The Trans-Atlanticist

“Men who look upon themselves born to reign, and others to obey, soon grow insolent; selected from the rest of mankind their minds are early poisoned by importance; and the world they act in differs so materially from the world at large, that they have but little opportunity of knowing its true interests, and when they succeed to the government are frequently the most ignorant and unfit of any thr...

"He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation." In this episode, we explore grievance #25 in the Declaration of Independence, which laments the deployment of the notor...

How did the indigenous people of Chicagoland understand what was happening in the Colonies in 1776? Did the Declaration of Independence affect them in any way? Of course, the City of Chicago was not founded until 1837, but this episode explores the lives of the inhabitants of the Chicago area and the effect of European colonization on their way of life during the Revolutionary War. Our expert gues...

In this episode, Andrew Sola and Tobias Brinkmann explore the history of the earliest Jews in the Colonies. Topics include the following: -The arrival in 1654 of the first Jewish ship in New Amsterdam, which was governed by Peter Stuyvesant (who is featured in the photo, arriving in New Amsterdam for the first time) -The story of Asser Levy, perhaps the first Jewish inhabitant of the North America...

"We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men AND WOMEN are created equal." Declaration of Sentiments, Seneca Falls Convention In this episode, Prof. Rosemarie Zagarri explores the legal, social, and political status of women from the Colonial Era through the Revolutionary War, the Seneca Falls Convention (1848), and beyond. Topics include: -The tensions between the ideals of the phrase "...

"He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures." This Pride Month episode focuses on two questions. First, why were American colonists increasingly frustrated with the presence of British troops in the Colonies? Second, to what extent were Thomas Jefferson and the Founders aware of LGBTQ+ issues at the nation's founding? Topics include the followi...

The Declaration of Independence uses the words 'God,' 'the Creator,' and 'Divine Providence,' but many of the Founders were highly skeptical of both Christianity and also organized religion, preferring the scientific and rational ideals of the Enlightenment. In this episode, we explore the tensions between religion and reason in the Declaration of Independence. Topics include the following: -Theis...

"He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of the new Appropriation of Lands" ..."for cutting off trade with all parts of the world." In this episode, Steven Pincus explores grievances against King George for restrictin...

"He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions." How are we supposed to understand the phrase "merciless Indian Savages" in the Declaration of Independence? In this episode, expert in American Indian his...

Who was Thomas Jefferson and how did he come to write the Declaration of Independence at the tender age of 33? In this episode, historian Robert McDonald (US Military Academy) discusses the genius of Thomas Jefferson. Topics include the following: -Jefferson's evolution into a revolutionary -The long tradition of self government in the Colonies -The process of composing the Declaration of Independ...

***This episode is from our brand new series called "Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness" to commemorate the 250-year anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.*** In this introductory episode, you will learn about some key events leading up to the Declaration of Independence. Check out additional information at amerikazentrum.de. If you have any thoughts, please share them on our You...

The new administration in Washington has forced both Americans and Europeans to reckon with an emerging new security environment. How should we understand this new world order? Is it time to panic? Ambassador Doug Lute (US Ambassador to NATO, 2013-2017) outlines the contours of this new world and explains why we should not panic. Topics include the following: -Updates from the Munich Security Conf...

Andrew Sola and Günter Danner analyze the 2025 federal elections in Germany, focusing on the social, economic, and security challenges facing Germany, Europe, Ukraine, the USA, and the world.

In our final politics podcast of 2024, we look back at the political developments in France, Germany, and the US in 2024. We also look ahead to issues facing Germany, Europe, and the US in 2025. Topics include the following: -French President Macron's difficulties with internal French politics -the collapse of Chancellor Scholz's coalition government in Berlin -issues that will affect the election...

***This episode is part of the ChicagoHamburg30 podcast series, which is celebrating the 30-year anniversary of the Chicago-Hamburg Sister-City partnership (1994-2024).*** In our 30th and final episode celebrating the 30-year anniversary of the Chicago-Hamburg Sister-City partnership, we look at the German architects who literally built the buildings that Chicagoans live, work, and play in today....

In this episode, Andrew Sola and AFP journalist Christina Neuhaus discuss Germany's reaction to the US elections as well as the collapse of the German government. Topics include the following: -Public and private reactions to Trump's victory -The reactions of all the different political parties, including BSW, AFD, die Linke, SPD, CDU, the Greens, and FDP -Different policy issues that concern Germ...

This episode is part of the ChicagoHamburg30 podcast series, celebrating the 30-Year Anniversary of the Chicago-Hamburg Sister-City relationship. Happy German-American Heritage Month! In this episode, we explore the remarkable story of one German immigrant who left Hamburg for Chicago in 1923, Walter Heinsen, through the lens of his grandson John. Walter was an aerial photographer for the German E...

In this episode we commemorate the life and work and ongoing influence of Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849), 175 years after his death. Poe is a fascinating historical figure and his literary work is known throughout the world. In this episode, we explore both his complicated life story as well as his ongoing influence on all forms of creative production. We discuss the loss of his mother and his early...

This episode is part of the ChicagoHamburg30 podcast series, celebrating the 30-year anniversary of the Chicago-Hamburg Sister-City Anniversary. We're celebrating Hispanic-American Heritage month with a deep dive into the rich history and diversity of the Hipanic/Latino/LatinX/Latine community in Chicago. Topics include the following: -the debate about the language we use to describe the Hispanic...

It's Hispanic-American Heritage Month, so today's episode focuses on the unique role that Latino voters play in American politics. Andrew Sola and New York Times National Politics Reporter Jazmine Ulloa analyse the Latino electorate and discuss the following points: -the diversity of the Latino electorate -the growing influence of Latino voters -explanations for historically lower voter turn-out a...

This episode features an analysis of the local elections in the east German states of Thuringia and Saxony, which were held on September 1. The Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) earned the most votes in Thuringia and the second most in Saxony. Furthermore, a brand-new party, the BSW or Bündnis Sahra Wagegnknecht achieved 16% in Thuringia and 12% in Saxony. Who are the leaders of these parties? We...

This episode is part of the ChicagoHamburg30 podcast series, celebrating the 30-year anniversary of the Chicago-Hamburg Sister-City relationship. In this special episode, Andrew Sola and his guests discuss the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. Topics include the similarities and differences between the 1968 DNC and the 2024 DNC; the use of gender and race in the speeches; the main th...

This episode is part of the ChicagoHamburg30 podcast series, celebrating the 30-Year Anniversary of the Chicago Hamburg Sister-City relationship. The Democratic National Convention in Chicago 1968 was one of the most important political events in the twentieth century. It was preceded by a number of earth-shaking crises, including the devastating Tet Offensive in Vietnam in January, President Lynd...

The 2024 election is shaping up to be one of the most consequential in history. With two vastly different candidates and visions, the stakes couldn't be higher. What’s particularly concerning this year is the apparent disregard for democratic institutions and values.⁠ Join us as we explore the historical context of this pivotal moment, starting from George Washington’s presidency. To mark 225 year...