Archive for January, 2013
Straight Shot: Guns in America [Rebroadcast]
On this episode, the History Guys look at who has had access to guns in the U.S., and what those guns have meant to the people who have owned them.
Four More Years: Presidential Inaugurations
As the rest of Washington looks forward to the next four years, BackStory is looking back — at the last 224 years of presidential transitions. On today’s show, the History Guys focus in on several of the most high-stakes presidential inaugurations, and ask what these moments tell us about the social and political forces at [...]
All Hopped Up: Drugs in America
In December, recreational marijuana use became legal in Washington and Colorado. But back in the early 20th century, both states were among the first to ban the drug. If that seems like a radical change, well – it’s hardly the first time a drug has undergone a major image overhaul in America. This week, we trace the [...]
Thenceforward and Forever Free [Rebroadcast]
We look at the narratives surrounding the Emancipation Proclamation and try to unpack its legacy. How can we best understand emancipation – as a moral imperative, a military necessity, a political strategy, or all of the above?
