Inventing America: Making a Nation brings our Founding Fathers back to life in a TV talk show filmed before a live audience. Episode 1 features three delegates to the Second Continental Congress—Thomas Jefferson (Bill Barker), Benjamin Franklin (John Hamant) and John Adams (Sam Goodyear)—discussing the lead-up to the Declaration of Independence. A fourth delegate, John Dickinson (Rodney TeSlaa), who refused to sign the document, reveals the conflict behind this historic event. Created by Milton Nieuwsma and filmed by Philip A. Lane, two-time Emmy Award-winners from previous collaborations, the show was recorded at Hope College in Holland, Michigan. The host and moderator is Marc Baer, professor of history at Hope. The director is John K.V. Tammi, professor emeritus of theatre and founder of Hope’s acclaimed Summer Repertory Theatre