Illinois's early history in the United States is one without the typical urban touchstone of Chicago. In this episode, Brian & Lyman discusses downstate Illinois, "Little Egypt," and the politically volatile mixing of Yankees and Upland Southerners that lead to yet another interesting clash over the fate of slavery in the Northwest Territory.

And yes, we know, Illinois's Cairo is pronounced "KAY-ro" or "CARE-o", but we opted to use the classic Egyptian pronunciation. We wanted to make obvious the Egypt connection.
We Kentuckians have our own share of towns with pronunciations that make no sense in the context of their Old World namesakes or antecedents: Louisville ("LUHL-vull"), Versailles ("Ver-SAILS"), and Athens ("AY-thenz"), just to name a few.

Brian & Lyman continue discussing the early settlement of Indiana by a curious mix of yankees and southerners. In this episode, learn about Indiana's unfortunate history with infrastructure projects, how Indiana narrowly avoided becoming a slave state, and how Indiana could have had a significantly more awesome name.

Oh, and I believe we're done with the incessant Hoosier slander. For now.

We're back!
Brian & Lyman go where no Kentuckians dare venture alone: Indiana. Where did Hoosiers come from, and what traits have historically characterized them? Learn about Hoosier demography, Native American land-sale treaties, and Brian's short rant on America's Ninth President!

We (Brian) apologize (a little) for the largely-unearned yet liberally-applied Indiana-bashing. So, Hoosiers, feel free to write us with your jokes about our fine commonwealth to your south. Bring it on!

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Full show notes at migrationpodcast.com/podcast/season-1-episode-12

Beginning in the late 1780s, Yankees really start breaking into relatively new lands. West of the original 13 states and north of the Ohio River laid the newly-established Northwest Territory, consisting basically of every western state that touches a Great Lake.

Up first on this trek: Ohio

P.S. Ruth clearly thinks that nothing burned down in this episode. Can any eagle-eared listeners prove her wrong?

It's time to settle the Midwest! But first, a return to Brian's favorite characters: the sleigh-riding Yankees of upstate New York! Brian & Lyman discuss Albany, NY and the culture clash that occurred when New Englanders arrived in the prominently Dutch town. Also, hear about how religious fervor and urban fire changed the local culture.

Bibliography:
Covart, Elizabeth M. "“Dam’d Paving” Yankees and Dutch New Yorkers: The Post-Revolution New England Migration and the Creation of American Identity in the Upper Hudson River Valley, 1783-1820." The Hudson River Valley Review 29 (2012): 2-25. 

Music Credits:
The Moaners - "Yankee On My Shoulder" under CC BY 4.0
Peerless Quartet - "On A Good Old Time Sleigh Ride" under CC BY-NC-SA 2.5 CA
Het Gloren - "In Holland Staat Een Huis" under CC BY-NC-SA 3.0
Doctor Turtle - "Let's Just Get Through Christmas" under CC BY 4.0

Having now covered roughly 200 years of enslaved migration in the United States, Brian & Lyman ask each other what it all means. In what ways does the modern U.S. reflect this troubled past? What effect has enslaved migration had on America's sense of self? How did a misguided attempt at helping freed American slaves leave a lasting impression on a totally different continent? Is the lesson to be learned from the horrors of slavery that America is evil? Or is there perhaps a sliver of hope to be found at the end of it all?

Free at last! In this episode, Brian & Lyman discuss the final push of slavery into Texas and the American West, Bleeding Kansas, and the moment we've all been waiting for: emancipation. Also, listen to the end for a little-known story about the true end of slavery in the United States (Hint: It's significantly after 1865).

In this continuation of a series on slavery and migration, Brian & Lyman discuss the massive expansion of American slavery, in terms of both geography and sheer numbers. Topics include the Louisiana Purchase, the Adams-Onis Treaty, the Missouri Compromise, and the Trail of Tears.

How was the southern cotton-based plantation system born? In this episode, Brian & Lyman discuss both the United States's ban on the international slave trade and the domestic slave economy that thrived in its wake.

We will return as soon as the schoolchildren have been sufficiently graded.