This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed human. No one knows what the future holds, but you deserve a weather app that can help. Weatherbug is easy to use and provides forecasts for your every need, from storm warnings to pollen levels, right at your fingertips. Get the fastest local alerts and comprehensive 10-day forecasts wherever you are.
It's hyper-local, real-time, customizable alerts. Make sure the weather never takes you by surprise so you can plan every day with confidence. Download the free weather bug app from the App Store today and start getting accurate weather forecasts 24-7. During Lowe's Pro Savings Days, the job works in your favor. My Lowe's Pro Rewards members buy more and save more on the materials they rely on every day.
Get up to 25% off select molding when you spend $1,000 or more, and up to 25% off Pergo Evercraft Laminate Flooring. Put Pro Savings Days to work for you. Members get more at Lowe's. Valent through 327, selection varies by location. While supplies last.
Royalty Program subject to terms and conditions. Visit the ProDesk or Lowe's.com/slash terms for more details. Subject to change. I tell myself, it's not about comparing. But then I start wondering, what can they lift?
Are they adding more weight to their barbell than I am? And suddenly, I'm not training. Then I realize my journey is not theirs. I've earned every step.
So I smile. My smile is the shape resilience takes to keep me moving. To put more smiles out into the world, Colgate has supported female athletes for over 50 years with the Colgate Women's Games, the nation's longest-running indoor track and field series for girls and women. Colgate, your smile is your strength. Spring is starting at the Home Depot and bringing you everyday low prices so you can wake up your yard this season.
Shape up your lawn with top-brand outdoor power tools like Ryobi 40-volt mowers that have up to 50 minutes of runtime. Bring in a splash of color with spring blooms and fresh plants from the Home Depot Garden Center. Then refresh your garden beds and keep them clear of weeds with Earth Grow mulch. Five bags for $10 to make your yard feel like new. Start your spring with low prices now through April 2nd, only at the Home Depot.
Exclusions apply. See home depot.com slash pricematch for details. Shop now. Big adventures, family chaos, untethered exploration. The Nissan Pathfinder is built for it.
Powered by a lauded V6 engine and smooth nine-speed automatic transmission, the new Nissan Pathfinder is Adventure on Wheels. With seating for up to eight, a premium interior, and available second-row captain's chairs, it's adventure in comfort. And with 284 horsepower and 6,000 pounds of towing capacity, Pathfinder is Adventure Unlimited. The new Nissan Pathfinder, power your adventure. Towing capacity varies by configuration.
See Nissan Towing Guide and Owner's Manual for additional information. Always secure cargo. Uh And we continue with our American stories. Best-selling historian and two-time Pulitzer Prize winner David McCullough is the author of 1776. In this masterful work, he He tells the intensely human story of those who marched with George Washington in the year of the Declaration of Independence, beginning in 1775.
Here he is telling a little-known story about both the British perspective. and their colonies in America. Let's take a listen. I wanted to begin in London. I wanted to begin in late October in London because it's the day that.
The king went before Parliament to give one of the most important speeches ever any king or anyone ever gave before Parliament. Uh When we fought at Lexington and Concord and at Bunker Hill, we were not fighting for independence. We are fighting for our rights as freeborn Englishmen. In 1775, 1776, except for those 500,000 American men, women, and children. who were held in slavery, We had the highest standard of living of any people in the world.
which is something most people don't understand.
So we weren't fighting for independence and we were very well off. in world terms. And we had more freedom again, except for those 500,000. Black men, women, and children into slavery. We had more freedom than any other people in the world because people living under the British system had the most freedom of anyone.
But on the On the day when the King addressed Parliament, which is Very much like our. Um moment, you have the king coming before a joint session of commons. and the House of Lords. and he addresses them with his policy. And his policy was, in essence, the following.
The American colonies are in rebellion. their leaders, these political Herb. Firebrands are traitors. And Their real purpose is independence. Nobody, nobody had spoken.
at least publicly or on paper, no one of any consequence or responsibility here of anything about independence as yet. And that He, the king, and his Cabinet? Had concluded that they must send sufficient force to put the rebellion down, and furthermore, that they were. conducting negotiations to additional troops which as we know for the Hessians or the German mercenaries. When that letter, that text of that speech finally reached this country, It was It was a blow such as no one expected.
It didn't arrive until the first day of the new year, January 1. 1776 it reached Boston. And Right away, everybody knew. This wasn't going to be a short war. Washington had written to his wife, Martha, to say that he'd be home by Christmas when he first took command.
Jefferson had written to a kinsman late in August of 1775. But excuse me, that he looked forward to the moment. when we would be reunited with the mother country in the happy, good old way. But such illusions of a reconciliation. And went out the window.
with that speech.
Now, George III was not the mad king who lost the colonies. George III Their mental illness did not come on until 20 years later. 1776, he was a very healthy. young man in his thirties. And his madness was not Uh Understood that it's a disease called porphyria, which is Hereditary.
wouldn't be diagnosed until the 20th century. George III was not a dimwit. He was a very intelligent, very interesting man. He was an accomplished musician, an accomplished artist. great lover of literature, great collector of books.
And according to Samuel Johnson, one of the most interesting, engaging men. that he'd ever held a conversation with. And Johnson was a very Um Severe critic. or judge of other people. He was kind, he was honest, he was An ardent horticulturalist, agriculturalist, loved his farms at Windsor, was happiest there working on his farms, as were Adams or Jefferson or Washington.
And he uh She had 15 children, but she for whom he was an excellent father, And he was doing what he thought was his duty as king. And He had the support of the country and the support of Parliament. When Fox and Burke and others stood up, and gave their magnificent speeches in the House of Commons. in support or in sympathy with the American point of view, They were powerful and they were and they were Magnificent that their speeches, particularly Burke's, are literature. But they didn't have the boats.
And they knew they didn't have the votes. And they were thus free to say almost anything they wished.
Furthermore.
Furthermore, They too would always refer to our colonies. In other words, They didn't get it either. It wasn't going to be their colonies. That was the point. There came a point where it was very close that reconciliation might have happened.
But it was only possible if we gave up the idea of independence. And we weren't going to do that. John Adams said the American Revolution began in the hearts of the Americans. the American people long before any war broke out. And I think that's probably true.
and the war could have gone either way. any number of times, six or seven times, even during the course of the one year 1776. The British didn't lose because their generals were Dim bulb aristocrats who shouldn't have had high command? They were excellent officers.
Some were better than others, of course. If Henry Clinton had been in command instead of William Howe, it might have gone quite differently because Clinton caught. The point. which we were slow to catch, that it wasn't holding Boston or taking New York or holding New York or occupying New Jersey that was going to win the war. The only thing that would win the war for the British was to surround Washington and his army and put them out of business.
And Washington too was slow in realizing this. that as long as the armies survived, as long as the army held together. as long as there was fight in it. the war would go on. And he also knew how big a country this is.
Whether we would have won had the French not come in, Who's to say? If we hadn't won, the war would certainly have gone on a great deal longer without the French. But let's not forget. that the French didn't come in because of any great love of democracy. They came in because it was a opportune chance to stick it to Great Britain.
And in doing so, They spent so much money. that they virtually bankrupt themselves. which in a f in the chain reaction helped to bring on the French Revolution. Whereas the British Who works? Very concerned.
that if they lost the colonies, that would be the end of the British Empire. And of course, we know in hindsight. that in the 18th century the British Empire was just getting into second gear. And it wouldn't be until the 19th century that the British Empire really became The powerful. uh force in the world that it was.
There are all kinds of ironies. There are all kinds of points to remember. Longest war in our history, except for Vietnam. Most people don't know that. And the bloodiest war in our history per capita, except for the Civil War.
Population of 2,500,000. 25,000 Americans were killed. That's 1% of the population. If we were fighting. A revolution?
a war for our independence today, we would lose over three million people on the same ratio.
So for that generation, for those people, this was a terrible loss. And it would never. many of them recover from it. And it wasn't just those who were killed. It was those who were wounded, those who lost limbs, those who Suffered acutely from disease and the after effects of disease.
We lost more people from disease than we did from musket balls or cannon fire. And then much of that was needless. And again, it was lack of discipline in the troops because the British were quite healthy through most of it. And a terrific job on the production and editing by Greg Hengler. And you've been listening to the late David McCullough, two-time Pulitzer Prize winner.
and he was speaking at the National Archives. One of the great places and spaces in Washington, D.C., when he was talking about his book 1776: The Biography Essentially of the Year of Our Birth. And what storytelling it was and is indeed. By the way, if you love our show and you love listening to it, What you're listening to is free, but it is not free to make. Go to our American stories and contribute.
We're a non-profit. and your contributions are needed and your contributions are welcome. If you love the storytelling, go to ouramericanstories.com and give. The STORY OF THE YEAR OF OUR BIRTH, SEVENTESTY SIX, As TOLLD BY DAVID MACCULAWH. Here.
on our American stories. Think Verizon is expensive? Think again. Anyone can bring their ATT or T-Mobile bill to a Verizon store today and we'll give you a better deal.
So bring us your bill. Walking, running, pogo sticking, teleport if you can. Ride on the back of a rollerblading yak or flying on the wings of a majestic falcon. Any way you can, bring your ATT or T-Mobile bill to a Verizon store today and we'll give you a better deal on the best network. Based on Rootmetric's best overall mobile network performance, U.S.
second half 2025, AllRight Reserved must provide a very recent post-paid consumer mobile bill in the name of the person redeeming the deal. Additional terms, conditions, and restrictions apply. No one knows what the future holds, but you deserve a weather app that can help. Weatherbug is easy to use and provides forecasts for your every need, from storm warnings to pollen levels, right at your fingertips. Get the fastest local alerts and comprehensive 10-day forecasts wherever you are.
It's hyper-local, real-time, customizable alerts. Make sure the weather never takes you by surprise so you can plan every day with confidence. Download the free weather bug app from the App Store today and start getting accurate weather forecasts 24-7. This is Julian Edelman from Games with Names. I want to take a second to talk about something that's personal to me.
I've had the privilege of working closely with Robert Kraft for a long time. And one thing I've always respected is how seriously he takes up standing up to hate. As a Jewish athlete my identity is something I am proud of. But I also know what it feels like to be singled out for it. That's why this new commercial for the Blue Square Alliance Against Hate that aired during the big game really hit home.
It's about showing up for someone when they're targeted, even if you don't have the perfect words. And sometimes standing next to someone is enough. And you can show support by sharing the blue square. To test the new Pathfinder, Nissan turned to the boldest creators of all. Kids.
Their drawings sparked a wild idea. Brought to life by a Hollywood director, a stunt team, and the SUV that makes the unthinkable unforgettable. No tricks, just V6 power, practical effects, and the rugged new Pathfinder. Watch how it all came together and discover why JD Power ranks Nissan number one in new vehicle quality among mainstream brands. For JD Power 2025 U.S.
Initial Quality Study Award information, visit jdpower.com/slash awards. Awards based on 2025 model year. Newer models may be shown. It's that time again. Time to start thinking taxes.
But this tax smart move for 2025 could make it less painful. Open and fund a Fidelity IRA before the tax deadline. You could reduce your taxable income in a traditional IRA or get tax-free withdrawals in retirement with a Roth IRA. Plus, there are no account fees or minimums to open an account. Get started at fidelity.com/slash IRA.
No account fees or minimums apply to retail brokerage accounts only. Fidelity Brokerage Services member NYSCSIPC.
