German Immigrants and the Declaration of Independence

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness: 250 Years of the Declaration of Independence · Sep 10, 2026 · 52m · transcript

with Andrew Sola and Prof. Aaron Fogleman (Northern Illinois University)

"Wir halten diese Wahrheiten für ausgemacht, daß alle Menschen gleich erschaffen worden, daß sie von ihrem Schöpfer mit gewissen unveräusserlichen Rechten begabt worden, worunter sind Leben, Freiheit und das Streben nach Glückseligkeit."

-from one of the first German translations of the Declaration of Independence, Philadelphia, July 1776

In this episode, we explore the role of Germanic immigrants in the American Revolution. Topics include:

-the first reports and publications of the Declaration in German by Philadelphia…