231: Life After the Oval Office: Presidential Legacies
In honor of President’s Day, Joanne, Brian, and Nathan explore the ‘afterlives’ of presidents: what do they do with their time once they’re out of office -- and how do we remember them once they’re gone? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://megaphone.fm/adchoices
48m Feb 16, 2018
48m
138: Catholics in America
Ed, Brian and Nathan mark the beginning of Lent with an exploration of American Catholicism—recounting the struggles, triumphs, and unique impact of Catholics on the history of the United States. From Spanish missionaries on the California coast and early converts among the Mohawk, to JFK and modern nuns living in the Blue Ridge Mountains - BackStory considers how what it means to be Catholic i...
47m Feb 09, 2018
47m
99: US vs Them: Sports on the World Stage
This year’s Winter Olympics have already seen their share of drama -- and political jockeying -- and the games haven’t even begun. So, BackStory is digging into the history of the power of international sports. We’ll discuss how sports have been tangled up in what’s going on off the field, from Cold War politics to Americans’ sense of ourselves at home and abroad.
54m Jan 26, 2018
54m
229: All that Glitters? Legacies of the California Gold Rush
Gold was discovered in California 170 years ago this month. It set off a mad rush from across the United States -- and around the world. Ed, Joanne, and Nathan delve into what happened in California after gold was found and some of the lasting impacts of the Gold Rush. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://megaphone.fm/adchoices
52m Jan 19, 2018
52m
228: Presidents in the Public Eye, Slogans, and the Value of History
In this week’s roundtable conversation, Ed, Joanne, and Brian focus on President Trump’s Twitter habit and look back at how presidents have interacted with the public. They discuss this year’s Golden Globes, the scene of very public activism around the #TimesUp campaign - how have slogans affected the causes we’ve championed? Finally, how do we put a price on history? Learn more about your ad c...
36m Jan 12, 2018
36m
227: Schism: The Branch Davidians at Waco
This year marks the 25th anniversary of one of the most infamous law enforcement confrontations in American history: a bloody stand-off between federal agents and an apocalyptic Christian group known as the Branch Davidians near Waco, Texas. In this episode, Brian and Ed explore the 51 day siege, and what the Branch Davidians actually believed. This episode is sponsored by Paramount Network’s p...
37m Jan 05, 2018
37m
226: History for the Headlines: 2017 in Review
On this episode, Brian, Ed, Joanne, and Nathan look back at the stories we produced in 2017. Topics include fake news, the opioid crisis, and the August 12th white supremacist rally in Charlottesville.
47m Dec 29, 2017
47m
133: Untrammeled: Americans and the Wilderness
With President Trump moving to drastically reduce the size of two national monuments in Utah, Brian, Ed, and Nathan return to our episode on Americans’ fascination with wild places. They explore how early European arrivals actually created wilderness out of a landscape long shaped by human intervention, how humans impact even the most remote corners of our country, and ask how our ideas about w...
49m Dec 22, 2017
49m
224: Man of The People: A New Technology Falls Into the Wrong Hands
BackStory features a guest podcast this week, from Reply All. The episode, Man of the People, first aired on January 19, 2017.  It’s about the rise and fall of an American demagogue.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://megaphone.fm/adchoices
43m Dec 08, 2017
43m
223: Men Apologizing, Alabama Senate Race, Net Neutrality
In this week’s roundtable conversation, Ed, Joanne, Nathan and Brian focus on three stories in the news: famous men apologizing (or not) for bad behavior,  the Alabama Senate race between Roy Moore and Doug Jones, and the FCC’s plans to repeal net neutrality. In this episode, Brian mentions Richard Nixon's "Checkers" speech. View the full speech (with transcript) via the Miller Center (https://...
37m Dec 01, 2017
37m
222: On the Take: Corruption in America
With allegations of corruption flying on both sides of the aisle in Washington, Brian, Joanne, and Nathan return to our episode on how Americans have wrestled with political corruption. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://megaphone.fm/adchoices
49m Nov 24, 2017
49m
221: The Thin Light of Freedom
Brian sits down with Ed to talk about a project of his that’s been twenty-five years in the making. We’re talking about Ed’s series on the American Civil War and Reconstruction. The first volume, In The Presence of Mine Enemies came out in 2003, and won the Bancroft Prize.  It opened with John Brown’s raid on Harpers Ferry in 1859, and ended just before the Battle of Gettysburg in 1863.  Ed has...
45m Nov 17, 2017
45m
220: Red Dawn: Americans and the Bolshevik Revolution
One hundred years ago, Vladimir Lenin and his Bolshevik Party seized power in a revolution that would change the world. They would establish the world’s first Marxist state, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, a few years later. As the 20th century wore on, the USSR became the United States’s chief military and ideological foe. On this episode of BackStory, Brian, Joanne, and Nath...
54m Nov 10, 2017
54m
219: Other People’s Battles: American Volunteer Soldiers
An estimated 200 American volunteer soldiers have joined the fight against the Islamic State. They’re part of a much longer tradition of freelance fighters, like early 19th century American privateers who fought in Latin America’s wars of independence and those who participated in the Spanish Civil War. On this episode, Ed, Brian and Joanne explore when and why Americans signed up to f...
52m Nov 03, 2017
52m
217: Boy Scouts Welcome Girls, Trump Drums Up Support for War, America as a Judeo-Christian Nation
In this week’s roundtable, the hosts tackle three stories that have been in the news: the Boy Scouts’ decision to include girls, growing GOP support for war with North Korea, and America’s identity as a Judeo-Christian nation. Advisory: the footnote segment contains references to sexual assault. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://megaphone.fm/adchoices
33m Oct 20, 2017
33m
215: It is So Ordered: 4 Landmark Decisions of the Supreme Court
This month, the Supreme Court hears oral arguments for cases that may have a profound impact on the lives of everyday Americans -- ranging from cell phone privacy and the rights of workers during labor disputes, to whether a baker has the right to turn away same-sex couples because of his religious beliefs. So this week, Joanne, Ed, and Nathan dip into the BackStory archive to look at ...
46m Oct 06, 2017
46m
214: Enemies: A History of Bad Blood
As tensions rise with North Korea, Brian, Ed, and Nathan return to our episode on enemies. What distinguishes friend from foe - both at home and abroad - and how has America dealt with our adversaries across time? survey.panoply.fm (http://survey.panoply.fm/) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://megaphone.fm/adchoices
44m Sep 29, 2017
44m
213: Longer Commutes, Equifax Data Breach, and Income Inequality
In this week’s roundtable discussion, Brian, Joanne and Ed discuss the history behind 3 stories in the news: our lengthening work commutes, the massive data breach at Equifax, and the Census Bureau’s latest numbers on income inequality in America. 
37m Sep 22, 2017
37m
212: The Melting Pot: Americans & Assimilation
This week, Brian, Joanne, and Nathan wrestle with a long-running tension in our country’s history: what it means to assimilate and “become American.” We’ll explore the 19th-century notions of who could become an American and the ways they were expected to change. Plus, we’ll discuss how much room there was for a hyphenated American identity in the past and if there is room today. ...
1hr 2m Sep 15, 2017
1hr 2m
211: A Conversation with Karl Rove
Brian Balogh sits down with Republican political strategist Karl Rove to talk about his book, “The Triumph of William McKinley: Why the Election of 1896 Still Matters.” They also discuss Rove’s former boss President George W. Bush, the election of 2016, and how his study of history has guided his work as a Republican party strategist.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://megaphone.f...
39m Sep 08, 2017
39m
Starry-Eyed: A History of the Heavens
Why do we want to travel to the moon, to Mars, or beyond? We’re saluting this week’s total solar eclipse by looking at how Americans in the past have made sense of meteors, eclipses, and the stars. 
49m Aug 25, 2017
49m
207: Charlottesville: Our Town, Our Country
On this episode of BackStory, Brian, Ed, Joanne, and Nathan share their personal reactions to the violence that happened in Charlottesville in 2017.
28m Aug 18, 2017
28m
Revisionist Climate: Americans & the Atmosphere
On this week’s episode, Nathan, Brian and Ed, talk about how Americans have interacted, dealt with, and tried to actively change the North American climate. 
45m Aug 11, 2017
45m
Skin Deep: Whiteness in America
This week, BackStory looks at whiteness in America by broadcasting segments from podcasts we admire. These stories -- from the podcasts Scene on Radio and What’s Ray Saying along with a segment from BackStory’s archives -- explore what it means to be white in America, and how the concept of whiteness has fundamentally shaped our country.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://megaphon...
52m Jul 14, 2017
52m
Hometown History: Local Stories From Across The Country
This week, BackStory looks at local history by broadcasting segments from podcasts we admire. These stories -- from Chicago, New Orleans, St. Louis and San Francisco -- illuminate big themes in American history and tell us something about what makes these places so unique.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://megaphone.fm/adchoices
1hr 9m Jul 07, 2017
1hr 9m
Contested Landscape: The Battle over Confederate Monuments
Communities from New Orleans to Charlottesville, Virginia have been debating the presence of Confederate monuments. On this episode of BackStory, Ed, Nathan and Brian discuss when and why many of the nation’s Confederate statues were erected, and what they stood for.  They’ll examine the many meanings of the Confederate flag and hear a Civil War re-enactor take a closer look at his Southern her...
45m Jun 16, 2017
45m
Prying Eyes: Privacy in America
Is privacy a guaranteed American right? Or is it just continually under threat? On this episode, Joanne, Ed and Nathan explore the places where the private and the public collide. We’ll look at voting in the 19th century, surveillance of gay employees in the federal government, the newsworthiness of your private life, and find out if there was ever a golden age of privacy in America. I...
54m Jun 09, 2017
54m
Body Politics, JFK at 100 and African American Memorials
In this episode of BackStory, Brian’s off, but Joanne, Ed, and Nathan are holding it down and talking about the history behind items in this week’s news. They’ll discuss the art of the Presidential Handshake, John F. Kennedy’s 100th birthday and public monuments of African Americans.
35m Jun 02, 2017
35m
National Lampoon: A History of American Satire
The election of Donald Trump has been a boon to political satirists.  Saturday Night Live is enjoying its highest ratings in 20 years, andThe Late Show with Stephen Colbert is now the most successful late night program on TV.  Joanne, Ed and Brian look at the long history of political satire in America - how Mark Twain became the country’s most famous satirist by mostly sticking to safe subject...
34m May 19, 2017
34m
The Habit: Opioid Addiction in America
Opioid addiction is a national epidemic. According to the U.S Department of Health &amp; Human Services, "<a href="https://www.hhs.gov/opioids/about-the-epidemic/">drug overdose deaths are the leading cause of injury death in the United States</a>." In this episode, Nathan, Ed and Brian look at America's long history with opioids - like opium, morphine and heroin. They’ll discuss how l...
42m May 12, 2017
42m
Over There: America Enters WWI
This April marks the 100th anniversary of the United States’s entry into World War I. So on this episode of BackStory, Brian, Joanne, and Ed discuss how this oft-forgotten war set the stage for the American century.  We’ll explore how Woodrow Wilson led a decidedly isolationist country into war. We’ll also discuss the repressive ways Wilson and his administration cracked down on anti-war sentim...
45m Apr 14, 2017
45m
Seeing Red: A History of U.S./Russia Relations
In recent years, the White House’s relationship with the Kremlin has dominated the headlines in America --&nbsp; from Syria to Ukraine. According to <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2017/04/07/politics/russia-us-syria-strike/">CNN</a>, Vladimir Putin denounced last night's U.S. airstrike against Syria (a response to a Syrian chemical weapons attack earlier this week) as "aggression against ...
41m Apr 07, 2017
41m
Border Patrols: Policing Immigration in America
President Donald Trump recently announced his plans to crackdown on undocumented immigration. In his first address to Congress, the president claimed: “We are removing gang members, drug dealers and criminals that threaten our communities and prey on our very innocent citizens. Bad ones are going out as I speak.” Coupled with his second attempt at a travel ban from Muslim-majority countries and...
39m Mar 10, 2017
39m
Taking it to the Streets: Protest in America
On this episode of BackStory, Ed, Nathan and Brian look at the central role that political protests have played throughout American history.
41m Mar 03, 2017
41m
On the Outs: Restricting American Immigration
On Thursday, a federal appeals panel unanimously rejected President Trump’s move to reinstate the ban on travel from seven largely Muslim nations into the United States. The restriction, put into effect by executive order on Jan. 27, is commonly believed to be a ban on Muslims. So, on this episode of BackStory, Ed, Brian, and Joanne look back at sweeping immigration restrictions in the...
30m Feb 10, 2017
30m
Worlds Apart: Urban/Rural Divides in America
According to the New York Times, the 2016 election “highlighted a growing rural-urban split (https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/12/upshot/this-election-highlighted-a-growing-rural-urban-split.html) .” So, on this episode of BackStory, Brian, Ed and Nathan look at what happens when urban and rural Americans collide. They’ll tell the story of one coastal couple’s proposal to make part of the Great P...
50m Feb 04, 2017
50m
PREVIEW - Worlds Apart
According to the New York Times, the 2016 election “<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/12/upshot/this-election-highlighted-a-growing-rural-urban-split.html">highlighted a growing rural-urban split</a>.” So, on this episode of BackStory, Brian, Ed and Nathan look at what happens when urban and rural Americans collide. They’ll tell the story of one coastal couple’s proposal to make...
3m Jan 31, 2017
3m
Best of BackStory Pt. 2
Best of BackStory Pt. 2 by BackStory with the American History Guys
52m Jan 26, 2017
52m
Preview
BackStory is going through some big changes. Take a listen to this preview and learn about everything that's going into the new BackStory - premiering on Feb. 3!
2m Jan 20, 2017
2m
Best Of BackStory Pt. 1
We’ll spend our last regularly scheduled broadcasts reviewing some of BackStory’s most memorable moments. We’ll revisit BackStory interviews with history makers, the Guys’ expeditions to see history being made, and the unexpected stories behind some of the 21st century’s most basic assumptions. You’ll hear portions of the very first broadcast of BackStory in 2008, Brian Balogh’s roadsi...
52m Jan 19, 2017
52m
Four More Years: Presidential Inaugurations [rebroadcast]
As Washington prepares for the next four years, BackStory looks back at some of the more dramatic presidential transitions from the past. On this show, the Guys explore several high-stakes presidential inaugurations and learn what each one tells us about the social and political forces at work at the time. From George Washington’s trembling voice while taking the Oath of Office to the ...
52m Jan 09, 2017
52m
Health Nuts: A History of Nutritional Advice [rebroadcast]
Health Nuts: A History of Nutritional Advice [rebroadcast] by BackStory with the American History Guys
58m Jan 05, 2017
58m
Judaism In America [rebroadcast]
On Dec. 24th, Jewish communities across the country begin celebrating Hanukkah. The annual holiday celebrates the victory of the Jews over the Greeks, and marks the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem in the 2nd century BC. Roughly 2% of the U.S. population is Jewish, but the influence of American Jews far outweighs their relatively small numbers. In this episode of BackStory...
59m Dec 21, 2016
59m
Counter Culture: A History of Shopping [rebroadcast]
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Or is it? The holiday season is notorious for bringing out the beast in shoppers. On this episode of BackStory, the Guys plunge into the history of shopping in America—the glitz and glamour, the overflowing shelves, and the cheesy Muzak. They’ll consider the role that consumption played in the revolutionary politics of the colonies, look at the...
52m Dec 15, 2016
52m
Separation Anxiety: Church & State In America
From the persecution of Quakers in colonial Massachusetts, to 21st century battles over nativity scenes in public squares, the wall separating church and state is hardly set in stone. On this episode of BackStory, the History Guys explore the often blurry line between church and state in America - from Congress’ attempts to block the first Mormon Senator in the early 1900’s, to the fed...
55m Dec 08, 2016
55m
Short Take: Native Americans, the U.S. Government, and a History of Treaties
On Sunday, the Army Corps of Engineers refused to issue a permit for the Dakota Access Pipeline. The water protectors, which includes members of the Standing Rock Sioux tribe and other tribes (as well as climate activists), celebrated the decision. But the celebration was brief as the opposition realized that this might be just another battle won in an ongoing war that has spanned cent...
14m Dec 06, 2016
14m
New & Improved: Advertising in America [rebroadcast]
Nieman-Marcus’ 2016 Christmas Book, which was first published nearly a century ago as a 16-page leaflet, is 300 pages long. According to Advertising Age, catalogs remain an effective way to reach consumers all year round. This episode of BackStory tackles the tangled history of American advertising - from the nation’s first billboards to catchy radio and TV jingles. When did the indu...
59m Dec 01, 2016
59m
Short Take: A History Of Rigged Elections
President-elect Donald Trump said the election was rigged because millions of non-citizens voted (although there is no evidence to support the claim), 2016 Green Party Presidential Candidate Jill Stein has requested audits in multiple swing states with Wisconsin being the first to begin a recount, and Hillary Clinton's campaign is willing to go along with a recount despite that Clinton...
17m Nov 30, 2016
17m
American As Pumpkin Pie: A History Of Thanksgiving [rebroadcast]
If a Pilgrim were to attend a contemporary Thanksgiving celebration, he or she would probably be stunned by our “traditional” foods. In this episode of BackStory, The Guys discuss Puritan foods with historian James McWilliams, and religion scholar Anne Blue Wills reveals the surprising, 19th century origins of our national holiday. We’ll also hear from legendary NFL quarterback Roger S...
52m Nov 23, 2016
52m
A Whole New World: A History of Utopias
In his recent book “Utopia for Realists,” Rutger Bregman advocates a 15-hour workweek, universal basic income, and open borders. Sounds like paradise to us! From the Oneida Community’s dream of open, or “complex marriage” to the rise and spectacular fall of Pullman’s model company town, the Guys look at why the idea of “utopianism” has such strong appeal to Americans.
52m Nov 17, 2016
52m