A look at America's founding from the room where independence was declared

By — Judy Woodruff Judy Woodruff By — Lorna Baldwin Lorna Baldwin Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/a-look-at-americas-founding-from-the-room-where-independence-was-declared Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Audio In July of 1776, the Second Continental Congress officially voted to sever political ties with Great Britain and declare independence. In this week celebrating 250 years since the founding of the nation, and just ahead of Independence Day, Judy Woodruff brings us a conversation from a site synonymous with the Founding Fathers. It’s part of her series, Crossroads: America at 250. Listen to this Segment More stories from this series Walter Isaacson on what he calls 'The Greatest Sentence Ever Written' 7 min America's 250th anniversary revives questions about religion and the founders 10 min Ohio volunteers locate and honor graves of Revolutionary War veterans 9 min The overlooked history of Asian Americans and the struggle for belonging 9 min The local communities hoping America's 250th birthday will help bridge divides 9 min Why the spirit of volunteering is a defining part of America's identity 9 min How 'No Kings' rallies fit into America's history of protest 9 min Americans divided on nation's history as 250th anniversary nears 8 min Watch Watch the Full Episode PBS NewsHour from Jul 02, 2026