Millions of Americans grew up playing The Oregon Trail, trying to avoid dysentery, survive dangerous river crossings, and make it west in one piece. But how accurate was the famous video game? In this episode of American History Hotline, host Bob Crawford talks with Yale historian Sarah Keyes, author of American Burial Ground: A New History of the Overland Trail, to separate fact from fiction. Together they explore: • How realistic The Oregon Trail video game really was • Did people actually die of dysentery? • The biggest dangers pioneers faced on the trail • Why river crossings were so deadly • What travelers packed—and what they should have left behind • Native Americans and the realities of life on the trail • The California Gold Rush and westward expansion • The Donner Party and the dangers of the Sierra Nevada • Why thousands of Americans risked everything to head west If you loved playing The Oregon Trail in school—or you're fascinated by American history—this episode reveals the surprising truths behind one of the most iconic educational video games ever made. Guest: Sarah Keyes, Yale historian and author of American Burial Ground: A New History of the Overland Trail American History Hotline is the podcast where your questions about American history are answered by leading historians and experts. Hosted by Bob Crawford. Have a question for the show? Send a voice memo to AmericanHistoryHotline@gmail.com

Millions of Americans grew up playing The Oregon Trail, trying to avoid dysentery, survive dangerous river crossings, and make it west in one piece. But how accurate was the famous video game? In this episode of American History Hotline, host Bob Crawford talks with Yale historian Sarah Keyes, author of American Burial Ground: A New History of the Overland Trail, to separate fact from fiction. Together they explore: • How realistic The Oregon Trail video game really was • Did people actually die of dysentery? • The biggest dangers pioneers faced on the trail • Why river crossings were so deadly • What travelers packed—and what they should have left behind • Native Americans and the realities of life on the trail • The California Gold Rush and westward expansion • The Donner Party and the dangers of the Sierra Nevada • Why thousands of Americans risked everything to head west If you loved playing The Oregon Trail in school—or you're fascinated by American history—this episode reveals the surprising truths behind one of the most iconic educational video games ever made. Guest: Sarah Keyes, Yale historian and author of American Burial Ground: A New History of the Overland Trail American History Hotline is the podcast where your questions about American history are answered by leading historians and experts. Hosted by Bob Crawford. Have a question for the show? Send a voice memo to AmericanHistoryHotline@gmail.com

Millions of Americans grew up playing The Oregon Trail, trying to avoid dysentery, survive dangerous river crossings, and make it west in one piece. But how accurate was the famous video game? In this episode of American History Hotline, host Bob Crawford talks with Yale historian Sarah Keyes, author of American Burial Ground: A New History of the Overland Trail, to separate fact from fiction. Together they explore: • How realistic The Oregon Trail video game really was • Did people actually die of dysentery? • The biggest dangers pioneers faced on the trail • Why river crossings were so deadly • What travelers packed—and what they should have left behind • Native Americans and the realities of life on the trail • The California Gold Rush and westward expansion • The Donner Party and the dangers of the Sierra Nevada • Why thousands of Americans risked everything to head west If you loved playing The Oregon Trail in school—or you're fascinated by American history—this episode reveals the surprising truths behind one of the most iconic educational video games ever made. Guest: Sarah Keyes, Yale historian and author of American Burial Ground: A New History of the Overland Trail American History Hotline is the podcast where your questions about American history are answered by leading historians and experts. Hosted by Bob Crawford. Have a question for the show? Send a voice memo to AmericanHistoryHotline@gmail.com

How Accurate Was The Oregon Trail Game? The Real History Behind America's Most Famous Video Game | Sarah Keyes

Twenty-five years after 9/11, America is once again at war in the Middle East. So what—if anything—have we learned? This week on American History Hotline, Bob Crawford talks with Peter Bergen, one of the country's leading experts on Osama bin Laden, al-Qaeda and America's post-9/11 wars. Bergen is the New York Times bestselling author of Manhunt and the new book <a href= "https://www.peterbergen.com/all-the-presidents-wars/" target= "_blank" rel="noopener">All the President's Wars: Twenty-Five Years of America's War on Terror.</a> Bergen takes us inside the warning signs before September 11, recalls interviewing Osama bin Laden years before the attacks, and explains why he knew almost immediately who was responsible when the second plane struck the World Trade Center. Then we follow the consequences: bin Laden's escape from Tora Bora, the decision to invade Iraq, the rise of ISIS, and the expanding power of American presidents to wage war. Finally, Bergen asks what those lessons can tell us about the latest U.S. war with Iran. After 25 years of the War on Terror, has America gotten better at deciding when—and how—to go to war? Have a question about American history? Visit AmericanHistoryHotline.com to send us a voice memo or video, and your question could be featured on a future episode.

Twenty-five years after 9/11, America is once again at war in the Middle East. So what—if anything—have we learned? This week on American History Hotline, Bob Crawford talks with Peter Bergen, one of the country's leading experts on Osama bin Laden, al-Qaeda and America's post-9/11 wars. Bergen is the New York Times bestselling author of Manhunt and the new book All the President's Wars: Twenty-Five Years of America's War on Terror. Bergen takes us inside the warning signs before September 11, recalls interviewing Osama bin Laden years before the attacks, and explains why he knew almost immediately who was responsible when the second plane struck the World Trade Center. Then we follow the consequences: bin Laden's escape from Tora Bora, the decision to invade Iraq, the rise of ISIS, and the expanding power of American presidents to wage war. Finally, Bergen asks what those lessons can tell us about the latest U.S. war with Iran. After 25 years of the War on Terror, has America gotten better at deciding when—and how—to go to war? Have a question about American history? Visit AmericanHistoryHotline.com to send us a voice memo or video, and your question could be featured on a future episode.

Twenty-five years after 9/11, America is once again at war in the Middle East. So what—if anything—have we learned? This week on American History Hotline, Bob Crawford talks with Peter Bergen, one of the country's leading experts on Osama bin Laden, al-Qaeda and America's post-9/11 wars. Bergen is the New York Times bestselling author of Manhunt and the new book <a href="https://www.peterbergen.com/all-the-presidents-wars/" rel="noopener noreferrer">All the President's Wars: Twenty-Five Years of America's War on Terror.</a> Bergen takes us inside the warning signs before September 11, recalls interviewing Osama bin Laden years before the attacks, and explains why he knew almost immediately who was responsible when the second plane struck the World Trade Center. Then we follow the consequences: bin Laden's escape from Tora Bora, the decision to invade Iraq, the rise of ISIS, and the expanding power of American presidents to wage war. Finally, Bergen asks what those lessons can tell us about the latest U.S. war with Iran. After 25 years of the War on Terror, has America gotten better at deciding when—and how—to go to war? Have a question about American history? Visit AmericanHistoryHotline.com to send us a voice memo or video, and your question could be featured on a future episode.

25 Years After 9/11: What Did America Learn from the War on Terror? | Peter Bergen

President Donald Trump recently released his own ranking of America's presidents—placing himself at the top while labeling figures such as Barack Obama and Ulysses S. Grant failures. But how does his list hold up to history? Presidential historian Lindsay Chervinsky joins Bob Crawford to examine Trump's rankings, identify their biggest surprises and omissions, and reveal her own five greatest presidents. She explains why George Washington and Abraham Lincoln belong at the top, why Grant deserves a historical reassessment and why John F. Kennedy may be overrated. Bob and Lindsay also explore the complicated legacies of Andrew Jackson, John Quincy Adams, Bill Clinton and Richard Nixon. Plus, Lindsay explains why historians may need at least 30 years—and access to a president's classified records—before they can fairly assess a presidency. Did Trump get any of his rankings right? And who would make your list of America's best and worst presidents? Lindsay Chervinsky is a presidential historian, executive director of the George Washington Presidential Library and author of "Making the Presidency: John Adams and the Precedents That Forged the Republic." She also appears in the Netflix documentary series "The American Experiment." Have a question about American history? Send a voice memo, video or email to <a href= "mailto:AmericanHistoryHotline@gmail.com">AmericanHistoryHotline@gmail.com</a> or visit AmericanHistoryHotline.com Your question could inspire a future episode.

President Donald Trump recently released his own ranking of America's presidents—placing himself at the top while labeling figures such as Barack Obama and Ulysses S. Grant failures. But how does his list hold up to history? Presidential historian Lindsay Chervinsky joins Bob Crawford to examine Trump's rankings, identify their biggest surprises and omissions, and reveal her own five greatest presidents. She explains why George Washington and Abraham Lincoln belong at the top, why Grant deserves a historical reassessment and why John F. Kennedy may be overrated. Bob and Lindsay also explore the complicated legacies of Andrew Jackson, John Quincy Adams, Bill Clinton and Richard Nixon. Plus, Lindsay explains why historians may need at least 30 years—and access to a president's classified records—before they can fairly assess a presidency. Did Trump get any of his rankings right? And who would make your list of America's best and worst presidents? Lindsay Chervinsky is a presidential historian, executive director of the George Washington Presidential Library and author of "Making the Presidency: John Adams and the Precedents That Forged the Republic." She also appears in the Netflix documentary series "The American Experiment." Have a question about American history? Send a voice memo, video or email to AmericanHistoryHotline@gmail.com or visit AmericanHistoryHotline.com Your question could inspire a future episode.

President Donald Trump recently released his own ranking of America's presidents—placing himself at the top while labeling figures such as Barack Obama and Ulysses S. Grant failures. But how does his list hold up to history? Presidential historian Lindsay Chervinsky joins Bob Crawford to examine Trump's rankings, identify their biggest surprises and omissions, and reveal her own five greatest presidents. She explains why George Washington and Abraham Lincoln belong at the top, why Grant deserves a historical reassessment and why John F. Kennedy may be overrated. Bob and Lindsay also explore the complicated legacies of Andrew Jackson, John Quincy Adams, Bill Clinton and Richard Nixon. Plus, Lindsay explains why historians may need at least 30 years—and access to a president's classified records—before they can fairly assess a presidency. Did Trump get any of his rankings right? And who would make your list of America's best and worst presidents? Lindsay Chervinsky is a presidential historian, executive director of the George Washington Presidential Library and author of "Making the Presidency: John Adams and the Precedents That Forged the Republic." She also appears in the Netflix documentary series "The American Experiment." Have a question about American history? Send a voice memo, video or email to <a href="mailto:AmericanHistoryHotline@gmail.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">AmericanHistoryHotline@gmail.com</a> or visit AmericanHistoryHotline.com Your question could inspire a future episode.

Trump Ranked the Presidents. A Historian Responds

Are our two main political parties so toxic that a third party may soon takeover American politics? Don't count on it. We'll dive into why right now is the opportune time for a third party to rise to power ... and why that party is destined to fail. But who knows?! Anything is possible. GUEST: <a href= "https://www.michaelpatrickcullinane.com/">Michael Cullinane</a>, professor of U.S. History and the Lowman Walton Chair of Theodore Roosevelt Studies at Dickinson State University in North Dakota. He's also author of the soon-to-be released book: Theodore Roosevelt and the Tennis Cabinet. See <a href= "https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

Are our two main political parties so toxic that a third party may soon takeover American politics? Don't count on it. We'll dive into why right now is the opportune time for a third party to rise to power ... and why that party is destined to fail. But who knows?! Anything is possible. GUEST: Michael Cullinane, professor of U.S. History and the Lowman Walton Chair of Theodore Roosevelt Studies at Dickinson State University in North Dakota. He's also author of the soon-to-be released book: Theodore Roosevelt and the Tennis Cabinet. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are our two main political parties so toxic that a third party may soon takeover American politics? Don't count on it. We'll dive into why right now is the opportune time for a third party to rise to power ... and why that party is destined to fail. But who knows?! Anything is possible. GUEST: <a href="https://www.michaelpatrickcullinane.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer">Michael Cullinane</a>, professor of U.S. History and the Lowman Walton Chair of Theodore Roosevelt Studies at Dickinson State University in North Dakota. He's also author of the soon-to-be released book: Theodore Roosevelt and the Tennis Cabinet. See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener" rel="noopener noreferrer">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

Is it Time for a Third Party?

How does the U.S. Constitution protect our country from being taken over by a power-hungry dictator? You may not like the answer. President and CEO of the National Constitution Center, Jeffrey Rosen, explains how much of our federal government is based on political norms and precedents that are vulnerable to the whims of the masses. Still, our Constitution has weathered some of the most serious political storms of the past 250 years and held strong. The key to success, Rosen explains, is an informed citizenry that holds elected officials accountable to America's founding principles. GUEST: Jeffrey Rosen, president and CEO of the National Constitution Center, where he hosts We the People, a weekly podcast of constitutional debate. He is also a professor of law at the George Washington University Law School and a contributing editor of The Atlantic. Rosen's new book is <a href= "https://www.allbookstores.com/The-Pursuit-Liberty-How-Hamilton/9781668053744">"The Pursuit of Liberty, How Hamilton vs. Jefferson Ignited the Lasting Battle Over Power in America"</a> See <a href= "https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

How does the U.S. Constitution protect our country from being taken over by a power-hungry dictator? You may not like the answer. President and CEO of the National Constitution Center, Jeffrey Rosen, explains how much of our federal government is based on political norms and precedents that are vulnerable to the whims of the masses. Still, our Constitution has weathered some of the most serious political storms of the past 250 years and held strong. The key to success, Rosen explains, is an informed citizenry that holds elected officials accountable to America's founding principles. GUEST: Jeffrey Rosen, president and CEO of the National Constitution Center, where he hosts We the People, a weekly podcast of constitutional debate. He is also a professor of law at the George Washington University Law School and a contributing editor of The Atlantic. Rosen's new book is "The Pursuit of Liberty, How Hamilton vs. Jefferson Ignited the Lasting Battle Over Power in America" See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How does the U.S. Constitution protect our country from being taken over by a power-hungry dictator? You may not like the answer. President and CEO of the National Constitution Center, Jeffrey Rosen, explains how much of our federal government is based on political norms and precedents that are vulnerable to the whims of the masses. Still, our Constitution has weathered some of the most serious political storms of the past 250 years and held strong. The key to success, Rosen explains, is an informed citizenry that holds elected officials accountable to America's founding principles. GUEST: Jeffrey Rosen, president and CEO of the National Constitution Center, where he hosts We the People, a weekly podcast of constitutional debate. He is also a professor of law at the George Washington University Law School and a contributing editor of The Atlantic. Rosen's new book is <a href="https://www.allbookstores.com/The-Pursuit-Liberty-How-Hamilton/9781668053744" rel="noopener noreferrer">"The Pursuit of Liberty, How Hamilton vs. Jefferson Ignited the Lasting Battle Over Power in America"</a> See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener" rel="noopener noreferrer">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

Does the Constitution Prevent A Dictator?

American history is full of folklore and tall tales, so it's hard to believe that Founders Thomas Jefferson and John Adams both died on July 4th, 1826 — exactly 50 years after signing the Declaration of Independence. But it's all true! Historian Lindsay Chervinsky tells the stories of these patriotic deaths, including Adams' belief that "Jefferson still lives." Interestingly enough, James Madison actually tried to AVOID dying on the 4th of July. It turns out, Independence Day is rife with patriotic deaths and coincidences! GUEST: Lindsay Chervinsky, presidential historian and the Executive Director of the George Washington Presidential Library. She is the author of the award-winning book, <a href= "https://www.amazon.com/Cabinet-Washington-Creation-American-Institution/dp/0674986482/"> The Cabinet: George Washington and the Creation of an American Institution</a>, co-editor of <a href= "https://www.amazon.com/Mourning-Presidents-American-Culture-Presidency/dp/0813949297/ref=sr_1_1?crid=798SKJH4H39V&keywords=mourning+the+presidents&qid=1672847172&sprefix=mourning+the+president%2Caps%2C821&sr=8-1"> Mourning the Presidents: Loss and Legacy in American Culture</a>, and the forthcoming book, Making the Presidency: John Adams and the Precedents That Forged the Republic See <a href= "https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

American history is full of folklore and tall tales, so it's hard to believe that Founders Thomas Jefferson and John Adams both died on July 4th, 1826 — exactly 50 years after signing the Declaration of Independence. But it's all true! Historian Lindsay Chervinsky tells the stories of these patriotic deaths, including Adams' belief that "Jefferson still lives." Interestingly enough, James Madison actually tried to AVOID dying on the 4th of July. It turns out, Independence Day is rife with patriotic deaths and coincidences! GUEST: Lindsay Chervinsky, presidential historian and the Executive Director of the George Washington Presidential Library. She is the author of the award-winning book, The Cabinet: George Washington and the Creation of an American Institution, co-editor of Mourning the Presidents: Loss and Legacy in American Culture, and the forthcoming book, Making the Presidency: John Adams and the Precedents That Forged the Republic See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

American history is full of folklore and tall tales, so it's hard to believe that Founders Thomas Jefferson and John Adams both died on July 4th, 1826 — exactly 50 years after signing the Declaration of Independence. But it's all true! Historian Lindsay Chervinsky tells the stories of these patriotic deaths, including Adams' belief that "Jefferson still lives." Interestingly enough, James Madison actually tried to AVOID dying on the 4th of July. It turns out, Independence Day is rife with patriotic deaths and coincidences! GUEST: Lindsay Chervinsky, presidential historian and the Executive Director of the George Washington Presidential Library. She is the author of the award-winning book, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Cabinet-Washington-Creation-American-Institution/dp/0674986482/" rel="noopener noreferrer"> The Cabinet: George Washington and the Creation of an American Institution</a>, co-editor of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Mourning-Presidents-American-Culture-Presidency/dp/0813949297/ref=sr_1_1?crid=798SKJH4H39V&amp;keywords=mourning+the+presidents&amp;qid=1672847172&amp;sprefix=mourning+the+president%2Caps%2C821&amp;sr=8-1" rel="noopener noreferrer"> Mourning the Presidents: Loss and Legacy in American Culture</a>, and the forthcoming book, Making the Presidency: John Adams and the Precedents That Forged the Republic See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener" rel="noopener noreferrer">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

Dead on the 4th of July

See <a href= "https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener" rel="noopener noreferrer">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

Introducing: American History Hotline

Bob Crawford searches for the best historians and experts to answer listener questions about American history &mdash; from the Revolutionary War to rock &amp; roll feuds. Got a question? Send it to AmericanHistoryHotline@gmail.com.

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History

Bob Crawford searches for the best historians and experts to answer listener questions about American history — from the Revolutionary War to rock & roll feuds. Got a question? Send it to AmericanHistoryHotline@gmail.com.

Bob Crawford searches for the best historians and experts to answer listener questions about American history — from the Revolutionary War to rock &amp; roll feuds. Got a question? Send it to AmericanHistoryHotline@gmail.com.

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