A new podcast covering American History

A quick introduction to the American History Podcast, covering American History from the earliest colonies to the 20th century.

Prologue 1 - Why people left England

Early years of Tudor reign saw unprecedented changes in English society. The social fragmentation caused by Henry VIII's religious reforms ultimately drove people to America. "Bloody" Mary and Edward VI helped increase these social and economic problems.

Prologue 2 - Why people came to America

After Henry VIII's extraordinary social upheaval, it was up to his successors to manage the situation as peacefully as possible. Elizabeth I and James I managed to do that, but not everyone fit into their new society - either having no economic opportunities, or disagreeing with the course the country was taking.

The Lost Colony of Roanoke

Roanoke was a key moment in England's colonization of the New World, the first real attempt at establishing a settlement. It's a perfect insight into what made settlements fail - bad communication, bad timing, expense. Of course, it's also known for its mystery, so I've selected what I think are the top three pieces of evidence of what happened to the colonists.

Jamestown 1: Paradise

When the first settlers arrived in Virginia, it seemed like paradise. They met the local peoples, explored the lush forests, and selected a settlement location. Unfortunately, they'd spent too long at sea and used their provisions, and some of the settlers clearly weren't who they said they were.

Jamestown 2: John Smith and Pocahontas

When Newport left, Jamestown fell into chaos. One man was executed, and another's connections to the Gunpowder Plot revealed. John Smith took control, first getting food, then exploring, then meeting Pocahontas as a prisoner of the Powhatan.

Jamestown 3: The Coronation of Powhatan

Newport arrived just in time to prevent Smith from being hanged, but the two clashed strongly over how to run the colony. Over the course of a year, irreparable damage was done to Virginia, and though Smith was elected president, and the London Company followed his recommendations, it was too late to prevent disaster.

Jamestown 4: Gunpowder

Caught between hostile Powhatan and divided settlers, John Smith fought to keep Jamestown from falling apart. Then, seven ships came with dozens of settlers, no supplies and ambiguous instructions from London. Smith saw himself as the only person who could keep Virginia together, but he became the first casualty of its impending collapse.

Jamestown 5: The Tempest

The Sea Venture crashed in Bermuda, and over the course of 10 months its passengers built homemade ships big enough to get them to Jamestown. When they reached Virginia, they found most of the people dead of starvation, and the survivors having resorted to cannibalism to survive. When they saw they only had 13 days of food left, they had a decision to make.

Jamestown 6: A new era

Jamestown couldn't survive forever as an underfunded outpost full of people fighting over control of a wooden fort. When Lord Delaware came, he turned Jamestown into a military camp, with martial law. Thomas Dale expanded on his reforms, and soon Jamestown was struggling again - this time under the weight of tyranny and Powhatan war.