The two party division of the US political system is as evident as ever as we warm up to the 2024 elections. But where does this state of affairs come from?
Don speaks to Michael Barone, political analyst, historian and journalist, to find out more about the history of the Democratic and Republican parties, their forebears, and the possible downfall of political parties.
Michael is author of 'How America’s Political Parties Change (and How They Don’t)'. His new book is ‘Mental Maps of the Founders’.
Produced by Sophie Gee. Edited by Tomos Delargy. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.
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The Rise & Fall of Political Parties

Join Don Wildman twice a week for your hit of American history, as he explores the past to help us understand the United States of today. &nbsp; We’ll hear how codebreakers uncovered secret Japanese plans for the Battle of Midway, visit Chief Powhatan as he prepares for war with the British, see Walt Disney accuse his former colleagues of being communists, and uncover the dark history that lies beneath Central Park.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; From pre-colonial America to independence, slavery to civil rights, the gold rush to the space race, join Don as he speaks to leading experts to delve into America’s past. &nbsp; New episodes every Monday and Thursday. &nbsp; Brought to you by History Hit, the award-winning podcast network and world’s best history channel on demand, featuring shows like Dan Snow’s History Hit, Not Just The Tudors and Betwixt the Sheets.
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History

Society & Culture

Where did baseball come from? Why is every stadium unique? And how do you make it to the Hall of Fame? 
For half the year, baseball remains a national pastime in the USA. It is also a game of many myths, and plenty of legends. In this episode, Don speaks to one of them - Joe Posnanski is a two time Emmy Award winner and has been named National Sportswriter of the Year by five different organizations. 
From Gaylord Perry's moonshot, to the teenage girl who pitched for Babe Ruth, to the crossing of barriers of race and gender in major league baseball, Joe takes us through some of the key moments in baseball history.
Joe's book on this subject is 'Why We Love Baseball: A History in 50 Moments': https://linktr.ee/WhyWeLoveBaseballUK.
Produced and edited by Sophie Gee. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.
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The History of Baseball

Please note, this episode contains discussion of suicide.
On 1 April 1945, as the Second World War in Europe was reaching its end, one of the bloodiest battles in the whole conflict commenced on a small island south of mainland Japan. It was the Battle of Okinawa.
Saul David joined Dan Snow on our sister podcast, Dan Snow's History Hit, to provide a fascinating rundown of this truly horrific battle.
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The Battle of Okinawa

Vice President to a narrow election winner, Chester Arthur was a very unlikely President. But on September 20th 1881 he took his seat as the 21st President of the United States at the dawn of the modern administrative state and presidency.
So what kind of President did he become? Was he progressive? What was his role in the creation of the Civil Service? And how did the Presidency impact him as a person?
Don is joined by Michael J. Gerhardt for this episode in our Presidential series. Michael is the Samuel Ashe Distinguished Professor of Constitutional Law at the University of North Carolina School of Law in Chapel Hill. He is the author of The Forgotten Presidents: Their Untold Constitutional Legacy and FDR's Mentors: Navigating the Path to Greatness.
Produced by Sophie Gee and Freddy Chick. Edited by Aidan Lonergan. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.
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President Chester A. Arthur: Redemption in Office?

11 Tonys, a Grammy, a Pulitzer Prize and broken box office records - there's no denying the impact of Lin-Manuel Miranda's Hamilton.
Throughout this series on the real Hamilton, we have been trying to uncover the man the musical is based on. But how much of the show and its production is truthful? And how much does this matter?
Renee Romano joins Don to look into this new American Myth. Renee is a writer, historian and professor, and one of the editors of 'Historians on Hamilton: How a Blockbuster Musical is Restaging America's Past'. She can be found here.
Produced by Sophie Gee. Edited by Aidan Lonergan. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.
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The Real Hamilton: An American Myth?

Today we dive into the little-known true story of American castaways abandoned on the Falkland Islands during the War of 1812 ― a tale of treachery, shipwreck, isolation and a desperate struggle for survival.
In this fascinating episode, best-selling author Eric Jay Dolan joins Don to explore this wild encounter between an American sealing vessel, a shipwrecked British brig and a British warship in the desolate Falklands, all while the two nations remained at war. Fraught with misunderstandings and mistrust, this bizarre incident left three British sailors and two Americans adrift for eighteen months, and is the subject of Eric's new book Left for Dead: Shipwreck, Treachery, and Survival at the Edge of the World.
Produced by Sophie Gee. Edited by Aidan Lonergan. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.
Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for $1 per month for 3 months with code AMERICANHISTORY sign up at https://historyhit.com/subscription/ 
You can take part in our listener survey here.

The Rise & Fall of Political Parties

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