Ben Franklin's World

How did enslaved African and African American women experience slavery?

What were their daily lives like?

And how do historians know as much as they do about enslaved women?

Today, we explore the answers to these questions with Jennifer L. Morgan, a Professor of History and Social and Cultural Analysis at New York University and our guide for an investigation into how historians research history. 

Doing History Series

This episode is part of the "Doing History: How Historians Work" series. 

“Doing History” episodes will introduce you to historians who will tell you what they know about the past and reveal how they came to their knowledge.

Each episode will air on the last Tuesday of each month in 2016.

This series is part of a partnership between Ben Franklin’s World and the Omohundro Institute of Early American History and Culture.

Show Notes: http://www.benfranklinsworld.com/070

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Law and order stood as a sign of civilization for many 17th-century Europeans, which is why some of the first European settlers in North America created systems of law and order in their new homeland.

Today, we explore the legal history of colonial New England with Abby Chandler, author of Law and Sexual Misconduct in New England 1650-1750.

Show Notes: http://www.benfranklinsworld.com/069

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Abraham Lincoln grew up as the son of a poor farmer. Yet, he became the 16th President of the United States.

How did the son of a poor farmer achieve election to the presidency?

Today, we investigate the life of Abraham Lincoln and his journey to the presidency with Richard Brookhiser, author of Founders' Son: A Life of Abraham Lincoln.

Show Notes: http://www.benfranklinsworld.com/068

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*Books purchased through this link will help support the production of Ben Franklin's World.

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Aside from nice weather, what do California and Hawaii have in common?

Spanish longhorn cattle.

Today, we explore how Spanish longhorn cattle influenced the early American and environmental histories of California and Hawaii with John Ryan Fischer, author of Cattle Colonialism: An Environmental History of the Conquest of California and Hawaii.

Show Notes: http://www.benfranklinsworld.com/067

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How did average, poor, and enslaved men and women live their day-to-day lives in the early United States?

Today, we explore the answers to that question with Simon P. Newman, a Professor of History at the University of Glasgow and our guide for an investigation into how historians choose their research topics. 

Doing History Series

This episode is part of the "Doing History: How Historians Work" series. 

“Doing History” episodes will introduce you to historians who will tell you what they know about the past and reveal how they came to their knowledge.

Each episode will air on the last Tuesday of each month in 2016.

This series is part of a partnership between Ben Franklin’s World and the Omohundro Institute of Early American History and Culture.

Show Notes: http://www.benfranklinsworld.com/066

Helpful Show Links

Help Support Ben Franklin's World Crowdfunding Campaign

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Ben Franklin's World Facebook Page

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Sign-up for the Franklin Gazette Newsletter

Ben Franklin's World iOS App

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History is about people, but what do we know about the people behind history’s scenes?

Who are the people who tell us what we know about our past?

How do they come to know what they know?

Today, we begin our year-long “Doing History” series with a special bonus episode about historians and why they do the work that they do.

Doing History Series

This episode is part of the "Doing History: How Historians Work" series. 

“Doing History” episodes will introduce you to historians who will tell you what they know about the past and reveal how they came to their knowledge.

Each episode will air on the last Tuesday of each month in 2016.

This series is part of a partnership between Ben Franklin’s World and the Omohundro Institute of Early American History and Culture.

Show Notes: http://www.benfranklinsworld.com/historians

Helpful Show Links

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Today, we explore espionage during the American Revolution and the origins and operations of the Culper Spy Ring with Alexander Rose, author of Washington’s Spies: The Story of America’s First Spy Ring and a historian, writer, and producer for AMC’s television drama TURN.

Show Notes: http://www.benfranklinsworld.com/065

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Most early Americans practiced chattel slavery: the practice of treating slaves as property that people could buy, sell, trade, and use as they would draught animals or real estate.

But, did you know that some early Americans practiced a different type of slavery?

Today, we investigate the practice of Native American or indigenous slavery, a little-known aspect of early American history, with Brett Rushforth, author of Bonds of Alliance: Indigenous and Atlantic Slaveries in New France.

Show Notes: http://www.benfranklinsworld.com/064

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*Books purchased through this link will help support the production of Ben Franklin's World.

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The American Civil War claimed more than 620,000 American lives.

Did you know that it also cost American forests, landscapes, cities, and institutions?

Today, we explore the different types of ruination wrought by the American Civil War with Megan Kate Nelson, author of Ruin Nation: Destruction and the American Civil War.

Show Notes: http://www.benfranklinsworld.com/063

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*Books purchased through this link will help support the production of Ben Franklin's World.

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Did you know that when James Madison originally proposed the Bill of Rights, it consisted of 36 amendments and that the House of Representatives did not want to consider or debate Madison’s proposed amendments to the Constitution?

Today, we explore the Bill of Rights and its ratification with Carol Berkin, author of The Bill of Rights: The Fight to Secure America’s Liberties.

Show Notes: http://www.benfranklinsworld.com/062

Helpful Show Links

Help Support Ben Franklin's World Crowdfunding Campaign

Ask the Historian

Ben Franklin's World Facebook Page

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Sign-up for the Franklin Gazette Newsletter

Ben Franklin's World iOS App

Ben Franklin's World Android App

*Books purchased through this link will help support the production of Ben Franklin's World.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices