Plodding Through The Presidents

We dig into the centuries-old mystery of a cornerstone in Mount Vernon’s cellar that inspired a pivotal prop in the film National Treasure: Book of Secrets. Then we hunt for the truth behind that prop’s role in a battle between Hollywood and historical accuracy. Along the way we explore The War of Jenkins’ Ear, what the War of 1812 smelled like, and what happened when air conditioning came to Moun...

This is the story of one man with big dreams who wanted to turn George Washington's Mount Vernon into a stop on his massive proposed theme park—a Disneyland on the Potomac named "The Spirit of America." In the 1960s and 70s, Joseph I. Goldstein was called the greatest threat to Mount Vernon since the British navy, and we dig into his wild plot and how the Mount Vernon Ladies Association, his neigh...

We explore two women responsible for preserving George Washington’s Mount Vernon: the "Southern Matron" Ann Pamela Cunningham, who dedicated her life to saving the mansion from ruin in the 1850s, and the eccentric Congressperson Frances Payne Bolton who used her wealth and power to save Mount Vernon's pristine view from becoming an industrial wasteland in the 1950s. It's a story of perseverance, p...

We welcome historian and author H. W. Brands to the show to talk about the subjects of his new book, Founding Partisans: Hamilton, Madison, Jefferson, Adams and the Brawling Birth of American Politics. Topics include why everybody hated Hamilton, James Madison's political metamorphosis, and the founders' fear of election-stealing demagogues.  Show notes and sources at plodpod.com Enter to win a co...

We bring you The John Adams Diet, a revolutionary new lifestyle based on the documented personal habits and diet of America's second president. From chocolate for breakfast to hard cider and long walks, the John Adams Diet can unlock the big sassy founder within you. (Results not typical or likely.) Visit JohnAdamsDiet.com for more details. Consider joining our Patreon family at https://www.patreo...

Plodding Through The Presidents returns Tuesday, February 13th as an ongoing biweekly podcast! Visit our website at www.plodpod.com Check out our merch store at https://www.teepublic.com/stores/plodding-through-the-presidents?ref_id=24294 Join our Patreon community at https://www.patreon.com/ploddingthroughthepresidents Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a special bonus episode, Howard joins Kenny Ryan from [Abridged] Presidential Histories, Jerry Landry from The Presidencies of the United States, and Alycia from Civics & Coffee for a fascinating Friendsgiving conversation about their podcasts and shared passion for history. We'll be back soon! Find more info and sign up for our mailing list at plodpod.com Consider joining our Patreon family at...

This episode's deep dive takes us to the bottom of the Pacific where a relic belonging to the family of John C. Calhoun was discovered 61 years after it was lost. We explore how it was lost during the tragic Honda Point Disaster and the story of the man who discovered it—and the target it put on his back. And it all starts with a little street in the Sherman Oaks neighborhood of Los Angeles named...

We explore the Lost Cause narrative—the myth that the South didn't actually secede from the Union and fight the Civil War over slavery. First, we focus on Confederate Vice President Alexander H. Stephens' chilling "Cornerstone Speech" defining the cause of the Confederacy, and then Howard talks with Dr. Karen L. Cox about her fascinating book "No Common Ground: Confederate Monuments and the Ongoin...

In 1835 a man ambushed Andrew Jackson outside the Capitol and fired at him with two different pistols from less than 10 feet away—yet Jackson was unharmed. We dig into this failed assassination attempt, the wild trial of would-be assassin Richard Lawrence, and the conspiracy theories that started circulating immediately. Then we welcome guest David S. Brown, author of The First Populist: The Defia...

How did James Madison go from being one of George Washington's best friends to someone Washington went to his grave despising? We look at the rise and fall of Washington and Madison's friendship, from their partnership to create the Constitution to their bitter breakup amidst the birth of America’s two-party system. Of all the rifts, rivalries, and betrayals that shaped the nation, this one might...

We go on a bimetal-curious adventure over the rainbow to dig into the history of L. Frank Baum's American fairy tale The Wizard of Oz and its alleged connections to William Jennings Bryan and the Populist movement of the 1890s. Then, Howard talks with author Peter Shea about Bryan and other presidential candidates who never made it to the presidency—including Aaron Burr and John C. Calhoun—all fea...

Guest Bob Crawford tells us about his new podcast "Founding Son: John Quincy's America" and John Quincy Adams's epic post-presidential battle against the Southern slavocracy and the Gag Rule. Before that, we dig into JQA's battle with solar eclipses and cover some exciting updates about JQA and the mole people—a myth we first discussed in our Season 1 episode "John Quincy Adams vs. The Internet."...

Fearing the Teddy Bear was just a fad, some folks started looking for a successor toy. They settled on the Billy Possum. We dig into the birth of Billy Possum at a lavish Atlanta banquet for William Howard Taft in 1909, the innovative and disturbing promotional efforts of Susie W. Allgood to make Billy Possum happen, and the series of unfortunate events that led to the stuffed marsupial's downfall...

We dig into the truth behind the chaotic 1902 Mississippi bear hunt that forever linked Teddy Roosevelt to a cute little bear and we explore the competing versions of the teddy bear's origin—and the clear winner. Then we look at the bizarre religious backlash against the teddy bear craze in 1907. Show notes and sources at plodpod.com—special thanks to "Holt Collier: His Life, His Roosevelt Hunts,...

Guest Tegan Kehoe—medical historian and author of the fascinating new book "Exploring American Healthcare Through 50 Historic Treasures"—joins Howard for an enlightening and personal discussion about George Washington's dentures, Vitamin D beer, the tragic story of the Kennedy baby, and our firsthand experiences with lifesaving advancements in preemie care. But first, Howard and Jess talk about a...

We dig into the stories behind Benjamin Franklin's notoriously naughty reputation on a quest to determine whether he was a flirt, a feminist, or the philandering father of dozens of children. And we dive into a letter of Franklin's that was considered too obscene to print until 150 years after his death. Show notes and sources at plodpod.com Consider joining our Patreon family at https://www.patre...

It's a Thanksgiving supergroup of history podcasters when Howard joins Kenny Ryan of [Abridged] Presidential Histories, Alycia from Civics & Coffee, and Jerry Landry from Presidencies of the United States for a special Friendsgiving spectacular to talk about some of their favorite things. Check them out: [Abridged] Presidential Histories Civics & Coffee Presidencies of the United States Consider j...

We delve into the reasons behind John Adams's intense loathing of Benjamin Franklin, from their time as strange bedfellows in the Second Continental Congress to their time in France as diplomats with wildly different methods and work ethics. Even long after Franklin's death, Adams held a grudge against the man he considered a phony, glory-stealing sloth. Visit plodpod.com for more information. Key...

We look at the haunting sounds and even more haunting history of Benjamin Franklin's favorite invention: the glass armonica. Then we welcome author Michael Meyer to discuss his new book Benjamin Franklin's Last Bet. The conversation brings Franklin to life and covers his unique bequests to the cities of Philadelphia and Boston and his rocky relationship with his son (hereby known as William Frankl...

In 1799, New York City needed clean water to prevent the spread of Yellow Fever and Aaron Burr needed a friendly bank to fund his election efforts. We dig into how the brilliant, scheming Burr addressed both problems at once with the "perfect monster" known as The Manhattan Company, and how he duped Alexander Hamilton into being his greatest champion. Show notes and sources at plodpod.com Consider...

In our fourth season premiere we dig into the 1799 murder of Elma Sands, a young woman whose body was found in the Manhattan Well. With a boardinghouse full of suspects—none of whom can be trusted—the trial was always going to be a sensation. But with the accused killer Levi Weeks being defended by the dream team of rivals Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr, it became a truly dramatic event. Listen...

Season 4 premieres Tuesday, October 25th! Enter to win our 3-book giveaway of fascinating historical books from our first three guests this season: https://kingsumo.com/g/k3clkv/3-book-giveaway-plodding-through-the-presidents-season-4 These are the books: 1. Benjamin Franklin's Last Bet: The Favorite Founder's Divisive Death, Enduring Afterlife, and Blueprint for American Prosperity by Michael Mey...

In our third season finale, we look at confounding founder Benjamin Rush—his outstanding humanitarian accomplishments, his controversial bleeding and purging treatments during the Yellow Fever epidemics, and the dramatic trial where he sued newspaper publisher William Cobbett for accusing him of killing his patients.  Sources and more at plodpod.com but a special shoutout to the extremely helpful...

We explore the tragic stories of John Quincy Adams’s sons—George Washington Adams, John Adams II, and Charles Francis Adams—through the structure of their cousin Mary Hellen playing a real life game of "F*ck Marry Kill" with them.  Show notes, photos, and sources at plodpod.com Consider joining our Patreon family (and our Season 3 patron party on November 14th) at https://www.patreon.com/ploddingt...