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When asked about the Declaration of Independence, most Americans quote memorable phrases from the 

. “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”

But historian Robert Parkinson says even Thomas Jefferson, who penned those words, would be puzzled by our preoccupation with the introduction when the grievances that make up the body of the Declaration were the meat of the document. 

,” is a deep dive into those grievances — and the villains of the Revolutionary period who spurred them. 

“Americans are throwing a temper tantrum here, because they feel like their father has betrayed them,” he tells Kerri Miller on this week’s Big Books and Bold Ideas. It’s a conversation set in 1776 with implications for 2026 — a launch into a month of books that commemorates America’s 250th anniversary.

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If you think we’re living in the age of grievance politics, have you seen the Declaration of Independence? Historian and professor Robert Parkinson takes a deep dive into the grievances of America’s forefathers, which he says gives us unique insight into who we were — and who we are today. 

Aired grievances: Robert Parkinson on forefathers' frustrations in 'Tyrants and Rogues'

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