On this episode of Our American Stories, historian David McCullough made millions care about a year most only saw in textbooks—1776. Long before it became shorthand for American independence, 1776 was marked by hesitation, failure, and risk—and McCullough understood that better than most. In this public appearance, the two-time Pulitzer Prize winner reflects on how the Revolutionary War unfolded, what the Declaration of Independence actually meant at the time, and why some of the most important moments in U.S. history are often the least understood. We’d like to thank the U.S. National Archives for granting us access to this audio.

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