Did The American Revolution Ever Really End?

When was the last time you revisited the Declaration of Independence or the U.S. Constitution—not as symbols, but as living documents? With Independence Day approaching and America preparing to mark its 250th anniversary, it’s worth asking how much we really know about the country’s founding beyond what we learned in high school. Have we inherited history or mythology? In this episode, I sit down with Philadelphia historian, educator and author Thomas Richards Jr. to unpack those questions. His new book, The Unfinished Business of 1776: Why the American Revolution Never Ended—now adapted into a high school performance—challenges long-held assumptions about the nation’s founding and explores why the debates that shaped America nearly 250 years ago are still playing out today. We discuss what inspired him to write the book, how he teaches history in an era of deep political polarization, and why he believes understanding our past is essential to strengthening our democracy. Who supported abolitionism, women’s rights and more? We also discuss the modern day issues like abortion, gun rights, ICE and mass surveillance. How would the Founding Fathers react to these issues, and would they support a consolidation of power in the Executive branch? Most importantly, Thomas shares what still gives him hope that America can live up to its founding ideals. If you’ve ever wondered whether we know the real story of America’s founding—or why it still matters—this conversation is for you. FOLLOW NATALIE substack: https://substack.com/@factsoverfearna... instagram:   / @nataliebencivenga   tiktok:   / nataliebencivenga   threads: https://www.threads.com/@nataliebenci... podcast via spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/47JYsn9... podcast via apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... FACTS OVER FEAR Let's dismantle the fear that is used to divide us surrounding the issues impacting the people and talk facts. ABOUT NATALIE Natalie Bencivenga is a socially-conscious journalist working towards building equity in our communities through storytelling. Her goal is to inspire, educate and activate people to become catalysts for positive change. Join her for transformative conversations that uplift and challenge the ways in which we perceive the world. Let's turn this moment into a movement – together.