Thats a look at some of the programs booktv will be covering this week. Many of these events are open to the public. Look for them to air in the near future on booktv on cspan2. By 1776, america was fighting britain in a war for independence but without the navy, artillery or even gunpowder. Only france and spain who was a historical enemies of britain had both a motive and the naval and military strength to defeat the british. We needed their alliance. But they would only do so if america was seen not as fighting the civil war but rather as fighting a war as an independent nation. As john adams pointed out, foreign powers could not be expected to acknowledge us until we had acknowledged ourselves and is independent nation. And Thomas Jefferson said the declaration of independence alone would allow european powers to treat with us. So the declaration of independence was, in fact, an engraved invitation asking france and spain to fight alongside us. Thats why i say it was not just the declaration of independence. It was also the declaration that we depend on france and spain, too. Now, americans knew that france and spain wanted a rematch with great britain. They had come out very badly in the seven years war which it ended in 1763 with britain ascendant and france losing canada, and spain losing florida. France and spain were already posted online by both family and military ties. It was called the bourbon family compact or bourbon family alliance. And both nations wanted revenge against britain. But they had different goals. France wanted to regain its position at the center of the balance of power in europe. Spain wanted to regain gibraltar and drive the british from the gulf of mexico. And both nations had predicted that the American Revolution would happen long before the americans themselves knew that it would. In 1767, the French Foreign minister said only the future American Revolution will consign england to a state of weakness. And so they knew that this revolt of the american colonies that was certain to happen in the future would weaken britain. And so they would send spies and observers like the baron dekalb to see when that would happen. But it wouldnt take place for another eight years. You can watch this and other programs online at booktv. Org. Okay. Welcome everybody. My name is doug bradburn, and delighted to welcome you all again for a wonderful evening of conversation