The Real Independence Day | Guest: Robert McDonald | Words & Numbers | Ep 513

Was July 4, 1776 the actual day of our independence from Great Britain as most Americans believe? While James is indisposed, historian Rob McDonald joins me to discuss the actual facts of America’s founding.

Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Episode Preview
01:16 Why July 2nd Matters More Than July 4th
03:46 How Divided Were the Colonists on Independence?
05:54 From Lexington and Concord to Independence
10:33 When Americans Still Considered Themselves English
13:42 The Quebec Act and the Push for Independence
17:33 George Washington’s Revolutionary War Strategy
20:18 Why Washington Walked Away from Power
26:01 America’s Remarkable Founding Generation
32:17 Slavery, Jefferson, and the Principles of the Declaration
42:14 The Vote for Independence and the Story of July 2nd
46:38 Jefferson McDonald’s Liberty Bell Story and Closing Thoughts

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