Ben Franklin's World

Mike Duncan, podcaster and author known for Revolutions, offers a concise mini bio and deep knowledge of Lafayette. The conversation traces Lafayette’s leap to America, his bond with Washington, and how American lessons shaped his role in France. It highlights his military learning, political ideals, and cross-Atlantic influence during the Age of Revolutions.

John Ferling, historian and professor emeritus of the American Revolution, walks through how European rivalry reshaped the war. France’s secret aid, the shift after Saratoga, and the naval buildup that made Yorktown possible. Spain’s strategic entry and wider European loans also prolonged the struggle. The conversation focuses on diplomacy, military coordination, and the global stakes that decided independence.

Robert Parkinson, an Assistant Professor of History at Binghamton University and author of *The Common Cause*, dives into how Revolutionary leaders united thirteen diverse colonies into a shared identity. He discusses the evolution of the 'Common Cause,' emphasizing how early propaganda shifted from positive to fear-based wartime messaging. Parkinson reveals the role of newspapers in spreading these narratives, often leaning on race and exclusion, and assesses their long-term impact on American perceptions of race and national identity.

Nora Slonimsky, Director of the Institute for Thomas Paine Studies, discusses the revolutionary impact of Thomas Paine's pamphlet, Common Sense, on the mindset of 1776. She delves into Paine's early life, his transformative journey to Philadelphia, and how he crafted the pamphlet to resonate with a wide audience. Topics include the implications of Paine's anti-monarchist views and communication strategies that mobilized the masses. Slonimsky also reflects on the legacy of Common Sense, emphasizing its relevance in today's civic discourse.

Joe Edelman, a historian focusing on 18th-century media, leads a fascinating discussion on the pivotal role of print during the American Revolution. Eric Slaughter, an English professor, delves into the pamphlet culture, exploring how their distribution and affordability fueled revolutionary ideas. Seth Cotler, a Thomas Paine specialist, reveals the background of "Common Sense" and its impact on promoting self-governance. Together, they unveil how effective communication shaped public opinion and ignited the quest for independence.

In this engaging discussion, historian Sarah Naramore, an expert on early American medicine and author of a book on Benjamin Rush, sheds light on this intriguing Founding Father. They delve into Rush’s creation of an 'American system' of medicine and his revolutionary thoughts on mental health and addiction. Naramore illustrates how Rush viewed public health as intertwined with civic responsibility, arguing that a healthy body was essential for a healthy republic, making his contributions to American medicine and politics both profound and enduring.

Join Fabrizio Prado, a specialist in Atlantic networks, Christian Coate, an expert on Anglo-Dutch trade, and historian Vim Kloster, as they unravel the intriguing world of smuggling during the American Revolution. They discuss how St. Eustatius emerged as a bustling smuggling hub, allowing American merchants to subvert British trade regulations. The trio explores the political implications of smuggling, revealing how these illicit networks were pivotal in shaping revolutionary sentiment and economic self-determination. Don't miss the dramatic tales of conflict that followed!

Think the Boston Tea Party made America a coffee-drinking nation? Historian Michelle McDonald reveals the truth: colonists were already choosing coffee over tea because it was cheaper. Michelle Craig McDonald, the Librarian/Director of the Library & Museum at the American Philosophical Society and author of Coffee Nation: How One Commodity Transformed the Early United States, explains how coffee shaped American identity long before the Revolution. You'll hear about Revolutionary-era women storming a Boston warehouse to seize hoarded coffee and sell it at regulated prices. You'll discover why Parliament protected coffee while taxing tea. And you'll learn how enslaved Caribbean laborers made America's favorite beverage possible. From colonial coffee houses to debates about caffeine addiction in the early republic, discover how one imported commodity became distinctly American. Michelle's Website | Book |Show Notes: https://www.benfranklinsworld.com/429 EPISODE OUTLINE 00:00:00  Introduction 00:03:20  Meet our Guest  00:04:35  Coffee vs. Tea in Early America 00:06:50  Coffeehouses and How Coffee Was Served 00:08:04  Medical Concerns About Coffee 00:09:12  Coffee Production 00:12:35  Attempts to Grow Coffee in North America 00:14:04 The Use of Enslaved Labor in Coffee Cultivation 00:19:50 The Early American Market for Coffee 00:22:21  Early American Coffee Connoisseurs 00:29:57  Early American Coffeehouses 00:34:48  Coffee and the American Revolution 00:36:40 The Boston Coffee Riot, 1777 00:42:48 Coffee in the Early Republic 00:45:00 Coffee and the Haitian Revolution 00:47:53 Early Republic Attempts to Grow Coffee 00:50:55 Early Republic Coffee Culture 00:53:56 Time Warp 00:58:31 Conclusion RECOMMENDED NEXT EPISODES🎧 Episode 160: The Politics of Tea🎧 Episode 161: Smuggling and the American Revolution🎧 Episode 288: Smugglers & Patriots in the 18th-Century Atlantic World🎧 Episode 294: 1774, The Long Year of American Revolution🎧 Episode 319: Cuba: An Early American History🎧 Episode 401: Tea, Boycotts, & Revolution SUPPORT OUR WORK🎁 Make a Donation to Ben Franklin’s WorldREQUEST A TOPIC📨 Topic Request Form📫 liz@benfranklinsworld.comWHEN YOU'RE READY🗞️ BFW Gazette Newsletter 👩‍💻 Join the BFW Listener Community🌍 Join the History Explorers ClubLISTEN 🎧🍎 Apple Podcasts 💚 Spotify 🎶 Amazon Music🛜 PandoraCONNECT🦋 Liz on Bluesky👩‍💻 Liz on LinkedIn🛜 Liz’s WebsiteSAY THANKS💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts💚 Leave a rating on Spotify*Book links are affiliate links. Every purchase supports the podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the 1820s, American entrepreneurs, engineers, and politicians dared to dream big. They believed they could cut a canal, not through Panama, but through the wild, rain-soaked terrain of Nicaragua. Their goal: To link the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and transform global trade forever. But what inspired these ambitious "canal dreamers?” And why did they believe Nicaragua held the key to controlling the future of commerce?  Jessica Lepler, Associate Professor of History at the University of New Hampshire and author of Canal Dreamers: The Epic Quest to Connect the Atlantic and Pacific in the Age of Revolutions, joins us to explore this nearly forgotten story of innovation, illusion, and international ambition in early American history. Jessica’s Website | Book Show Notes: https://www.benfranklinsworld.com/428 EPISODE OUTLINE00:01:00  Introduction00:04:05 Desire to Build a Canal Across Central America00:08:01 Political Landscape of Central America During the 1820s00:09:55 Creating a Stable Central American Government00:11:55 Geography of the Nicaraguan Canal Route00:16:03 Economic Opportunities of an Interoceanic Canal00:17:57 Individual vs. State Interest in a Nicaraguan Canal00:21:58 Why Americans Sought A Private Canal Contract00:26:44 Information Canal Dreamers Relied On to Build a Canal00:33:12 Competitive Advantages of American Canal Dreamers00:35:40 American Surveys of a Central American Canal Route00:39:12 Influence of the Erie Canal00:42:32 Why the Nicaraguan Canal Failed00:44:50 What Canal Dreamers Reveal About the Early United States 0046:40 Overview of the Panama Canal00:49:50 Time Warp00:56:00 ConclusionRECOMMENDED NEXT EPISODES🎧 Episode 028: Building the Erie Canal🎧 Episode 090: The Age of American Revolutions🎧 Episode 113: Building the Empire State🎧 Episode 165: The Age of Revolutions🎧 Episode 186: The New Map of Empire🎧 Episode 329: Freemasonry in Early AmericaSUPPORT OUR WORK🎁 Make a Donation to Ben Franklin’s WorldREQUEST A TOPIC📨 Topic Request Form📫 liz@benfranklinsworld.comWHEN YOU'RE READY🗞️ BFW Gazette Newsletter 👩‍💻 Join the BFW Listener Community🌍 Join the History Explorers ClubLISTEN 🎧🍎 Apple Podcasts 💚 Spotify 🎶 Amazon Music🛜 PandoraCONNECT🦋 Liz on Bluesky👩‍💻 Liz on LinkedIn🛜 Liz’s WebsiteSAY THANKS💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts💚 Leave a rating on Spotify*Book links are affiliate links. Every purchase supports the podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As we look ahead to the 250th anniversary—the semiquincentennial—of the Declaration of Independence in 2026, communities and commissions across the United States are asking big questions: How should we commemorate this historic milestone?
What’s the right balance between celebration and education? And how can this moment bring people together across political divides, generational gaps, and complex histories? To explore these questions, I’ve invited my friend, colleague, and Clio Digital Media co-founder Karin Wulf to guest host a special conversation with two people who are leading the way: Gregg Amore, Chair of the Rhode Island 250 Commission, and Carly Fiorina, Chair of the Virginia 250 Commission. Together, they reveal how their states are planning commemorative programs that center civic engagement, local storytelling, and inclusive history—and how the 250th can be more than a moment. It can be a spark. Karin’s Website | Book |Show Notes: https://www.benfranklinsworld.com/427 EPISODE OUTLINE00:00:00  Introduction00:01:10  Welcome & Episode Overview00:04:45  Guest Introductions00:07:32 Virginia & Rhode Island's Commemorative Plans00:11:21 State Efforts and Collaborations00:16:32 Engaging Young People00:20:11 Educational Initiatives00:22:13 Ken Burns's The American Revolution00:24:30 Navigating the Political Climate00:32:05 Reflections on the Bicentennial00:35:00 Challenges to Achieving Commemorative Goals00:42:51 Conclusion and Future Opportunities00:46:53 Final ThoughtsRECOMMENDED NEXT EPISODES🎧 Episode 250: Virginia, 1619🎧 Episode 373: The Gaspee Affair🎧 Episode 417: Roger Williams, Rogue Puritan🎧 Episode 416: Lineage: Genealogy in Early America🎧 Episode 424: Dunmore's Proclamation & the American Revolution in Virginia🎧 Episode 425: Ken Burns's The American RevolutionSUPPORT OUR WORK🎁 Make a Donation to Ben Franklin’s WorldREQUEST A TOPIC📨 Topic Request Form📫 liz@benfranklinsworld.comWHEN YOU'RE READY🗞️ BFW Gazette Newsletter 👩‍💻 Join the BFW Listener Community🌍 Join the History Explorers ClubLISTEN 🎧🍎 Apple Podcasts 💚 Spotify 🎶 Amazon Music🛜 PandoraCONNECT🦋 Liz on Bluesky👩‍💻 Liz on LinkedIn🛜 Liz’s WebsiteSAY THANKS💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts💚 Leave a rating on Spotify*Book links are affiliate links. Every purchase supports the podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices