Mr. Mccullough sits down to talk about this book on the american revolution. 1776. This is from cspans q a program. This week on q a, august is offering historian David Mccullough. On the genera general henry knom in maine. Host David Mccullough, you told audience outside of this general henry knox museum, days ago that everybody in american should know who henry knox is pretty white. David because these extraordinary historian an american who seem to be miscast. Seem to be fellow not prepared for the role of the history and for him to play and who not only lived up to the rule, but when over the top as it were. And as an example of a man who came from very humble origins, very little advantage in the way of education, or connections. Heroes to be one of the most important americans of his day read the men that George Washington discovered. And amanda George Washington counted on. Through nearly eight and a half years of the revolutionary war and who then counted on him as his secretary of war during the time of presidency. And he started out at the boston bookseller. Very stout gregarious robust, friendly, popular fellow who had about the equivalent of a fifth grade education. And who love books and never stopped reading. He became one of the best officers in the whole work. Washington singled out to young men. Almost within a week or two weeks after he had taken command. And cambridge massachusetts. These are people as he could count on pretty one was nathaniel green rated was a 303 yearold quaker but and made a major general. Having no military experience at all in the second one was henry knox. Involved 25. In no military experience at all. But both of them had been reading books. In the new about the military , was entirely from books those nara those are the best ways to learn things produced three books at the age of enlightenment. Anyway, wonderful examples personifications of the enlightenment faith. If you want to learn something, pick up a book, several books. Is during both physically and intellectually, is remarkable. He ingrained were the only two general officers. Who became generals. Estate with the war and with washington. Through the entire war, not necessarily physically, personally. But with him in the sense of still fighting the war. All the other seated dropped out widely for some other reason. And with those two, right beginning, and he admired for the perseverance. Perseverance is the end. Its amazing story. But knox had the idea of going and bringing back the great cannons and mortars there. Which was preposterous thought. Middle of winter. The hall those guns nearly 300 miles from Hudson Valley to upstate new york and across the mountains and all the way to boston. That was a feet almost like something of a myth but it was real. He did it. Penny did it by saying that the solution to the problem was in the problem rated the problem itself was a solution rated newsletter. How can you drink those huge cannons all of the way in winter and answer course was to build giant sleds. And thats what he did against every imaginable quite a challenge both from the elements and from sheer exhaustion. And is one point they were hauling him over the mountains when the teamsters that he admired refuse to go on because it was too ris risky. Failure to see. Coming out of the hard part. These things could get away. It would kill anybody that was in front. They were not one. They said no it is too dangerous. We woke one. So this 25 yearold bookseller, mounted discourse, canon or something. And gave them at ten after three hour speech on why they should keep on going. And they did. He wouldnt give up. That was a great quality with both he and brain. Once in the washington, but that was among his strongest traits. Host this henry knox, remain, is a place that he spent almost seven hours on the friday afternoon evening signing autographs and speaking to a group. Your best seller, they are book came out, number one is the number one ever since. Why would you after all the travel that you did. David i enjoy it. I like to do it. I like to meet people who like to read my books. I like to meet people who read books. They care about American History so that i was very happy to make a book tour. It is exhausting but is also exhilarating. Is also very heart warming and gratifying. To see what interest in American History there is. Everywhere. Los angeles, 3000 miles in 229 years away from the year 1776. In a world that is so different to be unimaginable to those people who dissipated in the revolution. There are people in los angeles in the year 2005, who turn out in sizable numbers because of their interest in that founding time. And thats me is exciting. Very gratifying. But here, in the knox house, i feel strongly that these Historic Sites and museums are very important for even major participants in how we educate our children and grandchildren. To bring people here to this house and bring people to the president ial home were the great battlefield or Historic Site of one kind of another. Is to inspire and open up the mind in a way that is not exactly like a book or movie. Or an original letter. It is Something Else i think these places speak to us. I think they speak to us in a very moving way. The idea that this house for example was designed by general knox, that this was an expression of their time and their culture. What mattered to this oval room here for example. Which would have been a familiar to knox. Because of the white house lets say. It is a very. Peace speaks to us today. These two big fireplaces. Girl very important. Because it is a different time and different values and different notions of proportions, scale. The good life can be. This of course was the home of the very wealthy people. There is a high in the eyes of the country but it is amazing example to go to mount vernon or monticello and here grownup visitors say they are surprised to find neither jefferson nor George Washington had indoor coming or electricity. And so when you come into a room like this, people might say what they have two fireplaces. And that would open up the realities of that earlier time. We forget how much more difficult life was then. And how much more inconvenient and comfortable closer to the vagaries and hardships of living in a rough climate such as maine. Because where so insulated from the facts of life as they knew them as they were insulated from the cold in the heat where we are protected by wonderful drugs and medicines. We dont have to worry much about epidemic diseases about like the way they did. We dont have to give up a 5 00 oclock in the morning to start fire to make the breakfast. And we dont have to blot to cure of things. Plan have to the premises for the call of nature. Where softies compared to the people that time. Just to get through the day peacetime. One of the best of conditions, and now the respondent to the real adversity. That tumbling. Abigail adams, and letter to her husband when he was at philadelphia read the second congress. If future generations will reap the blessings somebody will have no conception of how of the hardships and sufferings of their ancestors. That is true. Even for someone who lived is a handsome of skill and style as did knoxs. Host you give a speech back in april a good quote written down the want to be back to you. But all that matters, being number one, getting ahead and getting to the top attitude is getting to stop. And do whatever awful thing in the material get to the top right you think we have changed since john adams arrow rated the henry knox area. See what i do. Host in life. David for many reasons. And for one, their education, the notion history was based on the classical history of greece and rome. Understanding of virtue, honor, character, is all derived from roman history. The idea this forecast the parts reminder parts to live up to the role you have been assigned. Is there on the stage of history. If you have a sense of history, and isnt it just get along stop stuff before you came on the scene. But you also realize that when you pass from the scene, you will be part of what constitutes history. Spring 14. 3 they think of themselves as being someday judged by history. If you go into the old congress on capitol hill, in the capital. Now statuary hall. Open the door, there is rendition of cleo, the goddess history. Shes in a chariot. Penetrated pulling oclock. It was installed or about 1515. The members of congress, for they look up to see what time it is, in their moment, basically oh raining in the big book, a book of history to remind them these members of congress and representatives of the people that they are not just being judged by their own time, the term of 4foot the judge for all times by history. Washington captioning outage can also be said for their permission the loyalist just convinced that they were the true patriots. An educational to combat perspective. Wonderfully expressed in the play plato. Most popular plate of the day. In the play, theres language goes, i cant guarantee success. In this struggle is war. But we can do something better. We can deserve it. What that is saying is that the outcome is not in our hands. Too many other factors involved including providence. [inaudible conversation] chance or circumstance or whatever. Cant control that. As individuals. Individualism is essential to this whole idea of enlightenment. But we can control the week behave and we can deserve it. So even if we lose, i deserved to have one, we will have one in that sense. Very different from the present attitude. And think a very healthy reminder mothers economy humorous about the present. Everything we do the right way to do it free. On those who preceded his were not quite as bright as we were. The reality of what matters pretty is an arrogant and i think ignorance view of life. Theres so much that we can learn from history. Theres so much we can learn from those people. The people interest me. Seven but when the cost attitude of today. David is been caused by an enormous variety of choice. Just sometimes be numbing. The thing is been caused by the stepped up momentum of life. But by materialism. Too much luxury. General johnson said really just people with too much luxury. Too much of a much. Elected leaders, but just thought of all kinds of all fleets, genders, patients race,e the expression, and ways of people moved to bali. People said will be admissible time. I saw it just the other day. I cannot those who the the support on. There was no simple time. I can make a good case of the 18th century was a far more complicated time, a far more challenging time. Because of how much someone had to know just to survive to get by. Somebody said to me, knew the blood red wagon, from here to pittsburgh pennsylvania, in december would you like to longview. I would say can make a list people from the 18th century. Presented know how to do so much pride that we dont know how to do. We are the simpler times in some ways. Where no more revved up sign. Were more selfconscious time. Traded, reported, analyze, endlessly. Everyday. Constantly. So much attention from the press and the television about things of no real consequence. And its very confusing. Not so i think it lends to many people a sense that whatever you can get away with, if you get what you want to its. Somebody does something is offtrack, some i will say that she tried. An attitude is outspread honesty, kindness, generosity. Ambition to exceed her itself. Thats different. Its what adam said, he said i wish there were more ambition in the country. Ambition to excel. That is a lot different than ambition have a lot more stuff. Signature number one or whatever. Host if you stall up the 2. 25 million or whatever books on it use at least 2 million. On 1776. Thats more people that were even alive in that time in this country. How do you explain your success such about time, your number one. Number one john adams reread dupree. David im not sure of a measure of that whether we are in a good time or not. It wind event time. They were a very exciting time. I think work a little off course in sydney sydney, which age you must want to live in, right now. There are many similarities between right now in the 18th century. Both are times of the tremendous change and stress. Technological change. Exchanging like that in our time. Whats different is the speed changes for the speed of information. The speed and throwaway culture. You dont just throw away us styrofoam cups. Throwaway ideas in history. We want to run today. Will we americans believe and what is new in the future. Places, plywood is old. Is it was new. As american. Debbie turns over no leave. So in her attitude towards life. I think the difference between writings is the success of the history channel. The wonderful popularity of the films. All of that can be, in part a measure the fact that about the generations or more, give them an education our children every will industry pretty solo people and 20, and 30s and 40s are trying to get caught up dont know who Theodore Roosevelt was, have a very idea of what exactly he did or why he was somebody of importance pretty soon they do want to revoke or see the documentary and television. I think some of the movies that come along been very effective. I think we human beings are interested by nature really think it is very hard about human nature. We want to know what happened before. Once upon a time, long time ago, the Children Stories begin. The two most popular movies of all time, though not necessarily historically accurate funds historical in spirit and in setting. God what the wind and the titanic. I think those are a very important measure. Tom hanks is now going to be producing a big multihour movie for television of john adams of my book tom hanks is very solid conscientious man of great integrity and taste. I expect that movie for each them on way that maybe nothing else could. Hundred times within a book of mine or other authors. Tennyson right, that will be a huge step forward in my view. Host Palacio John Adams without any teeth. David i hope so. So far and all i have suggested about the details, they have taken very seriously in their efforts to make everything as authentic as possible is the most remarkable. Mosthat ive seen in thefield. Host any parts. David i think it is 1130. Host what will run pretty. David hbo. Host when. David are going to start filming i believe this fall. How long it will be after that i dont know. There building backlogs. A lot of it will be filled in williamsburg. In some location in europe. Host john adams, what are the chances of having a monument in washington of him. Soon pretty will be just on adams or abigail or jeff with the adams or entire adams family. David this is still open for discussion and the congress has passed a bill making it possible. And the president has signed the bill. Now at work out location. We become part of the group was trying to see this happen. It has to be location in keeping with the importance principally disgrace. There is no monument, no stature nothing of john adams in my opinion the opinion of others, except for George Washington. As the most important american the time. But if you to know what i think it should be read i think it should not be another marble tomb or Something Like thats. I dont think it should try to rival either the Washington Monument of the Lincoln Memorial the Jefferson Memorial and skill. I cannot be 18th century skill. Noises should be modest in size. The name promoting is mistaken, the idea that it will be Adams Library american letters. It will be a library open to visitors in a garden. And some more as idea of was a library in the garden. John adams thought that to read i know you been to the house and seen a library that is in the garden there. So this would be a library we become in a look at the. The real letters of jordan Abigail Adams or John Quincy Adams are jefferson and evans of display. In these exhibits will change from time to time. And you can go out and be in the garden. So nice mentioned there would be a garden the time of that of ago had with fruit trees and flowers and herbs and so forth really i would be sort of an oasis in the midst of washington there would be other exhibits as well from time to time read the library of congress and the Massachusetts Historical Society which are the great adams family papers. Thus far said, it would be very happy to have some of their treasures unloaded the library read and think would be in keeping with our their great contribution to imagine life. It is just my view. John Abigail Adams did with the did as patriots print as believers in the cause of america and independence and equality. They reported what was happening. They describe the people and the feelings at the time. In a way that no other couple dead. And that in itself, thousands of letters for an enormous disservice to their country. Dont think they root them with that in mind read and that is in the result. Host a couple minutes ago, one of the leaders of this museum on ace around upstairs in the bedroom of henry knox. Asking him how old he was. He said 56 he died of chicken bone in his throat. I wanted you to talk about medicine earlier but go back to the time when he blew a couple of fingers often at what age did he do that. And what impacted pretty soon his book the rapids and the rest of his life in advantage. David yes. David life was tough then. And the way life better people was apparent in their parents. People a connect then something wrong with them when i started missing teeth missing fingers. A partner year. Because life be tough on you and there were no cosmetic surgeons. Their work nor orthodontist. Sixtys and the rest. That he listen to thought you lost a tooth. If you lost it at 25, there was. You read the description of the deserters for example. The most vivid of all of those instructions of the 18th century soldiers. And again and again, there is something physically noticeable about them. Henry knox lost two fingers of his left hand. The third and fourth finger of his left handed and averred shooting expedition what is about 22 i would guess. He kept it wrapped because he felt it was unsightly read he didnt want that to be distracting thing. Nathaniel greene, decided limp because of a childhood accident. John trouble, the Great America