America: The Story of the USA - Details, episodes & analysis

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America: The Story of the USA

Liam Heffernan | A Mercury Podcast

History

News

Society & Culture

Frequency: 1 episode/5d. Total Eps: 219

Blending US history, American politics, and news, America: The Story of the USA is your ultimate guide to the United States of America, in partnership with the British Association for American Studies. With the world's biggest experts and brightest minds, we unpack the big moments, bold ideas, and cultural shifts that define the nation. Whether you’re in the US, the UK, or anywhere with an interest in US news, this podcast brings clarity and context to the American experience. We connect the dots in American history, from the Founding Fathers to Donald Trump, breaking down how the past informs the present — and why it matters. . AD FREE & BONUS CONTENT: https://www.patreon.com/cw/americathestoryoftheusa . GET THE NEWSLETTER: https://america-the-story-of-the-usa.beehiiv.com/ BRANDS & ADVERTISING: liam@mercurypodcasts.com . America: A History is a part of the Mercury Podcast Network, hosted by your resident US expert Liam Heffernan, in partnership with The British Association for American Studies: baas.ac.uk

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Why Don't Americans Get Sarcasm?

Tuesday, April 14, 2026 • Duration 56:22

Sarcasm is often treated as a cultural fault line - the old joke goes that Americans don’t get it, or don’t use it, or somehow take everything just a little too literally. But behind that joke is a much bigger story about how humor works in America: what Americans find funny, how comedy has evolved across the last century, and how jokes reveal deeper truths about national identity, power, and social norms. We’re going to look closer at the history of comedy in America - how it evolved, how it compares to the rest of the world, and what makes American comedy American. So in this episode, I’m asking… why don't Americans get sarcasm? . Special Guest: Beck Krefting a Professor of American Studies and Director of the Center for Leadership, Teaching, and Learning at Skidmore College. She is a leading scholar in feminist comedy studies, performance, and the cultural history of stand-up. Her acclaimed book, All Joking Aside: American Humor and Its Discontents, explores how comedians use “charged humor” to challenge social norms and push for justice. . Highlights: 02:00 - Comedic Styles and Politics 06:54 - Vaudeville and Blackface 11:35 - The History of Jewish Comedy 20:21 - The Emergence of Radio and TV 25:03 - Standup and Late Night TV 29:49 - The American Sense of Humour 33:56 - Is Hollywood Owned by the Left? 40:31 - The N Word 45:30 - Comedy Comes Full Circle . For an extended reading list and to learn more, join our Patreon community now: ⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/cw/americathestoryoftheusa⁠ . Contact us: america@podcastsbyliam.com Get the newsletter: ⁠⁠⁠https://america-the-story-of-the-usa.beehiiv.com/⁠⁠⁠ Brands & advertises: liam@mercurypodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Study Notes: The Presidents - John Adams (1797 - 1801)

Friday, April 10, 2026 • Duration 11:26

America: Study Notes are quickfire explainers for all the things you want to know about the USA, but don't want to ask. Today: and continuing our Presidents series, is the second President of the United States, John Adams - his election, presidency, key achievements and legacy. . Contact us: america@podcastsbyliam.com Join the community: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/cw/americathestoryoftheusa⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - use code USA26 for 50% off your first month Get the newsletter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://america-the-story-of-the-usa.beehiiv.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Brand & advertising enquiries: liam@mercurypodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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In the Making: The Day A Whole Civilization Nearly Died

Thursday, April 9, 2026 • Duration 59:18

This week, we discuss one of the wildest couple of day in modern politics, atter Trump's threat to wipe out a whole civilization sparked global panic, and an 11th hour ceasefire deal was announced with Iran. But who wins from this? Has Trump's reputation been damaged beyond repair? And is it time to start worrying about a nuclear war? Plus, reaction to Pam Bondi's firing, and the latest from NASA's record breaking mission to the moon. The guest today is Dr. Tim Galsworthy, lecturer in History and Military History at Lincoln Bishop University. . Stories Mentioned: Pam Bondi fired: https://news.sky.com/story/trump-latest-us-president-fires-attorney-general-pam-bondi-13526493 Artemis II breaks records: https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasas-artemis-ii-crew-eclipses-record-for-farthest-human-spaceflight/ Trump agrees Iran ceasefire: https://apnews.com/live/iran-war-israel-trump-04-07-2026 Trump’s Truth Social: https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump . America: The Story of the USA is a Podcasts by Liam production for ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mercury⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, in partnership with the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠British Association for American Studies⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: https://america-the-story-of-the-usa.beehiiv.com/ Join the community: https://www.patreon.com/americathestoryoftheusa Get in touch: america@podcastsbyliam.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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What is Unit 731... and Why Did the USA Cover It Up?

Tuesday, April 7, 2026 • Duration 48:03

Unit 731 was a secret biological warfare and human‑experimentation program run by the Imperial Japanese Army before and during World War II. Its experiments - vivisection, deliberate infection with plague, anthrax and other pathogens, frostbite and pressure tests, and field releases of disease - killed thousands, and left a legacy of trauma across East Asia. After the war, many perpetrators avoided prosecution when U.S. authorities granted immunity in exchange for research data, a decision that raises urgent questions about ethics, power, and how states value scientific knowledge over justice. So in this episode, I’m asking… what is Unit 731, and why did the US cover it up? . Special Guest: Jenny Chan, the founder of Pacific Atrocities Education - https://pacificatrocities.org - an organization dedicated to documenting and teaching about wartime atrocities in the Asia‑Pacific, including Unit 731. She curates resources, produces educational materials, and works with survivors’ families and scholars to keep this history visible. . Highlights: 02:44 - The Origins of Unit 731 07:23 - The Experiments 10:49 - The Victims 17:12 - The Discovery of Unit 731 24:00 - Why Cover It Up? 28:28 - The Test is Classified 34:47 - The Ethics of Covering Up 40:42 - Institutional Trust . For an extended reading list and to learn more, join our Patreon community now: ⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/cw/americathestoryoftheusa⁠ . Contact us: america@podcastsbyliam.com Get the newsletter: ⁠⁠⁠https://america-the-story-of-the-usa.beehiiv.com/⁠⁠⁠ Brands & advertises: liam@mercurypodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Study Notes: The Presidents - George Washington (1789 - 1797)

Friday, April 3, 2026 • Duration 12:10

America: Study Notes are quickfire explainers for all the things you want to know about the USA, but don't want to ask. Today: and the first of our Presidents series, is all about George Washington - his election, presidency, key achievements and legacy. . Contact us: america@podcastsbyliam.com Join the community: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/cw/americathestoryoftheusa⁠⁠⁠⁠ - use code USA26 for 50% off your first month Get the newsletter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://america-the-story-of-the-usa.beehiiv.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠ Brand & advertising enquiries: liam@mercurypodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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In the Making: Artemis II Launches as Trump's Ballroom Stalls

Thursday, April 2, 2026 • Duration 56:55

This week, UEA's Emma Long joins Liam to break down a packed slate of US political drama and historic scientific achievement. They explore Donald Trump’s controversial executive order to create a national voter list, the constitutional backlash from states, and the wider political strategy behind tightening mail‑in voting rules. They then unpack Trump’s underwhelming national address amid the escalating Iran conflict, rising global oil prices, and growing fears about America’s commitment to NATO. Plus, they turn to NASA’s Artemis II mission, which has just launched four astronauts on a historic journey around the moon. What will it mean, and what's the point? . Stories Mentioned: Trump’s national voter list: https://www.newsweek.com/trump-nationwide-voter-list-executive-order-legal-challenges-11765880 The latest in Iran: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c36r5p1l7w3t NASA Artemis II website: https://www.nasa.gov/mission/artemis-ii/ White House ballroom stalls: https://apnews.com/article/trump-white-house-ballroom-construction-halted-9cafc70569a3a05fcbaa6cafddbeace4 . America: The Story of the USA is a Podcasts by Liam production for ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mercury⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, in partnership with the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠British Association for American Studies⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: https://america-the-story-of-the-usa.beehiiv.com/ Join the community: https://www.patreon.com/americathestoryoftheusa Get in touch: america@podcastsbyliam.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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What is Mount Rushmore?

Tuesday, March 31, 2026 • Duration 01:00:20

Carved into the granite spine of the Black Hills, Mount Rushmore is one of the most recognisable images in American culture - four presidential faces staring out across South Dakota, invoked endlessly as a symbol of patriotism, democracy and national pride. But behind the postcard image lies a far more tangled story: a monument born from economic desperation, shaped by political ambition, sculpted by a man with deep ties to the Ku Klux Klan, and built on land the United States illegally seized from the Lakota Sioux. In this episode, we trace the mountain’s transformation from a state tourism scheme into a federally funded memorial, explore the complicated legacy of its sculptor Gutzon Borglum, and examine how the monument’s meaning has shifted across a century of American history. From the 1868 Treaty of Fort Laramie to the rise of automobile tourism, from the politics of Calvin Coolidge to the unfinished Hall of Records, Mount Rushmore is a story of artistry, myth‑making, erasure and unresolved trauma. So in this episode, we're asking… what is Mount Rushmore? . Special Guest: Matthew Davis is an acclaimed author and journalist whose work explores the intersections of history, culture and contested landscapes. His latest book, A Biography of a Mountain: The Making and Meaning of Mount Rushmore, offers the most comprehensive narrative history of the memorial to date. . Highlights: 02:13 - The Origin Story 06:58 - Politics and Money 14:33 - Gutzon Borglum 25:37 - Mount Rushmore's Construction 30:05 - How Many Deaths? 38:33 - Native Impact 46:56 - Preservation of the site . For an extended reading list and to learn more, join our Patreon community now: ⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/cw/americathestoryoftheusa⁠ . Contact us: america@podcastsbyliam.com Get the newsletter: ⁠⁠⁠https://america-the-story-of-the-usa.beehiiv.com/⁠⁠⁠ Brands & advertises: liam@mercurypodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Study Notes: All 50 US States, Abbreviations and Capital Cities

Friday, March 27, 2026 • Duration 09:41

America: Study Notes are quickfire explainers for all the things you want to know about the USA, but don't want to ask. This week, All 50 US States, including their abbreviations and capital cities. It’s the most boring party trick in the world, but super handy for revision! . Contact us: america@podcastsbyliam.com Join the community: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/cw/americathestoryoftheusa⁠⁠⁠ - use code USA26 for 50% off your first month Get the newsletter: ⁠⁠⁠https://america-the-story-of-the-usa.beehiiv.com/⁠⁠⁠ Brand & advertising enquiries: liam@mercurypodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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In the Making: Is Donald Trump Ok?

Thursday, March 26, 2026 • Duration 47:53

This week, we discuss Christopher Columbus statues near the White House, another lawsuit for Bill Cosby, and with increasingly irrational behaviour, we genuinely want to know if the President is ok. . Stories Mentioned: A Christopher Columbus statue is erected next to the White House: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/trump-places-statue-christopher-columbus-white-house-rcna264668 Bill Cosby liable for $59m in damages following civil trial: https://apnews.com/article/bill-cosby-verdict-sexual-assault-motsinger-83b384df93fd9bf862b553b19b5aa4f9 Donald Trump's diplomacy: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/trump-s-iran-strategy-showcases-doctrine-of-unpredictability-amid-strike-threats-and-sudden-pause/ar-AA1ZhSzq?ocid=BingNewsSerp Hospital squatter: https://apnews.com/article/florida-tallahassee-healthcare-hospital-1722512e3e9b6dc2662bcb6c9097ca1d . America: The Story of the USA is a Podcasts by Liam production for ⁠⁠⁠⁠Mercury⁠⁠⁠⁠, in partnership with the ⁠⁠⁠⁠British Association for American Studies⁠⁠⁠⁠. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: https://america-the-story-of-the-usa.beehiiv.com/ Join the community: https://www.patreon.com/americathestoryoftheusa Get in touch: america@podcastsbyliam.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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What is CrossFit?

Tuesday, March 24, 2026 • Duration 56:17

It began as "a choose your own adventure” that let wildly different gyms wear the same name, and it "grew into one of the most influential and controversial fitness movements in the world." CrossFit exploded from a scrappy California experiment into a global fitness phenomenon that rewired how people train, belong, and build identity, while also exposing fault lines around leadership, safety, and culture. In this episode we explore the movement’s internet‑era rise, the low‑barrier licensing model that let thousands of “boxes” proliferate, and the tension between CrossFit’s empowering grassroots community and the toxic, exclusionary practices that later fractured the brand. We trace how the CrossFit Games and a cult‑like group identity amplified both the movement’s best outcomes - community, strength, accessibility - and its worst: inconsistent standards, competitive excess, and leadership failures. So in this episode, we're asking… what is CrossFit? . Special Guest: Alyssa Royse, is a writer, gym owner, and longtime advocate for inclusive, science‑based fitness. She founded Rocket Community Fitness in Seattle as a CrossFit affiliate and later publicly disassociated from the brand over concerns about culture, leadership, and safety. Alyssa combines frontline experience running a neighborhood box with marketing expertise and a public record of critique and reform, making her a leading voice on what CrossFit got right, what it broke, and how fitness communities can do better. . Highlights: 02:09 - The Dot Com Boom 07:20 - What Does CrossFit Stand For? 11:45 - The National Identity of CrossFit 17:58 - The Multimillion Dollar Question 22:14 - Stop Being Assholes 27:38 - Toxic Masculinity and the Cult of CrossFit 34:17 - Materialism 42:41 - Post-Greg . For an extended reading list and to learn more, join our Patreon community now: ⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/cw/americathestoryoftheusa⁠ . Contact us: america@podcastsbyliam.com Get the newsletter: ⁠⁠⁠https://america-the-story-of-the-usa.beehiiv.com/⁠⁠⁠ Brands & advertises: liam@mercurypodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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America: The Story of the USA - Details, episodes & analysis

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America: The Story of the USA - Details, episodes & analysis

Podcast details

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