Podcast
Founding Son: John Quincy's America
Hosted by iHeartPodcasts · EN
Bob Crawford of The Avett Brothers explores the post-presidential legacy of America’s sixth president: John Quincy Adams. Though often only seen as a failed one-term president and the son of a Founding Father, Adams spent his final decades in Congress fighting the slavocracy and forming a bridge between the founding of America and the era of Lincoln. Founding Son features Patrick Warburton as the voice of John Quincy Adams, Nick Offerman as the voice of Andrew Jackson, and Grey DeLisle as the voice of Louisa Adams.
14episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Introducing 'Saigon' — Chapter 1: The Final Set
Apr 2400:22:53Tap to summarizeIntroducing Saigon from Thoroughbred Studios, Goldhawk Productions, and iHeartPodcasts. One city, a divided country, and the war that tore America apart… An epic saga of love, blood and revolution starring Kelly Marie Tran and Rob Benedict. Chapter 1 - The Final SetA championship tennis match becomes a flashpoint between French colonial power and Vietnamese resistance. Newly returned American Joseph Sherman is drawn into a world of old friendships, dangerous loyalties and sudden desire — and by nightfall, one family is shattered. Listen to Saigon on the iHeartRadio App, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Marilyn, Hamilton + John Wilkes Booth's Statue: New York City History Hiding in Plain Sight
Apr 2300:48:42Tap to summarizeToday's installment of Very Special Episodes is a tour of New York’s secret history with a very special guest! Greg Young of the beloved Bowery Boys podcast joins us to prove the world is a very interesting place, if you just know where to look. There's hidden history in subway grates, SoHo stores, Central Park statues, and Hamilton lyrics. * Listen to Very Special Episodes wherever you get your podcasts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Mary Had a Little Typhoid [from American History Hotline]
Apr 1900:39:44Tap to summarizeAnd everywhere that Mary went, the typhoid was sure to go. The story of Mary Mallon (AKA Typhoid Mary) is one we're living every day to a small degree: the balance between public safety and personal liberty. Luckily for us, we'll never be imprisoned for being an symptomatic carrier of a disease. Well, never say never. To learn more about the life of Mary Mallon we call up author Susan Campbell Bartoletti (Terrible Typhoid Mary: A True Story of the Deadliest Cook in America). Why was Mary's story so popular in the early 1900s? And why is her name so familiar even today? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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John Quincy Adams: From President to Anti-Slavery Firebrand (Live in DC)
Apr 1800:33:44Tap to summarizeJohn Quincy Adams may have been a failed one-term president, but he had one of the most amazing second acts in American political history. From the House of Representatives, he steered our new nation through one of its most tumultuous eras ... carrying the torch of American democracy from the Founding Fathers to Abraham Lincoln. In this special episode of American History Hotline, Robert Costa interviews Bob about his new book: America’s Founding Son: John Quincy Adams, from President to Political Maverick. It's an amazing conversation recorded live in D.C. at Politics and Prose. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Richard Nixon and the Magic Suitcase [from Very Special Episodes]
Apr 400:44:49Tap to summarizeIn honor of April Fools' Day, Zaron Burnett digs into a persistent legend surrounding VSE regular Richard Nixon. With a little help from his pops, Zaron ventures into smoky clubs to unpack a bizarre tale of jazz, drugs, and politics. After the episode, Dana talks about her upcoming book, The Arcane Arts and Zaron discusses his role in a recent Jordan Peele documentary. * Listen to Very Special Episodes wherever you get your podcasts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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The Constitution vs. Authoritarianism [from American History Hotline]
Apr 200:28:25Tap to summarizeIt can be scary to learn how much our democracy relies on norms and convention when the rule of law is put to the test. But, at least our Founding Fathers had an excellent understanding of authoritarianism when they drafted the U.S. Constitution. Are the guardrails they created enough to prevent a dictator, though? Bob calls up Jeffrey Rosen (former President and CEO of the National Constitution Center) to answer this question. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Is Thanksgiving a Feast of Lies?! Separating Myth from Truth
Dec 600:38:33Tap to summarizeWe all have that relative that tells us there was actually no green bean casserole at the first Thanksgiving. Yeah, we know, Grandma! But how much do we really know about that first feast between the Pilgrims and the Indians? Well, a lot. But the story most of us learned in school is completely wrong. Author David J. Silverman, (This Land Is Their Land: The Wampanoag Indians, Plymouth Colony, and the Troubled History of Thanksgiving) joins us to carve up the myths about Turkey Day and serve a nice helping of truth. In this episode, Bob and David explore the origins of Thanksgiving, from the Wampanoag people’s strategic decision to ally with the English, to Abraham Lincoln’s role in turning that footnoted feast into a national holiday. Tell your family to turn down the yacht rock and play this episode of American History Hotline as you avoid talking about politics and stir the gravy. GUEST: David J. Silverman, author of This Land Is Their Land: The Wampanoag Indians, Plymouth Colony, and the Troubled History of Thanksgiving. He has a new book coming out in February of 2026 titled, The Chosen and the Damned: Native Americans and the Making of Race in the United States See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Introducing: American History Hotline with Bob Crawford
Apr 28, 202500:01:13Tap to summarizeNew show alert! Coming this summer! On American History Hotline, Bob Crawford searches for the best historians and experts to answer listener questions about American history — from the Revolutionary War to rock & roll feuds. Got a question? Send it to AmericanHistoryHotline@gmail.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Founding Son: Episode 6 - The Last of Earth
May 11, 202300:33:57Tap to summarizeJohn Quincy Adams finally defeats the Gag rule, but his feud with Andrew Jackson lasts until the bitter end. And Congressman Abraham Lincoln witnesses from the House floor the dramatic final hours of Adams' life. Founding Son is a Curiosity Podcast and is a co-production of iHeartPodcasts and School of Humans. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Founding Son: Episode 5 - Amistad
May 4, 202300:32:01Tap to summarizeWhen the fates of the enslaved captives of the Amistad are put into the hands of the Supreme Court, John Quincy Adams feels it's his duty to represent them. Adams’ son and wife would have preferred he stayed away from the case altogether. Founding Son is a Curiosity Podcast and is a co-production of iHeart Podcasts and School of Humans. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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