Sign up to save your podcasts
Or
Share America: The Story of the USA
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Or
America: The Story of the USA
America: The Story of the USA episodes
- Study Notes: The Presidents - William Henry Harrison (1841)
JOIN TEAM SOTUS: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/community
.
America: Study Notes are quickfire explainers for all the things you want to know about the USA, but don't want to ask.
Today: the ninth President of the United States, William Henry Harrison - his election, his presidency, his key achievements and controversies, and his lasting legacy.
.
America: The Story of the USA is a Podcasts by Liam production for Mercury, in partnership with the British Association for American Studies.
Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/
Join the community: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/community
12 min - In the Making: Putting the ‘odd’ in Todd Blanche
JOIN TEAM SOTUS: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/community
.
This week, we take a closer look at the imminent approval of Todd Blanche as the US' new Attorney General. Who is Trump's former personal lawyer, and what does his appointment mean for the US?
Plus, the UFC have confirmed losses of $30 for hosting the White House event on Trump's birthday, while the federal appeals court has reversed climate program cuts, restoring billions of dollars in funding.
Joining me this week is Sian Round, a Leverhulme Early Career Fellow at Swansee University.
.
01:42 - Climate funding restored
04:46 - US economic growth
10:18 - UFC White House Costs
16:45 - Todd Blanche: Attorney General
36:58 - Lifeguard Hero
.
News Sources:
Federal appeals court throw out Trump’s climate cuts:https://apnews.com/article/epa-grants-climate-united-trump-36ad8c6684939a1788dd49979e0f3ad9
UFC loses $30 million on White House event: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/mixed-martial-arts/articles/ckgdky8d94eo
US economy grows by 1.5%: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/jul/30/us-economy-growth-inflation-second-quarter
Todd Blanche nomination moves to full Senate vote: https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2026/08/04/senate-judiciary-committee-approves-todd-blanche-as-ag-after-initial-delay/
16 year old lifeguard saves 10 year old’s life: https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/16-yo-rookie-lifeguard-leads-heroic-ocean-rescue-with-viral-video-of-harrowing-effort/
.
America: The Story of the USA is a Podcasts by Liam production for Mercury, in partnership with the British Association for American Studies.
Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/
Join the community: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/community
45 min - Study Notes: The History of the Death Penalty
America: Study Notes are quickfire explainers for all the things you want to know about the USA, but don't want to ask.
Today: The History of the Death Penalty in the United States - when it started, how it evolved, the major legal battles that shaped it, and the controversies that continue today.
.
Contact us: [email protected]
Join the community: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/community
Get the newsletter: https://america-the-story-of-the-usa.beehiiv.com/
Brand & advertising enquiries: [email protected]
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
12 min - In the Making: Why Does Ron DeSantis Love the Death Penalty?
JOIN TEAM SOTUS: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/community
.
This week, former President Joe Biden comes under fire after leaked recordings seem to show him admitting to the possession of classified files.
And we dive into the death penalty, in particular why executions are booming in Florida, and what Ron DeSantis has to do about it.
Joining me this week is Professor Andrew Moran, the Head of Criminology, Sociology, Politics and International Relations at London Met.
.
01:38 - Joe Biden's Classified Files
15:11 - Ron DeSantis and the Death Penalty
42:47 - Subway Surfing, USA
.
News Sources:
Florida to execute two in a day: https://apnews.com/article/florida-execution-duckett-occhicone-4c313a84631ad20a62998f7dd061dbcf
NYC subway surfers: https://news.sky.com/video/nypd-drone-captures-teen-subway-surfers-13567341
Joe Biden admits possessing classified files to ghostwriter: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cr49znlz5ggo
Execution statistics: https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/executions/executions-overview/executions-by-state-and-year
Gun violence stats: https://theworlddata.com/fatal-shooting-statistics-in-us/
Florida’s new capital sentencing law: https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/floridas-new-non-unanimous-capital-sentencing-law-faces-retroactivity-challenge-in-state-supreme-court
Florida’s new capital punishment laws: https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/floridas-new-non-unanimous-capital-sentencing-law-faces-retroactivity-challenge-in-state-supreme-court
Ron DeSantis sees death penalty as a deterrent: https://www.wusf.org/politics-issues/2025-11-04/gov-desantis-says-executions-about-justice-amid-modern-era-record
.
America: The Story of the USA is a Podcasts by Liam production for Mercury, in partnership with the British Association for American Studies.
Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/
Join the community: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/community
51 min - How Did the Beatles Conquer America?
Join our new 24/7 SOTUS community now: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/community
.
When four musicians from Liverpool, England arrived in the United States in 1964, they didn’t just launch a tour. They triggered a cultural earthquake. Their appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show drew an audience of unprecedented size, their records dominated the charts, and their presence reshaped American youth culture almost overnight.
But their conquest of America wasn’t inevitable. It was the product of timing, technology, post‑war optimism, and a nation searching for new forms of expression after the trauma of the Kennedy assassination. They transformed American music, fashion, media, and identity, and their influence still echoes across the cultural landscape today.
So in this episode, I’m asking… how did The Beatles conquer America?
.
Special Guest:
Brian Ward, one of the UK’s leading historians of American culture. His work explores the intersections of music, politics, media, and identity in the United States.
.
Reading List:
Just My Soul Responding: Rhythm and Blues, Black Consciousness, and Race Relations by Brian Ward: https://a.co/d/0c8G4EzO
The Beatles and America (selected essays and lectures)
The Beatles: The Biography by Bob Spitz: https://a.co/d/05vISlWp
The Beatles Are Coming! by Bruce Spizer: https://a.co/d/04g78dMb
The Sixties: Cultural Revolution in Britain, France, Italy, and the United States by Arthur Marwick: https://a.co/d/0dOtymvX
America in the Sixties by John Morton Blum
Beatlemania: Technology, Fans, and the Making of a Cultural Phenomenon by André Millard: https://amzn.eu/d/0ieN280V
The British Invasion, American History Magazine archives
.
Highlights:
02:21 - Blowing away the cobwebs
07:27 - Ed Sullivan
15:32 - The secret to the Beatles' success
21:03 - The black American influence
27:20 - A voice for American youth
33:33 - For the people
41:10 - Do the Beatles still matter?
.
Contact us: [email protected]
Team SOTUS: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/community
Brands & advertisers: [email protected]
.
Credits:
Producer - Liam Heffernan
Host - Liam Heffernan
Editor - Liam Heffernan
In Partnership with the British Association for American Studies
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
53 min - Study Notes: The Presidents - Martin Van Buren (1837 - 1841)
JOIN TEAM SOTUS: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/community
.
America: Study Notes are quickfire explainers for all the things you want to know about the USA, but don't want to ask.
Today: the eighth President of the United States, Martin Van Buren - his election, his presidency, his key achievements and controversies, and his lasting legacy.
.
America: The Story of the USA is a Podcasts by Liam production for Mercury, in partnership with the British Association for American Studies.
Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/
Join the community: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/community
12 min - In the Making: Will the Tate Brothers Finally Face Justice?
JOIN TEAM SOTUS: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/community
.
This week, as Andrew and Tristan Tate face extradition to the UK, we discuss their ties to the Trump family, and the political headache this might cause the President.
Plus, JD Vance has a baby, the price of gas soars, and new British Prime Minister Andy Burnham is winning points with the President.
Joining me this week is Dr. Emma Long, an Associate Professor in American History and Politics at the University of East Anglia, though currently reporting from Heidelberg, Germany.
.
02:01 - The Price of Oil
11:04 - Andy Burnham
18:56 - Andrew & Tristan Tate
41:36 - Baby Vance
.
News Sources:
US gas prices back up: https://apnews.com/article/gas-prices-iran-war-4-gallon-4b82825734ec3ded192351e53a4be69e
Trump approves of new UK PM North Sea drilling plans: https://www.cnbc.com/2026/07/20/uk-prime-minister-burnham-trump-poverty-stricken-disaster.html
Vance become first Veep in 150 years to have a new child while in office: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cj63kngxpxpo
Vance won’t take paternity leave: https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/us-vice-president-jd-vance-paternity-leave-decision-1809573
The Tate Brothers arrested: https://edition.cnn.com/2026/07/20/us/tate-brothers-extradition-wwk
Trump’s connection to the Tate Brothers: https://www.forbes.com/sites/saradorn/2026/07/19/tate-brothers-arrested-in-florida-what-we-know-about-their-trump-ties/
.
America: The Story of the USA is a Podcasts by Liam production for Mercury, in partnership with the British Association for American Studies.
Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/
Join the community: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/community
54 min - Why Did Thomas Jefferson Build a University?
Join our new 24/7 SOTUS community now: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/community
.
Thomas Jefferson spent his life imagining the future of the American republic. Not just its politics, but its culture, its knowledge, and its citizens.
After leaving the presidency, he turned to a new project: founding a university that would embody his Enlightenment ideals and prepare future generations for self‑government. A far cry from the acrimony between higher education and the White House we’re seeing today.
The University of Virginia was Thomas Jefferson’s final great experiment, so today we explore why Jefferson built it, what he hoped it would achieve, and how it has evolved since.
So in this episode, I’m asking… why did Jefferson start a university?
.
Special Guest:
Andrew O’Shaughnessy, one of the leading historians of Thomas Jefferson and the early American republic. His book The Illimitable Freedom of the Human Mind is the definitive study of Jefferson’s educational vision and the founding of the University of Virginia.
Buy Andrews' Book: https://a.co/d/0j9Tz5An
.
Highlights:
02:21 - From politics to education
06:26 - Essential to the American Experiment
10:23 - Jefferson's vision
17:52 - Take God out of the classroom
23:09 - Jefferson and slavery
30:02 - Was UVA a success?
35:00 - The top of the pyramid
39:11 - The civil war
42:27 - Upholding Jeffersonian principles
.
For an extended reading list and to learn more, join our Patreon community now: https://www.patreon.com/cw/americathestoryoftheusa
.
Contact us: [email protected]
Team SOTUS: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/community
Brands & advertises: [email protected]
.
Credits:
Producer - Liam Heffernan
Host - Liam Heffernan
Editor - Liam Heffernan
In Partnership with the British Association for American Studies
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
54 min - Study Notes: How US Election Campaigns Work
America: Study Notes are quickfire explainers for all the things you want to know about the USA, but don't want to ask.
Today: How U.S. election campaigns work - where they came from, how they evolved, what the rules are today, and the best and worst campaigns in American history.
.
Contact us: [email protected]
Join the community: https://www.patreon.com/cw/americathestoryoftheusa
Get the newsletter: https://america-the-story-of-the-usa.beehiiv.com/
Brand & advertising enquiries: [email protected]
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
12 min - In the Making: War! What is it Good For?
This week, Senator Lindsey Graham has died, the War in Iran rages on, and more fatalies at the hands of ICE agents force the White House's hand.
Joining me this week is Dr. Tim Galsworthy, lecturer in History and Military History at Lincoln Bishop University.
.
02:02 - Lindsey Graham
09:55 - ICE shootings
22:012 - The War in Iran
36:57 - Paramount-Warner
49:05 - World Cup Predictions
.
News Sources:
Lindsey Graham Dies: https://apnews.com/article/lindsey-graham-dies-south-carolina-bfa556e170f2df22ce9ffc7165da3dfa
Lindsey Graham’s Sister Sworn In: https://apnews.com/article/lindsey-graham-death-sister-darline-senate-87bce5649c07e03129cf535feb97873a
Why are 12 states fighting the Paramount-Warner Merger: https://variety.com/2026/film/news/paramount-warner-bros-rob-bonta-state-ags-sue-blockbusters-1236810931/
Trump U-Turns on Hormuz Tariff Threat: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy0608wy8pro
Another death at the hands of ICE: https://apnews.com/article/ice-shooting-maine-immigration-dhs-f26f8c2256aa6f0748582ea4adbb515c
.
America: The Story of the USA is a Podcasts by Liam production for Mercury, in partnership with the British Association for American Studies.
Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: https://america-the-story-of-the-usa.beehiiv.com/
Join the community: https://www.patreon.com/americathestoryoftheusa
Get in touch: [email protected]
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
57 min
About America: The Story of the USA
From the publisher's feed
SOTUS is your deep‑dive guide to how the United States became what it is today. From George Washington to Donald Trump, we unpack the people, places and events that shaped, and continue to shape, the nation’s identity.
Designed for curious listeners, students, educators, and lifelong learners, this series blends accessible storytelling with historically grounded insight to help you understand not just what happened in America’s past, but why it still matters now.
If you want a clear, compelling, and richly narrated journey through U.S. history, this is the podcast that brings the American story to life.
Made in partnership with the British Association for American Studies.
.
JOIN THE COMMUNITY: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/community
GET THE NEWSLETTER: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/
BRANDS & ADVERTISING: [email protected]
.
America: A History is a part of the Mercury Podcast Network, hosted by your resident US expert Liam Heffernan, in partnership with The British Association for American Studies: baas.ac.uk
.
rex-verify-zkitiaihtdgv