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Presidencies of the United States

This podcast is devoted to exploring presidential history from the founding of the office in 1789 on through the present day. I plan to take a systematic approach to both the people and the events that have shaped and reshaped each administration and the office in general.

Recent Episodes

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Interview with Dan Scudder, Presidents for Kids
May 18, 2025

Interview with Dan Scudder, Presidents for Kids

Year(s) Discussed: 1789-2025 In this episode, I talk with Dan Scudder about his magazine, Presidents for Kids, and his work in educating the next generation about US presidential history. More information can be found on the website at https://www.presidenciespodcast.com.
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4.42 - Madison Post-Presidency
May 11, 2025

4.42 - Madison Post-Presidency

Year(s) Discussed: 1817-1836 If James Madison hoped for a retirement from public life in the final years of his life, he would find it to be anything but. From helping found and lead the University of Virginia to serving in a state constitutional convention to writing articles and coordinating w…
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4.41 - The Next to the Last of the Founders
April 20, 2025

4.41 - The Next to the Last of the Founders

Year(s) Discussed: 1815-1817 As Madison prepared to hand off the presidency to James Monroe, numerous matters - both foreign and domestic - came to his desk. From revolutions in South America to internal improvement bills, the President continued to chart a course for his administration, even is…
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4.40 - The Year Without a Summer
April 6, 2025

4.40 - The Year Without a Summer

Year(s) Discussed: 1815-1816 While Madison's administration in its latter days worked to secure peace with Native peoples in the Gulf South, General Andrew Jackson decided to act unilaterally in Florida against a fortified settlement of people seeking their freedom from enslavement. Meanwhile, a…
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VPOTUS 005.5 - John Gaillard (President Pro Tempore)
March 23, 2025

VPOTUS 005.5 - John Gaillard (President Pro Tempore)

Tenure of Office: November 25, 1814 - March 3, 1817 With the death of VP Elbridge Gerry, the Senate had to choose someone from their ranks who could preside over them so that they could carry out business for the next two and a half years. Luckily, they knew a guy who was already familiar with t…
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Interview with Michael Vorenberg, Lincoln's Peace
March 16, 2025

Interview with Michael Vorenberg, Lincoln's Peace

Year(s) Discussed: 1861-1871 Most of us were taught that the Civil War ended with Lee's surrender at Appomattox. However, as my special guest, Michael Vorenberg, points out, pinpointing the end of the War is not quite as simple as standard history accounts would have us believe, and there is muc…
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