In this episode, John covers the period from the Declaration of Independence to the completion of the Treaty of Alliance with France. John explains the many challenges that the United States had to face as it fought for its independence against Great Britain and how it was that the new nation was able to overcome these challenges. John also discusses some of the most important military engagements that occurred in 1776 and 1777.

In this episode, John explains what led to the Declaration of Independence in July of 1776. John starts by going through the colonial reaction to the Intolerable/Coercive Acts, including the Suffolk Resolves and the meeting of the First Continental Congress. He then details the actions taken by the Continental Congress as it attempted to bring the colonies together for collective action and tried to, at first, reconcile with the British Government.

Finally, John explains how the violence began at Lexington and Concord, what the colonists did in response to it, and how everything that happened between that first battle and the summer of 1776 ultimately led to the birth of the United States of America.

In this episode, John discusses the events that led to the Tea Act and how the colonists reacted to this new British policy. John explains the connection between the Tea Act and the Boston Tea Party and how the British government freaked out at the colonists' protest.

Most importantly, John breaks down the British reaction to the Boston Tea Party, the Intolerable Acts, and explains how these measures led to a "point of no return" in the American Revolution that would soon result in the outbreak of war between Britain and the colonies.