The Making of the American Mind - Hillsdale College
- Andy McIlvain
- Jun 4
- 1 min read
Video from Hillsdale College
The Making of the American Mind - Hillsdale College
"Why should we love America? Can one love what one does not know? Turn with Dr. Matthew Spalding to the document which Thomas Jefferson characterized as "an expression of the American mind." Explore the story behind the Declaration of Independence. Know the story of our country's founding document, so that you can join Dr. Spalding's invitation to once more fall in love with America.
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“The Story of Our Declaration of Independence”
Matthew Spalding
Author, The Making of the American Mind: The Story of Our Declaration of Independence
This speech was given on March 1, 2026, during a Hillsdale College CCA seminar, "1776"
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Timecodes:
0:00 Introduction
0:40 Washington Departs for Boston: The Revolution Begins
6:10 Why the Declaration of Independence Still Matters
6:57 How the Declaration Was Written & Edited
10:09 "When in the Course of Human Events" — All of History
12:25 "We Hold These Truths" — Truth vs. Modern Relativism
14:20 The Five Self-Evident Truths Explained
15:07 Prudence, Slavery & “All Men Are Created Equal”
18:16 "Our Lives, Fortunes & Sacred Honor" — The Final Oath
20:24 God in the Declaration: Five References Examined
23:24 How the Declaration Transcends the Individual
24:40 The Iron Men: What the Signers Actually Sacrificed
27:56 Who Can Claim the Declaration?
31:16 Q&A
from the video introduction
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