It's Independence Day! The perfect occasion for a special episode of In The Past Lane! This week, we take a close look at the document at the heart of the July 4th celebration -- the Declaration of Independence. There's a lot more to this patriotic piece of parchment than you might think. So here's … [Read more...]
Episode 137 The Divergent Lives of Thomas Jefferson’s White and Black Daughters
This week at In The Past Lane, the American History podcast, we dive into the fascinating story of the daughters of Thomas Jefferson. Ever since the revelations in 1998 – courtesy of modern DNA analysis – that Thomas Jefferson did indeed have a longterm sexual relationship with an enslaved woman … [Read more...]
Episode 094 The Founders, The Constitution, & the Fallacy of Original Intent
This week at In The Past Lane, the history podcast, I speak with historian Andrew Shankman about his new book, Original Intents: Hamilton, Jefferson, Madison, and the American Founding. It’s a conversation that’s perfectly timed for the Senate hearings on President Trump’s nominee to the Supreme … [Read more...]
Episode 089 Aaron Burr and the Conspiracy That Rocked the Early Republic
This week at In The Past Lane, the history podcast, I speak with historian James E. Lewis, Jr. about his book, The Burr Conspiracy: Uncovering the Story of an Early American Crisis. Most people these days know that Aaron Burr was, as his character says in Hamilton, The Musical, “the damn fool” who … [Read more...]
Episode 049 Jefferson and Adams: Founders, Foes, and Friends
This week at In The Past Lane, the history podcast, we look at the fractious and imperfect, but also quite revealing relationship between two of the most brilliant Founders, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson. The two men came from radically different backgrounds – Adams was the striver from a middle … [Read more...]