The American Idea

American press freedom has never followed a straight path. The Founding Fathers envisioned newspapers as partisan political weapons, not neutral truth-tellers. This "messy" approach let citizens decide truth for themselves rather than accepting government-approved narratives.

Today's concerns about partisan media miss the point—embracing partisanship may produce healthier discourse than enforcing artificial neutrality. The real dan...

Jeff is joined by constitutional law scholar Dr. Joshua Dunn to discuss the recently ended 2025 US Supreme Court term and some of the more interesting and potentially important decisions, as well as what seem like some friction between some of the justices.

Get a free copy of Josh’s primary documents reader about the Judiciary: https://teachingamericanhistory.org/product/the-judiciary/

Get a free copy of Jeff’s primary documents read...

In celebration of the 249th anniversary of America's independence, we look back not so much on the history of the Declaration of Independence, but on its meaning. And not just its meaning then, but its enduring meaning and what we can and should take from it now.

This special episode contains the content of the first of three classes within our free, self-paced online course, "The American Idea." If you enroll, you can listen to tho...

Presidents are people, too, and fallible, short-sighted, disciplined, daring - and all the other traits we humans share. How have our presidents handled, or mishandled, their own money? What can we learn from them now?

Cara Rogers Stevens welcomes author and wealth management expert Megan Gorman to this show this week to discuss some of the highs and lows of presidential personal finance.

Read Megan's book on the topic: https://a.co/...

Who was William Blackstone? What did he contribute to English law, and how did his contributions directly impact the ideas in the Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution? How is it that a British noble who opposed the American Revolution ended up serving as a major source of inspiration to the American Founders? Learn the details from this episode of The American Idea.

#blackstone #williamblackstone #commonlaw #americanfou...

Americans have faced, unfortunately, a number of movements and moments in our history where free speech - especially of a political nature - has been challenged and even quashed. Power-wielding opponents of free expression and debate have often sought to prevent debates and discussions from happening, in order to protect their interests. In this week's episode we explore a lesser-known example of this, in how slaveholders before th...

Paul Nitze served under eight different U.S. presidents, from during World War 2 through the end of the Cold War, and it was his thinking, laid down in NSC-68, that provided some of the most foundational ideas for how America dealt with the Soviet Union, eventually bringing about its collapse.

This week Jeff welcomes State Department historian and author James Graham Wilson to discuss Nitze, and his book about the man.

Read the book:...

Technology, especially social media and the near ubiquity of mobile devices, has changed our world, our personal lives, and interpersonal relations. A great many people are waking up to the mountain of evidence suggesting that this change has not been all, or even mostly, for the better.

American Enterprise Institute Senior Fellow and author Christine Rosen joins Jeff this week to discuss the impact of technology and our supposedly...

What is America’s place in the world, and how have Americans understood where we as a country ought to be when it comes to world affairs and in relations with other countries? Should we be an “empire of liberty,” as Jefferson called the country? Should we avoid “entangling alliances” as Washington warned? Should we eagerly send our troops, promises, and money overseas, as has been the standard since World War 2? How do interest and...

Tariffs, seemingly a relic of the 18th and 19th centuries, are back on the front page as tools of policy, with wide-reaching impacts on America's economy and Americans as individuals. What's the history behind tariffs as tools of policy, and how have American leaders understood and used them differently over time?

Political Economist Rob Wyllie joins Jeff for this timely explanation of the background and history of tariffs, as well...

8 May 1945: Victory in Europe Day, the day after the armistice between the Allied powers and Nazi Germany goes into effect. Almost 5 years long, World War 2 in Europe destroyed millions of lives, burned ancient cities to cinders, displaced populations, and permanently changed the world order.

How, then, did it come to end? How did the Allies defeat the Nazis, and why did the war end when it did? What issues led the world from war to...

What is 'grand strategy' and how does it differ from strategy? What does grand strategy mean to a nation, its leaders and people? How is such a thing developed and revised over time? And why is it so difficult for America to create and settle on such a thing?

Business and military strategy authority Dr. John Hillen discusses these topics with Jeff today, digging into what challenges America faces in the world, and the challenges we ...

Why have NBA ratings dropped by half over the last decade? How has the game changed in recent years and what does the proliferation of legalized sports betting have to do with it? Jeff takes a break this week from questions of history and politics and looks at a slice of our public life with author and journalist Oliver Lee Bateman and addresses these weighty issues.

Or is there more to it? Is the creep of the HR department mindset ...

On 19 April 1775, the American War for Independence began at the battles of Lexington and Concord. Take a step back in time this week to learn some of the forgotten stories of important and interesting individuals who were part of America’s revolution, of which the war, according to John Adams, was only a part.

Download a free copy of the American Revolution documents reader: https://teachingamericanhistory.org/product/american-revo...

The 2024 elections left the Democrats in crisis, soul-searching over why they not only lost the White House, but also multiple down-ballot races, as well. Are we entering an era of party realignment? How is the leadership of the DNC grappling with these losses, and what do they see as the reasons behind them? What has their public response been, so far, to Trump’s return to the White House? And what might all this mean for upcoming...

What can we learn from those who came before us? What life lessons can be gleaned from the ideas and actions of noteworthy Americans? Dr. Cara Roger Stevens discusses the lives of 10 extraordinary Americans, whose lives offer us wisdom and guidance, with teacher and author Jeremy Adams.

You can find Adams' book on Amazon: https://a.co/d/2GeECFi

#lessonsinliberty #americanhistory

Host: Jeff Sikkenga

Executive Producer: Jeremy Gypton...

What is statesmanship? What does it take to be a statesman? Is it possible to be such a leader during easy times, or only during the toughest moments in history?

Jeff sits down with Dr. Greg McBrayer to discuss Ronald Reagan's political philosophy and how he applied in understanding and dealing with the Soviet Union - and why Reagan earned the title of 'statesman.'

Learn more about Reagan, and two other 20th Century statesman, in our...

Lindsay Chervinsky, Director of the George Washington Presidential Library, joins Cara Rogers Stevens this week to discuss Abigail Adams and her impact on John's public life.

Learn more about Lindsay: https://www.lindsaychervinsky.com/

Get her book: https://a.co/d/6OOF1ny

Learn about the George Washington Library: https://www.mountvernon.org/library

Listen to Lindsay's podcast: https://www.georgewashingtonpodcast.com/show/conversat...