The Past is Prologue

With the American Revolution over, the new United States faces a dangerous question: can the fragile Republic survive? The Articles of Confederation have left the national government weak and totally dependent on state governments. The states are fighting over trade and territory, and European powers still control American soil. In this episode, we learn about who will shape the new American gover...

This episode explores Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr’s lives during the American Revolution, from their orphaned childhoods to their military careers with George Washington and the Continental Army. How did these two very different young men experience the American Revolution? What drove Hamilton’s relentless ambition, and what shaped Burr’s cautious and calculating personality? Most importantl...

In this episode, we follow Washington as he transforms from an ambitious young military officer to a member Virginia's elite. How his boring personality makes him a respected member of the House of Burgesses, and eventually a quiet leader of colonial resistance. We'll explore how his marriage to Martha Custis, strategic land acquisitions in the Ohio Valley and western frontier, and expansion of Mo...

In this episode of The Past is Prologue , George Washington's first taste of war plunges him into the chaos of the French and Indian War. From the controversial clash at Jumonville Glen to the disastrous surrender at Fort Necessity and the bloody defeat of General Braddock's army, Washington experiences triumph, humiliation, and near death on the American frontier. Along the way, he strugg...

In this episode, we'll begin with the story of how the Washington family came to settle in North America before eventually following a young George Washington from his birth in colonial Virginia to the moment he emerged onto the world stage during his diplomatic mission to Fort Le Boeuf. Along the way, we'll explore the influences that shaped the young Washington, including the death of hi...