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.
387 episodes transcribedAt the end of the 17th century, pirates stalked the coast of North America and the waters of the Caribbean, attacking merchant vessels from e...
When he escaped Nicaragua in 1857, American William Walker was a failed despot responsible for the death of thousands of people and the desta...
In 1855, William Walker faced a criminal trial in the United States for his illegal, and unsuccessful, invasion of Mexico. But he emerged fro...
In the mid-1800s, the United States was full of adventurers and entrepreneurs looking to take advantage of the country’s ever-expanding bound...
During the Civil War, Black people in America took the opportunity to free themselves and to serve the Union cause. At great personal risk, t...
In early 1865, after four long years of bloodshed, the Confederacy was on the brink of defeat. General William Tecumseh Sherman marched his a...
In 1864, Ulysses S. Grant took charge of the entire Union Army and laid out his ambitious plans to finally win the war. Grant pursued Lee in...
In the summer of 1863, General Robert E. Lee made a daring bid for victory. He marched his army north to invade Pennsylvania. For three swelt...
As the Civil War raged on, families on the homefront faced increasingly heavy tolls, enduring crippling economic turmoil, food shortages and...
The Civil War began as an effort to hold the country together. Few Northern soldiers marched into battle to end slavery. But tens of thousand...
On April 19th, 1861, an angry mob of Confederate sympathizers in Baltimore tried to stop a regiment of Union soldiers rushing to protect the...
Over the first decades of the 19th century, Americans fought over whether slavery should be allowed to expand into newly settled western terr...
The Age of Jackson was a time of intense change and tremendous growth in the United States. But it was not without controversy. In the years...
In 1845, newly inaugurated President James Polk made America’s westward expansion a centerpiece of his administration. Before long, the phras...
During the last years of Andrew Jackson’s presidency, the American economy flourished. But when his successor, Martin Van Buren, took office,...
During his military career, Andrew Jackson won several ruthless victories over indigenous people. After becoming president in 1829, he waged...
On Andrew Jackson’s inauguration day, citizens mobbed the White House, breaking furniture and fine china. It was a sign of troubles to come....
In the summer of 1817, President James Monroe toured the country in an effort to unify the ever-growing United States. His optimistic preside...
In 1814, British troops burned down the White House. That fire would be extinguished, and the Executive Mansion would be rebuilt. But another...
In 1927, a slow-moving catastrophe like the Great Mississippi Flood was perfect material for a relatively new medium: radio. Over the airwave...
