America: The Story of the USA

BIG ANNOUNCEMENT!

America: A History Podcast returns with brand new episodes from Tuesday 2nd July, so make sure you follow and share this podcast with all of your fellow US history fans.

PLUS

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This week we are literally discussing the theme song to this podcast. It became synonymous with the Civil War, and in the years and centuries since it has been adapted, sampled, covered and repurposed in just about every way possible, by musicians, politicians, sports teams and more. So today I am asking… what is the Battle Hymn of the Republic?

To discuss this I am joined by Thomas Smith, Professor of American Literature and Culture and Deputy Director of Area Studies at the University of East Anglia.

And our special guest is Catherine Bateson, an Associate Professor of American History at the University of Kent, and also the author of Irish American Civil War Songs: Identity, Loyalty, and Nationhood, which we will link to in the show notes.

Mentioned in this episode:

BOOK: Irish American Civil War Songs: Identity, Loyalty, and Nationhood by Catherine Bateson

SONG: An American Trilogy by Elvis Presley

POEM: Battle Hymn of the Republic by Julia Ward Howe

SONG: John Brown’s Body

SONG: Glory, Glory, Hallelujah by the London Community Gospel Choir

SONG: Glory Glory Man. United

If you love this, you may also like:

Why Did the USA Drop Atomic Bombs on Japan?

Is America an Empire?

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On this episode, as America’s foreign relations once again dominates headlines, I want to explore just how powerful the country really is, and whether we should be understanding it as more than just a single nation, as I ask… Is America An Empire?

And to discuss this I am joined by two very excellent guests:

Mentioned in this episode:

BOOK: Winning Our Freedoms Together: African Americans and Apartheid, 1945-1960 by Nicholas Grant

BOOK: The Blood of Government: Race, Empire, the United States, and the Philippines by Paul A. Kramer

BOOK: Colossus: The Rise and Fall of the American Empire by Niall Ferguson

BOOK: An Afro-Indigenous History of the United States by Kyle T. Mays

ONLINE: A New Menace in Africa by Nelson Mandela

If you love this, you may also like:

Why Did the USA Drop Atomic Bombs on Japan?

Is America an Empire?

Contact us: [email protected]

Join the community: https://www.patreon.com/cw/americathestoryoftheusa - use code USA26 for 50% off your first month

Get the newsletter: https://america-the-story-of-the-usa.beehiiv.com/

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We are recording this week’s episode on Monday 4th March, 2024. This weekend Donald Trump continued his near clean sweep of caucus and primaries, and in a few hours, polls will open for Super Tuesday, where Trump is widely expected to secure the delegates needed to win the Republican nomination for a third consecutive Presidential election.

However, his journey has not been smooth sailing. Just four days ago Illinois became the third state, after Colorado and Maine, to kick Trump off the primary ballot, citing their insurrection clause - a move which will ultimately be debated by the Supreme Court.

His campaign has also been fought in the shadow of numerous court cases, which has already seen rack up hundreds of millions of dollars in damages.

So with all of the drama, the scandal, and the alleged criminality surrounding Trump, I want to know… should he be allowed to run for President?

Special Guest:

Additional Resources:

BBC Panorama, Trump: The Sequel?

If you love this, you might also like:

Will America Ever Elect a Woman for President?

Should Donald Trump Be Allowed to Run for President?

What is a Primary and a Caucus?

Who is Ron DeSantis?

How Are Presidents Elected?

Contact us: [email protected]

Join the community: https://www.patreon.com/cw/americathestoryoftheusa - use code USA26 for 50% off your first month

Get the newsletter: https://america-the-story-of-the-usa.beehiiv.com/

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This week, as the who’s who of entertainment descend on Hollywood for the glitziest night on the calendar, I want to know if anyone still cares about film awards, and when viewing figures continue to decrease, why do they still generate so many headlines, as I ask… are the Oscars still relevant?

And to discuss this I am joined by

Useful Resources:

The Oscars Official Website

Subscribe to Vaughn's newsletter, Review Roulette

If you love this, you might also like:

What Makes Country Music so American?

Are the Oscars Still Relevant?

Why Does Everyone Love Disney?

Could Friends BE Any Bigger?

How Accurate is Forrest Gump?

Contact us: [email protected]

Join the community: https://www.patreon.com/cw/americathestoryoftheusa - use code USA26 for 50% off your first month

Get the newsletter: https://america-the-story-of-the-usa.beehiiv.com/

Brand & advertising enquiries: [email protected]

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This week, I find out more about how one of America’s most popular first ladies turned her office, and residence of three years, into a living museum of US political history, as we ask… how did Jackie Kennedy transform the White House?

We discuss how Jackie Kennedy used her platform to champion one of the most radical projects ever undertaken by the First Lady, and in doing so, she redefines exactly what the role of First Lady means, and setting the blueprint for all that follow.

Special Guest:

If you love this episode, you might also like:

What Was the Constitutional Convention?

Why Does the President Only Serve Two Terms?

Is the President Above the Law?

How Are Presidents Elected?

What is the US Constitution?

Contact us: [email protected]

Join the community: https://www.patreon.com/cw/americathestoryoftheusa - use code USA26 for 50% off your first month

Get the newsletter: https://america-the-story-of-the-usa.beehiiv.com/

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America may be gearing up for Trump versus Biden already, but it remains in the middle of a nomination campaign... if only as a formality. So in this episode we speak with Dr. Emma Long to understand exactly how the nominations work, and what the heck a primary and caucus even is.

Guest this week:

Dr. Emma Long, Associate Professor of American History and Politics and Head of the Department of American Studies at the University of East Anglia

If you like this episode, you might also like:

What Was the Constitutional Convention?

Why Does the President Only Serve Two Terms?

Is the President Above the Law?

How Are Presidents Elected?

What is the US Constitution?

Contact us: [email protected]

Join the community: https://www.patreon.com/cw/americathestoryoftheusa - use code USA26 for 50% off your first month

Get the newsletter: https://america-the-story-of-the-usa.beehiiv.com/

Brand & advertising enquiries: [email protected]

Want to advertise with us and support the American Studies community?

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Your favourite American history podcast is coming back!

America: A History Podcast has taken a little winter hiatus, but we are back with a new look and sound and we are READY for a huge year.

As Donald Trump and Nikki Haley battle it out to determine who goes to the Presidential polls against Joe Biden, we have been hard at work doing what any good politician should be doing... listening.

That's right. We paid attention to your feedback and we have given the show a revamp, so that we can continue to bring you the best content in the best way for as long as you will allow us.

So tell your friends, tell your family, and tell your therapist that America: A History Podcast is coming back.

We will be covering everything from the Oscars to the election, and you do not want to miss it.

February 2024.

Put it in your diaries.

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It all started with (a now public domain) Mickey Mouse, but today Disney is a cultural behemoth. A global household name. Walt Disney is synonymous with childhood, nostalgia, and joy. Recently, their multi-billion dollar empire continues to grow, with a string of high-profile and big money acquisitions. So is the magic still there? And why does everyone love Disney?

Special guests:

In this episode, Janet and I discuss how Disney has become so embedded in childhood, and how many adults grow up with such a Disney obsession. We also look at recent acquisitions of Star Wars, Marvel and Fox, and consider how Disney manage to keep growing without losing their magic.

Additional resources:

BOOK: Understanding Disney by Janet Wasko

ARTICLE: Steamboat Willie enters the public domain

If you love this, you might also like:

What Makes Country Music so American?

Are the Oscars Still Relevant?

Why Does Everyone Love Disney?

Could Friends BE Any Bigger?

How Accurate is Forrest Gump?

Contact us: [email protected]

Join the community: https://www.patreon.com/cw/americathestoryoftheusa - use code USA26 for 50% off your first month

Get the newsletter: https://america-the-story-of-the-usa.beehiiv.com/

Brand & advertising enquiries: [email protected]

Want to advertise with us and support the American Studies community?

Email [email protected] and let's talk.

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Christmas is a season of goodwill... or so we thought. Conservative pockets of America would argue that Christmas is now a battleground, where the Christian traditions of the holidays are under threat. It is, in the words of Fox News anchor Bill O'Reilly, a 'War on Christmas'. So what exactly is it, what is being fought, and will it ever be won?

To help me answer this question, who else but Dr. Emma Long, Associate Professor of American History and Politics and Head of the Department of American Studies at the University of East Anglia.

If you love this episode, you might also like:

What is the War on Christmas?

How to Make a Hollywood Christmas Movie

What's the History of Christmas in America?

Contact us: [email protected]

Join the community: https://www.patreon.com/cw/americathestoryoftheusa - use code USA26 for 50% off your first month

Get the newsletter: https://america-the-story-of-the-usa.beehiiv.com/

Brand & advertising enquiries: [email protected]

Want to advertise with us and support the American Studies community?

Email [email protected] and let's talk.

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