250 Most Impactful Moments in American History

250 Most Impactful Moments in American History

History isn't just what we read in textbooks - it's the story of us, the United States. As America celebrates its 250th birthday, Bill Hemmer brings listeners compelling interviews with historians, experts, and eyewitnesses who detail the triumphs, trials, and breakthroughs that defined our nation. In order to understand where the country's heading, it's important to know where we've been. New episodes available every Wednesday.

Episodes

215-211: A House of Cards

February 25, 2026 • 40 mins
Featured moments:   235: The Coors Brewing Company begins producing beer in Golden, CO. Three years later Anheuser-Busch brewery in St. Louis, MO markets their pale lager for the first time.   234: President Trump becomes the first sitting US president to set foot on North Korean soil during a meeting at the DMZ   233: Former Beatle John Lennon is murdered in front of his New York City apartment by Mark David Chapman   232:...
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220-216: A Miracle On Ice

February 18, 2026 • 41 mins
Featured moments:   220: FBI agent Robert Hanssen is arrested and charged with spying for Russia ft. Eric O'Neill, lawyer, cybersecurity expert, former FBI counter-terrorism and counter-intelligence operative   219: US National Hockey Team defeats the Soviet Union in the "Miracle on Ice". Americans would go on to win Gold in the event ft. Mike Eurzione, former Captain of the USA Olympic Hockey Team, Director of Special Outreach...
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225-221: The Whole World Is Watching

February 11, 2026 • 37 mins
Featured moments: 225: Oil tanker Exxon Valdez spills roughly 240k barrels of oil after running aground in Alaska's Prince William Sound ft. Climate journalist and author, Charles Wohlforth   224: A bomb explodes at Northwestern University injuring a security guard. This would be the first Unabomber attack by Ted Kaczynski   223: The Democratic National Convention in Chicago turns violent as police clash with anti-war protes...
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230-226: Boston Strong

February 4, 2026 • 36 mins
Featured moments:   230: Against protests in the South, President Theodore Roosevelt invites Booker T. Washington to the White House ft. Brian Kilmeade, Co-host of Fox & Friends, Host of The Brian Kilmeade Show, Author of Teddy and Booker T.   229: Western Union is founded   228: Activist Malcolm X is assassinated in New York by members of the Nation of Islam   227: Two deadly explosions at the finish line of the Boston Mar...
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235-231: The Chicago Way

January 28, 2026 • 38 mins
Featured moments:   235: The Alien and Sedition Acts become U.S. law making it a crime to transmit malicious statements against the government   234: Google Inc is founded in Menlo Park, CA by Larry Page and Sergey Brin   233: Space Shuttle Columbia explodes upon reentry over Texas killing all on board ft. Former Shuttle Launch Director at NASA's John F. Kennedy Space Center, Michael Leinbach   232: In a largely party line ...
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240-236: You've Got Mail!

January 21, 2026 • 33 mins
Featured moments:   240: Iraq War: President Obama announces an end to combat operations as the last combat troops leave Iraq   239: America Online or AOL becomes the world's most dominant online service with over 34 million subscribers ft. Chairman and CEO of Revolution and Co-Founder of AOL, Steve Case   238: Charles Dow publishes the first version of The Dow Jones Industrial Average   237: Teamsters president Jimmy Hoffa...
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245-241: A Really Big Show

January 14, 2026 • 35 mins
Featured moments:   245: Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show for the first time   244: Anne Sullivan begins teaching Helen Keller   243: The Liberty Bell is cracked while being rung on George Washington's birthday   242: ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is killed in a US Special Forces raid ft. Former CENTCOM Commander, General Frank McKenzie   241: Beatlemania begins, "I Want To Hold Your Hand" hits the top of ...
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250-246: Breaking Barriers

January 7, 2026 • 36 mins
Featured moments: 250: Less than a month after his concerning debate with former President Trump, President Biden drops out of the 2024 presidential race and endorses Vice President Kamala Harris ft. Anchor of The Story and Host of The Untold Story podcast, Martha MacCallum 249: The final episode of M*A*S*H becomes the most watched television broadcast in American history 248: The Boston Subway opens becoming the first und...
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Trailer

December 16, 2025 • 1 min
History isn't just what we read in textbooks - it's the story of us, the United States. As America celebrates its 250th birthday, Bill Hemmer brings listeners compelling interviews with historians, experts, and eyewitnesses who detail the triumphs, trials, and breakthroughs that defined our nation. In order to understand where the country's heading, it's important to know where we've been. New episodes available every Wednesday. Le...
Mark as Played

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