
- civic education
- individual liberty
- founding fathers
- biography
Keywords
- America
- mission statement
- unalienable Rights
- Life
- Liberty
- pursuit of Happiness
- founding creed
- civic education
- revolutionary ideals
Sponsors
Jack Miller Center
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: George W. Bush Presidential Center
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