A Constitutional Commemoration of Independence Day

As Americans look forward to celebrating Independence Day this holiday weekend, this week’s episode dives into the Declaration of Independence. We trace where its words and its ideals came from and how it went on to influence state constitutions, the United States constitution, and other key American texts including President Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address and Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s I Have a Dream speech. Host Jeffrey Rosen was joined by Akhil Reed Amar of Yale Law School, author of 'The Words That Made Us: America’s Constitutional Conversation 1760-1840,' and Steve Calabresi of Northwestern Pritzker School of Law.  Questions or comments about the show? Email us at podcast@constitutioncenter.org. Additional resources and transcript available at constitutioncenter.org/interactive-constitution/media-library.