The Founding Fathers of the US (Re-run)
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Who were the key figures involved in the founding of the United States?
It's the early hours of Christmas morning, 1776. On the frozen banks of the Delaware River in Pennsylvania, 21-year-old Captain Alexander Hamilton wonders if it's possible to be any colder than he is right now and survive. The river below is an obstacle course of ice and slush. It's enough to kill a man within seconds of falling in. Yet the water is exactly where Hamilton is headed. The next stage in the fight for George Washington's Continental Army against the British. He leads his men down to where a flotilla of small boats is waiting to take them across the river. Trying to control his hacking cough, he helps to load cannons into a 60-foot ferry alongside 40 of his men But as they work, snow starts to fall.
Could things get any worse? Less than six months ago, the mood was buoyant after the signing of the Declaration of Independence. But now the king's forces have taken New York City, and the dreams of a new nation have been crushed. Hamilton's own company has already lost half its men. But tonight's attack, they hope, might turn the tide. The soldiers settle, and the ferryman orders silence as he unties the flat-bottomed cargo boat sitting low in the freezing water. The crossing is only 300 yards, but the river is crammed with other boats carrying soldiers, horses, and cannons. The crew of six jam steel-tipped oars into the riverbed as the northeast wind propels hail into their eyes. A little up river, there is the splash of a man falling overboard, and panicked, hushed voices as his comrades struggle to haul him back to safety.
Eventually, Hamilton's boat reaches the New Jersey side, and he clambers up the bank to join those already assembling. There are fewer than he expected, perhaps only 2,000, but then he catches a glimpse of General Washington. The leader welcomes his men as they come ashore, his cloak wrapped around him, powdered hair escaping from under his black tricorn hat. Washington is twice Hamilton's age, but his power is undiminished, respected by his men who know he'll never ask any sacrifice of them that he would not gladly make himself. As the last artillerymen assemble, it's already hours later than planned. Daylight will make a surprise attack so much harder. But there's no going back. Washington divides his army into two columns to march to Trenton, nine miles away.
They take the pitted river road through dense woodland Hamilton is grateful for his footwear. Many of the men are shoeless, their injured feet leaving a trail of bright red blood on the snowy ground. At least their feet are numbed by the cold. After four long hours, the forest thins out. There is the smell of wood smoke from houses as they enter the outskirts of the pretty town of Trenton. But there's no other sign of life as the Patriots circle the settlement. Hamilton and his men are just wheeling their two six-pound field cannons into place when the first mustachioed Hessians emerge from their barracks. Shocked by what they discover, these German troops, here to fight for the British, are perhaps bleary-eyed too, from a few festive beers the night before.
The Hessians try to fight back. They are tough professionals after all, but they are outgunned. As Hamilton and his men fire cannonballs along the town's cobbled streets, the enemy runs for cover.
The battle at Trenton is over within minutes. Only two Americans and 22 Hessians are killed. 1,000 prisoners are seized, along with ammunition, muskets, and barrels of rum. More importantly, Washington's audacious mission raises morale and patriots flock to fight for the cause. The founding of the United States will change the world, inspiring other colonies to control their own destinies. And the decision-makers – Washington, Hamilton, but also Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and more – will become legendary. The phrase founding fathers will celebrate their almost godlike status. But nearly 250 years after the Declaration of Independence, their legacy is still challenged and debated. So who were the founding fathers?
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
Who were the key figures involved in the founding of the United States?
0:03–6:40
2
What events led to the signing of the Declaration of Independence?
6:40–13:53
3
How did the Revolutionary War impact the formation of the new nation?
13:53–20:06
4
What role did George Washington play in the early years of the United States?
20:06–26:58
5
How did the Articles of Confederation fail to unify the states?
26:58–34:16
6
What were the key debates surrounding the US Constitution?
34:16–41:06
7
How did the founding fathers' legacies evolve over time?
41:06–47:38
8
What lessons can we learn from the flaws of the founding fathers?
47:38–53:58