legacy under the indigenous nation and the native peoples promote the general welfare and endeavor to achieve greater equity to all to establish this constitution for the united states of america. >> you can watch the full program on c-span.org/history. just search for the title of the book, a constitution for the living. ♪♪ ♪♪

♪♪ ♪♪ i pledge allegiance to the flag of the united states of america. and to the republic, for which it stands, one nation, under god, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. [applause]

to which the lives entitle them. the opinions of mankind requires they should declare [inaudible] we hold these truths to be just that all men are created equal and dealt by their creator and among thesee are life, liberty and the pursuit of happyness. ♪♪ an american and man of many degrees and awards including the famedd peabody award in addition to several tv emmys.

a dedicated student of american history and proud of the one thing he loved above all else, his country. now us meet our distinguished host the cherished american institutions i'm frank baxter but with the help of some powerful pages of history, we are going to re-examine this priceless document, this federal piece of parchment that has been handed down the list forever with so much love and care. this declaration ofla independee that is our heritage. most of us it think know a litte of what happened on the fourth of july in 1776. we know the liberty bell rang and thomas jefferson played a part in it and john adams. we know it took place in

philadelphia and independence hall with the statehouse as it was known at that time and we are all familiar with the signature of john hancock, who wrote his name so king george could read it even without his spectacles. let's take a good look at that great national treasure, our crown jewels so to speak for it a treasure of value without compare.t out of this part of our heritage has come the constitution. out of it came the bill of rights. out of it came our fundamental war and a philosophy and word that stuck is no other political ideas i've written before or since. out of our heritage has come human liberty, democracy, the birth of a great nation. this is our heritage. now we know a little of what it is. next we ask ourselves how did it

happen. why was it necessary suddenly to cut the apron strings that bound us to mother england? it a didn't happen suddenly. it was a long time before the pressure was strong enough to lower the lid. one man alone was responsible. a handsome young ill starred villain of v the story, his majesty king george 3 of england. in all 28 separate into specific charges are listed in the declaration. king was building the troops in the homes of the people. the king deprived in many cases the benefits of trial by jury. the king suspended a religious leaders and refused to listen to our side of the dispute. for the townsend destroyed the people this is the heart of the matter. these oppressive acts by

england. unjust taxes one after another taxes on personal property if you please. all of which caused patrick henry to explodede in defiance give me liberty or give me death. the act [inaudible] boycott brought repeals inf the act sudden and discarded in the tea party. 1770 their own british guard

came and fire to the misguided souls in historyry called it the boston massacre from 18701875. paul revere arrives. the british column moves on. june 17th, 1775 the militiamen

with to become known later as the battle of bunker hill. yes it was a long time coming who gathered on the statehouse in 1776. these men who before the day was over would have pledged to each other theirir lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor. their lives, their fortune and theirr sacred honor. this is where the united states of america is born. right here in this sacred shrine. think of the men who met here

probably as great a collection of vision, education, genius, courage, experience brought together in the history of mankind. tit was if you believe in thems i believe in this one, a miracle. i have no doubt of it. excitement crackled among the colonies on that fourth of july. they were here to make a decision should they vote to sever allor ties or should they and storm off to try to give king george just one more chance specifically delegate to the congress that presented abouty three weeks earlierir the senior delegate fm the colony of virginia.

for the allegiance of the british crown and connections they ought to be totally dissolved think for a moment of the consequences of this action if they voted for independence, there would be a war. and if they lost would it mean confiscation of the property and if anything could be the news for the lot of them. congress made another decision on june and i think the most

fortunate decision they appointed the committee for an actual declaration of independence inn. case the resolution was passed later on. representatives they were chosen to be on the drafting committee. there was robert livingston of new york only 30-years-old at the time. livingston gave the oath of office to george washington at his first inauguration. and there was roger sherman of connecticut. 55-years-old. a veryy successful merchant, longtime public official. both feet firmly on the ground. benjamin franklin was on that committee. from pennsylvania a legend in his own kind he invented the statesmen, publishers,

philosophers, scientists, educators, philanthropists, you name it. franklin was it. from massachusetts it was john adams the light of history the chairman of the committee picked almost by chance he was from virginia and 33 years of age. sandy hair, outstanding in politics, economics, agriculture, architecture and science. his name was attached for all timeme wherever freedom and liberty and the committee met and as was the way with

committees three of them had other things to do. so the work fell to adams and jefferson. adams much i more experienced, e senior of the two said you should draft this document. jefferso' declined modestly. i will give you the reasons. you are a virginian that ought to appear at the head of this business. reason second, i am controversial land on the popular. you were very much otherwise. reason thoroughly, you could write ten times better than i can. that settled it. thomas jefferson was elected shortly as settled to the task. we could imagine this sensitive

young man angry and resentful wise enough to hold himself in check. he h writes and talks with franklin and talks with adams and writes some more and slowly word by word evolves the noble majestic union of independence when in the course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to decide the political bands which have connected them with another into and a gathers momentumlike an eo the vastness of the sky. then this tremendous statement we hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal. that they are endowed by their ucreator with certain unalienae rights and that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of

happyness. july 1st the congress reached its debate on the revolution of independence. john dickinson of pennsylvania protested. what he said made good sense. the colonists were unprepared to battle the power of britain. they could never hold the when. the logic would cast a damper and johnn adams wrote never easy with words or once his lips were touchedd with fire he had about one thing. the necessity for liberty and this idealism to debate once more. adams speech was punctuated by passing reform with batches of thunder and by the second of

july congress agreed there was no other course into sever the ties. now the great document was introduced into the delegates changed the line and on july 4th, 1776 they unanimously accepted them final form. the declaration was dispensed. july 5th it was read aloud that the people of philadelphia and the famous proclaimed.

another famous symbol of liberty in washingtons and what it stans for is part of the legacy bequeathed us by jefferson, adams, franklin and hancock and that courageous band on the fourth of july and 76. the symbol strong and powerful toward those that seek its children a government for the declaration of independence. yes this is our heritage.

far above, the dome of the celebrated rotunda which is the heart of the nation's capital and illustrates soso dramaticaly the glorious history surrender of the general going to saratoga. this signaled the first major defeat of the british and the returning point of the revolution. one of the series by the famous. great milestone in our history the surrender of cornwallis and yorktown in 1781 marked the end of the british cause in america. our first president, george washington, farmers, soldiers,

statesmen and his love of liberty and the very strength of the informed nation from both painting of the weary commander resigning as the commissioner leading the troops to victory and soon after the grateful bestowed uponwashington the decf independence presenting the document to the president of the congress of the nation's capital

city is rich and miserable and the dividends from the precious heritage. i wonder what those delegates to the continental congress would have to say about this great capital city of ours.

to say we are gathering at independence hall i've never had a feeling politically it didn't spring from the sentiments of the declaration of independence. it gave promise that in due time they would be lifted in the shoulders of all men. in the distance the white house where abraham lincoln lived and worked 1600 pennsylvania avenue a famous address.

♪♪ we are prepared to these principles which the nation was founded. it's been costly or so costly

when it's not been challenged and threatened the war of 1812 with the first time the united states became reunited and francis scott wrote the star-spangledd banner 1846 texas joins the union and our southern boundaries firmly established.

♪♪

[inaudible] it was the lifeblood of our youth this requiem of silence with the declaration of independence based so eloquently on thomas jefferson i have sworn that eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man.

life goes on for the republic and new generation follows old generation as spring fellows with it. that tiny seed of freedom planted by the forefathers has grown into a nation among nations which champions the dignity of land throughout the world. these trees were a gift to us from the people of japan more than 50 years ago. thousands flock to washington just to admire their beauty. weon could stand here and wonder if one of the most thrilling sites we have ever had the privilege to behold and over there across the reflecting waters is the jefferson

memorial. but by the argument to maintain with matters of religion. god who gave us life gave us liberty. i am not an advocate for frequent changes in laws and constitutions but laws and

institutions must go hand-in-hand with the progress. thomas jefferson the genius who gave us our heritage, the declaration of independence. jefferson died on the fourth of july, 1826. fifty years toto the date, almot to the hour. thomas jefferson lives forever in the hearts. ♪♪ ♪♪

the birthplace memorial association into the museum in dallas talked about how the presidential libraries and the american public process the death of the former presidents. here is some of what they had to say. >> this is one of the best unexpected moments of the funeral as many of you will remember president bush and bob dole were political rivals and had a very nasty 1988 republican primary contest. he is in a wheelchair now.

when i had an opportunity to ask him why he did this, why he insisted on standing. this is one of the big pictures of the funeral that went viral in the midst of time before the pandemic we have to begin the shows by reciting together the national constitution center's inspiring congressional mission. so here we go. i know that some of you remember it by heart. the national constitution center is the only institution in america chartered by congress to increase awareness and understanding of the constitution and among the american people on a nonpartisan basis. beautiful. there we go.