American History Hit

On the 250th anniversary of the United States, Revisionist History, bestselling author Malcolm Gladwell’s podcast about things overlooked and misunderstood, investigates the story of what was, at the time, the biggest secession movement in the U.S. since the Civil War. The Staten Island Problem reconstructs the battle for New York City amidst the turbulent early 1990s — the rise of Rudy Giuliani,...

By July 1863, the American Civil War had reached a critical turning point. As Robert E. Lee led his army into the North, the two sides collided at Gettysburg in the deadliest battle of the war... How did three days of fighting at Gettysburg change the course of the Civil War? And how has the battle been remembered in the American consciousness since? Our guest today is award winning author Garry A...

At the start of the 20th century after victory in the Spanish-American War, the US found itself as a colonial power. How did it decide NOT to follow down the same road as the imperial powers of Europe afterwards? Today Professor Christopher Nichols of the Ohio State University talks to Don Wildman about how the US defined a new world order at the start of the 20th century. Edited by Tim Arstall, p...

Before boarding the USCGC Cutter Eagle for Sail4th 250's tall ship parade, Don is finding out more about this iconic ship. How did a Nazi ship end up in American hands? Find out in this episode with Will Sofrin, a master shipwright, former professional sailor, licensed captain and the author of 'USCG Cutter Eagle: The Legacy of the Coast Guard's Flagship'. Edited by Aidan Lonergan. Produced by Sop...

In 1831, it looked like enslavement in America would continue forever. 34 years later, it was permanently abolished under the 13th Amendment. How did that happen? And who made it so? We've been asking some of our favourite historians for their most important moment in these 250 years of the United States' History. In this episode, Kellie Carter Jackson returns to talk Frederick Douglass, Harriet T...

Lewis and Clark's expedition is a foundational story of America and Sacagawea was more central to it than is remembered. We hear this incredible tale through Sacagawea's eyes with our guest Dr Margaret Huettl, from the University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh. Edited by Tim Arstall. Produced by Hannah Feodorov and Tomos Delargy. Senior Producer is Freddy Chick. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours...

Was the Civil War a 'Second American Revolution', or was it a continued evolution of the nation set out by the Founding Fathers? How did Lincoln see it? We've asked some of our favourite historians for their most important moment in these 250 years of the United States' History. In this episode, Aaron Sheehan-Dean returns to discuss how winning the Civil War fits into the growth of American identi...

What was it like in Harlem during the decades of the Harlem Renaissance? Who were the key figures? What makes it so important? Don Wildman is joined once again by Professor Mark Anthony Neal, author of many acclaimed books and host of Left of Black . Edited by Tim Arstall. Produced by Hannah Feodorov and Tomos Delargy. Senior Producer is Freddy Chick. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours o...

Today's United States of America boasts one of the largest and most expensive militaries in the world. But this wasn't always a guarantee. In this episode, we're hearing how the professional military was created despite it's existence being at odds with the Republican ideals the nation was founded on. Don is joined by friend of the podcast, Cecily Zander. Cecily is Assistant Professor of History a...

On June 6, 1944, a combined Allied force carried out the largest amphibious invasion in history. They were led by an American. What was General Eisenhower's role in D-Day? How was American officer training key to the strategy used? And how did the British weather change everything? Don's guest is John C. McManus, professor of military history at Missouri University of Science and Technology and ho...

We've asked some of our favorite historians for their number one moment from these 250 years of the United States' History. For this episode, we're honored to welcome Jill Lepore back to the show. How do the life and letters of Jane Franklin, beloved sister of THE Benjamin Franklin, reflect the nature and constitution of America? You can read more about this in Jill's book THESE TRUTHS: A History...

He's one of the most famous serial killers in American history... but how much of H.H Holmes' gruesome crimes were sensationalised by the press at the time? Our guest today is Dr. Harold Schechter, professor at Queen’s College, City University of New York. He is the author of dozens of non-fiction books, including ‘ Depraved: the Definitive True Story of H.H. Holmes, Whose Grotesque Crimes Shatter...

Have you ever wondered how Harlem got its name? There are countless remnants of the Dutch colony on Manhattan island. But when did it end? And why? Don is joined by best selling author Russell Shorto to discuss the British takeover of New Amsterdam. Russell is the author of 'The Island at the Center of the World’, and ‘Taking Manhattan: The Extraordinary Events That Created New York and Shaped Ame...

The Siege of Vicksburg was a pivotal turning point in the Civil War. Should the Union capture the stronghold, the South's hold on the Mississippi would be broken forever... But what about the lives of those trapped inside the city? And what measures did they resort to to survive the bombardment? Our guest today is Dr. Lindsay Privette, Associate professor of history at Anderson University. She’s t...

In 1775, revolutionaries went to war against the British. Seeking independence from colonial ties, they fought more than 150 battles over eight years. A relatively new nation of just 2.5 million people facing off against the greatest military power on the planet at that time, it seemed like a tall order. So when did the tide turn? When did it become certain that the revolutionaries would gain thei...

Just twenty years after independence, the United States fought a lesser-known war against the Barbary States of North Africa... some use the term 'Corsairs', others referred to them as 'Pirates'. But why was America there? How was diplomacy conducted during this time? And how did these conflicts help transform a fragile republic into an emerging naval power? Our guest today is Dr. Abby Mullen, pro...

This is one of the deadliest conflicts in North American History. But who was King Philip? What started the war? And how did it change history? Don is joined by Professor David Silverman from George Washington University to head back to the late 17th century. Edited by Aidan Lonergan. Produced by Sophie Gee. Senior Producer was Freddy Chick. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original...

In 1867, the United States purchased Alaska from Russia in a deal that reshaped the map of North America... but what did that moment mean for the people already living there? In this episode, we explore Alaska before European contact, the rise of Russian colonial settlement, and eventually the American takeover. Our guest today is Professor Thomas Swensen at the University of Utah. He’s the author...

From being locked up in the Tower of London to founding the 5th most populous state in the country, and the city at the heart of the Revolution, today we are charting the unlikely rise of William Penn and the founding on Pennsylvania. Don is joined by Thomas Hamm, Emeritus Professor of History and Quaker Scholar in residence at Earlham College. Edited by Aidan Lonergan. Produced by Sophie Gee. Sen...

It was Robert E. Lee's greatest strategic triumph but it came at a heavy cost - the loss of his talismanic leader and friend Stonewall Jackson among thousands of Confederate casualties. Guiding Don Wildman through what happened back in 1863 is Dr Bradford Wineman. His new book is called 'Francis H. Smith, VMI, and the Rise of Southern Military Education'. Don's new documentary on Fort Laramie is a...

What if we told you that puritans were actually sex-crazed? Well maybe not crazed but definitely not opposed to it. What if we told you that, actually, the entire mainstream belief of puritans being bound to strict moral and religious codes isn't totally true? In this episode of American History Hit, Don is joined by Lori Rogers-Stokes to answer some of the big questions. Did the Puritans really w...

During the Revolutionary War a vital web of intelligence was established, with General Washington at its head. Operating through coded letters, hidden signals, and a chain of ordinary civilians turned spies, their secrecy and precision proved that even the quietest network could alter the course of a revolution. Our guest today is Dr. Alexander Rose, historian and author of Washington's Spies: The...

Geronimo's name is famous across the world: the Apache warrior who led a resistance movement against the United States out in the South West for years... But what happened to Geronimo (or Goyaałé) that led to his campaign of resistance? Why did the US and Mexico feel like they had to bring him down? And how did his story end? Our guest today is Dr. Veronica Tiller, a writer of Native American Hist...

From fur traders to rulers of the New York social scene - how did the Astors rise to the top? What did it mean to be 'Old Money' in the Gilded Age? And where did that power go? Don is joined by New York Times best-selling historian and novelist, Katherine Howe. From the Titanic, to the slums of New York, to the penthouse of the Waldorf Astoria, Katherine today guides us through a family story like...

Shays’ Rebellion has long been taught as a dangerous uprising, one that risked shaking the newly founded United States of America. But by tracing the events from mounting grievances to the march on the Springfield Armory, one might argue it was as a disciplined, community-driven movement born out of economic injustice... Our guest for today’s episode is Dr. Daniel Bullen, author of the book ‘Danie...