American History Hit

A two-hundred-year-old presidential speech has shaped how the United States sees its role in the world ever since. At the time, it sounded like a modest declaration from a young and uncertain nation. What would come to be known as the Monroe Doctrine would grow into something far more powerful... and far more controversial.

Christopher Nichols, Professor of History at Ohio State University, joins us for this episode. Chris is th...

The Great Depression was, as Professor John Moser puts it, the result of a perfect storm. So what brought it on? What was it like to live through it? And could it have been prevented in any way?

In this second episode of our series on America's Darkest Hours, we are examining the disastrous fall out of the great depression with John Moser. John is a Professor at Ashland University and author of 'Global Great Depression and the C...

The Civil War along the Mississippi was reaching a critical moment by the Summer of 1862. The Union had advanced and planted its flag in Louisiana’s state capital without firing a shot. To many observers, Confederate grip seemed to be slipping away for good. But before that was for certain, one desperate gamble remained...

Today, we’re telling the story of the lesser known Battle of Baton Rouge: why it happened, how it unfolded,...

There is no question that the Civil War is one of the darkest chapters in American history. With roughly 2.5 percent of the population lost, a higher number of Americans than in both World Wars combined.

In portraying the war in history, however, we often focus on the tragic division of loyalties in the the United States - the predicament of brother fighting brother.

To discuss this idea - where it came from, how true it is a...

How did Hawaiʻi - once an independent, internationally recognised kingdom - become America's 50th state? It's a tale of economic pressure, political manoeuvring, and ruthless military might. We’ll explore how a sovereign nation was overthrown, how annexation followed without consent, and why this history still matters today.

Our guest today is Noah Dolim, Assistant Professor at the University of Hawai’i at Manoa. Noah primarily ...

Who was the worst American army general of all time? We round off our month of military history by looking at the leaders who standout for all the wrong reasons. Don's guest is the wonderful Cecily Zander author of the upcoming 'Abraham Lincoln and the American West', and 'The Army Under Fire: Antimilitarism in the Civil War Era'.

Edited by Aidan Lonergan, produced by Sophie Gee. Senior Producer was Freddy Chick.

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The First Amendment of the US Constitution is just forty-five words long, but its impact has drastically shaped American life. For much of American history, the First Amendment was narrow, unevenly applied and frequently ignored, especially for those challenging the status quo. The First Amendment tells a larger story about who gets to speak, who gets to be heard, and how a nation decides where freedom ends and danger begins.

Ou...

Eisenhower, Washington, Greene, Grant. There have been thousands of Generals in the United States' Armed Forces. Picking out the best of the crop would be impossible, right?

In this episode, Don is joined once again by Major Jonathan Bratten of the National Guard to sift through some of the stand out figures in our military history. The impossible questions are only just getting started.

Edited by Richard Power, produced by S...

The two-term limit, the idea that the President of the United States may not seek a third term, has a long history. Originating from a decision made by George Washington, it quickly became an established political norm in America. Since then however it has transformed from a political expectation to a constitutionally mandated practice... but why?

Our guest today is historian and Professor Jeremi Suri of the University of Texas ...

New weapons, new opponents, new technology - as warfare evolves, armies need generals able to evolve with it. In this episode, Don is joined by Cecily Zander to discuss the most innovative generals in American History. Whether it's the use of tanks, total war or local scouts, these mean have changed the world we live in.

Cecily is the author of the upcoming 'Abraham Lincoln and the American West', and 'The Army Under Fire: Antim...

In July 1776, a group of men in Philadelphia committed an unthinkable act: they challenged one of the most powerful empires in the world by signing what became known as the American Declaration of Independence.

What had happened in the previous years that pushed them to such drastic action? What were the disagreements over the document's wording? And what movements and ideas were inspired by its message?

To take us through th...

Ruthless tactics. Extreme violence. The loss of huge numbers of their own troops. The deaths of the most opposing troops. What makes a general 'bloody'? And who fits that description best?

In this first of four episodes on American Generals, Don and Jonathan Bratten sort through the rolodex of military leaders. Robert E. Lee, John Bell Hood, John J. Pershing or Douglas MacArthur. Who will win this unwelcome title?

Major Jonat...

From the 1830s until the arrival of the transcontinental railroad, hundreds of thousands of people packed their possessions into wagons and headed west, seeking land and opportunity. Following in the footsteps of Native Americans and fur trading ‘mountain men’, many travelled for several months along what became known as the Oregon Trail. But as Don hears from YouTube history teacher Mr Beat (youtube.com/c/iammrbeat), not all would...

Ever since independence, a question has hovered over the government of the United States. How much power should the President have? Not too much, lest they become a monarch. But not too little, they are elected to do a job and that job must be done.

In this episode of American History Hit, Don is joined once again by Professor of Political Science, Graham G Dodds. Graham is author of 'The Unitary Presidency' and, together, he an...

When fossils were discovered in the US during the 19th Century, it altered American understandings of science, religion, race and more. So what was the Hadrosaurus Foulkii, and why did it have such an enormous effect?

Caroline Winterer, William Robertson Coe Professor of History and American Studies at Stanford University, joins Don for this episode. Caroline's book on this topic is 'How the New World Became Old: The Deep Time R...

Today we're delving into the archives and revisiting Don and Michael Kauffman's conversation on the Assassination of Abraham Lincoln...

On the evening of 14th April, 1865, the Union was celebrating victory in the civil war, won 5 days earlier with General Lee's surrender at Appomattox. President Abraham Lincoln was watching a play at Ford's Theatre in Washington DC. But some Southern sympathisers still thought the Confederacy co...

Today we're delving into our back catalogue and revisiting the topic of the Boston Tea Party...

On December 16th 1773, Bostonian colonists took a stand against the British Crown in the Boston Tea Party.

In this episode, we dive deep into the events of that evening in Boston Harbor. Don is joined by Benjamin Carp, the Daniel M. Lyons Professor of American History at Brooklyn College. Who was involved? What signalled the start ...

It's one of the most iconic symbols of early Americana; it conjures up images of bustling saloon bars and Mark Twain. But as glamorous as they may seem, there's a dark side the history of the Steamboats of the Mississippi River.

In this episode we welcome Professor of History at Colorado State University, Robert Gudmestad. His newest book is The Devil’s Own Purgatory: The United States Mississippi River Squadron in the Civil War...

Reunion with the dead. The return of lands, food supplies and buffalo. The disappearance of white settlers.

By the end of the 19th Century, the forced assimilation of Native American people was official government policy and Native populations were already in severe decline. The promises of the Ghost Dance had a very story appeal.

Professor Gregory Smoak is with Don in this episode to explore the Ghost Dance. What was it? Whe...