Deep Dive on the Declaration of Independence and its Values, Principles and Relevance to Modern America

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Episode Summary

For Independence Day, I take a deep dive into the Declaration of Independence, discussing its unique place in human history and the cause of freedom; the link between natural law and natural rights, faith and freedom; the Founders’ emphasis on virtue and morality to sustain a free system of limited government; parallels between the charges laid out against King George III in the Declaration and today’s federal Leviathan from the administrative state to sanctuary cities; the Founders’ views on slavery, Abraham Lincoln, Frederick Douglass and failing to live up to the values and principles of the Declaration; the imperative to defend liberty against tyranny.

Reference Materials

• Declaration of Independence
• Thomas Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence first draft slavery excerpt
• The Federalist Papers
• U.S. Constitution
• John Adams letter to Abigail Adams on celebrating Independence Day
• John Adams on rights and religion
• John Adams on slavery
• Calvin Coolidge 150th Anniversary of Independence Day Address
• Competitive Enterprise Institute’s “Ten Thousand Commandments” (2018)
• Frederick Douglass on the Declaration and Constitution in opposition to slavery
• Frederick Douglass response to Dred Scott ruling
• Federal Government “Wastebook” (2017)
• Founding.com
• Benjamin Franklin on slavery
• Alexander Hamilton on rights and religion
• Alexander Hamilton on slavery
• Gary Lawson on the administrative state
• Abraham Lincoln on the Declaration and Constitution
• Abraham Lincoln on the Founders and slavery
• James Madison on slavery
• Nationwide injunctions
• Operation Drain the Swamp by Adam Andrzejewski
• Three Felonies a Day by Harvey Silverglate
• Alexis de Tocqueville on religion in America
• UN Arms Trade Treaty
• Vindicating the Founders
• George Washington on slavery
• The Rise and Fall of Constitutional Government in America by Thomas G. West and Douglas A. Jeffrey
• Woodrow Wilson’s rejection of the Declaration preface

Thanks for Listening!

Check out other episodes at benweingarten.com/bigideas.

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Music Credit:
Backed Vibes (clean) Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/