Houston,e by john filmed near independence hall. As film features eli wallach Benjamin Franklin and includes from thens of events, revolution to the constitutional convention. Announcer across seasons and centuries, we come near to be the burden somehow. The wind still blows. E, echo wing the past, and the bell echoes liberty. Houses,ing of haunted people with ghosts and voices of ghosts, were fathers of our country still speak. Some of the great ones wish to return from beyond the grave to see how it all turned out. There is power in a wish with 200 years behind it. Benjamin franklin, snatch lightning from the heavens and the scepter from tyrants. Did i make a wish . So i did. The state of america in a century. Wish to be immersed life of mycalled to dear country. Now, it seems, two centuries , we must begin in 1774. Excellent it is to be young again. Announcer and john adams, who was our second president , the voice of an ancient wish. I wished me my wife and friends, ancestors and posterity. Evene i can even overcome all of my objections to meeting hamilton again. Sincere thatre is nets in him. Abigail, whod wished to be with her husband when they could not leave the massachusetts harm. My dear, i dare not express to you how ardently i long for you. I am very miserly. I must protest you spending one hour here. Announcer in washington, the father of our country. If we ask him to come back, there is no doubt what his reply would be. Distress. Great my abilities may not be equal. However, i will enter again a momentous duty, but if something beg forappen, i everyone in this room to remember that ive never felt myself equal to the task. Announcer and thomas jefferson, author of the declaration of independence. Mrs. Adams . Why, it is tom paine, the spokesman of the revolution, mr. Common sense himself. What say you, tom . In the cause of america, may we disturb your piece . It is not the concern of a day, a year, or nh. Posterity will be affected, even to the end of time. I am your servant, mr. Jefferson. For all of our devotion to the public good. Our inexperience, our ignorance, our bigotry. The future, after all, the earth belongs to the living. Liberty, liberty. Are you substance or merely shadow . Liberty has wine. The revolution is over. Nothing more common than to confuse the revolution with the war of independence. Over,r of independence is but that is far from being the case with the american revolution. Nothing but the first act of the great drama has been played. Dr. , you must excuse us. We came in late by two centuries. Having just met some of your colleagues, we are eager to understand how this great drama began. Well, if you would see the beginning of this first act again, for this purpose, it must be august 29, 1774. Announcer the colonies were in turmoil. They were attending the first continental congress. They came from the north to protest the kings troops occupied boston, from the south to protest the kings government and the right to selfgovernment, and they also protested the king, but they were also thinking of something more, something they had dared not even speak about. I urge caution. Propose boldopenly measures. It would be most unwise at this time to mention the word ce. Ependent the cotton in the congress of 1774. From massachusetts. Annihilated. Announcer the delegates are looking. They protest. Toy are petitioning the king address grievances. They demand, respectfully, their rights as loyal british subjects, but they are thinking of the word they dare not whisper, and in their hearts, these of the old world have become something new. Yorkers,lvanians, new no more. I am not a virginian but an american. [singing] i received the petitions of the king, but it was thrown under the table. I dreaded them, like death. After all, they might have been accepted. Well, now it is 75. Instant of satisfaction, requiring force. I have anxiety, mr. Adams. The mad measure of mixing soldiers in the state of irritations. Some mischief or an accidental quarrel, and imprudent order or any other things. It may produce a, in which such carnage as to make a bridge that can never afterwards be healed. So be it. Announcer called the 19th of april, 1775. , theyross the 13 colonies are ready for this terrible moment. A dispatch from watertown. To all friends of american liberty, be it known that this morning before break of day, a british brigade marched and fired without provocation and killed six men and wounded four others. The war was not a revolution. It was only an effect and consequent of it. The revolution was in the minds of the people, and this happened before i drop of blood was shed at lexington. We have built it right under the kings nose. Say, it was not the words of a day a year, and now 1775 is upon us. The second cotton of congress is a war congress. G are surrounded by dangers. Determined to get our colleagues to agree on some plan. There is a division of thousands. In furnishingious a southern general. I respect mr. Hancock wishes the nomination. He has little more military experience. But will washington accept that . He does not seek the post. He seems virtuous and discrete. And kind. I dare say, he will serve. Man does nota arrive at a Civil Assembly in unless, unless he wants that job. Mr. Hancock . Gentlemen, i propose that congress adopts an army already in place at cambridge. Although this is not the proper time to nominate a general, i have no hesitation to declare that i have but one general in mind for that important command, a gentleman from virginia. A great virginiachildren from who would not wish to hear himself race but his great talent and universal character would demand the approval of all of america. And now, no friendly can be found. Announcer that was quite correct. Things had taken a turn. Now in session with no other authority than popular consent. Yet, it is supreme. Have written that all government is based on the consent of the people, but i think the experiment has never before been so directly made. We will from this create a government of law and not of men. These trying times. On, dear friends. It is already 1776. Declare our dependence and be done with it. For hesitating so long at a word . I will offer you a maxim of let a that people may king fault yet still remain a people, that if a king lets is people stripped from him, he is no longer a king. As this is our case, why not proclaim it to the world . I think you shine as a states woman. Pray, whered you get your maxims of state . From philosophy and reason, just as common sense. And, by the way, in any court of be, which i think it would necessary to make, i would desire that you remember the ladies. Remember all men would be tyrants if they could. If particular care and attention is not paid to the ladies, we are determined to foment a rebellion and will not hold ourselves bound by any laws in which we have no voice or representation. We are told our struggles have loosed the bands of government everywhere, that turbulent,ve grown but this is the first intimation that another crime more humorous and powerful than all has grown discontented. That you haveear declared an independent state. It is the seventh of june already. Will no one offer a resolution for our independency . The chair recognizes richard mr. Richard henry lee, the delicate from virginia. I move the following resolution stressing independency. Resolved that these United Colonies are and of right ought to be free and independent absolvedhat they are from all allegiance to the British Crown and that all political connections between them and the state of Great Britain is and ought to be totally dissolved. The committee of the whole has requested in order to allow the consultation that consideration of this resolution be postponed until july 1, and in the meanwhile, if the congress agree thereto, that a declaration be prepared to the effect of the resolution. Truths to beese , that all undeniable men are created equal and. Ndependent , we hold these truths to be self evident that all men are created equal and , and from that equal creation, they derive rights , amongt and undeniable which the preservation of life, liberty, and the pursuit of these,ss, and to secure governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. And for the support of this declaration, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor. A resolution respecting the independency has been favorably reported. July 1. It was agreed to without dissent to the delegates of the colonies. Now, states. Gentlemen, agreed to without dissent by the delegates of the states in Congress Assembled on july 2. Gentlemen, gentlemen, please, please. Generally, please. If we continue to have these displays of emotion, that i shall never be able to get through this. On july 1, and that on this day, july 4, the declaration has been read, debated, and amended, and on this day, july 4, unanimously approved. Thes now therefore ordered declaration be authenticated, that the Committee Appointed to prepare the declaration should correct the press, with copies committeesmblies and and councils of safety and to the officers of the continent of troops and that it be immediately thereafter proclaimed in each of the United States. Time in due time, but august, i expect, the declaration shall be encroached parchment and duly signed by the members. 1776, they signed the declaration. I remember the pensive sonnets when we were called to subscribe what was believed by many to be our own death more. Have a great advantage over you, sir, when we are all hanged. With the weight of my body, i will be dead in a few minutes. With the weight of your body, you will dance in the air for an hour or two a before you are dead. So much. The prospects we have before us, melancholy. These are the times that try mens souls. The sunshine will, in this shrink from the surface of this country. , manhose that stand now and woman death,ess war, sickness, tear and despair, and then in october of 1781, the war at last ended. And what have we won . The articles of confederation barely hold us together. We have concluded peace with the british, and already, we are at war with each other. Although it is not popular to say sore. In that case, lets hurry to another year. I just returned from france. 1787, that was the year in which the National Government based on the popular will, a constitution written. By objection. I object to mr. Randolphs plan. I say the confederation does not have the power to discuss the proposal. We would not concur to sending to produce to the convention if they would suppose they would talk about a national convention. The small states say and liberties will be endangered. The large states say their money will be in danger. Laid,hen a broad table be and the edges do not fit, artist takes a little from both and makes a good joint. All sides must pass with some of their demands in order that they be joined. We, the people of the United States, in order to form a more domesticnion to ensure tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity do ordain and establish this constitution for the United States of america. More importance than the right of impeachment should be continued. Is any man above justice . It who cane be above commit the most excessive injustices . I have often in the course of looked at the sun carved on the president s chair without being able to tell whether it was or second, but now, i happen to know it is a rising and not a setting sun. Our new constitution is now and has an appearance that promises permanency, but in this world, nothing can be said to be certain except death and taxes. The constitution of policy is permanency is now in the hand of posterity. That would be you at this point. You can have a republic if you can keep it. It became a certainty for me in 1790. It was a good century. The first five years and the last 10. Years, that was a time of first things i wish i could have seen. Times, power was handed from one head of state to another only by heredity or by the sword. Treachery, imprisonment, hired assassins, but peaceably and by popular election . I think there is no precedent for that. If that should happen, as it 1797, that would be most remarkable. By then, iite dead was obliged to watch the ceremonies from above the door in a toga. Have a seat somewhere. Good afternoon. I would like to welcome you all in congress all. You are now seated in the billing that was used between 1790 and 1800, and those 10 years, philadelphia was the capital of our country, and congress had to have a building to use. Now, keep in mind, the constitution, ratified, though congress moved in less than a year after that happened, and they were busy organizing our country using their brandnew government, they added three new states to the government, vermont, kentucky, and they also had their problems. For example, one afternoon, a representative seated here in this room accused another representative of being a coward, and of course, he took great offense, and he took a poker from the fireplace, and w of themld, the two battled it out on the floor of the house of representatives. Of all of the events that took place, probably the most important was the inauguration of john adams as our president. Must elect as, we man, but this is really the first time you try to pass power from the hands of one man into those of another. There were some people who felt that john George Washington would not willingly give up his power, but the inauguration took place without any difficulty whatsoever. That peaceful transfer of power. About to realize his dream and hours. Let the ceremonies begin. What other form of government can so well deserve this . This authority is exercised by citizens, selected at a regular period by their neighbors to make laws for the general good. , cananything be added authority be more respectable when it defense from accidents or remote antiquity than when it springs fresh from the hearts of enlightened people . Providence, continue his blessing over this nation and government and give it all possible success consistent with the end. Mr. Jefferson, go on. I am a private citizen once again. A gathering with a declaration and constitution always being written. And forces ofosts ghosts, and the old crack bell is liberty. Tom paine said we have the power to begin the world a new. You have a republic if you can keep it. [captions Copyright National cable satellite corp. 2016] [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. Visit ncicap. Org] announcer next on american fergusy tv, author about how alks group of extraordinary men forget of the government. He creates passages from the leading looked at the men who developed the