American History Hit

What was it like to live on Alcatraz? And was it possible to escape? In this episode, Don speaks to a historian with the unique experience of growing up there. Jolene Babyak's father worked on Alcatraz during its 29 years as a federal maximum-security prison. She and Don discuss the origins of the prison, the people who were imprisoned there and the escape of 1962. Jolene is the author of a number...

Driven from the United States, the Mormons journeyed West to build a new society in the desert- one that would challenge the political, economic, and moral norms of the nation they had left behind. But when the United States lay claim to the Utah Territory, a tense standoff developed between the two sides... Our guest today is Prof. Peter Coviello, University of Illinois, who studies American lite...

Chicago is the third most populous city in the United States. It's the windy city, the railroad capital, and home of countless film and tv hits. But when was it founded? Who were the first people living and working on this land? And when did Chicago become Chicago. Don is joined by Ann Durkin Keating, Professor of History at North Central College. Her book on this subject is ‘Rising Up from Indian...

In 1831, a rebellion erupted in Virginia that sent shockwaves across the United States, and challenged the brutal system of slavery in a way that white slave-owners had long feared. Led by an enslaved man named Nat Turner, he and his followers carried out one of the most significant slave rebellions in American history. To help us in the retelling of this event, we’re lucky to be joined by Dr. Van...

Their name is synonymous with power, influence ... and tragedy. And with so much of the latter, many have taken to speculating - are the Kennedy family cursed? To find out more, Don is joined by Professor Barbara Perry, co-chair of the Presidential Oral History Program at the University of Virginia’s Miller Center. What is the Kennedy Curse? How far back does it go? And how do the family interpret...

The Trail of Tears is one of the darkest chapters in American history: the forced removal of thousands of Native Americans from their ancestral lands in the Southeast to territories west of the Mississippi River. In this episode we focus specifically on the experiences of the Choctaw people. In this final episode of our 'Frontier' miniseries, we are lucky to welcome Ryan Spring to take us through...

The United Society of Believers in Christ's Second Appearing, best known as the Shakers, emerged in the UK in the 18th Century. So how is it that the three remaining Shakers are based in the US? How did this religion cross the Atlantic? And where did they get their nickname from? Don is joined for this episode by Professor Doug Winiarski, professor of Religious Studies at the University of Richmon...

We've all heard of the Texas Rangers: an undoubted icon of the American West. In this week’s instalment of our Frontier series, we’ll be exploring the history of lawmen famed for riding across a violent and uncertain landscape. But how much of their reputation reflects the realities of the frontier, and how much was shaped by legend? Were the Rangers truly defenders of order in a lawless land, or...

This is the largest battle, by number of combatants, of the entire Civil War. But why? What was the federal objective at Fredericksburg? And how did it all go so wrong for Burnside and his troops? Don is joined to explore the Battle of Fredericksburg by returning guest Chris Mackowski. Chris is the Copie Hill Fellow at the American Battlefield Trust, and a professor at the Jandolin School of Commu...

The words 'Donner Party' have become synonymous with disaster in the American imagination. In this week’s instalment of our Frontier miniseries, we’ll be exploring how this group of pioneers' journey across the Old West ended with fatal consequences... To tell us more about this story, we’re very lucky to welcome Daniel James Brown as our guest. Daniel is a writer who specialises in historical non...

It's known as the deadliest single day in American history: the Battle of Antietam. After weeks of Union defeats, Confederate forces pushed north into Maryland and carried the war onto Northern soil for the first time. Near a quiet creek in Maryland, two armies faced one another and engaged in a battle that would decide the course of American history. To take us through today's episode, we welcome...

Heroic cowboys on horseback. Bands of outlaws. Brawls in small town saloons. This is the Wild West as popular culture remembers it. But was it really as “wild” as we’ve been led to believe? Did the violence of the frontier truly revolve around outlaws and lawmen... or were much larger forces shaping life on the Frontier? To explore this question, we welcome Tore Olsson as our guest for this episod...

Franklin D Roosevelt is consistently considered one of the United States' best Presidents. Elected four times, he oversaw the end of the Great Depression and victory in the Second World War. But was all of this actually his work? Did FDR solve the depression? And how do both his failure to support an anti-lynching bill and the internment of thousands of US citizens during the war impact his legacy...

In the first instalment of our Frontier miniseries, we explore one of the most iconic symbols in American history: the Oregon Trail. For decades, thousands of Americans packed their lives into wooden wagons and set out for the West. They crossed sun-scorched plains without shade, climbed mountains without roads, and forded rivers that could turn deadly in an instant. Along the way, many buried lov...

Known by the end of his life as El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz, the Black Nationalist leader best known as Malcolm X died at just 39. Despite his short life, however, his legacy continues to this day. Don is joined by Clarence Lang today, who introduces us to this legendary figure and takes us through the events that made him who he was. Clarence is the Susan Welch Dean of the College of the Liberal Art...

The Origins of Slavery in America, from its early colonial history to its expansion after the Revolutionary war, is the darkest chapter of American history. In this episode, we'll explore how European colonists first brought enslaved Africans to the Americas, how legal frameworks were devised to uphold the practice and what they were forced to endure on the plantations. Today we welcome Justene Hi...

Roughstock, roping and risk - the sport and spectacle of rodeo has become one of the most iconic American pastimes over the last couple of centuries. But where did it begin and how has it changed over time? Don is joined by Dr Tracey Hanshew, Assistant Professor of History at Eastern Oregon University. Tracey's article, 'Here she comes wearin’ them britches!’ Saddles, Riding Skirts, and Social Ref...

On May 4 1970, four students were shot dead by the Ohio National Guard during a protest. What were they protesting? Why were the National Guard brought in? And what chain of events led them to shoot? Don is joined by historian Brian VanDeMark, formerly of the United States Naval Academy, whose latest book is Kent State: An American Tragedy. Edited by Aidan Lonergan, produced by Sophie Gee. Senior...

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...

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 'G...

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: w...

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 i...

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 H...

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 w...

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 fr...