American History Hit

In July 1860, half a century after the importation of captive slaves was banned under federal law, a ship docked in Alabama carrying around 110 enslaved people. To find out who was still engaging in the Atlantic slave trade, how these people were forced onto the Clotilda and what happened to them after landing in the United States, Don speaks to Hannah Durkin. Hannah is the author of 'Survivors: T...

When it comes to US Presidents, it’s not easy to agree on much these days. But one thing that has remained consistent is the man widely considered to be the best president in history: Abraham Lincoln. In this first episode of our three part series, we're finding out about Lincoln's rise to power and key policies as the President of the United States. Don speaks to Matthew Pinsker, Professor of His...

The Cold War, Prohibition, the Gold Rush, the Space Race. Every part of your life - the words you speak, the ideas you share - can be traced to our history, but how well do you really know the stories that made America? We'll take you to the events, the times and the people that shaped our nation. And we'll show you how our history affected them, their families and affects you...

On February 18th, 1965, the University of Cambridge hosted one of the most legendary debates in history. Author James Baldwin and conservative intellectual William F. Buckley Jr took to the floor to discuss whether the American Dream was achievable only at the expense of black Americans. To find out more about this debate, often overshadowed by other significant civil rights events of the same era...

On 23 June 1972, a man boarded American Airlines Flight 119 in St Louis. He sat most of the way to Tulsa before donning a wig and a pair of gloves in the restroom, taking out a gun and handing a member of the cabin crew a note. 'Don't panic. This is a ransom hijacking.' To find out more about this man, what he hoped to gain from his crimes, and how he and others were inspired by D.B. Cooper, Don s...

The city of Tulsa is perhaps best known in history books for the events of 1921. In 36 hours, hundreds of residents of the Greenwood district were murdered and more than 30 blocks of housing and businesses were razed to the ground. In this episode, Don is with Victor Luckerson to go beyond the story of that one day in Tulsa. Why was the Greenwood district known as Black Wall Street? Why was it tar...

From 1857 to 1861, James Buchanan held the office of President of the United States. It was a pivotal moment in the history of America, a bitterly divided nation that would very soon descend to its darkest depths during the Civil War. So what exactly was Buchanan's role in steering his country towards this fate? Could he have done more? Why is Kansas so intrinsic to this story? And what else was u...

From financial to conspiratorial to sexual, the words 'Clinton' and 'scandal' are regularly found in each others' vicinities. But why? Don is talking to Professor Peter Ling today to take us back to before Bill Clinton became president, before Monica Lewinsky became a household name, to find out about the scandals that have lurked in the Clintons' shadows. Peter, from the University of Nottingham,...

Where did the idea for Facebook come from? How has the site evolved? And how has it changed the world? In this episode, 20 years after the creation of the social media site, Don speaks to Steven Levy, WIRED’s editor at large. Steven had access to Mark Zuckerberg and Sheryl Sandberg over three years for his book 'Facebook: The Inside Story'. His work chronicling the digital revolution can be found...

The war between the Union and the Confederacy is a major turning point in the history of the United States. But why did it happen? From slavery and states' rights, to economic, legislative, moral, and political issues, in this episode, Don and Professor Adam Smith explore how these intertwined issues triggered this devastating war. Adam is a professor at the University of Oxford and Director of th...

We're creeping closer and closer to the Civil War in our chronology of presidents, and this episode's focus did little to delay the division of the United States. The 14th President, Franklin Pierce, took office in March 1853. To hear about his attempts at both domestic and foreign policy, as well as the personal tragedies that impacted his ability to govern, Don spoke to Brian Neumann. Brian C Ne...

What were the Apache Wars? How did they begin? And how did the end of the Mexican-American War impact the indigenous people of that region? In the 19th century, U.S. forces and Apache groups in areas that are now parts of New Mexico, Arizona, and Texas fought a series of conflicts over territory, power and resources. In this episode, historian Doug Hocking gives us insight into the various turning...

How did the 100th bomber group get a reputation for being unlucky? Who were they? And what was their role in the Second World War? In this episode, Don has the pleasure of speaking to John Orloff. John has written the TV adaptation of Donald L. Miller's 'Masters of the Air', following the men of the 'Bloody Hundredth' 25,000 feet in the air as they conduct bombing raids despite freezing temperatur...

Wiretapping, White House tapes and the possibility of impeachment. On June 17, 1972, a break-in at the Watergate Hotel triggered a chain of events ending with the resignation of President Nixon in 1974. From the burglary to the surprising redactions from the Nixon tapes, Kathryn Brownell joins Don to explore the story. Kathryn is an Associate Professor at Purdue University and author of '24/7 Poli...

How did a president lose his entire cabinet so soon after taking office? What was his role in the Westward expansion of the United States? And where did the name Millard come from? From teaching himself to read to becoming President of the United States, today we are being introduced to the 13th President of the United States, Millard Fillmore. Don is joined by Michael David Cohen, Research Profes...

Who introduced Martin Luther King Jr. to activism? Why is the influence of mothers so often understated? And did you know about the other King assassination? In this episode, we explore the extraordinary life and legacy of Alberta Christine Williams King, a remarkable activist in her own right. From her upbringing in Atlanta to her pivotal role in shaping MLK Jr.'s values and beliefs, Alberta's st...

Chaos, collusion and the Chennault Affair. What made the election of 1968 so unusual? Luke Nichter joins Don to talk about the election race that made Richard Nixon president. With political intrigue, baptist ministers, secret messages and boycotts, this contest paved the way for the elections we see today. Luke is the author of 'The Year That Broke Politics: Collusion and Chaos in the Presidentia...

Once the most popular man in America, hero of the Mexican-American war Zachary Taylor is our twelfth President and the subject of this episode. To find out what Taylor managed to achieve in his 16 months in office, and how his presidency was marred with debates over the spread of enslavement across the newly won West, Don speaks to Cecily Zander from Texas Woman's University. Produced by Freddy Ch...

January, 1968. Fighting in Vietnam has been ongoing since the 1950s. Ho Chi Minh and the leaders of the communist forces in Hanoi have concocted a strategy for a decisive victory to end this conflict of attrition. What happened in the Tet Offensive? Who won? And why was it such a massive turning point for the Americans in Vietnam. We find out with Mark Atwood Lawrence, Professor of History at the...

In the summer of 1579, Francis Drake had to land in a ‘fair and good bay’ on the western coast of the New World when his ship - The Golden Hind - needed repairs. A sign was put up, naming it Nova Albion (‘New England’) for Queen Elizabeth I. But the question of exactly where Drake landed has continued to vex historians to this day. In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscom...

On 17 January 1920, the 18th Amendment came into effect in the United States. It made the manufacture, sale and transportation of 'intoxicating liquor' illegal. Sarah Churchwell is BACK to explore the realities of the roaring twenties with Don. Why was alcohol banned? How did prohibition become federal law? And why would the US government have poisoned its citizens? Produced by Freddy Chick and So...

What was it about the Kennedys that attracted so much tragedy, that many believed them to be cursed? From plane disasters in World War 2, to drug overdoses and of course, assassinations - it has to be said, they had their fair share. Is there something sinister going on, or is this tragedy the by-product of such a go-getter risk-taking attitude? Joining Kate on this episode of Betwixt the Sheets t...

Is this the only president to have achieved all of their campaign promises? James K. Polk, the 11th Commander-in-Chief successfully led the nation through ambitious expansion during his single term. Don is joined for this episode by Professor Amy Greenberg to find out about Polk's presidency and successes, his warmongering, his lies and his workaholic tendencies. They also discuss his wife, Sarah,...

Simple living, plain dress and pacifism. This is not a lifestyle typical of the United States. So how did the Amish come to be in America? Where did this religion come from? And how has their society changed with modernisation? In this episode, Don and Dr Joseph Donnermeyer journey from the Anabaptist practices of medieval Europe to the faith and farms of modern day North America. Joseph is a Prof...

Why did the Boston Tea Party happen? Why Boston? And how did the events of December 1773 fit in to the American Revolution? In this episode, we are taking a broader look at the Boston Tea Party with Benjamin Carp, the Daniel M. Lyons Professor of American History at Brooklyn College. Why was tea the focus of debate and how did it become such a legendary patriotic event. Benjamin is the author of ‘...