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2.13 Retirement to Peacefield

America's First Ladies

Release Date: 12/26/2025

4.5 Dolley and James Meet Cute show art 4.5 Dolley and James Meet Cute

America's First Ladies

After taking a brisk review of the ratification of the new U.S. Constitution, we finally get Dolley and James together this week, covering their courtship, wedding, and early years of marriage in Philadelphia. Transcript and portaits available at Music by

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America's First Ladies

This week we do a deep dive into the Constitutional Convention - think of it as getting to see how the sausage is made, with the sausage being the legal document that still rules our lives today. Transcript available at Music by

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America's First Ladies

This week we hit pause on Dolley Madison to focus on young James Madison as he develops into the statesman who will eventually play such a large role in creating the U.S. Constitution. Transcript available at Music by

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America's First Ladies

This week we'll learn about Dolley's teenage years in Philadelphia, her first marriage to John Todd, Jr., and the aftermath of the 1793 yellow fever epidemic. Transcript available at Music by

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America's First Ladies

Welcome to Season 4! We're covering Dolley and James Madison this season, and today we cover Dolley's family history and early life in North Carolina and Virginia. List of reference books available at Transcript available at Music by

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America's First Ladies

Part 2 of our supplemental series on the Constitution. There were too many amendments to put them in the same episode as the main body of the document. Transcript available at Music by

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America's First Ladies

The one where I read the Constitution of the United States of America to you. If nothing else, you can listen to it when you can't sleep! Transcript available at Music by

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America's First Ladies

This week we wrap up Martha Patsy Jefferson Randolph with a gallop through the final 18 years of her life. Transcript and the final portrait painted of Martha available at  Music by

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America's First Ladies

This week we cover Thomas Jefferson's presidency and Patsy/Martha's admittedly minor role in it. Transcript available at Music by

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America's First Ladies

This week, the Jefferson family returns to America, and Patsy almost immediately decides to marry and start having children. Transcript available at Music by

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More Episodes

We wrap up Abigail Adams's season with the final year of her husband's presidency and the years they spent post-presidency, finally getting to enjoy a private retirement.

Programming note: we'll take a couple of weeks off to let listeners catch up. New episodes will resume on January 16, 2026.

Transcript available at americasfirstladiespodcast.com/episode-2-13/

Links to books for Season 2 americasfirstladiespodcast.com/season-2/

Music by Matthew Dull