American Political History
With American Political History I'm committed to bringing you bite-sized, digestible episodes that make history approachable for everyone, not just the history buffs. My goal is to engage you, to make you feel connected with the past, and to understand how it shapes our present and future.
So, sit back, or better yet, take a walk or a drive, and let's journey through history together, one bite, at a time."
Episodes
167 episodes
Ratification - Virginia
We move to Virginia, whose ratification will complete the supermajority required for ratification of the Constitution of the United States of America.
Ratification - Massachusetts
We turn to the debates in the Massachusetts ratification convention.
Ratification - Pennsylvania
The first major convention starts in Philadelphia with mobs forcing a vote for the date. Everyone knows, so goes Pennsylvania so goes the small states around them.
Ratification - The People's Attention
The proposed constitution hit the newspapers, and public figures start taking positions and or writing with pen names to argue their points in the public sphere
Ratification - Introduction
Without records of all of the debates, I give the context of the materials we will cover in this season.
The Constitution of the United States of America
The completed constitution of the Unite States of America.
Road to The Constitution - Rising Sun
The Philadelphia convention will close with a draft of a new American constitution.
Road to The Constitution - Committee of detail
The convention settles on the Sherman compromise for the legislature and take up the issue of slavery. Washington will form a committee of detail to draw up all of the points agreed to into a new document.
Road to The Constitution - Disillusion
The convention begins to breakdown, delegates threaten each other, and cannot find compromises on distribution of voting power
Road to The Constitution - The New Jersey Plan
The opposition unveils their own plan, and we see the factions of the federalists and anti-federalists break into the open.
Road to The Constitution - Fractures
The convention starts tackling the composition of the legislative branch. Fractures begin to appear as the convection gets closer to discussing appropriations of votes and power in the proposed federal legislature
Road to The Constitution - The Whole of the People?
The convention will discuss the makeup of the legislative bodies House/Senate while avoiding the truly contentious topic of the allocation of the votes of the states
Road to The Constitution - The Virginia Plan
The convention begins with the unveiling of the, which was to the shock of many, an outline for a new government.
Road to The Constitution - The Federal Convention
In May 1787, the Federal Convention begins to assemble in Philidelphia.
A Failed Nation - The Wedge
We discuss the bitter negations for a Spanish trade treaty and how the Philidelphia convention eventually got support.
A Failed Nation - Westward
We discuss the westward immigration and the tensions with native nations and European powers out west.
A Failed Nation - Rebellion
We cover Shey's rebellion and how Massachusetts was brought back into order.
A Failed Nation - Riots
We discuss the growing crisis in Massachusetts, as rioters close down country courthouses across the state.
A Failed Nation - Debt
We examine the growing debt issues and the closing of trade from European powers.
A Failed Nation - Newburgh Conspiracy
The new country starts down a road of military conspiracy
A Failed Nation - Coup
A letter begins to circulate without the army officers discussing threats towards political officials
A Failed Nation - IOU Economy
We explore the post war economy and introduce the growing political factions. the Federalist and the Anti -Federalists.
A Failed Nation - John Paul Jones
We cover the exploits of John Paul Jones