Federalist Radio Hour

Episode: ‘The Making Of The American Mind’: A Deep Dive Into The Declaration Of Independence
Host: Matt Kittle (Senior Elections Correspondent, The Federalist)
Guest: Dr. Matthew Spalding (Vice President, Washington Operations & Dean, Van Andel Graduate School of Government at Hillsdale College; Author, “The Making of the American Mind”)
Date: January 6, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode features a rich and thought-provoking discussion between host Matt Kittle and Dr. Matthew Spalding on the enduring philosophy, historical context, and contemporary relevance of the Declaration of Independence. With insights from Dr. Spalding’s new book, “The Making of the American Mind,” the conversation explores how the Declaration reflects the sacrifices, philosophical influences, and shared convictions of the Founders, the ongoing impact of its principles on American society, and what returning to those first principles means for America’s future.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Founders’ Mindset and Sacrifice

[01:50–07:01]

• A Book About Sacrifice and Unity: Kittle frames Spaulding’s book as being about the devotion and sacrifices of the Founding generation.

• The “American Mind”: Spaulding explains the title draws from Jefferson’s 1825 letter, emphasizing the Declaration as an expression of a collective American mindset rather than Jefferson’s invention.

• Collaborative Process: The Declaration was shaped by committee edits and debates, capturing more than one individual’s views.

• Sacrifice Personified: The signers risked everything—lives, fortunes, and honor—highlighted in Hancock’s bold signature and Franklin’s famous quip:

  “We must all hang together or we most assuredly will all hang separately.” — (Franklin, quoted by Kittle, [06:00])

• Personal Costs: Many signers suffered wartime losses, imprisonment, property destruction, and family tragedies as consequences of their commitment.

Foundations of the Declaration: Philosophy and Religion

[07:05–19:11]

• Not Merely Enlightenment Thinkers: While influenced by Enlightenment rationalism, the Founders drew equally from Greek, Roman, and Christian traditions.

• God in the Declaration: Spaulding emphasizes that “God” is referenced four times, juxtaposed with King George as the opposing “characters” of the text ([09:00–11:30]).

• Christian and Classical Morality: The document reflects a fusion of reason (natural law) and revelation (divine law), grounding rights beyond the authority of monarchs.

• Enduring Principles:

  “We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal...” — (Jefferson, quoted by Kittle, [11:29])

• Meaning of Equality and Rights: Spaulding notes the affirmation of universal equality (before God and in humanity) set a marker for abolitionism and defined natural rights as “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”—the latter being a call to human flourishing, not mere pleasure ([16:05–19:11]).

The Declaration’s Influence Over Time

[20:59–24:39]

• Foundational to the Republic: The Declaration, Spaulding explains, is not just a historical statement but an “organic legal document” (per U.S. Code).
• Constitution as Framework; Declaration as Heart:

  “The Constitution is a frame of silver intended to frame the apple of gold, which is the Declaration.” — (Spaulding paraphrasing Lincoln, [21:57])

• Touchstone for Movements & Leaders: The Declaration has influenced abolitionists (Douglass), presidents (Lincoln to FDR to Reagan and Obama), and continues to serve as the “heartbeat” of American ideals.

The Crisis of Meaning and Division in Modern America

[24:39–29:15]

• Why the Division? Kittle asks why Americans today seem more divided and why hostility toward the country has grown.

• Progressivism and Relativism: Spaulding argues this stems from the progressive movement’s challenge to absolute truths and the spread of moral relativism in education and public life:

  “The effect of that is to encourage some to throw [the Founders’ ideas] out completely … it’s starting to rub off on some others as well, who see America as maybe [never] that great in the first place.” — (Spalding, [26:30])

• Recapturing First Principles: The antidote, he maintains, is to return to the self-evident truths of the Declaration as the source of unity and aspiration.

Is the Declaration a “Living Document”?

[29:15–33:06]

• Constitution vs. Declaration: The Left’s view of a “living” Constitution is contrasted with the unchanging moral truths claimed by the Declaration.

  “Either all men are created equal … or they are not. That’s not a living, evolving concept. It’s either right or wrong.” — (Spalding, [30:30])

• Necessity of Shared Ground: Without agreement on immutable foundational principles, civil society and constitutional government become impossible.

Self-Destruction and the Risk to Liberty

[33:06–36:36]

• Danger From Within: Kittle references a quote (often misattributed to Lincoln): If America loses its freedoms, it will be because it destroyed itself.
• Republican Self-Government: Spaulding agrees, emphasizing that a republic fails if its citizens forget their responsibilities, including upholding both rule of law and the deeper premises of equality and liberty found in the Declaration.

What Would the Founders Think of Today’s America?

[36:36–40:07]

• Mixed Reactions: Spaulding speculates the Founders would be both “flabbergasted” at America’s rise and “deeply concerned” about its civic health and political divisions.

  “You can't recover greatness unless you have a grounding for that greatness.” — (Spalding, [38:06])

• Warning Against Politics of Power: Reminds that true American greatness lies in maintaining republican government, not just in power or national success.

The Enduring Relevance of the Declaration

[40:07–44:49]

• Jefferson and Adams: Kittle and Spaulding reflect on the friendship—and later reconciliation—between Jefferson and Adams, suggesting their ability to unite over shared principles is an enduring lesson.

• Call to Education and Rediscovery: Spaulding urges Americans to revisit and teach the fundamentals of the Declaration, as an antidote to cynicism and division.

  “We need to understand what it means to be a citizen, relearn the fundamentals ... [and see] a great and noble story about great and good ends that really directs us towards things that transcend our immediate times.” — (Spalding, [44:20])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Significance of the Declaration:

  “At the riskiest moment ... they are also signing it on behalf of one of the greatest statements of liberty in Western civilization. That still speaks to us today.”
  — Matthew Spalding [11:24]

• On Equality and Rights:

  “They put down a philosophical mooring ... from which they're going to operate. ... These same laws are the laws of nature's God ... Reason and revelation working together.”
  — Matthew Spalding [13:46]

• On the Roots of Division:

  “There's kind of a postmodernism on the right as well that wants us to get past America and move on. And, you know, that all worries me quite a bit.”
  — Matthew Spalding [27:15]

• On the Path Forward:

  “Augustine said, you can't love something if you don't know it. So we need to know these things. That really is, I think, actually the solution to our current political dilemmas in 2026.”
  — Matthew Spalding [28:08]

• On Rediscovering American Fundamentals:

  “Every time there are deep fundamental disagreements ... What have we done in the past, and what do we need to do now? We go back to fundamentals, the first principles of our politics ... and that needs to be clarified.”
  — Matthew Spalding [41:45]

Important Timestamps

• [01:50] — Introductions; overview of Spaulding’s book and focus on “the American mind”
• [06:00] — Franklin’s “hang together” quote and the theme of sacrifice
• [09:00–11:30] — God versus King George; theological and philosophical influences
• [13:01–16:04] — Discussion on equality, inalienable rights, and deeper meaning of happiness
• [20:59–24:39] — Declaration vs. Constitution; enduring inspirational role
• [25:18–29:15] — Modern division, relativism, and the loss of shared truth
• [29:43–33:06] — “Living document” debate and necessity of permanent truths
• [36:36–40:07] — Founders' hypothetical reaction to today’s America
• [41:29–44:49] — Reconciliations among founders, need for returning to first principles

Episode Takeaways

• The Declaration of Independence encapsulates the philosophical, religious, and practical foundations of the American republic, articulating self-evident truths about equality and rights deriving from God—not government.
• The sacrifices of the Founders were real, immense, and should inspire reverence for what was risked and achieved in 1776.
• The meaning and memory of the Declaration have consistently provided inspiration and direction for reform and unity in crises, from abolition to civil rights, and are vital today amid division and doubt.
• Returning to first principles—studying and embracing the Declaration’s core ideas—offers a potential path for restoring American unity and civic health.