Scotland and the Declaration of Independence

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness: 250 Years of the Declaration of Independence · Aug 13, 2026 · 50m · transcript

with Andrew Sola and Prof. Francis Cogliano (U. of Edinburgh)

"At this very time, they are permitting their chief magistrate to send over not only soldiers of our common blood, but SCOTCH and foreign Mercenaries to invade and deluge us in blood." -From Jefferson's first draft of the Declaration of Independence

In this episode, we survey the history and importance of Scotland and Scottish people in Revolutionary America.

Topics include:

-anti-Scottish sentiment in the Colonies, particularly among Southern planters, like Jefferson, who were indebted to Scottish tobacco traders

-the origins of…