David Armitage on the Declaration’s Influence Around the World

We the People

National Constitution Center

News, News Commentary, History

4.6 • 1.1K Ratings

🗓️ 28 May 2026

⏱️ 45 minutes

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Summary

The National Constitution Center recently published The Promise of America: Reflections on Our Enduring Ideals (Simon & Schuster), a keepsake collection of essays bringing together leading thinkers from across perspectives to reflect on the ideals at the heart of the American experiment and what those principles have meant across generations of American life. In this episode, Professor David Armitage discusses his essay, “The Declaration’s Influence Around the World,” which explores the document’s international legacy as a powerful blueprint for collective rights and national self-determination, and its ever-evolving domestic legacy as a touchstone for individual rights and human equality. Julie Silverbrook, chief content and learning officer at the National Constitution Center, moderates. Resources David Armitage, “The Declaration’s Influence Around the World” National Constitution Center, The Declaration of Independence Lemuel Haynes, “Liberty Further Extended” (1776) Vermont Declaration of Independence (1777) French Declaration of the Rights of Man (1789) Haitian Declaration of Independence (1804) Venezuelan Declaration of Independence (1811) Greek Declaration of Independence (1822) Belgian Declaration of Independence (1830) New Zealand Declaration of Independence (1835) Texas Declaration of Independence (1836) Liberia Declaration of Independence (1847) Declaration of Sentiments (1848) Hungary Declaration of Independence (1849) Proclamation of Independence of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (1945) Israel Declaration of Independence (1948) Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) Unilateral Declaration of Independence of Southern Rhodesia (1965) The Black Declaration of Independence (1970) Kosovo Declaration of Independence (2008) Stay Connected and Learn More Questions or comments about the show? Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠podcast@constitutioncenter.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Continue the conversation by following us on social media @ConstitutionCtr Explore the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠America at 250 Civic Toolkit⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to receive Constitution Weekly, our email roundup of constitutional news and debate Subscribe, rate, and review wherever you listen Join us for an upcoming ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠live program⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or watch recordings on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Support our important work ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Donate

Transcript

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0:00.0	From the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, this is We the People.
0:07.3	I'm Julie Silverbrook, Chief Content and Learning Officer. The National Constitution Center is a
0:12.7	nonpartisan nonprofit chartered by Congress to increase awareness and understanding of the
0:17.3	Constitution among the American people. This month, the National Constitution Center published in partnership with Simon and Schuster,
0:24.6	The Promise of America, Reflections on Our Enduring Ideals, a keepsake collection of essays bringing
0:29.7	together leading thinkers from across perspectives to reflect on the ideals at the heart
0:34.3	of the American experiment and what those principles have meant
0:37.5	across generations of American life. Contributors include NCC Honorary Co-Chair's U.S. Supreme
0:43.3	Court justices Stephen Breyer and Neil Gorsuch, along with scholars and writers including Walter
0:48.9	Isaacson, Akeel Rita Marr, Gordon Wood, Danielle Allen, and many more. Over the next few weeks, we'll be joined by
0:56.0	contributors to the volume for conversations exploring America's enduring ideals and how they
1:00.8	continue to shape and inspire the ongoing American experiment. In this episode, Professor David
1:06.4	Armitage discusses his essay, The Declaration's Influence Around the Globe.
1:14.0	David is the Lloyd C. Blankfein Professor of History,
1:16.7	chair of the Committee on Degrees in Social Studies,
1:19.8	and former chair of the Department of History at Harvard University.
1:23.7	He has edited and authored numerous works, including Civil Wars,
1:29.0	A History and Ideas, and the Declaration of Independence, a global history. David, it is wonderful to welcome you back to We the People. Such a pleasure to be here, Julie. In your essay, you remind us that
1:35.8	the Declaration of Independence was never just an American document. Almost immediately, it began
1:41.5	circulating around the world and inspiring movements far beyond the United States.
1:45.9	What was it about the Declaration's language and ideas that made it so globally influential?
1:52.1	That's a wonderful question, Julie.
	...

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