Founding Son: John Quincy's America

In 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.

It 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.

We 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.

New 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 [email protected] omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John 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.

When 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.

John Quincy Adams unleashes on the House floor over two pivotal issues of the 1830s: The annexation of Texas, and prohibiting the discussion of slavery in the U.S. House, known as the Gag rule. 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.

Warning: This episode contains a brief description of violence. Andrew Jackson ascends to the presidency after defeating John Quincy Adams in an 1828 rematch. But Jackson is tested by another rival: his own vice president. Meanwhile, Adams arrives in Congress and finds himself in the middle of the slavery debate. 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.

After a difficult term in office, President John Quincy Adams loses re-election to Andrew Jackson in 1828, one of the most malicious presidential campaigns in American history. But a post-presidential run for Congress gives Adams another chance at political greatness. 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.

A contentious 1824 presidential election and accusations of a “corrupt bargain” by rival Andrew Jackson raise the stakes for John Quincy Adams as he prepares to take the office his father held just two decades earlier. 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.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.