Episode
447 The Other Committee Members: Robert R. Livingston, Roger Sherman, and the Declaration of Independence
- Podcast
- Ben Franklin's World
- Published
- Jul 21, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 3675
- Processing state
not_requested- Canonical source
- https://www.benfranklinsworld.com/447
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Summary
Five men served on the Continental Congress’s Declaration Committee. We know three of them well: Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Benjamin Franklin. But who were the other two? In this episode, we explore the lives and contributions of Robert R. Livingston of New York and Roger Sherman of Connecticut. Historians Geoff Benton and Michael Morand join us as we uncover the stories of the other Committee members. Clermont State Historic Site: Website Show Notes: https://www.benfranklinsworld.com/447 EPISODE OUTLINE 00:00:00 Introduction 00:04:46 The Lee Resolution and the Committee of Five 00:05:26 Robert R. Livingston's Early Life 00:06:56 Colonial New York Politics 00:11:02 Livingston's Appointment to the Second Continental Congress 00:15:20 Why Livingston Chosen for Declaration Committee 00:18:44 Livingston's feud with John Adams 00:19:18 Livingston Misses the Vote for Independence 00:20:50 Livingston Becomes Chancellor of New York State 00:24:06 Livingston's Role in Steam Navigation 00:26:15 Clermont State Historic Site 00:32:35 Roger Sherman's Early Life 00:36:47 Sherman's Family and Life in New Haven 00:37:43 Sherman's Involvement in the Imperial Crisis 00:40:38 Sherman's Role in the Second Continental Congress 00:42:28 Why Sherman Chosen For Declaration Committee 00:43:42 Sherman's Role in Drafting the Declaration 00:46:16 The Connecticut Compromise, 1787 00:50:28 What Made Sherman Effective in Legislatures 00:53:47 1776 in Context 00:58:10 Conclusion RECOMMENDED NEXT EPISODES 🎧 Episode 141: A Declaration in Draft 🎧 Episode 193: Partisans: The Friendship and Rivalry of Adams & Jefferson 🎧 Episode 245: Celebrating the Fourth of July 🎧 Episode 277: Whose Fourth of July? 🎧 Episode 415: The Many Declarations of Independence 🎧 Episode 439: When the Declaration of Ind…