Where the Declaration Came From and What It Means
Each session introduces viewers to the key ideas and the basic history that animate
the fundamental document of American independence.
View the playlist (trailer and videos) for the series.
Episodes
- An Expression of the American Mind—with Dr. Nicholas Cole of Pembroke College, University of Oxford—considers the political theory of the Founding
and what was at stake with the Declaration of Independence. View transcript.
- Natural Law and Natural Rights—with Dr. Bradley Rebeiro of Brigham Young University Law School—covers the fundamental idea underlining the
Declaration, that there is a standard for justice in nature. View transcript.
- Equality and Consent—with Dr. Savannah Eccles Johnston of Utah Valley University’s CCS—explores the centrality of the equality principle
articulated in the Declaration, and how the consent principle follows. View transcript.
- Civic Virtue and the Declaration—with Dr. Robert Burton of Utah Valley University’s CCS—discusses civic virtue, a trait central to the American
Founding, including the exercise of the right to revolution. View transcript.
- The Pursuit of Happiness—with Dr. Matthew Brogdon of Utah Valley University’s CCS—unpacks the American vision for government that enables
people to pursue happiness and the difference between theory and practice in American
history. View transcript.
Background on the Series
Videos are ideas-focused, with each session seeking to highlight the timeless importance
and contemporary relevancy of these ideas while avoiding partisanship and divisive
political debates.
Each episode lasts approximately 15 minutes and is accompanied by supplemental primary-source
readings.
Featured scholars, each affiliated with the Center for Constitutional Studies, explain terms, identify key principles, and share stories.
