American History Tellers
The Cold War, Prohibition, the Gold Rush, the Space Race. Every part of your life - the words you speak, the ideas you share - can be traced to our history, but how well do you really know the stories that made America? We'll take you to the events, the times and the people that shaped our nation. And we'll show you how our history affected them, their families and affects you today. Hosted by Lindsay Graham (not the Senator). From Wondery, the network behind American Scandal, Tides of History, American Innovations and more.
Listen to American History Tellers on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Experience all episodes ad-free and be the first to binge the newest season. Unlock exclusive early access by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial today by visiting wondery.com/links/american-history-tellers/ now.
- Update frequency
- every 5 days
- Average duration
- 37 minutes
- Episodes
- 446
- Years Active
- 2017 - 2025
Daring Prison Escapes | Escape from Leavenworth | 3
In 1909, a young convicted train robber named Frank Grigware began a life sentence at the United States Penitentiary in Leavenworth, Kansas. Leavenworth was the nation’s first federal penitentiary, t…
00:34:03 |
Wed 17 Sep 2025
Daring Prison Escapes | Fleeing the Rock | 2
Located amid the treacherous waters of the San Francisco Bay, Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary was designed to hold the most-wanted prisoners in America, and developed a reputation as an unbreakable for…
00:35:56 |
Wed 10 Sep 2025
Daring Prison Escapes | Bastille of the Confederacy | 1
In February 1864, more than 100 Union Army officers broke out of Libby Prison, an infamous Confederate prisoner of war compound in Richmond, Virginia. It was the largest prison break of the Civil War…
00:40:25 |
Wed 03 Sep 2025
FAN FAVORITE: California Gold Rush | Digging Deeper | 4
In the early 1850s, as people continued to flood West, California’s booming cities experienced rapid growth, but also turmoil. Fires regularly swept through hastily erected towns, and battles broke o…
00:35:04 |
Fri 29 Aug 2025
FAN FAVORITE: California Gold Rush | Battlelines | 3
For white settlers, the Gold Rush offered a chance for fortune, but for California’s Native inhabitants, the sudden hunger for gold spelled disaster. As the numbers of miners grew, they forced Native…
00:40:16 |
Wed 27 Aug 2025
FAN FAVORITE: The Insurrection of Aaron Burr | Treason on Trial | 4
In the summer of 1807, Richmond, Virginia hosted the most sensational trial in the young nation’s history. At stake was the life of Aaron Burr, who stood accused of plotting an armed insurrection aga…
00:41:04 |
Wed 27 Aug 2025
FAN FAVORITE: California Gold Rush | The Forty Niners | 2
In early 1849, thousands of gold-hungry Americans began pouring into California from the eastern United States. But most of the so-called 49ers were wildly unprepared for the perilous journey west. O…
00:37:46 |
Fri 22 Aug 2025
FAN FAVORITE: The Insurrection of Aaron Burr | The Severance of the Union | 3
In August 1806, Aaron Burr began the final preparations for his mysterious expedition to the western frontier. As he traveled, rumors that he was plotting a dangerous conspiracy followed in his wake.…
00:40:51 |
Wed 20 Aug 2025
FAN FAVORITE: California Gold Rush | The First Strike | 1
After the discovery of gold at Sutter’s Mill in 1848, hundreds of thousands of prospectors poured into California, hoping to strike it rich. In the early days, rather than coming from within the U.S.…
00:37:17 |
Wed 20 Aug 2025
FAN FAVORITE: The Insurrection of Aaron Burr | Gathering Forces | 2
In the summer of 1804, Vice President Aaron Burr was wanted for the murder of Alexander Hamilton. The fatal duel made him a political pariah and the target of widespread public outcry.
But as Burr’s…
00:41:31 |
Wed 13 Aug 2025
FAN FAVORITE: The Insurrection of Aaron Burr | An Affair of Honor | 1
In July 1804, Aaron Burr faced political rival Alexander Hamilton on the cliffs of Weehawken, New Jersey, in a legendary duel that would change Burr’s life forever.
As a young man, Burr had disting…
00:39:19 |
Wed 06 Aug 2025
Evolution on Trial | Live and Let Live | 4
The Scopes ""Monkey"" Trial was set against the backdrop of the roaring twenties, a time of both cultural upheaval and deep social tensions. While ostensibly about science versus religion, the trial …
00:38:08 |
Wed 30 Jul 2025
Listen Now: Lawless Planet
It’s not that hard to kill a planet. All it takes is a little drilling, some mining, a generous helping of pollution and voila! Earth over. When you take stock of what’s left, it starts to look like …
00:05:17 |
Mon 28 Jul 2025
History Daily: Henry VIII’s Fifth Wedding
July 28, 1540. King Henry VIII of England marries his fifth wife, Catherine Howard, 32 years his junior.
You can listen ad-free in the Wondery or Amazon Music app. Or for all that and more, go to…
00:15:36 |
Mon 28 Jul 2025
Evolution on Trial | Duel to the Death | 3
On July 20, 1925, the trial of John Scopes continued in the stifling heat of the overcrowded county courthouse in Dayton, Tennessee. Tempers flared as the defense and prosecution sparred over the que…
00:38:28 |
Wed 23 Jul 2025
Evolution on Trial | Monkeytown | 2
On the sweltering morning of July 10, 1925, 200 newspaper reporters, newsreel film producers, and radio broadcasters flooded the county courthouse in Dayton, Tennessee. Hot dog vendors, preachers, an…
00:37:04 |
Wed 16 Jul 2025
Listen Now: Flesh and Code
Travis never thought he’d meet someone like Lily Rose. She was kind, passionate, beautiful. The woman of his dreams. There was just one small detail: she wasn’t human.
Lily Rose is an AI companio…
00:08:43 |
Tue 15 Jul 2025
History Daily: The Lincoln Hospital Takeover
July 14, 1970. A group of Puerto Rican activists stage an occupation demanding better health care at the Lincoln Hospital in South Bronx, New York City.
You can listen ad-free in the Wondery or A…
00:14:04 |
Mon 14 Jul 2025
Evolution on Trial | A Clash of Giants | 1
In 1925, the famous politician and presidential contender William Jennings Bryan returned to the limelight to lead a new crusade against the teaching of evolution. With Bryan’s support, Tennessee bec…
00:38:28 |
Wed 09 Jul 2025
Typhoid Mary | Cook, Carrier, Captive | 3
In 1906, a New York health department investigation into an outbreak of typhoid fever led to the discovery that a cook, Mary Mallon, was an unsuspecting ""healthy carrier"" of the deadly bacteria. Th…
00:41:02 |
Wed 02 Jul 2025
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