Guests Include:

• Pauline Maier, Professor of History at MIT and author of American Scripture: Making the Declaration of Independence
• James Heintze, Librarian Emeritus at American University and author of The Fourth of July Encyclopedia
• David Blight, Professor of History at Yale University and author of Frederick Douglass’s Civil War: Keeping Faith in Jubilee

Show Highlights

• Declaring Independence
  For years, the Declaration of Independence sat untouched in a dusty archive. So how did it become one of America’s most prized documents? Historian Pauline Maier talks about how the meanings of “independence” have evolved over time.
• Guide to Frederick Douglass’ speech
  Historian David Blight narrates a reenactment of Frederick Douglass’ 1852 speech, “The Meaning of the Fourth of July for the Negro,” widely known as one of the greatest Abolitionist speeches ever. In it, Douglass highlights the hypocrisy of celebrating liberty in a nation that allows slavery.

Web Exclusive

What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?
Listen to all of Frederick Douglass’ speech, courtesy of TBM records.

Further Reading

Want to dig deeper into the history of July Fourth? Check out a list of sources that the History Guys put together to learn more.

“The most important question in American politics today is whether America is an exceptional nation.” – Newt Gingrich, 2011

180 years after Alexis de Tocqueville posited that the U.S. was an exceptional case in the history of democratic societies, the idea of “American Exceptionalism” is alive and well. Almost every GOP candidate for president in 2012 has invoked the idea, each suggesting that President Obama doesn’t sufficiently embrace it. And so you might be surprised to learn that 90 years ago, it was American communists who were Exceptionalism’s biggest fans.

In this episode, the History Guys will look at the changing meanings of Exceptionalism. From the Puritan notion of a “city upon a hill” to the 19th century concept of manifest destiny, from Woodrow Wilson’s vision of the U.S. as a worldwide model to Ronald Reagan’s rejuvenation of the Puritans, why have Americans seen themselves as different? Is there something to the idea, do you think, or is it simply a dressed-up version of patriotism?

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