The Whiskey Rebellion

Whiskey Rebellion 086: Alice's Restaurant

In the past two weeks, courts in Texas and New Jersey have ruled that the Selective Service's rule that only men must register is unlawful. Frank and David discuss the history of military conscription, including:

• How issues of class and privilege have often divided Americans over the draft
• Why the draft in Vietnam was so controversal
• Why Americans still register, even with an all volunteer military

Last Drops

Frank: University of Edinburgh recruiting tour across the US and Canada

David: SASA thanks, and Tara Westover's Educated

PS. If the episode's title seems obscure, listen: www.youtube.com/watch?v=m57gzA2JCcM&t

 

Whiskey Rebellion 085: National Emergency

A week ago, President Trump declared a national emergency to fund his border wall. Frank and David discuss how presidents have used executive power during emergencies and what limits executive power has, including:

• Ex parte Merryman
• Youngstown Steel case
• 1976 National Emergency Act

Last Drops

Frank: Obama Presidential Library without a library

David: Freedom on the Move

Whiskey Rebellion 084: Historical Miseducation

Three topics this week:

• VA Governor Ralph Northam's statement that the Africans brought to Virginia in 1619 were indentured servants
• President Trump's reference to the Trail of Tears in a Tweet about Elizabeth Warren
• Eric Alterman's article in the New Yorker "The Decline of Historical Thinking"

Last Drops

Frank: Edinburgh history alumni

David: "The Savage Curtain" episode of Star Trek from 1969 (in honor of Lincoln's birthday)

Whiskey Rebellion 083: Haunted by the Yearbook

Frank and David discuss the recent controversy over Virginia Governor Ralph Northam's 1984 medical school yearbook. The discussion focuses on the history of blackface, with tangents on the history and cultural significance of yearbooks and Frank's hatred of Halloween. Plus Bugs Bunny in Southern Fried Rabbit.

Last Drops

Frank: Patriots victory in the Superbowl and upcoming Fennell Lecture with Joanne Freeman

David: fundraising at Bennett Colllege and SASA registration

Whiskey Rebellion 082: Brexit for Americans

With the Brexit deadline looming and no clear political solution in sight, Frank and David discuss how the UK got itself into this situation and try to provide some historical context.  British listeners should forgive our (okay, mostly David's) limited understanding of the nuances of UK politics.

Last Drops

Frank: Burns Suppers

David: Campaign to save Bennett College

Whiskey Rebellion 081: Rashomon on the Lincoln Memorial

In our 2nd anniversary episode, Frank and David discuss the incident last weekend at the Lincoln Memorial in which students from Covington Catholic High School came face-to-face with Native American activists. They tease out how this episode links to both contemporary politics and deep historical roots.

Last Drops

Frank: murals at Notre Dame

David: NPR Planet Money episode on 1879 shutdown, Backstory's 10th Anniversary, David & Ida's 23rd Anniversary.

Whiskey Rebellion 080: Promises Kept

With the federal government still in shutdown over Trump's border wall and with the 2020 campaign already underway, Frank and David look at the history of campaign promises. Including:

• How James K. Polk kept all his promises in 1844
• GHW Bush's 1992 "No new taxes"
• LBJ's 1964 pledge not to expand the war in Vietnam
• Obama's pledge to close Gitmo

Last Drops

Frank: Apology to Andy Murray and endorsement of Declan O'Rourke

David: Michelle Obama's Becoming

Whiskey Rebellion 079: 2018 Year in Review

Recording on New Year's Eve, Frank and David discuss some of their favorites from 2018 and what they're excited for in 2019. 

The show begins with a discussion of Erin Bartram's essay from the Chronicle of Higher Education on the job market in history. Frank and David discuss how the job market has changed over the years and what (if anything) can be done about it.

Final Recommendations/Memories from 2018:

Frank:

• 25th anniversary of "Getting Word" project at Monticello
• Red Sox' World Series victory
• Sarah Churchwell's Behold, America: The Entangled History of America First and the American Dream
• Colin Calloway's The Indian World of George Washington
• Joanne Freeman's Field of Blood
• Brian Palmer & Seth Freed Wessler, "The Costs of the Confederacy"

David: 

• Slate Standoff podcast
• Slow Burn (season 2)
• 200 birthday of Fredrick Douglass
• Martha Jones' Birthright Citizens
• Continuing struggle over Silent Sam
• Historians at the Movies

Looking forward to in 2019

Frank:

• Mueller Report
• Returning to teaching

David

• Pete Carmichael's War for the Common Soldier
• Kevin Kruse and Julian Zelizer's Fault Lines
• Kevin Levin's Searching for Black Confederates

 

Whiskey Rebellion 078: War on Christmas

Back after a short hiatus, Frank and David discuss the "War on Christmas" -- looking at how Americans have celebrated (or not celebrated) Christmas, including:

• Why the Puritans didn't celebrate Christmas
• How Christmas became redefined during the Civil War era
• How conservatives have felt that Christmas was under siege throughout the 20th century

Last Drops

Frank: Museum of Memory and Human Rights

David: Homecoming on Amazon Prime

Whiskey Rebellion 076: Borders and Missionaries

Drawing upon the headlines, Frank and David discuss the role of missionaries and borders in American history, including:

• How colonial charters lead to messy borders
• How the Second Great Awakening prompted Americans to become missionaries overseas
• How the Mormons saw missionary activity as central to their religious identity
• How the border has changed during the 20th century

Last Drops

Frank: new Americanist position at the University of Edinburgh

David: SASA CFP