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Ben Franklin's World

History Podcasts

This is a multiple award-winning podcast about early American history. It's a show for people who love history and who want to know more about the historical people and events that have impacted and shaped our present-day world. Each episode features conversations with professional historians who help shed light on important people and events in early American history. It is produced by the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation.

Location:

Williamsburg, VA

Description:

This is a multiple award-winning podcast about early American history. It's a show for people who love history and who want to know more about the historical people and events that have impacted and shaped our present-day world. Each episode features conversations with professional historians who help shed light on important people and events in early American history. It is produced by the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation.

Language:

English


Episodes
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BFW Revisited: Disruptions in Yorktown

10/28/2025
What did it take to end the War for Independence? When we think of the American Revolution's final chapter, we think of the Siege of Yorktown. Between September 28 and October 19, 1781, British forces endured a siege by the Franco-American forces that ultimately led to a triumphant Franco-American victory, British recognition of American independence, and the birth of a new nation. But the real story of the Yorktown victory is far more layered. It involved international alliances, enslaved people seeking freedom, and years of hardship. Today, we're revisiting the events of October 1781 as we revisit Episode 333. In this episode, we join three historiansโ€“Marcus Nevius, Ed Ayers, and Gretchen Johnsonโ€“ who help us uncover: Show Notes: https://www.benfranklinsworld.com/333 EPISODE OUTLINE 00:00:00 Introduction 00:03:59 Siege of Yorktown 00:05:13 The British Military Approach 00:08:50 The Importance of Virginia's Regions 00:18:57 The Impact of War on Yorktown 00:28:03 Dunmore's Proclamation and the British Strategy 00:33:44 The British Invasion of Virginia 00:48:00 Aftermath and Legacy 00:55:49 Conclusion RECOMMENDED NEXT EPISODES ๐ŸŽง Episode 162: Dunmore's New World ๐ŸŽง Episode 208: Turning Points of the American Revolution ๐ŸŽง Episode 250: Virginia, 1619 ๐ŸŽง Episode 289: Maroonage in the Great Dismal Swamp ๐ŸŽง Episode 306: The Horse's Tail ๐ŸŽง Episode 332: Occupied Philadelphia SUPPORT OUR WORK ๐ŸŽ Make a Donation to Ben Franklin's World REQUEST A TOPIC ๐Ÿ“จ Topic Request Form ๐Ÿ“ซ liz@benfranklinsworld.com WHEN YOU'RE READY ๐Ÿ—ž๏ธ BFW Gazette Newsletter ๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐Ÿ’ป Join the BFW Listener Community LISTEN ๐ŸŽง ๐ŸŽ Apple Podcasts ๐Ÿ’š Spotify ๐ŸŽถ Amazon Music ๐Ÿ›œ Pandora CONNECT ๐Ÿฆ‹ Liz on Bluesky ๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐Ÿ’ป Liz on LinkedIn ๐Ÿ›œ Liz's Website SAY THANKS ๐Ÿ’œ Leave a review on Apple Podcasts ๐Ÿ’š Leave a rating on Spotify *Book links are affiliate links. Every purchase supports the podcast.

Duration:00:59:49

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423 The Forgotten Artists of the American Revolution

10/21/2025
Have you ever noticed how conversations about the American Revolution often center on great battles, founding documents, and famous statesmen? What if, instead, we explored that world through the eyesโ€”and the handsโ€”of everyday people who shaped it through art? Zara Anishanslin, Associate Professor of History and Art History at the University of Delaware and Director of its Museum Studies and Public Engagement Program, joins us to uncover the hidden world of artists, artisans, and makers who painted, stitched, and crafted the Revolution into being. Drawing from her book The Painter's Fire: A Forgotten History of the Artists Who Championed the American Revolution, Zara helps us see how creativity and craftsmanship tell a fullerโ€”and more humanโ€”story of America's founding. Zara's Website | Book | Show Notes: https://www.benfranklinsworld.com/423 EPISODE OUTLINE 00:00:00 Introduction 00:41.79 Welcome & Episode Overview 00:02:59 Meet Our Guest 00:07:11 The Transatlantic Network of Revolutionary Artists 00:11:28 Why Revolutionary Artwork Didn't Survive 00:14:13 Prince Demah & His Mother Daphny 00:21:21 How Art Patronage Worked in the 18th Century 00:24:01 Finding Prince Demah a Teacher in London 00:27:40 Life as a Black Artist in London 00:41:22 Prince Demah's Life in Revolutionary Boston 00:49:24 Robert Edge Pine: The English Artist Who Supported America 00:59:24 How Revolutionary Art Differs from Later Commemorative Art 01:04:55 What Artists Reveal About the Revolution 01:07:29 Closing Thoughts & Resources RECOMMENDED NEXT EPISODES ๐ŸŽง Episode 084: How Historians Read Historical Sources ๐ŸŽง Episode 106: The World of John Singleton Copley ๐ŸŽง Episode 201: Art, Politics, and Everyday Life in Early America ๐ŸŽง Episode 299: Colonial Virginia Portraits ๐ŸŽง Episode 390: Objects of Revolution ๐ŸŽง Episode 422: Plantation Goods SUPPORT OUR WORK ๐ŸŽ Make a Donation to Ben Franklin's World REQUEST A TOPIC ๐Ÿ“จ Topic Request Form ๐Ÿ“ซ liz@benfranklinsworld.com WHEN YOU'RE READY ๐Ÿ—ž๏ธ BFW Gazette Newsletter ๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐Ÿ’ป Join the BFW Listener Community LISTEN ๐ŸŽง ๐ŸŽ Apple Podcasts ๐Ÿ’š Spotify ๐ŸŽถ Amazon Music ๐Ÿ›œ Pandora CONNECT ๐Ÿฆ‹ Liz on Bluesky ๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐Ÿ’ป Liz on LinkedIn ๐Ÿ›œ Liz's Website SAY THANKS ๐Ÿ’œ Leave a review on Apple Podcasts ๐Ÿ’š Leave a rating on Spotify *Book links are affiliate links. Every purchase supports the podcast.

Duration:01:08:25

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BFW Revisited: The World of John Singleton Copley

10/14/2025
What does it mean to be caught between two worlds? Between loyalty and liberty, artistry and commerce, and between the British North American colonies and the British Empire? We're revisiting our exploration of the life of John Singleton Copley, one of early America's most celebrated portrait artists. Copley's story reveals much about the upheaval of the American Revolution and the choices people made as events unfolded around them. Show Notes: https://www.benfranklinsworld.com/106 RECOMMENDED NEXT EPISODES ๐ŸŽง Bonus: The Boston Stamp Act Riots of 1765 ๐ŸŽง Episode 075: How Archives Work (Paul Revere) ๐ŸŽง Episode 084: How Historians Read Historical Sources ๐ŸŽง Episode 136: Material Culture and the Making of America ๐ŸŽง Episode 201: Art, Politics, and Everyday Life in Early America ๐ŸŽง Episode 299: Colonial Virginia Portraits SUPPORT OUR WORK ๐ŸŽ Make a Donation to Ben Franklin's World REQUEST A TOPIC ๐Ÿ“จ Topic Request Form ๐Ÿ“ซ liz@benfranklinsworld.com WHEN YOU'RE READY ๐Ÿ—ž๏ธ BFW Gazette Newsletter ๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐Ÿ’ป Join the BFW Listener Community LISTEN ๐ŸŽง ๐ŸŽ Apple Podcasts ๐Ÿ’š Spotify ๐ŸŽถ Amazon Music ๐Ÿ›œ Pandora CONNECT ๐Ÿฆ‹ Liz on Bluesky ๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐Ÿ’ป Liz on LinkedIn ๐Ÿ›œ Liz's Website SAY THANKS ๐Ÿ’œ Leave a review on Apple Podcasts ๐Ÿ’š Leave a rating on Spotify *Book links are affiliate links. Every purchase supports the podcast.

Duration:00:50:15

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422 Plantation Goods: How Northern Industry Fueled Slavery

10/7/2025
When we talk about slavery in Early America, we often focus on plantations: their large, fertile fields, their cash crops, and the people who labored on those fields to produce those cash crops under conditions of enslavement. But what about the ordinary objects that made slavery work? The shoes, axes, cloth, and hoes? What can these everyday objects reveal about the economic and social systems that sustained slavery in the early United States? Seth Rockman, a Professor of History at Brown University and author of Plantation Goods: A Material History of Slavery, which was a finalist for the 2025 Pulitzer Prize in History, joins us to rethink how Northern manufacturing, labor, and commerce were entangled with the southern slave economy. Seth's Website | Book | Show Notes: https://www.benfranklinsworld.com/422 RECOMMENDED NEXT EPISODES ๐ŸŽง Bonus: Lonnie Bunch: History & Historians in the Public ๐ŸŽง Episode 084: How Historians Read Historical Sources ๐ŸŽง Episode 244: Shoe Stories from Early America ๐ŸŽง Episode 281: The Business of Slavery ๐ŸŽง Episode 390: Objects of Revolution ๐ŸŽง Episode 406: Threads of Power SUPPORT OUR WORK ๐ŸŽ Make a Donation to Ben Franklin's World REQUEST A TOPIC ๐Ÿ“จ Topic Request Form ๐Ÿ“ซ liz@benfranklinsworld.com WHEN YOU'RE READY ๐Ÿ—ž๏ธ BFW Gazette Newsletter ๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐Ÿ’ป Join the BFW Listener Community LISTEN ๐ŸŽง ๐ŸŽ Apple Podcasts ๐Ÿ’š Spotify ๐ŸŽถ Amazon Music ๐Ÿ›œ Pandora CONNECT ๐Ÿฆ‹ Liz on Bluesky ๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐Ÿ’ป Liz on LinkedIn ๐Ÿ›œ Liz's Website SAY THANKS ๐Ÿ’œ Leave a review on Apple Podcasts ๐Ÿ’š Leave a rating on Spotify *Book links are affiliate links. Every purchase supports the podcast.

Duration:01:10:06

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422: Plantation Goods: How Northern Industry Fueled Slavery

10/7/2025
When we talk about slavery in Early America, we often focus on plantations: their large, fertile fields, their cash crops, and the people who labored on those fields to produce those cash crops under conditions of enslavement. But what about the ordinary objects that made slavery work? The shoes, axes, cloth, and hoes? What can these everyday objects reveal about the economic and social systems that sustained slavery in the early United States? Seth Rockman, a Professor of History at Brown University and author of Plantation Goods: A Material History of Slavery, which was a finalist for the 2025 Pulitzer Prize in History, joins us to rethink how Northern manufacturing, labor, and commerce were entangled with the southern slave economy. Sethโ€™s Website | Book |Show Notes: https://www.benfranklinsworld.com/422 RECOMMENDED NEXT EPISODES๐ŸŽง Bonus: Lonnie Bunch: History & Historians in the Public๐ŸŽง Episode 084: How Historians Read Historical Sources๐ŸŽง Episode 244: Shoe Stories from Early America๐ŸŽง Episode 281: The Business of Slavery๐ŸŽง Episode 390: Objects of Revolution๐ŸŽง Episode 406: Threads of PowerSUPPORT OUR WORK๐ŸŽ Make a Donation to Ben Franklinโ€™s WorldREQUEST A TOPIC๐Ÿ“จ Topic Request Form๐Ÿ“ซ liz@benfranklinsworld.comWHEN YOU'RE READY๐Ÿ—ž๏ธ BFW Gazette Newsletter ๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐Ÿ’ป Join the BFW Listener CommunityLISTEN ๐ŸŽง๐ŸŽ Apple Podcasts ๐Ÿ’š Spotify ๐ŸŽถ Amazon Music๐Ÿ›œ PandoraCONNECT๐Ÿฆ‹ Liz on Bluesky๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐Ÿ’ป Liz on LinkedIn๐Ÿ›œ Lizโ€™s WebsiteSAY THANKS๐Ÿ’œ Leave a review on Apple Podcasts๐Ÿ’š Leave a rating on Spotify*Book links are affiliate links. Every purchase supports the podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:01:12:45

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BFW Revisited: Origins of American Manufacturing

9/30/2025
When we picture the early United States, we often imagine a young nation fighting for political independence. But what about economic independenceโ€”and what did it take to achieve it? Historian Lindsay Schakenbach Regele of Miami University in Ohio joins us to explore how manufacturing became central to the nation's post-Revolution identity. Drawing from her book Manufacturing Advantage: War, the State, and the Origins of American Industry, 1776โ€“1848, Lindsay reveals how the federal government championed industries like firearms and textiles as tools of sovereignty, security, and self-reliance. Tune in to discover: This episode sheds light on the surprising role of government in jumpstarting the U.S. economy. Lindsay's Website | Book | Show Notes: https://www.benfranklinsworld.com/298 RECOMMENDED NEXT EPISODES ๐ŸŽง Episode 098: Birth of the American Tax Man ๐ŸŽง Episode 113: Building the Empire State ๐ŸŽง Episode 140: Nathaniel Bowditch ๐ŸŽง Episode 281: The Business of Slavery ๐ŸŽง Episode 292: Craft SUPPORT OUR WORK ๐ŸŽ Make a Donation to Ben Franklin's World REQUEST A TOPIC ๐Ÿ“จ Topic Request Form ๐Ÿ“ซ liz@benfranklinsworld.com WHEN YOU'RE READY ๐Ÿ—ž๏ธ BFW Gazette Newsletter ๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐Ÿ’ป Join the BFW Listener Community LISTEN ๐ŸŽง ๐ŸŽ Apple Podcasts ๐Ÿ’š Spotify ๐ŸŽถ Amazon Music ๐Ÿ›œ Pandora CONNECT ๐Ÿฆ‹ Liz on Bluesky ๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐Ÿ’ป Liz on LinkedIn ๐Ÿ›œ Liz's Website SAY THANKS ๐Ÿ’œ Leave a review on Apple Podcasts ๐Ÿ’š Leave a rating on Spotify *Book links are affiliate links. Every purchase supports the podcast.

Duration:00:59:58

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BFW Revisited: Origins of American Manufacturing

9/30/2025
When we picture the early United States, we often imagine a young nation fighting for political independence. But what about economic independenceโ€”and what did it take to achieve it? Historian Lindsay Schakenbach Regele of Miami University in Ohio joins us to explore how manufacturing became central to the nation's post-Revolution identity. Drawing from her book Manufacturing Advantage: War, the State, and the Origins of American Industry, 1776โ€“1848, Lindsay reveals how the federal government championed industries like firearms and textiles as tools of sovereignty, security, and self-reliance. Tune in to discover: Why early leaders saw manufacturing as essential to independence. 2. How state-sponsored factories shaped key sectors like arms and textiles. 3. How these efforts laid the foundation for Americaโ€™s industrial and social transformation This episode sheds light on the surprising role of government in jumpstarting the U.S. economy. Lindsayโ€™s Website | Book |Show Notes: https://www.benfranklinsworld.com/298 RECOMMENDED NEXT EPISODES๐ŸŽง Episode 098: Birth of the American Tax Man๐ŸŽง Episode 113: Building the Empire State๐ŸŽง Episode 140: Nathaniel Bowditch๐ŸŽง Episode 281: The Business of Slavery๐ŸŽง Episode 292: Craft SUPPORT OUR WORK๐ŸŽ Make a Donation to Ben Franklinโ€™s WorldREQUEST A TOPIC๐Ÿ“จ Topic Request Form๐Ÿ“ซ liz@benfranklinsworld.comWHEN YOU'RE READY๐Ÿ—ž๏ธ BFW Gazette Newsletter ๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐Ÿ’ป Join the BFW Listener CommunityLISTEN ๐ŸŽง๐ŸŽ Apple Podcasts ๐Ÿ’š Spotify ๐ŸŽถ Amazon Music๐Ÿ›œ PandoraCONNECT๐Ÿฆ‹ Liz on Bluesky๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐Ÿ’ป Liz on LinkedIn๐Ÿ›œ Lizโ€™s WebsiteSAY THANKS๐Ÿ’œ Leave a review on Apple Podcasts๐Ÿ’š Leave a rating on Spotify*Book links are affiliate links. Every purchase supports the podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:01:02:35

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421 Loyalism and Revolution in Georgia

9/23/2025
What if loyalty, not rebellion, was the default position in revolutionary British North America? It's easy to forget that before 1776, most colonists identified as proud Britons. They didn't see themselves as future Americans or revolutionaries; they saw themselves as subjects of a global empire. And in the colony of Georgia, many clung to that identity longer than we might expect. Greg Brooking, a historian of the American Revolution in the South and a high school history and social studies teacher, joins us to explore the American Revolution in Georgia with details from his book From Empire to Revolution: Sir James Wright and the Price of Loyalty in Georgia. Greg's Website | Book | Show Notes: https://www.benfranklinsworld.com/421 RECOMMENDED NEXT EPISODES ๐ŸŽง Episode 126: The Reintegration of American Loyalists ๐ŸŽง Episode 171: Native Americans, British Colonists, and Trade in North America ๐ŸŽง Episode 280: The British Are Coming ๐ŸŽง Episode 409: The Battles of Lexington & Concord, 1775 ๐ŸŽง Episode 413: Dr. Joseph Warren & the Battle of Bunker Hill SUPPORT OUR WORK ๐ŸŽ Make a Donation to Ben Franklin's World REQUEST A TOPIC ๐Ÿ“จ Topic Request Form ๐Ÿ“ซ liz@benfranklinsworld.com WHEN YOU'RE READY ๐Ÿ—ž๏ธ BFW Gazette Newsletter ๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐Ÿ’ป Join the BFW Listener Community LISTEN ๐ŸŽง ๐ŸŽ Apple Podcasts ๐Ÿ’š Spotify ๐ŸŽถ Amazon Music ๐Ÿ›œ Pandora CONNECT ๐Ÿฆ‹ Liz on Bluesky ๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐Ÿ’ป Liz on LinkedIn ๐Ÿ›œ Liz's Website SAY THANKS ๐Ÿ’œ Leave a review on Apple Podcasts ๐Ÿ’š Leave a rating on Spotify *Book links are affiliate links. Every purchase supports the podcast.

Duration:00:58:24

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BFW Revisited: Loyalism in the Brtish Atlantic World

9/16/2025
When we think of the American Revolution, we often focus on the patriots who fought for independence. But what about the Loyalistsโ€”those who chose to remain faithful to the British crown? In this episode, we revisit a thought-provoking conversation with historian Brad Jones of Fresno State University, author of Resisting Independence: Popular Loyalism in the Revolutionary British Atlantic. Brad challenges the long-held view of Loyalists as passive or fearful, instead revealing Loyalism as a vibrant political identity shaped by faith, governance, and a broader sense of British belonging. Listen as we explore: Why the Revolution was also a civil war among neighbors. How Protestantism influenced Loyalist thought. What loyalty meant across the diverse communities of the British Atlantic. This episode offers a deeper, more nuanced view of the Revolutionโ€”and the people who resisted it. Brad's Website | Book | Show Notes: https://www.benfranklinsworld.com/330 RECOMMENDED NEXT EPISODES ๐ŸŽง Episode 119: The Heart of the Declaration ๐ŸŽง Episode 122: The Men Who Lost America ๐ŸŽง Episode 151: Defining the American Revolution ๐ŸŽง Episode 232: The Acadian Diaspora ๐ŸŽง Episode 238: Benedict Arnold ๐ŸŽง Episode 306: The Horse's Tail SUPPORT OUR WORK ๐ŸŽ Make a Donation to Ben Franklin's World REQUEST A TOPIC ๐Ÿ“จ Topic Request Form ๐Ÿ“ซ liz@benfranklinsworld.com WHEN YOU'RE READY ๐Ÿ—ž๏ธ BFW Gazette Newsletter ๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐Ÿ’ป Join the BFW Listener Community LISTEN ๐ŸŽง ๐ŸŽ Apple Podcasts ๐Ÿ’š Spotify ๐ŸŽถ Amazon Music ๐Ÿ›œ Pandora CONNECT ๐Ÿฆ‹ Liz on Bluesky ๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐Ÿ’ป Liz on LinkedIn ๐Ÿ›œ Liz's Website SAY THANKS ๐Ÿ’œ Leave a review on Apple Podcasts ๐Ÿ’š Leave a rating on Spotify *Book links are affiliate links. Every purchase supports the podcast.

Duration:01:07:41

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BFW Revisited: Loyalism in the British Atlantic World

9/16/2025
When we think of the American Revolution, we often focus on the patriots who fought for independence. But what about the Loyalistsโ€”those who chose to remain faithful to the British crown? In this episode, we revisit a thought-provoking conversation with historian Brad Jones of Fresno State University, author of Resisting Independence: Popular Loyalism in the Revolutionary British Atlantic. Brad challenges the long-held view of Loyalists as passive or fearful, instead revealing Loyalism as a vibrant political identity shaped by faith, governance, and a broader sense of British belonging. Listen as we explore: Why the Revolution was also a civil war among neighbors. How Protestantism influenced Loyalist thought. What loyalty meant across the diverse communities of the British Atlantic. This episode offers a deeper, more nuanced view of the Revolutionโ€”and the people who resisted it.Bradโ€™s Website | Book |Show Notes: https://www.benfranklinsworld.com/330RECOMMENDED NEXT EPISODES๐ŸŽง Episode 119: The Heart of the Declaration๐ŸŽง Episode 122: The Men Who Lost America๐ŸŽง Episode 151: Defining the American Revolution๐ŸŽง Episode 232: The Acadian Diaspora๐ŸŽง Episode 238: Benedict Arnold๐ŸŽง Episode 306: The Horse's Tail SUPPORT OUR WORK๐ŸŽ Make a Donation to Ben Franklinโ€™s WorldREQUEST A TOPIC๐Ÿ“จ Topic Request Form๐Ÿ“ซ liz@benfranklinsworld.comWHEN YOU'RE READY๐Ÿ—ž๏ธ BFW Gazette Newsletter ๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐Ÿ’ป Join the BFW Listener CommunityLISTEN ๐ŸŽง๐ŸŽ Apple Podcasts ๐Ÿ’š Spotify ๐ŸŽถ Amazon Music๐Ÿ›œ PandoraCONNECT๐Ÿฆ‹ Liz on Bluesky๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐Ÿ’ป Liz on LinkedIn๐Ÿ›œ Lizโ€™s WebsiteSAY THANKS๐Ÿ’œ Leave a review on Apple Podcasts๐Ÿ’š Leave a rating on Spotify*Book links are affiliate links. Every purchase supports the podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:01:10:19

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420 Creating the U.S. Federal Government

9/9/2025
When we think about the founding of the United States, we often focus on the Constitution, the Founding Fathers, and those first landmark elections. But how did the United States actually build its federal government, the entire apparatus of state that could collect revenue, manage international diplomacy, provide law and order, and extend its reach across a rapidly expanding nation? Who were the people who made that government work? And how did their service to the nation shape what it meant to be an American citizen? Peter Kastor, a Professor of History and American Cultural Studies at Washington University in St. Louis, and the Founder of the Creating a Federal Government, 1789-1829 digital project, joins us to explore the remarkable and often overlooked story of how the United States built its federal government between 1789 and 1829. Peter's Website | Digital Project | Show Notes: https://www.benfranklinsworld.com/420 RECOMMENDED NEXT EPISODES ๐ŸŽง Episode 098: Birth of the American Tax Man ๐ŸŽง Episode 202: The Early History of the United States Senate ๐ŸŽง Episode 279: The Cabinet: Creation of an American Institution ๐ŸŽง Episode 259: American Legal History ๐ŸŽง Episode 315: History and American Democracy ๐ŸŽง Episode 338: The Early History of the United States Senate ๐ŸŽง Episode 393: Politics and Political Culture in the Early American Republic SUPPORT OUR WORK ๐ŸŽ Make a Donation to Ben Franklin's World REQUEST A TOPIC ๐Ÿ“จ Topic Request Form ๐Ÿ“ซ liz@benfranklinsworld.com WHEN YOU'RE READY ๐Ÿ—ž๏ธ BFW Gazette Newsletter ๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐Ÿ’ป Join the BFW Listener Community LISTEN ๐ŸŽง ๐ŸŽ Apple Podcasts ๐Ÿ’š Spotify ๐ŸŽถ Amazon Music ๐Ÿ›œ Pandora CONNECT ๐Ÿฆ‹ Liz on Bluesky ๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐Ÿ’ป Liz on LinkedIn ๐Ÿ›œ Liz's Website SAY THANKS ๐Ÿ’œ Leave a review on Apple Podcasts ๐Ÿ’š Leave a rating on Spotify *Book links are affiliate links. Every purchase supports the podcast.

Duration:01:17:45

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420: Creating the U.S. Federal Government

9/9/2025
When we think about the founding of the United States, we often focus on the Constitution, the Founding Fathers, and those first landmark elections. But how did the United States actually build its federal government, the entire apparatus of state that could collect revenue, manage international diplomacy, provide law and order, and extend its reach across a rapidly expanding nation? Who were the people who made that government work? And how did their service to the nation shape what it meant to be an American citizen? Peter Kastor, a Professor of History and American Cultural Studies at Washington University in St. Louis, and the Founder of the Creating a Federal Government, 1789-1829 digital project, joins us to explore the remarkable and often overlooked story of how the United States built its federal government between 1789 and 1829. Peterโ€™s Website | Digital Project |Show Notes: https://www.benfranklinsworld.com/420 RECOMMENDED NEXT EPISODES๐ŸŽง Episode 098: Birth of the American Tax Man๐ŸŽง Episode 202: The Early History of the United States Senate๐ŸŽง Episode 279: The Cabinet: Creation of an American Institution๐ŸŽง Episode 259: American Legal History๐ŸŽง Episode 315: History and American Democracy๐ŸŽง Episode 338: The Early History of the United States Senate ๐ŸŽง Episode 393: Politics and Political Culture in the Early American Republic SUPPORT OUR WORK๐ŸŽ Make a Donation to Ben Franklinโ€™s WorldREQUEST A TOPIC๐Ÿ“จ Topic Request Form๐Ÿ“ซ liz@benfranklinsworld.comWHEN YOU'RE READY๐Ÿ—ž๏ธ BFW Gazette Newsletter ๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐Ÿ’ป Join the BFW Listener CommunityLISTEN ๐ŸŽง๐ŸŽ Apple Podcasts ๐Ÿ’š Spotify ๐ŸŽถ Amazon Music๐Ÿ›œ PandoraCONNECT๐Ÿฆ‹ Liz on Bluesky๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐Ÿ’ป Liz on LinkedIn๐Ÿ›œ Lizโ€™s WebsiteSAY THANKS๐Ÿ’œ Leave a review on Apple Podcasts๐Ÿ’š Leave a rating on Spotify*Book links are affiliate links. Every purchase supports the podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:01:20:25

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BFW Revisited: Women & the Constitutional Moment of 1787

9/2/2025
Each September, Constitution Day marks the signing of the U.S. Constitution on September 17, 1787. But beyond celebration, this commemoration invites deeper reflection: Whose voices helped shape this foundational document? And who was imagined as part of the political community it created? In honor of Constitution Day and Constitution Month, we're revisiting a pivotal conversation from Episode 339 with constitutional historian Mary Sarah Bilder. Drawing from her book, Female Genius: Eliza Harriot and George Washington at the Dawn of the Constitution, Mary challenges us to reconsider who influenced the Constitution and how women publicly engaged with its political possibilities. Join us as we explore: Eliza Harriot's advocacy for "female genius" and intellectual equality. Why the Constitution's gender-neutral language mattered. And, the debates over representation, education, and citizenship in 1787 Mary's Website | Book | Show Notes: https://www.benfranklinsworld.com/339 RECOMMENDED NEXT EPISODES ๐ŸŽง Episode 107: Madison's Hand ๐ŸŽง Episode 137: The Washingtons' Runaway Slave, Ona Judge ๐ŸŽง Episode 255: Birthright Citizens ๐ŸŽง Episode 259: American Legal History & the Bill of Rights ๐ŸŽง Episode 285: Elections & Voting in Early America SUPPORT OUR WORK ๐ŸŽ Make a Donation to Ben Franklin's World REQUEST A TOPIC ๐Ÿ“จ Topic Request Form ๐Ÿ“ซ liz@benfranklinsworld.com WHEN YOU'RE READY ๐Ÿ—ž๏ธ BFW Gazette Newsletter ๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐Ÿ’ป Join the BFW Listener Community LISTEN ๐ŸŽง ๐ŸŽ Apple Podcasts ๐Ÿ’š Spotify ๐ŸŽถ Amazon Music ๐Ÿ›œ Pandora CONNECT ๐Ÿฆ‹ Liz on Bluesky ๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐Ÿ’ป Liz on LinkedIn ๐Ÿ›œ Liz's Website SAY THANKS ๐Ÿ’œ Leave a review on Apple Podcasts ๐Ÿ’š Leave a rating on Spotify *Book links are affiliate links. Every purchase supports the podcast.

Duration:01:13:39

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419 The North Carolina Regulator Movement

8/26/2025
What happens when the very people meant to uphold justice become the ones exploiting it? In 1760s North Carolina, farmers watched sheriffs pocket their tax payments, judges rule in favor of corrupt land speculators, and government officials literally steal their land all while claiming to represent the Crown's interests. Nathan Schultz, a public historian and the Site Manager at the Alamance Battleground State Historic Site in North Carolina, joins us to explore the North Carolina Regulator Movement. Show Notes: https://www.benfranklinsworld.com/419 RECOMMENDED NEXT EPISODES ๐ŸŽง Episode 330: Loyalism in the British Atlantic World ๐ŸŽง Episode 356: The Moravian Church in North America ๐ŸŽง Episode 373: The Gaspee Affair ๐ŸŽง Episode 374: The American Revolutionary War in the West ๐ŸŽง Episode 380: The Tory's Wife ๐ŸŽง Episode 409: The Battles of Lexington & Concord, 1775 SUPPORT OUR WORK ๐ŸŽ Make a Donation to Ben Franklin's World REQUEST A TOPIC ๐Ÿ“จ Topic Request Form ๐Ÿ“ซ liz@benfranklinsworld.com WHEN YOU'RE READY ๐Ÿ—ž๏ธ BFW Gazette Newsletter ๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐Ÿ’ป Join the BFW Listener Community LISTEN ๐ŸŽง ๐ŸŽ Apple Podcasts ๐Ÿ’š Spotify ๐ŸŽถ Amazon Music ๐Ÿ›œ Pandora CONNECT ๐Ÿฆ‹ Liz on Bluesky ๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐Ÿ’ป Liz on LinkedIn ๐Ÿ›œ Liz's Website SAY THANKS ๐Ÿ’œ Leave a review on Apple Podcasts ๐Ÿ’š Leave a rating on Spotify *Book links are affiliate links. Every purchase supports the podcast.

Duration:01:01:46

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BFW Revisited: The Tory's Wife

8/19/2025
Revolutionary upheaval didn't just reshape governmentsโ€”it transformed daily life for ordinary families across colonial America. In this revisited episode, historian Cynthia Kierner reveals the remarkable story of Jane Spurgin, a woman navigating loyalty, survival, and family obligations in Revolutionary-era North Carolina. Through Jane's experience as a Loyalist's wife, we discover how political conflicts reached into homes and communities, forcing women to make difficult choices between personal safety and family loyalty. As we prepare to explore the North Carolina Regulator Movement, Jane's story illuminates the human cost of colonial resistance and the often-overlooked voices of women caught in the crossfire of revolution. Guest: Cynthia Kierner, Professor of History at George Mason University and author of The Tory's Wife: A Woman and Her Family in Revolutionary America Cynthia's Website | Book | Show Notes: https://www.benfranklinsworld.com/380 RECOMMENDED NEXT EPISODES ๐ŸŽง Episode 085: American Loyalists in Canada ๐ŸŽง Episode 126: The Reintegration of American Loyalists ๐ŸŽง Episode 237: Motherhood in Early America ๐ŸŽง Episode 325: Everyday People of the American Revolution ๐ŸŽง Episode 330: Loyalism in the British Atlantic World SUPPORT OUR WORK ๐ŸŽ Make a Donation to Ben Franklin's World REQUEST A TOPIC ๐Ÿ“จ Topic Request Form ๐Ÿ“ซ liz@benfranklinsworld.com WHEN YOU'RE READY ๐Ÿ—ž๏ธ BFW Gazette Newsletter ๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐Ÿ’ป Join the BFW Listener Community LISTEN ๐ŸŽง ๐ŸŽ Apple Podcasts ๐Ÿ’š Spotify ๐ŸŽถ Amazon Music ๐Ÿ›œ Pandora CONNECT ๐Ÿฆ‹ Liz on Bluesky ๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐Ÿ’ป Liz on LinkedIn ๐Ÿ›œ Liz's Website SAY THANKS ๐Ÿ’œ Leave a review on Apple Podcasts ๐Ÿ’š Leave a rating on Spotify *Book links are affiliate links. Every purchase supports the podcast.

Duration:01:03:04

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418 The Driver's Story

8/12/2025
We often learn about slavery in early America through broad economic or political termsโ€”cotton, sugar, markets, revolutions. But what happens when we turn our focus to the lived experiences of enslaved people themselves? What did slavery feel and look like on the ground? What did survival look like day to day? And what do we make of the enslaved people who were forced into positions of authority over others, like the plantation drivers who were tasked with extracting labor from their fellow enslaved workers? Randy Browne, an award-winning historian and Professor of History at Xavier University, joins us to investigate plantation slavery and its driving system with details from his book The Driver's Story: Labor and Power in the World of Atlantic Slavery. Randy's Website | Book | Show Notes: https://www.benfranklinsworld.com/418 RECOMMENDED NEXT EPISODES ๐ŸŽง Episode 281: The Business of Slavery ๐ŸŽง Episode 282: Tacky's Revolt ๐ŸŽง Episode 289: Maroonage & the Great Dismal Swamp ๐ŸŽง Episode 295: The Whitney Plantation & Museum ๐ŸŽง Episode 312: The Domestic Slave Trade ๐ŸŽง Episode 324: New Netherland & Slavery SUPPORT OUR WORK ๐ŸŽ Make a Donation to Ben Franklin's World REQUEST A TOPIC ๐Ÿ“จ Topic Request Form ๐Ÿ“ซ liz@benfranklinsworld.com WHEN YOU'RE READY ๐Ÿ—ž๏ธ BFW Gazette Newsletter ๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐Ÿ’ป Join the BFW Listener Community LISTEN ๐ŸŽง ๐ŸŽ Apple Podcasts ๐Ÿ’š Spotify ๐ŸŽถ Amazon Music ๐Ÿ›œ Pandora CONNECT ๐Ÿฆ‹ Liz on Bluesky ๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐Ÿ’ป Liz on LinkedIn ๐Ÿ›œ Liz's Website SAY THANKS ๐Ÿ’œ Leave a review on Apple Podcasts ๐Ÿ’š Leave a rating on Spotify *Book links are affiliate links. Every purchase supports the podcast.

Duration:00:59:34

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BFW Revisited: The Business of Slavery

8/5/2025
When we think about slavery in early America, we often rightfully focus on the human tollโ€“the violence, the exploitation, the dehumanization that defined the institution. But slavery wasn't just a system of forced labor; it was also a business. Next week, in Episode 418, we'll be investigating a different facet of the business of slavery: the story of slave driversโ€“enslaved people who were forced or took up positions of authority over others. To better understand the system slave drivers operated within, I thought we should revisit Episode 281 with historian Caitlin Rosenthal. Caitlin is an Associate Professor of History at the University of California, Berkeley. Her book, Accounting for Slavery: Masters and Management, won the Simkins Award from the Southern Historical Association and the Economic Historical Society's First Book Prize. Caitlin's Website | Book Show Notes: https://www.benfranklinsworld.com/403 RECOMMENDED NEXT EPISODES ๐ŸŽง Episode 173: Colonial Port Cities & Slavery ๐ŸŽง Episode 176: The Value of the Enslaved from Womb to Grave ๐ŸŽง Episode 312: The Domestic Slave Trade ๐ŸŽง Episode 324: New Netherland and Slavery ๐ŸŽง Episode 386: Sleeping with the Ancestors ๐ŸŽง Episode 387: California and Slavery SUPPORT OUR WORK ๐ŸŽ Make a Donation to Ben Franklin's World REQUEST A TOPIC ๐Ÿ“จ Topic Request Form ๐Ÿ“ซ liz@benfranklinsworld.com WHEN YOU'RE READY ๐Ÿ—ž๏ธ BFW Gazette Newsletter ๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐Ÿ’ป Join the BFW Listener Community LISTEN ๐ŸŽง ๐ŸŽ Apple Podcasts ๐Ÿ’š Spotify ๐ŸŽถ Amazon Music ๐Ÿ›œ Pandora CONNECT ๐Ÿฆ‹ Liz on Bluesky ๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐Ÿ’ป Liz on LinkedIn ๐Ÿ›œ Liz's Website SAY THANKS ๐Ÿ’œ Leave a review on Apple Podcasts ๐Ÿ’š Leave a rating on Spotify *Book links are affiliate links. Every purchase supports the podcast.

Duration:00:49:53

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417 Roger Williams, Rogue Puritan

7/29/2025
When we think of early American champions of religious liberty, one name often rises above the rest: Roger Williams. Best known as the founder of Rhode Island and a fierce advocate for the separation of church and state, Williams was a man who defied convention at every turn. He turned down a prestigious post in Boston, challenged Puritan orthodoxy, and was ultimately banishedโ€”only to build a new colony rooted in his radical ideas of liberty of conscience and religious toleration. In this episode, we explore the life and legacy of this โ€œnonconformist among nonconformistsโ€ with the co-editors of Reading Roger Williams: Rogue Puritans, Indigenous Nations, and the Founding of America: Linford Fisher, Associate Professor of History at Brown University Sheila McIntyre, Professor of History at SUNY Potsdam Julie Fisher, scholar of Native American history Together, they help us uncover: How Williams challenged both church and colonial authority His relationships with Indigenous communities and his work as a translator And why his ideas still matter for understanding religious freedom in America today. Guests' Book Show Notes: https://www.benfranklinsworld.com/417 RECOMMENDED NEXT EPISODES๐ŸŽง Episode 118: The Business of Slavery in Rhode Island๐ŸŽง Episode 290: The World of the Wampanoag, Pt. 1๐ŸŽง Episode 291: The World of the Wampanoag, Pt. 2๐ŸŽง Episode 356: The Moravian Church in North America๐ŸŽง Episode 373: The Gaspee Affair๐ŸŽง Episode 392: Religion and Race in Early America SUPPORT OUR WORK๐ŸŽ Make a Donation to Ben Franklinโ€™s World REQUEST A TOPIC๐Ÿ“จ Topic Request Form๐Ÿ“ซ liz@benfranklinsworld.com WHEN YOU'RE READY๐Ÿ—ž๏ธ BFW Gazette Newsletter ๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐Ÿ’ป Join the BFW Listener Community LISTEN ๐ŸŽง๐ŸŽ Apple Podcasts ๐Ÿ’š Spotify ๐ŸŽถ Amazon Music๐Ÿ›œ Pandora CONNECT๐Ÿฆ‹ Liz on Bluesky๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐Ÿ’ป Liz on LinkedIn๐Ÿ›œ Lizโ€™s Website SAY THANKS๐Ÿ’œ Leave a review on Apple Podcasts๐Ÿ’š Leave a rating on Spotify *Book links are affiliate links. Every purchase supports the podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:01:13:49

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BFW Revisited: The History of Genealogy

7/22/2025
Why do we trace our family histories? What drives our desire to know who our ancestors were and how we're connected to past people and events? Genealogy is often seen as a modern pursuit, spurred by DNA tests and online recordsโ€“but in reality, early Americans were deeply invested in understanding and documenting their familial ties. Their desire to understand these ties, however, extended far beyond sheer curiosity. Last week, in Episode 416, we were joined by Karin Wulf, who shared with us her now-finished project on genealogy and family history in Lineage: Genealogy and the Politics of Connection in the British Atlantic World. Karin's book is built on the research she shared with us in 2016, so I thought it would be fun to return to her first conversation with us about her research so we can see how her thoughts, ideas, and her book project changed over time as she did more research and thinking on the subject. Karin's Website | Book | Instagram Show Notes: https://www.benfranklinsworld.com/114 RECOMMENDED NEXT EPISODES ๐ŸŽง Episode 231: The Religious Lives of the Adams Family ๐ŸŽง Episode 236: Mixed-Race Britons & the Atlantic Family ๐ŸŽง Episode 278: Polygamy: An Early American History ๐ŸŽง Episode 354: The Sewing Girl's Tale ๐ŸŽง Episode 416: Lineage: Genealogy in Early America SUPPORT OUR WORK ๐ŸŽ Make a Donation to Ben Franklin's World REQUEST A TOPIC ๐Ÿ“จ Topic Request Form ๐Ÿ“ซ liz@benfranklinsworld.com WHEN YOU'RE READY ๐Ÿ—ž๏ธ BFW Gazette Newsletter ๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐Ÿ’ป Join the BFW Listener Community LISTEN ๐ŸŽง ๐ŸŽ Apple Podcasts ๐Ÿ’š Spotify ๐ŸŽถ Amazon Music ๐Ÿ›œ Pandora CONNECT ๐Ÿฆ‹ Liz on Bluesky ๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐Ÿ’ป Liz on LinkedIn ๐Ÿ›œ Liz's Website SAY THANKS ๐Ÿ’œ Leave a review on Apple Podcasts ๐Ÿ’š Leave a rating on Spotify *Book links are affiliate links. Every purchase supports the podcast.

Duration:00:46:02

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416 Lineage: Genealogy in Early America

7/15/2025
Have you ever wondered why genealogy captivates so many people? Whether it's tracing a family tree back generations or holding on to stories told around the dinner table, genealogy offers a powerful sense of connectionโ€”a connection that can shape identities, claims of property, and even arguments for freedom. But genealogy isn't just a modern-day hobby. In early America, genealogy was a deeply consequential practice with social, political, and legal implications. Karin Wulf, a Professor of History and the Eighth Director and Librarian of the John Carter Brown Library at Brown University, joins us to explore the ways early Americans were interested in their family histories with details from her book, Lineage: Genealogy and the Power of Connection in Early America. Karin's Website | Book | Instagram Show Notes: https://www.benfranklinsworld.com/403 RECOMMENDED NEXT EPISODES ๐ŸŽง Episode 114: The History of Genealogy ๐ŸŽง Episode 231: The Religious Lives of the Adams Family ๐ŸŽง Episode 236: Mixed-Race Britons & the Atlantic Family ๐ŸŽง Episode 278: Polygamy: An Early American History ๐ŸŽง Episode 296: The Boston Massacre: A Family History ๐ŸŽง Episode 354: The Sewing Girl's Tale SUPPORT OUR WORK ๐ŸŽ Make a Donation to Ben Franklin's World REQUEST A TOPIC ๐Ÿ“จ Topic Request Form ๐Ÿ“ซ liz@benfranklinsworld.com WHEN YOU'RE READY ๐Ÿ—ž๏ธ BFW Gazette Newsletter ๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐Ÿ’ป Join the BFW Listener Community LISTEN ๐ŸŽง ๐ŸŽ Apple Podcasts ๐Ÿ’š Spotify ๐ŸŽถ Amazon Music ๐Ÿ›œ Pandora CONNECT ๐Ÿฆ‹ Liz on Bluesky ๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐Ÿ’ป Liz on LinkedIn ๐Ÿ›œ Liz's Website SAY THANKS ๐Ÿ’œ Leave a review on Apple Podcasts ๐Ÿ’š Leave a rating on Spotify *Book links are affiliate links. Every purchase supports the podcast.

Duration:01:02:53