x

75% of people globally want unbiased news (Pew Research) but are concerned they're not getting that.

Get balanced coverage with Symby. See how stories are covered across diverse outlets and spot when one side covers a story the other skips.

PODCAST

American History Hotline

Bob Crawford searches for the best historians and experts to answer listener questions about American history — from the Revolutionary War to rock & roll feuds. Got a question? Send it to AmericanHistoryHotline@gmail.com.

history

All Episodes

39:44

Mary Had a Little Typhoid

American History Hotline ·

2026/04/08

And everywhere that Mary went, the typhoid was sure to go. The story of Mary Mallon (AKA Typhoid Mary) is one we're living every day to a small degree: the balance between public safety and personal liberty. Luckily for us, we'll never be imprisoned for being an symptomatic carrier of a disease. Well, never say never. To learn more about the life of Mary Mallon we call up author Susan Campbell Bartoletti (Terrible Typhoid Mary: A True Story of the Deadliest Cook in America). Why was Mary's story so

en-US

28:25

The Constitution vs. Authoritarianism

American History Hotline ·

2026/04/01

It can be scary to learn how much our democracy relies on norms and convention when the rule of law is put to the test. But, at least our Founding Fathers had an excellent understanding of authoritarianism when they drafted the U.S. Constitution. Are the guardrails they created enough to prevent a dictator, though? Bob calls up Jeffrey Rosen (former President and CEO of the National Constitution Center) to answer this question.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

en-US

29:26

How Did Hollywood Survive the Great Depression?

American History Hotline ·

2026/03/25

During the Great Depression, millions of Americans were out of work, but they still managed to make it to the movies. In fact, Hollywood didn't just survive one of our country's greatest economic downturns, it thrived. So how did movie studios stay afloat when audiences could barely afford food? And why did people keep buying movie tickets during one of the darkest economic periods in U.S. history? We dial up Rotten Tomatoes correspondent Mark Ellis to explore how Hollywood weathered the Great

en-US

30:24

Sybil Ludington: 16-Year-Old Hero of the American...

American History Hotline ·

2026/03/18

She was just 16 years old when she rode nearly 40 miles through the night rallying the militia as the British attacked during the American Revolution. Bob calls up Karen Romano Young (Sybil Ludington: Revolutionary War Hero) to get the story of Sybil Ludington. They explore what parts of her story are fact or fiction, and why she was nearly forgotten.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

en-US

40:34

What Happened to Aaron Burr After He Killed Alexander...

American History Hotline ·

2026/03/11

In 1804, Vice President Aaron Burr shot and killed Alexander Hamilton in the most infamous duel in American history. But what happened next? Did Burr face murder charges? Was he convicted? And why did he go full Gary Busey? (You'll have to listen to understand that reference!) Bob calls up Yale historian Joanne Freeman (The Essential Hamilton: Letters and Other Writings) to unpack the astonishing second act of Aaron Burr’s life. From criminal indictments to conspiracies, a treason trial and

en-US

24:51

Why Do We Spring Forward?

American History Hotline ·

2026/03/04

No, Benjamin Franklin did not invent Daylight Saving Time. But he did muse about its practicality in a 1784 essay. So, if Franklin didn't invent DST, where did all this springing forward come from? Bob calls up Chad Orzel (A Brief History of Timekeeping: The Science of Marking Time, from Stonehenge to Atomic Clocks) to get to the bottom of this question. Oh, and don't forget to change your clocks on March 8th!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

en-US

26:06

Was Disney’s Balto a True Story?

American History Hotline ·

2026/02/25

Was the Disney movie Balto actually based on a true story? A listener wants to know if this heroic snow dog was real—or just a Hollywood invention. To get answers, Bob calls up Dr. Nicole Burt of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. It turns out, the real Balto is actually IN her museum. What?! Bob and Nicole dive into the truth behind one of the most beloved animated films of the 1990s by exploring the real 1925 serum run to Nome, Alaska. How did a deadly diphtheria outbreak create a hero

en-US

41:56

Did Willy Wonka’s Creator Spy on America?

American History Hotline ·

2026/02/18

Roald Dahl is a beloved children’s author. Turns out, he was also a British spy during WWII! So how does one transition from seducing prominent Americans’ wives to writingMatilda? Well, we’re glad you asked! We called up the creator of a new docu-series called The Secret World of Roald Dahl to get all the dirt on this famous children’s author. Aaron Tracy, Creator of The Secret World of Roald DahlSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

en-US

51:28

American History Hotline: A Washington & Lincoln...

American History Hotline ·

2026/02/16

In honor of President's Day, we're sharing some of the best conversations we've had about Honest Abe and General Washington. We speak with historian Alexis Coe (You Never Forget Your First: A Biography of George Washington) about George Washington myths, including whether or not his teeth were made of wood. We also speak with Julian Zelizer about which party Abraham Lincoln would belong to today. Check out Julian's Substack, The Long View. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

en-US

51:28

A Washington & Lincoln Birthday Special!

American History Hotline ·

2026/02/16

In honor of President's Day, we're sharing some of the best conversations we've had about Honest Abe and General Washington. We speak with historian Alexis Coe (You Never Forget Your First: A Biography of George Washington) about George Washington myths, including whether or not his teeth were made of wood. We also speak with Julian Zelizer about which party Abraham Lincoln would belong to today. Check out Julian's Substack, The Long View. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

en-US

34:35

America Loves Trains. Why Can’t We Build Them...

American History Hotline ·

2026/02/13

It takes decades to build a new subway line in the United States. Meanwhile, China is building entire high-speed rail networks in just a few years. So, how did America's once-great love of trains getderailed? We use New York City’s Second Avenue Subway as a test case to answer this bigger question: Why is building trains in America so hard compared to places like China? Bob calls up Dan McNichol, author of Second Avenue Subway: Building the Most Famous Thing Never Built in New York City, and

en-US

24:22

Abraham Lincoln Before the Presidency: What He...

American History Hotline ·

2026/02/12

Before he became president, Abraham Lincoln spent just one term in Congress. So how did "the best known two-time Senate loser in the country" become one of the greatest presidents in American history? Bob calls up historian and author Chris DeRose (Congressman Lincoln: The Making of America’s Greatest President)to help answer this question. Together, they explore how Lincoln's short stint on Capitol Hill shaped his presidency — from his early and consistent resistance to the expansion of

en-US

35:41

Are the Olympics an Appropriate Place for Protest?

American History Hotline ·

2026/02/11

You gotta keep 'em separated. That's a lot of people's opinion about mixing sports and politics. But as the world turns its eyes to Italy for the 2026 Winter Games, you have to wonder if this is the ideal place to make a political statement. To understand how acts of political activism have played out at the Olympics throughout history, we call up Jules Boykoff. He's the author of numerous books about the Olympics, including What are the Olympics For? So, are the Olympics fair game for protest? Or

en-US

42:18

Who Integrated the NFL?

American History Hotline ·

2026/02/04

Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in baseball. That's a well known piece of history. But who integrated the NFL? Well, it's an amazing story with lots of binge drinking, miraculous comebacks and hot dog eating. Seriously. Just in time for the Super Bowl, we're calling up David Fleming, author of A Big Mess in Texas: The Miraculous, Disastrous 1952 Dallas Texans and the Craziest Untold Story in NFL History. He explains how one of the worst teams in NFL history shaped the game we know today. See

en-US

42:55

Can the President Tear Down the White House?

American History Hotline ·

2026/01/28

Who owns the White House? Is it the American people or the person who lives inside of it — AKA, the president? If the President of the United States of America controls the White House, does ANYONE have say over what he does with it (we're looking at you, preservation societies and Congress)? Here to help us answer these questions (and weigh in on President Trump's renovations to the East Wing) is Robert Klara, author of The Hidden White House: Harry Truman and the Reconstruction of

en-US

24:22

Abraham Lincoln Before the Presidency: What He...

American History Hotline ·

2026/01/21

Before he became president, Abraham Lincoln spent just one term in Congress. So how did "the best known two-time Senate loser in the country" become one of the greatest presidents in American history? Bob calls up historian and author Chris DeRose (Congressman Lincoln: The Making of America’s Greatest President)to help answer this question. Together, they explore how Lincoln's short stint on Capitol Hill shaped his presidency — from his early and consistent resistance to the expansion of

en-US

32:09

Did Montezuma Surrender? Debunking the Myth of the...

American History Hotline ·

2026/01/14

For centuries, the story has been told the same way: Montezuma surrendered to Hernán Cortés, and a small band of Spaniards conquered the Aztec Empire. But that story has always seemed a bit ... fishy. To get the TRUE story, Bob calls up historian Matthew Restall to debunk one of the most enduring myths of the Spanish conquest of the Americas. As it turns out, when you dig into Indigenous sources a whole new story begins to emerge. Shocker, Montezuma did not surrender and Cortés

en-US

34:35

America Loves Trains. Why Can’t We Build Them...

American History Hotline ·

2026/01/07

It takes decades to build a new subway line in the United States. Meanwhile, China is building entire high-speed rail networks in just a few years. So, how did America's once-great love of trains getderailed? We use New York City’s Second Avenue Subway as a test case to answer this bigger question: Why is building trains in America so hard compared to places like China? Bob calls up Dan McNichol, author of Second Avenue Subway: Building the Most Famous Thing Never Built in New York City, and

en-US

38:00

Can We Add a Fifth Face to Mount Rushmore? The...

American History Hotline ·

2025/12/31

Could a new president ever be carved into Mount Rushmore? It depends on who you ask. We call up historian Matthew Davis (author of A Biography of a Mountain: The Making and Meaning of Mount Rushmore) to learn about the history of the monument and what its future might hold. It’s a story with a lot of surprising twists and turns, from the hills of Georgia to the sacred mountains of South Dakota. How does Mount Rushmore reflect America’s battles over who and what America chooses to

en-US

29:10

Are These Really the Best Movies of the 21st Century?...

American History Hotline ·

2025/12/24

What is the greatest movie of the 21st century? The New York Times says it’s Parasite, but not everyone agrees. We call up Rotten Tomatoes correspondent Mark Ellis to debate the NYT’s list of the 100 Best Movies of the 21st Century and explore how cinema has changed in the past 25 years. Mark says it’s an era of “hopeless films in a time of hopelessness.” Grab some popcorn and silence your phone (unless you’re using it to play this podcast) and sit back as we tear

en-US

48 results

Similar Podcasts

The Old Front Line

Paul Reed

Today In History with The Retrospectors

The Retrospectors

جنود خلدهم التاريخ

ALSUMOOD PODCAST

Film History - Daily

Inception Point Ai

Madonna - Biography Flash

Inception Point Ai