Civics & Coffee: A History Podcast

This week I wrap up my two part series on the mission to put the first man on the moon, Apollo 11.  In this episode, I give you the history of the three man team that made up Apollo 11: Neil Armstrong, Edwin 'Buzz' Aldrin and Mike Collins, how they prepared for such a historic mission and an overview of Apollo 11 itself. Tune in!  Sources Used for This Episode:  Shoot for the Moon by Jam...

Another listener request! Brody wanted me to cover the first man on the moon and so this week, I lay the foundation of the Apollo 11 mission including how why we got into the space race to begin with and just went into creating NASA.  NASA created a brand new career - astronaut - but just went into being drafted for the new career? And would America ever overcome the Soviet Union in the space race...

This week I talk about the first draft in United States Government - the Articles of Confederation. Banded together in their quest to defeat the British, the colonies established a basic framework to formalize their current power structure. Nervous about centralizing power, the framers were focused on vesting as much authority as possible into the individual states. However, a series of events kno...

This week I talk about the institution of human bondage in the immediate aftermath of the American Revolution. The colonies had just declared themselves a free and independent republic where all men were created equal. But what about the men and women forced to serve in life long bondage? What did this fight for independence mean for them? As I talk about this week, there was an immediate - albeit...

Let's celebrate the end of this decade.. I mean year with a review of all the historical stuff that went down in 2020, shall we? From Kobe Bryant to impeachment; fires to COVID, 2020 grabbed our attention from the beginning and made sure we never stopped worrying. Come hang with me as I salute the end of the year and welcome 2021. Sources Used This Episode: Australia fires: A Visual guide to...

This week I am going to talk a little bit about the American Revolution, but a lot more about those individuals impacted as a result of the call for independence. We know about the Battle of Yorktown and the harsh winter at Valley Forge. In this episode, I talk about how the fight for revolution impacted its residents - Black Americans, Women, Native Americans and the poor. Did you know there was...

This week I discuss the creation of one of the most infamous documents of American history - the Declaration of Independence. Vying for a way to be taken seriously and gain much needed support for their act of treason, the members of the Continental Congress drafted perhaps the most infamous piece of propaganda - the Declaration of Independence. While this document has historical importance and ha...

This week I talk about how the Culper Spy Ring played a key role in uncovering Benedict Arnold's plot to defect and transfer the important fort, West Point. I also go over what happened to the various members of the spy ring once all the cloak and dagger stuff was over. Tune in this week and learn about Arnold's defection and the spy ring that single handedly kept the Americans in the fi...

Did you know the founding father commonly known as the man who could not tell a lie was responsible for the development of a network of spies during the American Revolution? General George Washington, desperate to outsmart and outmaneuver the British, deployed a series of spies to feed him the information he so desperately needed. So just what this spy ring? What did they do? Tune in and find out....

We've made it! Listen with me as I talk about the final leg of the history of the World's Fair. This week's episode covers the New York and San Francisco fairs of 1939, the Disney influenced fair of 1964 and how the U.S was determined to make their Seattle World's Fair a showcase of American resolve to win the space race.  Next week I return to regular programming and will take...

You all have shown me so much love I wanted to return the favor with a special bonus episode all about Thanksgiving. Thank you to all of who you have listened thus far. I hope you all have a safe and wonderful holiday! Sources Used This Episode: The History of Thanksgiving, History.com ( LINK ) Why Do We Eat Turkey on Thanksgiving, Britannica.com, ( LINK ) The History of Pumpkin Pie, History.com (...

In this week's episode, I wrap up the 1893 Chicago World's Fair including the brief story of a serial killer, H.H Holmes and dive into both St. Louis and San Francisco's first shot at hosting their own event. St. Louis vied hard to ensure no one else competed with their fair and fought to have the Summer Olympics held on site and away from the original host city - Chicago. I end thi...

Shout out to listener Stacey who reached out and ask that I cover the history of the World's Fairs in the United States. There have been A LOT of them - and a lot of cool and amazing advancements have come about thanks to these demonstrations of new ideas, inventions and national pride. So much, in fact, that this will be a multi-part episode. This week I cover the origins of World's Fai...

John Adams, John Hancock and... Josiah Quincy? This week I talk about three of the many individuals who participated in the run up to the American Revolution. All three men knew each other throughout their lives and their proximation to Boston could be seen as one of the reasons Massachusetts gets all the revolutionary ink. Grab your coffee and hang with me while I dive into the roles these rebels...

Happy Voting day! I couldn't pass up the opportunity to give you all a bonus episode on one of the most historic civic duties in American history - voting. This is an episode all about the history of voting in the United States. I will cover how many individuals fought for the right to vote and why your ability to exercise your franchise may not be as protected as you may think. I chat about...

Hey everyone!  I  know I mentioned talking about the rebels of the revolution in from Boycott to Bloodshed, but I took an offramp from the normal linear history path to share some background on Halloween in America. From the Celtic origins of the Samhain festival to the history of Haunted Houses, I touch on a few of the things that make Halloween the best holiday of the year. I even ventured into...

This week I am going to talk about the actions - and reactions - that lead to the American Revolution. After experiencing success in the French and Indian war, Great Britain was in need of cash to help protect the new territory and pay for the costs of the extended war. The colonists, on the other hand, were not used to being asked for taxes from Parliament and rebelled at every turn - including s...

This week I am going to talk about a woman who literally wrote her way to freedom, Phillis Wheatley. Kidnapped from Africa as a small child, Wheatley would gain fame and notoriety as a result of creative writing capabilities. Wheatley was able to meet some of the most infamous men of her time including George Washington, Benjamin Franklin and John Hancock. So why is it we know so little about her?...

I asked - you answered! This week I am going to give you a run down of the history of political debates in American History. Did you know the first televised presidential debate was between two women and was 4 years before the infamous 1960 Kennedy / Nixon debates? Listen for this and much more on this week's listener requested episode of the history of debates. Sources Used This Episode: The...

This week I am telling the story of a female shopkeeper - Elizabeth Murray Campbell Smith Inman. A Scot by birth, Murray would cross the Atlantic and set herself on a path of economic security not typical for the women of her time. Elizabeth's story is fascinating - from her multiple voyages across the ocean, to her multiple prenuptial agreements and her mentorship of other women - Murray&apo...

This week I am talking about the French and Indian war - a conflict seen as one of the catalysts for the American Revolution a few years later. This conflict over desired land expansion would lead to Great Britain's increase in territory, but see the beginnings of Britain's loss of colonial support. Also - did you know the French Indian War is known by many different names? Grab your cof...

This week - by special request from a listener - I take a deep dive into the most infamous witch hunt in United States history - the Salem Witch Trials. I talk about how the accusations started, how the hysteria spread and one of the methods used to test whether someone was bewitched - be warned; it's gross. Grab your coffee - let's do it! Sources Used in This Episode: Entertaining Satan...

This week I am talking about the Bacon Rebellion. Nathaniel Bacon, a Virginia planter focused on unlimited expansion, would go on to lead the first popular revolt in the colonies. The rebellion itself was short, but in this episode I talk about who Bacon was and why his revolt is viewed as important in American History.  Sources Used This Episode: You Don't Know Much About History: Everything...

This week I am talking about Mary Dyer - one of the first activists in colonial America. I will talk about who Dyer was, why she is infamous and what the Boston Martyrs were. Enjoy your cup of coffee with a side of history. Sources Used in Episode: Making Heretics by Michael P Winship Support the show

This week, I talk about the emergence of slavery in the new colonies. I review the transition of desired labor from indentured servants to slave labor and a how court case and early laws helped codify chattel slavery into the fabric of the nation. Sources in this Episode: These Truths: A History of the United States by Jill Lepore A People's History of the United States by Howard Zinn You Don...