The Cold War, Prohibition, the Gold Rush, the Space Race. Every part of your life - the words you speak, the ideas you share - can be traced to our history, but how well do you really know the stories that made America? We'll take you to the events, the times and the people that shaped our nation. And we'll show you how our history affected them, their families and affects you today. Hosted by Lindsay Graham (not the Senator). From Wondery, the network behind American Scandal, Tides of History, American Innovations and more.Listen to American History Tellers on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Experience all episodes ad-free and be the first to binge the newest season. Unlock exclusive early access by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial today by visiting wondery.com/links/american-history-tellers/ now.
430 episodes transcribedIt’s 1786. For two years the city of Philadelphia has been celebrating its independence. For citizens of this brand new country, life is part...
In 1776, the British Under Secretary of State for the American Colonies was giddy. The Americans needed to be punished like children for thei...
It’s 1754, and the British had developed thirteen colonies along the eastern seaboard of the American continent. You may be familiar with the...
If you lived in an American city at the turn of the century, you got all of your news from a single source: the daily newspapers. No where wa...
JFK said that nothing in the 1960s was "...more impressive to mankind, or more important for the long-range exploration of space..." than get...
In times of crisis, Americans had always put their confidence in their country’s superiority in power, technology and leadership. Americ...
Information sharing was normal in the global scientific community, but when it came to rockets, normal rules didn’t apply. If the details got...
Remember Werner von Braun? We talked a little bit about him in our Cold War series. He was in charge of the German rocket program in World Wa...
The phone in your hand is more powerful than all of the computers that put a man on the moon, combined. In the age of supercomputers, driverl...
“Manifest Destiny” is a uniquely American idea. The phrase captured the sense of inevitability—and entitlement—many citizens still feel. But...
During the last years of Jackson's presidency, the economy flourished. The national debt was paid in full, industry and agriculture boomed. B...
During his political rise, Jackson distinguished himself with his ability to exact ruthless military victories over indigenous people. As Pre...
From the beginning, Jackson's administration was riddled with controversy. Citizens mobbed the White House on inauguration day, breaking furn...
In the summer of 1817, President James Monroe toured the country in an effort to unite the ever-growing United States, torn between bitter po...
In August 1814, the White House burned. A fire that would eventually consume the entire nation in Civil War was already burning. This is Ante...
Do you know the record for the longest ratification period of any constitutional amendment? Lillian Cunningham did. She’s an editor with the...
The people had spoken: They wanted beer, and they wanted it now, but not just for drinking. Protestors wanted the jobs that came with breweri...
Closing Time by Daniel Francis provides a good account of the border wars and smuggling across the northern border. Robert Rockaway’s article...
The rise of the speakeasy was one of many unintended consequences of Prohibition - and others were much deadlier.Not coincidentally, at the s...
While Prohibition was successful in closing the saloon, it didn’t quench America’s thirst. Enterprising bootleggers found more ways to provid...
