16/12/2025
The Story of America: Crossing the Delaware
THESE ARE THE TIMES…? It was an honor to sit down with The White House Salute to America 250 Task Force and Hillsdale College to discuss The Crossing of the Delaware as part of The Story of America, a history series that tells the remarkable story of American Independence.
If Washington failed to act, the cause of liberty and independence would be over. Washington decided to take advantage of the British overconfidence. The British did not expect Washington and his exhausted forces to attempt anything dramatic. Due to their overconfidence, the British had scattered their forces along the river in a line that was “a little bit too thin”.
Thomas Paine, who was with Washington’s army, started writing an essay called The American Crisis. The essay began with the famous lines, “These are the times that try men’s souls”. The essay was so inspiring that Washington had it read aloud to all of his troops two days before the planned crossing of the Delaware.
