The Declaration nearly collapsed before it was signed.
Historian Tom McMillan joins Why Wars Happened to reveal the secret debates, bitter fights, and forgotten figures behind 1776. It wasn’t destiny — it was chaos, compromise, and near failure.
⏱ Timestamps
00:00 – Welcome to Why Wars Happened
00:48 – Meet historian Tom McMillan
01:48 – The American Revolution: setting the stage
02:59 – Declaration of Independence: complexities & controversies
06:31 – Key figures: Adams, Jefferson, Dickinson
15:21 – The votes leading to independence
23:01 – Researching sources & challenges
27:06 – Richard Henry Lee’s forgotten legacy
29:54 – Jefferson & Adams’ roles in shaping the Declaration
39:08 – Editing the Declaration of Independence
43:31 – Upcoming book projects & reflections
#1776 #DeclarationOfIndependence #FoundingFathers #AmericanRevolution #WhyWarsHappened
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist
It’s 1996 in rural North Carolina, and an oddball crew makes history when they pull off America’s third largest cash heist. But it’s all downhill from there. Join host Johnny Knoxville as he unspools a wild and woolly tale about a group of regular ‘ol folks who risked it all for a chance at a better life. CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist answers the question: what would you do with 17.3 million dollars? The answer includes diamond rings, mansions, velvet Elvis paintings, plus a run for the border, murder-for-hire-plots, and FBI busts.