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5 min readOn Christmas morning 1776, 21-year-old Captain Alexander Hamilton stood on the frozen banks of the Delaware River, wondering if it was possible to be any colder and survive. The river below was an obstacle course of ice and slush, enough to kill a man within seconds of falling in. Yet Hamilton led his men into the water, loading cannons onto a 60-foot ferry as snow began to fall. Less than six months earlier, the mood had been buoyant after the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Now the King's forces had taken New York City, and Hamilton's own company had already lost half its men. The crossing was only 300 yards, but the river was crammed with boats carrying soldiers, horses, and cannons. After four long hours marching through frozen woodland, many of them shoeless, their injured feet leaving trails of blood on the snowy ground, the patriots reached Trenton. The battle was over within minutes. Only two Americans and 22 Hessians were killed. Washington's audacious mission raised morale, and patriots flocked to fight for the cause. The founding of the United States would change the world, inspiring other colonies to control their own destinies. And the decision-makers—Washington, Hamilton, Jefferson, Franklin—would become legendary. But nearly 250 years after the Declaration of Independence, their legacy is still challenged and debated.
The Road to Rebellion
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What you'll learn
- 1 (00:56) **The Crossing of the Delaware** - Captain Alexander Hamilton endures a freezing river crossing with Washington's army on Christmas night, 1776, setting the stage for the surprise attack on Trenton.
- 2 (05:57) **Who Were the Founding Fathers?** - The episode introduces the central question: how did these men's talents, ideas, and flaws shape the new nation, and how do their choices still affect the world today?
- 3 (06:26) **The Colonies Before the Revolution** - By the mid-18th century, the 13 British colonies are prosperous and loyal, but London's post-war taxes ignite the "no taxation without representation" crisis.
- 4 (09:35) **The Road to War: Boston and the Continental Congress** - Tensions escalate from the Boston Massacre to the Tea Party, leading to the First Continental Congress in 1774.
- 5 (18:18) **Paul Revere's Ride and the "Shot Heard Round the World"** - On April 18, 1775, Paul Revere rides to warn patriot leaders, triggering the first battles of the Revolutionary War at Lexington and Concord.
- 6 (23:27) **Choosing a Commander and Declaring Independence** - John Adams engineers the nomination of George Washington to lead the Continental Army, while Thomas Jefferson drafts the Declaration of Independence.
- 7 (29:50) **The War for Independence** - Despite early defeats, Washington's leadership and the alliance with France turn the tide, culminating in the British surrender at Yorktown in 1781.
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Show Notes
The founding of the United States on July 4th, 1776, changed the world, and inspired other colonies to control their own destinies. The men responsible for writing and signing the Declaration of Independence - the Founding Fathers - have gone down in history as legends, with an almost ‘God-like status’. But nearly 250 years on, their legacy is challenged and debated. So who were the founding fathers? How did their talents, ideas and flaws shape their nation? And how do the choices they made in the 18th century still affect the world today?
This is a Short History Of the Founding Fathers of the United States of America.
Written by Kate Harrison. With thanks to Dr Lindsay M Chervinsky, a presidential historian, and author of The Cabinet: George Washingon and the Creation of an American Institution.
If you've enjoyed this episode and want to hear more, you might enjoy our new series Founding Fathers: An American Dream, featuring contributions from leading historians and descendants of those involved. Search for Founding Fathers: An American Dream
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