On July 4, 1776, 250 years ago this week, the Continental Congress in America officially adopted the Declaration of Independence, which severed the 13 American colonies from Great Britain, and established the United States of America as an independent sovereign nation.

To mark the 250th anniversary, guest host Nick Feik is joined by Don Watson, author of American Journeys and The Shortest History of the United States of America, to talk about the contradictions and dynamics that created the nation we know today – and where it is headed under Trump.

“You can’t deny that the real miracle is that out of these 13 fractious colonies they created a republic and it survived for 250 years. These men, for all their hypocrisy, were bloody geniuses – and how they did it really puts to shame a hell of a lot of democratic efforts since.”

“Don’t underestimate the thrilling nature of Trump to his constituency; to hear him tearing into all those things which had long been the glue of America excited people in a classically – shall we say – fascist way.”

Photo credit: Russell Harrison Photography via flickr.