Ben Franklin's World

What did it mean to be a citizen during the late-18th and early-19th centuries? Why and how did early American sailors seem intent on proving their citizenship to the United States? In this episode, we explore citizenship and maritime life during the Age of Revolutions with Nathan Perl-Rosenthal, an Assistant Professor of History and Spatial Sciences at the University of Southern California and au...

Historians research history in archives. But how do you gain access to one? And how do you use an archive once you find that it likely contains the information you seek? In this third episode of our “Doing History: How Historians Work” series, we investigate how archives work with Peter Drummey, an archivist and the Stephen T. Riley Librarian at the Massachusetts Historical Society.   Doing Histor...

George Washington stands as one of the most famous Americans in history, but what do we know of his helpmeet and partner, Martha? Who was the woman who stood beside and encouraged Washington? How did she assist him as he led the Continental Army and governed a new nation? Today, we investigate the life of Martha Washington with Mary Wigge, Research Editor at the Martha Washington Papers Project. S...

What role did the Bible play in the development of British North America and the early United States? How did the settlement of numerous religious groups in the thirteen American colonies affect the politics and religion of both the colonies and early United States? Today, we address these questions by exploring the place of the Bible in early America. Our guide for this exploration is Mark Noll,...

The American Civil War took place over 150 years ago. The war claimed over 600,000 American lives and its legacy affects the way present-day Americans view civil rights and race relations. The Civil War stands as an important, watershed event in United States history, which is why, in today’s episode, we will discuss the event with Civil War historian Ari Kelman, Professor of History at the Pennsy...

Historians refer to the Battle of Saratoga as the “turning point” of the American Revolution. They argue the Patriot Army’s defeat of British General John Burgoyne’s forces convinced the French to enter the War for Independence. Together, the Franco and American forces cornered Charles, Earl Cornwallis at Yorktown in 1781 and ended the war. This is the quick version of Saratoga, but as we know, hi...

How did enslaved African and African American women experience slavery? What were their daily lives like? And how do historians know as much as they do about enslaved women? Today, we explore the answers to these questions with Jennifer L. Morgan, a Professor of History and Social and Cultural Analysis at New York University and our guide for an investigation into how historians research history. ...

Law and order stood as a sign of civilization for many 17th-century Europeans, which is why some of the first European settlers in North America created systems of law and order in their new homeland. Today, we explore the legal history of colonial New England with Abby Chandler, author of Law and Sexual Misconduct in New England 1650-1750. Show Notes: http://www.benfranklinsworld.com/069   Helpfu...

Abraham Lincoln grew up as the son of a poor farmer. Yet, he became the 16th President of the United States. How did the son of a poor farmer achieve election to the presidency? Today, we investigate the life of Abraham Lincoln and his journey to the presidency with Richard Brookhiser, author of Founders' Son: A Life of Abraham Lincoln. Show Notes: http://www.benfranklinsworld.com/068   Helpful Sh...

Aside from nice weather, what do California and Hawaii have in common? Spanish longhorn cattle. Today, we explore how Spanish longhorn cattle influenced the early American and environmental histories of California and Hawaii with John Ryan Fischer, author of Cattle Colonialism: An Environmental History of the Conquest of California and Hawaii. Show Notes: http://www.benfranklinsworld.com/067   Hel...

How did average, poor, and enslaved men and women live their day-to-day lives in the early United States? Today, we explore the answers to that question with Simon P. Newman, a Professor of History at the University of Glasgow and our guide for an investigation into how historians choose their research topics.    Doing History Series This episode is part of the "Doing History: How Historians Work"...

History is about people, but what do we know about the people behind history’s scenes? Who are the people who tell us what we know about our past? How do they come to know what they know? Today, we begin our year-long “Doing History” series with a special bonus episode about historians and why they do the work that they do.   Doing History Series This episode is part of the "Doing History: How His...

Today, we explore espionage during the American Revolution and the origins and operations of the Culper Spy Ring with Alexander Rose, author of Washington’s Spies: The Story of America’s First Spy Ring and a historian, writer, and producer for AMC’s television drama TURN. Show Notes: http://www.benfranklinsworld.com/065   Helpful Show Links Help Support Ben Franklin's World Crowdfunding Campaign  ...

Most early Americans practiced chattel slavery: the practice of treating slaves as property that people could buy, sell, trade, and use as they would draught animals or real estate. But, did you know that some early Americans practiced a different type of slavery? Today, we investigate the practice of Native American or indigenous slavery, a little-known aspect of early American history, with Bret...

The American Civil War claimed more than 620,000 American lives. Did you know that it also cost American forests, landscapes, cities, and institutions? Today, we explore the different types of ruination wrought by the American Civil War with Megan Kate Nelson, author of Ruin Nation: Destruction and the American Civil War. Show Notes: http://www.benfranklinsworld.com/063   Helpful Show Links Help S...

Did you know that when James Madison originally proposed the Bill of Rights, it consisted of 36 amendments and that the House of Representatives did not want to consider or debate Madison’s proposed amendments to the Constitution? Today, we explore the Bill of Rights and its ratification with Carol Berkin, author of The Bill of Rights: The Fight to Secure America’s Liberties.   Show Notes: http://...

If you had only six years to enjoy retirement what would you do? Would you improve your plantation? Build canals? Or work behind-the-scenes to unite your country by framing a new central government? These were just some of the activities undertaken by George Washington during his brief retirement from public service between 1783 and 1789. Today, we explore the brief retirement of George Washington...

Did Washington really start the French and Indian War? Why should we remember a battle that took place over 260 years ago? In this episode, we investigate the answers to those questions as we explore the Battle of the Monongahela with David Preston, author of Braddock’s Defeat: The Battle of the Monongahela and the Road to Revolution. Show Notes: http://www.benfranklinsworld.com/060   Helpful Show...

Between the 1830s and 1860s, a clandestine communications and transportation network called the “Underground Railroad” helped thousands of slaves escape to freedom. Today, we will investigate and explore this secret network with Eric Foner, a Pulitzer Prize winning historian and author of Gateway to Freedom: The Hidden History of the Underground Railroad. Show Notes: http://www.benfranklinsworld.c...

Why do we refer to the men who founded the United States as the “founding fathers?” Why do we choose to remember the American Revolution as a glorious event that had almost universal, colonial support when in fact, the Revolution’s events were bloody, violent, and divisive? Today, we explore our memory of the American Revolution and how our memory of the event and its participants evolved with And...

Do you know what we have in common with our early American forebears? Taxes. As Benjamin Franklin stated in 1789, “nothing is certain but death and taxes.” Given the certainty of taxes it seems important that we understand how the United States’ fiscal system developed. Today, we explore the development of the early American fiscal system with Max Edling, Professor of History at King’s College, Lo...

Between 1754 and 1763, North Americans participated in the French and Indian War; a world war Europeans call the Seven Years’ War. As this world war raged, many South Carolinians, Virginians, Britons, and Cherokee people also fought a war for land, trade, and respect. Today, we explore the Anglo-Cherokee War with Daniel Tortora, author of Carolina in Crisis: Cherokees, Colonists, and Slaves in the...

Who was John Jay? Jay played important and prominent roles during the founding of the United States and yet, his name isn’t one that many would list if asked to name founding fathers. Today, we explore John Jay and his contributions to the founding of the United States with Robb Haberman, associate editor of The Selected Papers of John Jay documentary editing project.   Show Notes: http://www.benf...

The United States is a diverse nation of immigrants and their ancestors. With such diversity, and no one origination point for its people, how do we describe what the United States is and what its people stand for? What is the underlying ideological current that links Americans together regardless of their ancestral or regional diversity? We explore “American Exceptionalism” and the ideas it embod...

Do you believe in the supernatural? In ghosts, zombies, or perhaps witches? Today we celebrate All Hallows Eve with an exploration of the specters and witches that haunted 17th-century Massachusetts. Our guide for this exploration is Emerson W. Baker, author of A Storm of Witchcraft: The Salem Trials and the American Experience.   Show Notes: http://www.benfranklinsworld.com/053   Helpful Show Lin...