Ben Franklin's World

Ben Franklin's World


Latest Episodes

382 Hessians in the American Revolutionary War
April 16, 2024

Within the Declaration of Independence, the founders of the United States present twenty-seven grievances against King George III as they declare their reasons for why the thirteen British North Ameri

381 Texas in the Spanish Empire
April 02, 2024

The vast and varied landscapes of Texas loom large in our American imaginations. As does Texas culture with its BBQ, cowboys, and larger-than-life personality. But before Texas was a place that embrac

380 The Tory's Wife
March 19, 2024

The American Revolution was a movement that divided British Americans. Americans did not universally agree on the Revolutions ideas about governance and independence. And the movements War for Indep

379 Women Healers in Early America
March 05, 2024

Women make up eight out of every ten healthcare workers in the United States. Yet they lag behind men when it comes to working in the roles of medical doctors and surgeons. Why has healthcare become a

378 Everyday Black Living in Early America
February 20, 2024

When we study the history of Black Americans, especially in the early American period, we tend to focus on slavery and the slave trades. But focusing solely on slavery can hinder our ability to see th

377 Phillis Wheatley & the Playwright
February 06, 2024

2023 marked the 250th anniversary of the arrival of Phillis Wheatley's published book of poetry in the British American colonies. Phillis Wheatley was an enslaved African woman who, as a teenager, bec

376 Cotton Mather's Spanish Lessons
January 23, 2024

Colonial America was born in a world of religious alliances and rivalries. Missionary efforts in the colonial Americas allow us to see how some of these religious alliances and rivalries played out. S

375 Misinformation Nation: Fake News in Early America
January 09, 2024

Over the past decade, weve heard a lot about fake news and misinformation. And as 2024 is an election year, its likely were going to hear even more about these terms. So what is the origin of m

374 The American Revolutionary War in the West
December 26, 2023

The American Revolution and its War for Independence comprised the United States founding movement. The War for Independence also served as the fifth major war for European empire in North America. T

373 The Gaspee Affair, 1772
December 12, 2023

The so-called March to the American Revolution comprised many more events than just the Stamp Act Riots, the Boston Massacre, and the Tea Crisis. One event we often overlook played an essential and