American History Hotline

Did Americans always send their children to public school?
Not even close.
In this episode of American History Hotline, Bob calls up historian and author Dixie Dillon Lane to explore the surprising history of education in America. From colonial classrooms and the self-taught education of Abigail Adams to the rise of public schools, compulsory education laws, and the modern homeschooling movement, this conversation reveals how Americans have thought about learning for more than 250 years.
Why did reformers like Horace Mann champion public schools? How did immigration, industrialization, the Great Depression, and the Cold War transform education? And why are more families today choosing alternatives to traditional public schools?
Dixie's book is Skipping School: A History of American Homeschooling and How It Went Mainstream
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For decades, abortion has been one of the most divisive issues in American politics. But was it always that way?
Bob calls up Georgetown Law Professor Dr. Michele Goodwin to learn about the surprising history of abortion in America.
From colonial midwives and herbal remedies to the rise of the Christian Right, Roe v. Wade, and the modern political battle over reproductive rights, this episode explores how abortion went from widely accepted to hugely controversial.
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The average age of a U.S. Representative is in the 50s. In the Senate, it's in the 60s. Many Congressional members are also white and wealthy. And this is not representative of the country as a whole. So, what's keeping Congress from being more reflective of nation's population, and therefore, actually getting things done? So. Many. Things.
Bob calls up political scientist Maya Kornberg, author of Stuck: How Money, Media, and Violence Prevent Change in Congress, to unpack why Congress feels frozen in place ... and how we can fix it.
From campaign money and social media to political violence and the rise of “performative politics,” Maya explains why younger leaders struggle to break through.

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Maybe we can add another guarantee, besides "death" and "taxes" ... "trade wars."
In the early days of America, Native Nations were fighting over trade and power. And they saw the arrival of the Europeans as a tool to defeat their rivals. It's a period that led to shifting allegiances in a fight for dominance.
And the clearest example of this early diplomacy is The Pequot War of the 1630s.
To learn how this war depicts Native American alliances and shifting allegiances, Bob calls up Kathleen DuVal, author of Native Nations: A Millennium in North America.

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What was it really like to come to America through Ellis Island? For millions of immigrants in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, this little spit of land in New York Harbor was the gateway to a better future … IF they could pass a physical exam.
To get the real-life experience of coming through Ellis Island, Bob calls up historian Vincent Cannato (author of American Passage: The History of Ellis Island – A Sweeping Epic of Immigration at the Nation's Landmark Port of Entry).
From quick and dirty medical exams to some weird name changes, Cannato separates fact from fiction, and explains why Ellis Island is synonymous with American immigration.
We’ll also explore how Ellis Island marked a turning point in American immigration policy — with power shifting from the states to the federal government. And why is Ellis Island viewed with such nostalgia while Angel Island in San Francisco Bay is not?
We’ve got all that and more in this episode!
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