American History Hit

President Joe Biden will address the nation from the Oval Office on Wednesday night, after announcing he was ending his reelection bid a few days ago. Dropping out so close to the election is historically unprecedented, but Biden is not to first president to make this decision. In 1968, Lyndon B. Johnson sat in the same office to announce the same news.

But what makes Biden's situation so rare? Has a sitting president ever ...

How did a party in the White House end in mayhem? When did the West Wing become a hive of government? And how has the private life of the President been shielded from the public, despite them living and working in the same building?

To explore the stories that lurk beneath the white washed surface of the President's residence, Don speaks to Corey Mead. Corey is an associate professor of English at Baruch College, City University...

Lincoln, FDR, Reagan, Clinton, Bush and now Trump. All have been targets of assassination attempts while in or running for office. Listen to this bonus episode from our sister podcast, Dan Snow's History Hit, where host Dan is joined by Professor of American History at Cambridge University Gary Gerstle to take a look at the assassination attempts that could have changed the course of American history and how.

Produced by Dan Sno...

This podcast contains adult language.

What was the ‘Indian Citizenship Act’ of 1924? Why was it necessary? How did it happen? And why did it happen in 1924?

Shannon O’Loughlin from the Association of American Indian Affairs joins Don to discuss the Act and its effect.

Produced by Sophie Gee. Edited by Aidan Lonergan. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.

Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that ...

Right from 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...

What caused the economic panic of 1893? In this episode we are delving into the event that made Grover Cleveland's second term so different from his first.

Don is joined once again by Professor Mark Zachary Taylor from Georgia Institute of Technology, author of 'Presidential Leadership in Feeble Times.' From the Sherman Silver Purchase Act, to labour strikes, to the evolution of the presidency's role in financial systems - this ...

What do you know about Galveston, Texas? Perhaps you've heard about the disastrous hurricane of 1900, perhaps not. This was also likely the case for the thousands of European Jews who migrated to the United States via the city's port in the years preceding the First World War.

Don speaks to Rachel Cockerell, whose great-grandfather, David Jochelmann, was one of those persuading passengers to make the journey. Rachel's book is ca...

In the long unanswered question of whether the established elite truly support the concerns of ordinary people, a supposed hero arises: Populism.

But what is Populism? Where did it come from? And is this political approach from the late 19th century reflected anywhere in today's politics?

Don speaks to Steve Babson, author of seven books including ‘Forgotten Populists: When Farmers Turned Left to Save Democracy’.

Produced ...

What took the US from the Boston Tea Party to Lexington and Concord? Where was the turning point for the creation of the republic?

Mary Beth Norton joins Don in this episode to take us through the causes of the Revolutionary War, and why the year 1774 is so important in this history.

Edited by Aidan Lonergan. Produced by Sophie Gee. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.

Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original docume...

Why is the 23rd President of the United States, Benjamin Harrison, remembered as a 'Human Iceberg'? Why did it seem as though he was predestined for the Presidency? And what was it like to have a term sandwiched between the presidencies of Grover Cleveland?

Don speaks to humorist Alexandra Petri about Harrison's presidency and legacy. Alexandra is a Washington Post columnist and the author of 'US History: Important American Docu...

A 34-hour bombardment, one (accidental) death, and the start of the bloodiest war the United States has ever seen.

The Battle of Fort Sumter, in April 1861, is often obscured by the more famous battles in the four years of Civil War history, but it is one of the most significant among them.

To find out more, Don speaks to the incredible Allen C. Guelzo, Thomas W. Smith Distinguished Research Scholar and Director of the James ...

This episode was first released on November 14 2022.

The Whiskey Tax, imposed in 1791, was the first federal tax on a domestic product by a United States government. It was introduced by Alexander Hamilton to pay the interest on war bonds that had been issued to wealthy backers of the the American Revolution. But many Whiskey distillers in Western Pennsylvania refused to pay a tax that would only benefit a few rich bond holders....

In the US Constitution, the President of the United States is granted the right to pardon those convicted of federal crimes.

But how do they tend to use these pardons, and when have they been used in the cases of mass insurrection? From Mormons, to conscientious objectors, to the January 6th uprising, Don is joined by Graham Dodds to discuss this history.

Professor Graham Dodds teaches at Concordia University in Montreal. His...

They say that honesty is the best policy, but was this the case for Grover Cleveland? He may be the only president to have served two non-consecutive terms (as of 13 June 2023), but Cleveland was deeply unpopular by the end of his last term.

From protecting the interests of the American people and upholding the constitution, to a secret lifesaving operation - what defines the 22nd and 24th President?

In this episode we find o...

How did the United States go from a country defined by its lawlessness in the 1920s and early 1930s, to one where many political standpoints rest on a War on Crime? What roles did FDR, J. Edgar Hoover and Attorney General Homer S. Cummings play in this?

In this episode of American History Hit, Don delves into the transformation of the Federal government during Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal. He is joined by Anthony Gregory, hi...

On June 6, 1944, the Allied forces combined their land, air and sea forces into the largest amphibious invasion in history - D-Day.

Under Supreme Commander General Dwight D Eisenhower, this attack turned the tide on the second world war, pushing enemy forces out of France and towards surrender in Berlin.

73,000 Americans landed on the beaches of Normandy that day, and to hear about their roles, Don is speaking to Martin Morga...

The history of the United States' relationship with communism is one littered with fear and persecution. So where did the American Communist Party come from? How powerful has it been in the last century? And where is it now?

In this episode of American History Hit, Don is joined by Dr. Vernon Pederson, Professor at the American University of Sharjah and President of the Historians of American Communism.

Produced and edited by...

Where did baseball come from? Why is every stadium unique? And how do you make it to the Hall of Fame? 

For half the year, baseball remains a national pastime in the USA. It is also a game of many myths, and plenty of legends. In this episode, Don speaks to one of them - Joe Posnanski is a two time Emmy Award winner and has been named National Sportswriter of the Year by five different organizations. 

From Gaylord P...

Please note, this episode contains discussion of suicide.

On 1 April 1945, as the Second World War in Europe was reaching its end, one of the bloodiest battles in the whole conflict commenced on a small island south of mainland Japan. It was the Battle of Okinawa.

Saul David joined Dan Snow on our sister podcast, Dan Snow's History Hit, to provide a fascinating rundown of this truly horrific battle.

Enjoy unlimited access ...