The Whiskey Rebellion

In honor of Trump's first presidential trip, Frank and David discuss this history of presidential travel. Why didn't presidents before 1900 travel outside the United States? Which presidential trips have been most successful? Which ones have been disasters?

Last Drops

Frank: How prohibition and independence shaped Irish whiskey

David: Vice article on Disney's Hall of Presidents

1. FBI Director James Comey's firing: Frank and David discuss its ramifications and its parallels with Nixon's Saturday Night Massacre

2. American Health Care Act: The House recently passed a version of Trumpcare. We discuss what this means about the legislative process and the state of American politics. 

 

Last Drops

Frank: Patrick Geoghegan's radio show Talking History

David: Neil Gaiman's American Gods and Robert Pirsig's Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance

In the historical comparison that won't die, Frank and David rant about President Trump's recent comments on Andrew Jackson and the coming of the Civil War.  In unpacking Trump's comment, they also touch on Trump National Golf Course's fictive River of Blood, Apu's citizenship test, Star Wars Day, and which side Jackson would have fought on had he lived that long. 

Last Drops

David: NPR's Planet Money's two-part series on Georgetown, slavery, and reparations

Frank: The long and complex history of racism and sports in Boston

Contest Winners

Congratulations to our contest winners. Mgarvey81 has won a copy of David's Driven from Home: North Carolina's Civil War Refugee Crisis and DBilletater has won a copy of Frank's Revolutionary America, 1763-1815: A Political History. Please send us your shipping address so we can get your prizes to you.

As always, follow us on Twitter @whiskeyrebelpod

Inspired by the recent removal of Civil War era monuments in New Orleans, we devote this entire episode to discussing whether monuments linked to the Confederacy, slavery, or white supremacy should be taken down.

Last Drops:

David: Liz Covert's podcast Ben Franklin's World, especially the most recent episode featuring Frank Cogliano

Frank: Norwegian TV series Nobel

1. In a New York Times Magazine article, historian Rick Perlstein tries to explain why historians of American conservatism couldn't foresee Donald Trump's election

2. The recent violent removal of a United passenger prompted lots of anger at the airline. Frank and David discuss if we should also think about this as an example of police violence and about the historical relationship between capitalism and police power. (Thanks, Craig, for the idea.)

Last Drops

Frank: 5th season of House of Cards

David: Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

Live from the Cameo Bar:

1. Trump's missile strike on Syria marks a departure from his campaign rhetoric. Frank and David discuss why politicans run on keeping us out of war, then change their minds once in office.

2. War Powers. The President is Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces, but Congress has the power to declare war. David and Frank talk about this political tension. 

 

Last Drops

Frank: the problems with the remake of the Magnificent Seven

David: New York Times and Wall Street Journal articles on new Museum of the American Revolution. History majors on the rise at Yale.

1. The Death of the Senate: Senate Republicans recently changed the rules to prohibit filibusters for Supreme Court nominees -- the so-called nuclear option -- paving the way for Neil Gorsuch's confirmation. Frank and David explore the origins of the filibuster and how the Senate has changed over the past two centuries.

2. Nepotism: President Trump has recently appointed his daughter Ivanka and her husband Jared Kushner to key roles in the White House. Frank and David debate the role that nepotism has played in American history and the extent to which Trump's use of close family members is unprecedented.

Last Drops

Frank: Tartan Day 

David: Charles Ball's Slavery in the United States and the NEH funded digitization of fugitive slave narratives

David's manning the fort in Edinburgh; Frank phoning it in from Palo Alto

1. Originalism: Neil Gorsuch's nomination hearings have brought "originalism" back into the news. We debate the origins and merits of this judicial philosophy.

2. Trump's 100 Days: As President Trump approaches 100 days in office, we examine the history of this milestone and how Trump compares to his predececessors.

3. Brexit: UK PM Theresa May just triggered Article 50, beginning the process of Britain leaving the European Union. As American historians living in Scotland, Frank and David offer some perspective.

 

Last Drops

Frank: Victorian novels, particularly the works of Anthony Trollope, as a welcome escape from the present

David: Twitter hastag #ThanksForTyping, highlighting the unpaid and uncredited academic labor done by historians' wives.

 

Follow us on twitter: @whiskeyrebelpod

Please leave a review on iTunes! We're giving away signed copies of Frank and David's most recent books to two lucky reviewers.

1. Frank and David debate the most dangerous myths in American History.

2. Listener Question: When did Americans start to call themselves a democracy?

Last Drops

Frank: Greg Smithers article in the Atlantic on the myth of Pocohontas

David: Our listeners in North Dakota

1. Has American government ever been so corrupt? Frank and David discuss draining the swamp, why the Founders were obsessed with corruption, and George Washington Plunkett's distinction between honest and dishonest graft.

2. Government and the Arts. Trump's recent budget proposal includes scrapping the NEH and NEA. Frank and David discuss the history of government support for the arts, including the construction of public buildings and funding for arts programs during the Great Depression.

3. Listener Mailbag: Listener Katie asks if there is anything to be optimistic about. 

Last Drops

Frank: New York Times article debunking the myth of Irish slaves

David: The US Consulate in Edinburgh