As we approach our nation’s 250th anniversary (our Semiquincentennial), I’m speaking with some of the country’s most prominent historians, all published by W. W. Norton, to ask them five questions about the founding and the sweep of American history since.
Norton will publish video clips from the interviews, but with their blessing, I’m also posting the first full conversation here. Because, y’all, how could I not share a conversation with Jill Lepore, one of the sharpest historical thinkers working today?
In our conversation, Professor Lepore reflects on what the founders thought they were doing in 1776 (spoiler: they weren’t planning a national holiday), why Benjamin Franklin’s sister deserves a place in the canon, and how arguing about dishes is, in fact, a form of historical thinking. She also gets into how historical thinking can help you find your bearings, even if you’re not pursuing a PhD or planning to start a republic.
Jill Lepore is the David Woods Kemper ’41 Professor of American History at Harvard University and professor of law at Harvard Law School. She is also a staff writer at The New Yorker. Her many books include the international bestseller These Truths: A History of the United States.
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