A Practical Guide to American History

The War of 1812 proved that Americans can stand on their own two feet, holding their own against the British, even without the aid of the French this time. But what is it exactly that they're fighting for? What does it truly mean to be "American"? And now that everyone is no longer united against an external threat, how long can they remain united? Feat. tariffs, central banks, canals, factory tow...

How does a nation heal after as contentious an election as 1800? What exactly does the president need to do to keep everything running smoothly? And if Britain were to come back for round 2, could the United States fight them off another time? Feat. a pirating war, tariffs, Canada, the US Navy, the writing of the most important poem in US history, and maybe the fanciest ball in history. Era Playli...

This one is on the longer side... but that's because this is possibly the one period in our history that people need to know the most: the formation of the United States of America that we live in today. Feat. Founding Fathers, merchants, carpenters, Quakers, an international scandal, and the birth of party politics in America. Further reading 📚: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1e9itKacIiCfEuu...

What were the conditions to make people say, "enough's enough"? What examples did they look to? And how did they pull off what should have been impossible? Feat. marriage certificates, 13th-century barons, tar-and-feathering, state militias, and the birth of American espionage. Further reading 📚: https://docs.google.com/document/d/18vlI3M__K5E-ogxEnenuPUQmIxQrUvfS3qNsaIUjg_E/edit?usp=sharing Era...

How does the culture of a society develop? What factors in the 18th century convened to create more egalitarian conditions? How did people work and live? What was America's evolving relationship to the wider world? Feat. fraternal organizations, taverns, coffeehouses, accusations of libel, the origins of Yankee Doodle, the minuet, evangelicals, Daniel Boone, and French raiding parties. Further rea...

European beginnings in the Americas-- as well as my own beginnings in long-form recording! 😅 What actually were Spanish attitudes towards their American endeavors? What was the business model for colonization, and how did it change over time? And what did each of the different English colonies contribute to our current idea of America? Feat. explorers, Italian bankers, chocolate plantations, seco...

Some things to know before we begin.

History should be practical.