Send us a text It was a decision that came about during a dinner party…allegedly. Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson invited Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton, along with Congressman James Madison, to his quarters in New York City for an evening of food, drink, and conversation, the end result of which was the decision to place the nation’s capital in the geographic south on the Potomac River. This scenario has become more widely known due to the success of Hamilton! Not so well-known, although probably familiar to a few who have explored the issue, is the name “Benjamin Banneker,” a man who also assisted in surveying this land. His talents didn’t stop there: he gained fame as a mathematician, astronomer, and publisher of almanacs prior to his surveying experience. In our final episode of season three, we’ll explore the fascinating story of Benjamin Banneker: Unsung Renaissance Man of America’s Crucial Years. Key People Benjamin Banneker Robert Banneker Martha Ellicott Tyson Thomas Jefferson George Ellicott Pierre Charles L’Enfant Key Events/Ideas Compromise of 1790/Dinner Table Bargain The third season of History: Beyond the Textbook focuses on the stories of individuals who shaped "America's Crucial Years" of 1783-1790, and runs from October 8-December 24. Catch up on Season One, "America's Colonial Era," and Season Two, "America's Revolution," wherever you listen to your podcasts! Feel free to contact us with feedback or questions by clicking the "Send Us a Text" link or email us at: hbttpodcast@gmail.com…

Send us a text Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello was his home, his castle, and in a way, his personal fiefdom: he had legal control over the happenings at this place, over the lives of its inhabitants. This included the hundreds of individuals who were held in bondage during Jefferson’s lifetime, although one particular family name stands out as being more prominent than others. Historically, the Hemings family and the Jefferson family are forever intertwined due to the complex relationship between Sally Hemings and Thomas Jefferson, but her brother, James, is also noteworthy. In this episode of History: Beyond the Textbook , we’ll examine the shifting dynamics of American slavery using the experiences of Sally and James Hemmings. Key People Sally Hemings James Hemings Thomas Jefferson Key Events/Ideas Three-Fifths Compromise Emancipation France's "Freedom Principle" The third season of History: Beyond the Textbook focuses on the stories of individuals who shaped "America's Crucial Years" of 1783-1790, and runs from October 8-December 24. Catch up on Season One, "America's Colonial Era," and Season Two, "America's Revolution," wherever you listen to your podcasts! Feel free to contact us with feedback or questions by clicking the "Send Us a Text" link or email us at: hbttpodcast@gmail.com…

Send us a text “Culture.” It’s a word that means something different depending on who you ask; to some, it means an element that is “popular” and can serve as a common frame of reference for a large group of people. To others, “culture” refers to how an individual lives their life based on a specific belief system that is similar to a larger group. Both are correct, and both get to the heart of today’s episode as we explore the emergence of a new "American" culture. On this episode of History: Beyond the Textbook , we’ll focus on Charles Wilson Peale and William Hill Brown: the Curator and the Novelist of America’s Crucial Years. *Note: some of this episode refers to some complex and emotional topics, so be advised. A warning is provided at the start of the Act in which these issues are discussed.* Key People Charles Willson Peale William Hill Brown Key Events/Ideas Publication of The Power of Sympathy Opening of Philadelphia Museum The third season of History: Beyond the Textbook focuses on the stories of individuals who shaped "America's Crucial Years" of 1783-1790, and runs from October 8-December 24. Catch up on Season One, "America's Colonial Era," and Season Two, "America's Revolution," wherever you listen to your podcasts! Feel free to contact us with feedback or questions by clicking the "Send Us a Text" link or email us at: hbttpodcast@gmail.com…

Send us a text It’s tough to say what most history classrooms emphasize when they cover Constitutional ratification, but our focus will be on its opponents ...those individuals who heard about, and often read the results, of what happened in Philadelphia in summer 1787 and were displeased with what they saw. Keep in mind that the document that emerged from Philadelphia still needed the blessing of the states, hence the process of ratification , so this is what our focus will be today. In this episode of History: Beyond the Textbook , our last in our arc on transition during this time period, we’ll highlight Mercy Otis Warren and Patrick Henry: the Anti-Federalist Antagonists of Constitutional Ratification. Key People Mercy Otis Warren Patrick Henry John Adams Abigail Adams George Washington James Madison George Mason Key Events/Ideas Ratification of the U.S. Constitution Virginia Resolves Observations on the New Constitution The third season of History: Beyond the Textbook focuses on the stories of individuals who shaped "America's Crucial Years" of 1783-1790, and runs from October 8-December 24. Catch up on Season One, "America's Colonial Era," and Season Two, "America's Revolution," wherever you listen to your podcasts! Feel free to contact us with feedback or questions by clicking the "Send Us a Text" link or email us at: hbttpodcast@gmail.com…

Send us a text The first formal meeting to reassess the Articles of Confederation was held in Annapolis, Maryland in September 1786, at about the same time as Shays’ Rebellion. Only five states bothered to send any delegates, and there was really only one thing that was accomplished: they decided to try again the following May in Philadelphia. That one would enjoy better attendance, and produce a much different result: the U.S. Constitution. Many famous names were counted as attendees, but we intend to focus on the name most closely associated with this deal...and one who favored change, but refused to sign the Constitution. In this episode of History: Beyond the Textbook , we’ll learn about compromise and dissent at the Constitutional Convention through the lens of two men: Roger Sherman and George Mason, the self-educated Sages of the Philadelphia Convention. Key People Roger Sherman George Mason Alexander Hamilton George Washington Edmund Randolph Key Events/Ideas Philadelphia/Constitutional Convention Annapolis Convention Great Compromise Mount Vernon Conference The third season of History: Beyond the Textbook focuses on the stories of individuals who shaped "America's Crucial Years" of 1783-1790, and runs from October 8-December 24. Catch up on Season One, "America's Colonial Era," and Season Two, "America's Revolution," wherever you listen to your podcasts! Feel free to contact us with feedback or questions by clicking the "Send Us a Text" link or email us at: hbttpodcast@gmail.com…

Send us a text What became known as “Shays' Rebellion” was put down by force, but it opened the eyes of many to the reality that the current government was not working, and it has been used as an anecdote for why the Articles of Confederation were such an inadequate government. Our task will be to unmask the man behind the protest, as well as the general tasked with putting it down, and ascertain what the true legacy of the movement should be. In this episode of History: Beyond the Textbook , our first that focuses on transition during this time, we examine Daniel Shays, and Benjamin Lincoln, the farmer and the fighter of Shays’ Rebellion . Key People Daniel Shays Benjamin Lincoln James Madison Henry Knox Key Events/Ideas Shays' Rebellion Philadelphia Convention The third season of History: Beyond the Textbook focuses on the stories of individuals who shaped "America's Crucial Years" of 1783-1790, and runs from October 8-December 24. Catch up on Season One, "America's Colonial Era," and Season Two, "America's Revolution," wherever you listen to your podcasts! Feel free to contact us with feedback or questions by clicking the "Send Us a Text" link or email us at: hbttpodcast@gmail.com…

Send us a text We’ll focus on the American Midwest with this episode: specifically, the areas affected by the Northwest Ordinance of 1787. These fertile lands north of the Ohio River and east of the Mississippi River were considered ripe for American settlement…unless you and your kin were already living there and had done so for generations. In this episode of History: Beyond the Textbook , our last in our arc of looking at “The West” during these Crucial Years, we’ll explore the Northwest Territory using the experiences of Shawnee leader Blue Jacket and Army Engineer Rufus Putnam. Key People Blue Jacket Rufus Putnam Joseph Brant Arthur St. Clair Key Events/Ideas Northwest Ordinance of 1787 Land Ordinance of 1785 Treaty of Fort Harmar St. Clair's Defeat The third season of History: Beyond the Textbook focuses on the stories of individuals who shaped "America's Crucial Years" of 1783-1790, and runs from October 8-December 24. Catch up on Season One, "America's Colonial Era," and Season Two, "America's Revolution," wherever you listen to your podcasts! Feel free to contact us with feedback or questions by clicking the "Send Us a Text" link or email us at: hbttpodcast@gmail.com…

Send us a text The Peace of Paris would certainly anger and frustrate the many nations who held the lands that were supposedly now in American possession, and one of the most prominent was the Creek. The Creek stand out due to the efforts of their de facto leader, Alexander McGillivray, to negotiate a treaty with the young U.S. government, and his successes, and failures, set the tone moving forward for official U.S. government policy regarding Native Americans. In this episode of History: Beyond the Textbook , the second in our mini-series on “The West,” we’ll explore the U.S.-Creek Treaty of 1790 through the lens of skilled diplomat Alexander McGillivray. Key People Alexander McGillivray Henry Knox Haudenosaunee George Washington Key Events U.S.-Creek Treaty of 1790 Treaty of Pensacola Treaty of Augusta The third season of History: Beyond the Textbook focuses on the stories of individuals who shaped "America's Crucial Years" of 1783-1790, and runs from October 8-December 24. Catch up on Season One, "America's Colonial Era," and Season Two, "America's Revolution," wherever you listen to your podcasts! Feel free to contact us with feedback or questions by clicking the "Send Us a Text" link or email us at: hbttpodcast@gmail.com…

Send us a text Its 1769, and Spain is renewing their efforts to colonize what they called “Alta California” on the Pacific Coast. Leading the push was Fray Junipero Serra, a Franciscan whose efforts to spread the Catholic faith would earn him the title “Apostle of California.” His actions would also lead to a re-examination of the role of Europeans in colonizing and Christianizing the Indigenous peoples of the lands in which they arrived, so his legacy isn’t without controversy. Today's episode of History: Beyond the Textbook, the first of three episodes on "The West," focuses on Fray Junipero Serra, the Pious Father-President of Alta California. Key People Fray Junipero Serra Fray Francisco Palou Kumeyaays Cochimi Key Events/Ideas Colonization of California Franciscan mission system The third season of History: Beyond the Textbook focuses on the stories of individuals who shaped "America's Crucial Years" of 1783-1790, and runs from October 8-December 24. Catch up on Season One, "America's Colonial Era," and Season Two, "America's Revolution," wherever you listen to your podcasts! Feel free to contact us with feedback or questions by clicking the "Send Us a Text" link or email us at: hbttpodcast@gmail.com…

Send us a text John Jay was a member of both Continental Congresses, served as ambassador to Spain during the later years of the American Revolution, helped negotiate the Peace of Paris that ended that war, authored a series of essays that became collectively known as The Federalist Papers , was appointed the first Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, and resigned upon his election as Governor of New York…but not before negotiating an economic treaty with our former foes, Great Britain. The man led an accomplished life, but why isn’t his name mentioned with other political titans of the era? This episode looks at how the United States failed to successfully negotiate with European powers, specifically Spain, using this man as our conduit: John Jay and the Failings of American Foreign Policy. Key People John Jay Don Diego de Gardoqui Sarah Jay Key Events American Revolution Articles of Confederation Jay-Gardoqui Treaty Chisolm v. Georgia The third season of History: Beyond the Textbook focuses on the stories of individuals who shaped "America's Crucial Years" of 1783-1790, and runs from October 8-December 24. Catch up on Season One, "America's Colonial Era," and Season Two, "America's Revolution," wherever you listen to your podcasts! Feel free to contact us with feedback or questions by clicking the "Send Us a Text" link or email us at: hbttpodcast@gmail.com…

Send us a text He was one of the wealthiest men in the colonies, so by extension, the United States of America. Foreign-born to unwed parents, he had the reputation of being a financial wizard who understood commerce, markets, and how to maximize profit. Victory at Yorktown would not have occurred were it not for the efforts of this man, who was Superintendent of Finance as the American Revolution drew to a close. Robert Morris sought to place the finances of America on sound footing with the creation of the Bank of North America, an institution that was ahead of its time. Key People Robert Morris John Dickinson Alexander Hamilton Key Events/Ideas Bank of North America Articles of Confederation American Revolution The third season of History: Beyond the Textbook focuses on the stories of individuals who shaped "America's Crucial Years" of 1783-1790, and runs from October 8-December 24. Catch up on Season One, "America's Colonial Era," and Season Two, "America's Revolution," wherever you listen to your podcasts! Feel free to contact us with feedback or questions by clicking the "Send Us a Text" link or email us at: hbttpodcast@gmail.com…

Send us a text It's 1783, and military mutinies are intermittently breaking out across the United States. This, and other, issues stem from problems with the first official “national” government of the United States: the Articles of Confederation, of which today's key figure wrote the first draft. He served as foil for John Adams during the fight to declare independence…but that doesn’t mean he wasn’t a believer in the United States, and he would be well-positioned to address the simmering tensions among the military that almost led to the destruction of the new federal government. In today’s episode of History: Beyond the Textbook , we explore the Architect of the Articles of Confederation, John Dickinson and his role in quelling the Philadelphia Mutiny of 1783. Key People John Dickinson George Washington Alexander Hamilton Robert Morris Key Events Pennsylvania Line Mutiny of 1783 Letters from a Pennsylvania Farmer Olive Branch Petition Articles of Confederation The third season of History: Beyond the Textbook focuses on the stories of individuals who shaped "America's Crucial Years" of 1783-1790, and runs from October 8-December 24. Catch up on Season One, "America's Colonial Era," and Season Two, "America's Revolution," wherever you listen to your podcasts! Feel free to contact us with feedback or questions by clicking the "Send Us a Text" link or email us at: hbttpodcast@gmail.com…

Send us a text He’s the man responsible for the loss of Britain’s North American colonies, and a cruel, despotic monarch at that…these are both perceptions of King George III, and it’s realistically how many Americans learn about Britain’s king at the time of American independence. But he reigned for 60 years…and the Revolution lasted for 8, so clearly there must be more to this man than just “losing a war,” right? In our final episode of Season 2 of History: beyond the Textbook , we’ll explore the reign of King George III, Enlightened King of the American Revolution. Key People King George III Lord Frederick North Thomas Hutchinson John Adams Thomas Jefferson Ben Franklin Key Events Treaty of Paris/Peace of Paris Intolerable Acts American Revolution The third season of History: Beyond the Textbook focuses on the stories of individuals who shaped "America's Crucial Years" of 1783-1790, and runs from October 8-December 24. Catch up on Season One, "America's Colonial Era," and Season Two, "America's Revolution," wherever you listen to your podcasts! Feel free to contact us with feedback or questions by clicking the "Send Us a Text" link or email us at: hbttpodcast@gmail.com…

Send us a text It was the last significant battle of the American Revolution, although this couldn’t have been predicted at the time. The Americans, British, and the French felt that 1781 was a "now or never" year for the Revolution, and that something big had to happen. Many forces coalesced to turn the Battle of Yorktown into the decisive battle of the Revolutionary War, and we’ll examine two individuals serving on opposing sides, and from very different backgrounds. In this episode of History: Beyond the Textbook , we’ll conclude the fighting of the American Revolution at Yorktown by spotlighting Lord Charles Cornwallis and Joseph Plumb Martin: the Officer and the Commoner at the Battle of Yorktown. Key People Lord Charles Cornwallis Joseph Plumb Martin General Henry Clinton Alexander Hamilton Key Events Battle of Yorktown Battle of New York Battle of Monmouth The third season of History: Beyond the Textbook focuses on the stories of individuals who shaped "America's Crucial Years" of 1783-1790, and runs from October 8-December 24. Catch up on Season One, "America's Colonial Era," and Season Two, "America's Revolution," wherever you listen to your podcasts! Feel free to contact us with feedback or questions by clicking the "Send Us a Text" link or email us at: hbttpodcast@gmail.com…

Send us a text Much of the history of the American Revolution focuses on actions in what was called the “Northern” theater, and to a degree, this makes sense: given the outsized role Massachusetts played in the pre-war years and the early years of combat. Yet while the Southern colonies were not exactly “inactive” during the early years of the war, many narratives don’t necessarily focus on this region in great detail until the pivotal Battle of Yorktown in fall 1781. As Britain concentrated more resources on this region in the second half of the war, stories began to spread about one individual in particular who became known for his brutality and effectiveness as a horseman: and remarkably, he was only 27 years old by war’s end. His wartime actions, and the actions of those who fought him, help shape the story of England’s “Southern Strategy '' in the American Revolution. In this episode of History: Beyond the Textbook , we’ll explore the later years of the Revolution through the campaigns of “Bloody” Banastre Tarleton and the Patriots who opposed him throughout the South. Key People Banastre Tarleton Lord Charles Cornwallis Francis Marion Daniel Morgan Thomas Jefferson Key Events Battle of Waxhaw Creek Battle of Camden Battle of Cowpens The third season of History: Beyond the Textbook focuses on the stories of individuals who shaped "America's Crucial Years" of 1783-1790, and runs from October 8-December 24. Catch up on Season One, "America's Colonial Era," and Season Two, "America's Revolution," wherever you listen to your podcasts! Feel free to contact us with feedback or questions by clicking the "Send Us a Text" link or email us at: hbttpodcast@gmail.com…