BFW Revisited: The Common Cause
Ben Franklin's World
Before Common Sense could ignite a revolution, colonists had to be convinced they shared a cause worth fighting for. So how did Revolutionary leaders turn thirteen very different colonies into “Americans”—and what stories did they tell to make that unity feel real? In this Ben Franklin’s World Revisited episode, historian Robert Parkinson returns to explore how newspapers and wartime messaging helped forge the Revolution’s “common cause”—and how that campaign leaned on fear, race, and exclusion to build a new national identity. Rob’s | | Show Notes: ...
info_outline
431 Common Sense at 250: The Pamphlet That Sparked a Revolution
Ben Franklin's World
Thomas Paine’s Common Sense turned a colonial rebellion into a full-blown revolution. But how did one pamphlet move so many minds in 1776—and why does it still matter 250 years later? To commemorate the 250th anniversary of Common Sense, historian and Director of the at Iona University, , joins us to explore Paine’s life, the pamphlet’s explosive impact, and what this revolutionary text still teaches us about democracy, communication, and civic life. ITPS Show Notes: EPISODE OUTLINE 00:00:00 Introduction 00:01:06 Thomas Pain's Early Life and Influences 00:05:53...
info_outline
BFW Revisited: The Power of the Press in the American Revolution
Ben Franklin's World
Common Sense didn’t just make an argument for independence—it moved through a world of newspapers, pamphlets, and personal networks that carried revolutionary ideas from one doorstep to the next. So how did political news travel in 1776, and what made print such a powerful engine of persuasion? As we approach the 250th anniversary of Common Sense, Ben Franklin’s World Revisited returns to Episode 156 to explore how early Americans shared, debated, and embraced revolutionary ideas. You’ll discover how print and networks spread the Revolution, what made Common Sense a publishing...
info_outline
The Founding Father of American Medicine: Benjamin Rush
Ben Franklin's World
Benjamin Rush was one of early America’s most fascinating figures. He was a signer of the Declaration of Independence, a leading Philadelphia physician, and a thinker who believed that a healthy body was the foundation of a healthy republic. In this episode, historian , author of introduces us to Rush as both doctor and political philosopher. We’ll explore: How Rush developed an “American system” of medicine His groundbreaking ideas on mental health and addiction And why he believed the human body modeled the ideal form of government. Rush may be what Sarah calls a “B-list...
info_outline
BFW Revisited: Smuggling and the American Revolution
Ben Franklin's World
British officials had a problem: Their American colonists wouldn't stop smuggling. Even after Parliament slashed tea prices and passed laws to make legal imports cheaper, colonists kept buying Dutch and French goods on the black market. So what was really going on? If it wasn't just about saving money, what drove thousands of merchants and consumers to risk fines, seizure, and worse? In this revisited episode, we follow the illicit trade networks that connected colonial port cities to the "Golden Rock,” Sint Eustatius, a tiny Dutch island that became the Atlantic World's busiest smuggling...
info_outline
429 Coffee in Early America: Why Americans Really Drink Coffee
Ben Franklin's World
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. , the Librarian/Director of the Library & Museum at the American Philosophical Society and author of , 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...
info_outline
428: America's Forgotten Quest to Link Two Oceans
Ben Franklin's World
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...
info_outline
427 How States Are Planning the 250th: Commemorating the American Revolution in 2026
Ben Franklin's World
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 co-founder to guest host a special conversation with two people who are leading the way: , Chair of...
info_outline
BFW Revisited: The Mayflower
Ben Franklin's World
Each November, we Americans come together to celebrate Thanksgiving, a holiday that invites us to reflect on gratitude, community, and the stories we tell about our past. But what do we really know about the origins of this holiday? What did the “First Thanksgiving” look like, and who were the people who made it happen? In honor of Thanksgiving, we’re revisiting our 2018 conversation with Rebecca Fraser, author of . This rich conversation offers a look at the English Separatists or Pilgrims who settled in Massachusetts. It explores who they were, why they came to North America, and what...
info_outline
426 Indigenous Agriculture and the Hidden Science of Native Foodways
Ben Franklin's World
As Thanksgiving approaches, many Americans are gathering to reflect on gratitude, family—and of course—food. It's the time of year when we may think about the so-called "First Thanksgiving" and imagine scenes of Pilgrims and Native peoples gathering in Massachusetts to share in the bounty of their fall harvests. But how much do we really know about the food systems and agricultural knowledge of Indigenous peoples of North America? In what ways were the Wampanoag people able to contribute to this harvest celebration—and what have we gotten wrong about their story? , Associate Professor...
info_outlineHappy Fourth of July!
We’ve created special episodes to commemorate, celebrate, and remember the Fourth of July for years. Many of our episodes have focused on the Declaration of Independence, how and why it was created, the ideas behind it, and its sacred words: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”
This year, we examine a different aspect of the Declaration of Independence: the man behind the boldest signature on the document: John Hancock.
Brooke Barbier is a public historian and holds a Ph.D. in American History from Boston College. She’s also the author of the first biography in many years about John Hancock, it’s called King Hancock: The Radical Influence of a Moderate Founding Father.
Show Notes: https://www.benfranklinsworld.com/388
Sponsor Links
- Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
- The Power of Place: The Centennial Campaign for Colonial Williamsburg
- Friends of Lafayette Grand Tour Re-enactment
Complementary Episodes
- Episode 018: Our Declaration
- Episode 129: John Bell, The Road to Concord, 1775
- Episode 141: A Declaration in Draft
- Episode 245: Celebrating the Fourth
- Episode 277: Whose Fourth of July?
- Episode 306: The Horse’s Tail: Revolution & Memory in Early New York City
- Episode 309: Merchant Ships of the Eighteenth Century
- Episode 360: Kyera Singleton, Slavery & Freedom in Massachusetts
Listen!
- Apple Podcasts
- Spotify
- Google Podcasts
- Amazon Music
- Ben Franklin's World iOS App
- Ben Franklin's World Android App
Helpful Links