
Sign up to save your podcasts
Or


Our second episode on Charleston, S.C. dives into how the Southern city became the flashpoint for America’s greatest conflict. History for Cocktail Parties Hosts Thornton Kennedy and James Ottley continue their journey through Charleston’s rich past, exploring the city’s architecture, symbols, and the events that set the stage for the Civil War. You’ll learn why Charleston’s famous Palmetto tree became a lasting emblem of strength, how clever residents built their homes “sideways” to outwit the tax man, and why the USS Yorktown and Fort Sumter remain powerful touchstones of American history. Ottley and Kennedy also unravel the string of near-misses and misunderstandings — from misfired cannons to misplaced ice shipments — that almost started the Civil War before Fort Sumter ever did.
By Thornton Kennedy and James M. Ottley5
1717 ratings
Our second episode on Charleston, S.C. dives into how the Southern city became the flashpoint for America’s greatest conflict. History for Cocktail Parties Hosts Thornton Kennedy and James Ottley continue their journey through Charleston’s rich past, exploring the city’s architecture, symbols, and the events that set the stage for the Civil War. You’ll learn why Charleston’s famous Palmetto tree became a lasting emblem of strength, how clever residents built their homes “sideways” to outwit the tax man, and why the USS Yorktown and Fort Sumter remain powerful touchstones of American history. Ottley and Kennedy also unravel the string of near-misses and misunderstandings — from misfired cannons to misplaced ice shipments — that almost started the Civil War before Fort Sumter ever did.

43,957 Listeners

37,506 Listeners

26,218 Listeners

1,717 Listeners

4,358 Listeners

27,774 Listeners

112,734 Listeners

56,473 Listeners

99,136 Listeners

16,246 Listeners

488 Listeners

14,672 Listeners

16,922 Listeners

18 Listeners