The Declaration of Independence and Revolutionary War with Edward Larson | BRI Scholar Talks
In this episode of BRI Scholar Talks, Pulitzer Prize winning historian Edward J. Larson, author of Summer for the Gods and American Independence, joins host Tony Williams to explore why 1776 became the defining year of the American Revolution. Drawing on extensive research into newspapers, soldiers’ letters, state constitutions, and congressional debates, Larson explains how Americans shifted from protesting taxation to embracing republican self-government, popular sovereignty, and a complete break from monarchy. He traces how events such as the King’s speech, the burning of Norfolk, and the explosive reception of Thomas Paine’s Common Sense transformed colonial resistance into a united movement for independence.
The discussion highlights the powerful relationship between battlefield action and revolutionary ideas. Larson shows how soldiers demanded a cause worth fighting for, how John Adams pushed for new state constitutions, and how Thomas Jefferson shaped the Declaration by drawing from state charters, political pamphlets, and Enlightenment ideals. Together, the conversation reveals how inspiring words and courageous deeds shaped the American republic and why the spirit of 1776 became a touchstone for generations, from Lincoln and Frederick Douglass to the present day.
