Tag Archives: Great Britain

038 – The Nation’s Chief Diplomat



The State Department Building, c. 1865, courtesy of Wikipedia

Henry Clay takes over the State Department and finds he has big shoes to fill coming in after John Quincy Adams. As he assumes his duties, he is forced to deal with personal tragedy, poor health, and difficult diplomatic negotiations. Though scoring some wins abroad as new treaties are entered into, Clay only meets with frustration when dealing with the British and with folks back home in Kentucky. Listen in as we discuss the period of Clay’s life that one historian calls “the least congenial period of his whole official life.” Source information for this episode can be found at http://whhpodcast.blubrry.com.


032 – Westward Ho



Fort Laramie by Alfred Jacob Miller (c. 1858-1860), courtesy of the Walters Art Museum

Westward expansion was one of the underlying causes of the American Revolution and played a key role in early American history. In this episode, I give a quick overview of the American push towards the Pacific beginning with the trans-Appalachian west and carrying on to Texas and Oregon. This expansion would ultimately impact not just the settlers making the move but also the native peoples already in the area as well as have ramifications for the 19th century geopolitical landscape. Source information and handy maps for reference can be found at http://whhpodcast.blubrry.com.