About this episode

The episode explores the historical context and significance of the Declaration of Independence through various expert perspectives.

To its principal author, Thomas Jefferson, it was “an expression of the American mind”; to the English philosopher Jeremy Bentham, it was "absurd and visionary". The Declaration of Independence, written 250 years ago, is so layered in myth, so foundational to the idea of America as the last best hope of earth, that it is a challenge, now, to put it into its gritty historical context -- a document that served to justify an act of rebellion, to garner support for it by listing grievances, but which also embedded, perhaps inintentionally, some powerful emancipatory claims. In this two-part episode of The Last Best Hope, Adam asks why the Declaration of Independence said what it did and why it mattered.    Contributors: Professor Lige Gould (University of New Hampshire), author of Among the Powers of the Earth: The American Revolution and the Making of a New World Empire ; Professor Steven Sarson (Jean Moulin University Lyon 3) author of The Course of Human Events: The Declaration of Independence and the Historical Origins of the United States ; the intellectual historian, biographer of James Harrington, Professor Rachel Hammersley (Newcastle University); Dr Grace Mallon…

People in this episode

Host: Adam Smith

Guests: Professor Lige Gould, Professor Steven Sarson, Professor Rachel Hammersley, Dr Grace Mallon, Bradford Skow

Topics covered

• Declaration of Independence
• American history
• philosophy
• emancipation
• historical context

Keywords

• Declaration of Independence
• Thomas Jefferson
• American Revolution
• historical analysis
• emancipatory claims

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: University of New Hampshire, Jean Moulin University Lyon 3, Newcastle University, University of Oxford, MIT, Rothermere American Institute

More episodes of The Last Best Hope?

• Why the Declaration of Independence said what it did, Episode 2 · March 4, 2026 · 42 min
• Can federalism save American liberalism? · February 18, 2026 · 40 min
• Hillary Rodham Clinton on how America can save itself · February 11, 2026 · 33 min
• New Series Trailer: What’s Coming Next · February 6, 2026 · 1 min
• Why the Gettysburg Address Matters, Part 2 · November 19, 2025 · 42 min
• Why the Gettysburg Address Matters, Part 1 · November 12, 2025 · 44 min

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