Tom McMillan
The Year That Made America: From Rebellion to Independence, 1775–1776
From the publisher
The untold story of how America’s declaration of independence hinged on seven critical months in 1776 and the courageous votes that changed the world forever.
This gripping account reveals the precarious path to American independence through a series of pivotal dates that history has nearly forgotten. While July 4th claims the glory, the actual vote for independence came on July 2nd—and even that historic moment almost didn’t happen. From January’s publication of Common Sense to December’s darkest hours of the Revolution, McMillan reconstructs the dramatic months when rebellious colonies transformed into a new nation.
Through meticulous research and compelling storytelling, the book reveals:
- How the pivotal events of May 15, June 7, and July 2 shaped America’s destiny
- Why Congress’s bold January declaration triggered a chain of unstoppable events
- The behind-the-scenes feud between Adams and Jefferson on their views of government after independence was won
- How the Declaration’s influence extended from Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address to modern times
This timely narrative strips away the myths to expose the raw political courage that launched a revolution. From heated Congressional debates to the dangerous aftermath of declaring independence, McMillan delivers a fresh perspective on America’s founding that resonates powerfully with today’s political challenges.
Check out the previous discussions with Tom McMillan below:
[Recorded and posted on July 3, 2025.]
Tom McMillan spent a lifetime in sports media and communications, but his true passion is history. Tom is the author of five books on American history and was a guest on our program earlier to discuss Armistead and Hancock: Behind the Gettysburg Legend of Two Friends at the Turning Point of the Civil War, and later, Our Flag Was Still There: The Star Spangled Banner that Survived the British and 200 Years—And the Armistead Family Who Saved It. You can find all of Tom’s History Camp Author Discussions as well as his presentations at our for our annual in-person event, History Camp Boston, in our archives.
He has served on the board of trustees of Pittsburgh’s Heinz History Center, on the board of directors of the Friends of Flight 93 National Memorial, on the marketing committee of the Gettysburg Foundation, and as a tour guide at the Civil War room at Carnegie Library in Carnegie, Pa. He also was co-director of the Pittsburgh Center for Sports Media and Marketing at Point Park University, his alma mater. Tom currently serves as co-host of the “Antietam and Beyond” podcast and is a facilitator of the Adams County Historical Society’s battlefield leadership program in Gettysburg.
He spent 18 years in the Pittsburgh sports media as a newspaper writer and radio talk-show host before joining the staff of the Penguins. During his media career, he covered the Olympics, the Super Bowl, the World Series, the NBA Finals, the Stanley Cup Finals, and three NCAA Final Fours. He has three Stanley Cup rings from his time with the Penguins, and his name is on the 2009 Stanley Cup.
Tom and his wife, Colleen, volunteer at Antietam National Battlefield, the Adams County Historical Society and historic Evergreen Cemetery in Gettysburg. They split their time between Pittsburgh and Gettysburg.
