A history of the US in 100 unexpected objects
HistoryExtra podcast
07/02/26
•38m
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As the United States marks the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, Americans are taking a fresh look at their nation's past. But what if the story of the US isn't best told through presidents, wars and famous speeches? In this episode, Roman Mars – host of new series The History of the United States in 100 Objects – tells Emily Briffett about what some of those items tell us about the nation's extraordinary past.
The History of the United States in 100 Objects is a BBC Studios and 99% Invisible co-production for SiriusXM and is available to listen to weekly on BBC Sounds and wherever you get your podcasts.
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Previous Episode
An A-Z history of the English alphabet
June 30
•47m
Which letter of the English alphabet did Benjamin Franklin think we'd be better off without? Why must the letter U (almost) always follow the letter Q? And what is the point of silent letters? From the first scratches carved into stone to the maddening mysteries of modern English spelling, the alphabet has had a long and extraordinary journey. In this episode, Emily Briffett is joined by linguist, writer and broadcaster Danny Bate to explore the history of the English alphabet, and the strange story behind the letters we use every day.
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GO BEYOND THE PODCAST
Curious to find out more about the ancient civilisations who greatly influenced the alphabet's trajectory? Leanr more about the Phoenicians with Josephine Quinn here: https://bit.ly/42nZ5iC
And check out this episode on the Etruscans with Lucy Shipley here: https://bit.ly/48O2T0g
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Next Episode
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•35m
After declaring independence, the United States still had to survive a brutal conflict. In the third episode of HistoryExtra's four-part series on the American Revolutionary War, Elinor Evans and Adam IP Smith explore the military realities of the American Revolution: George Washington’s leadership, the importance of France, and the turning points that changed the conflict.
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GO BEYOND THE PODCAST
To find all the further reading mentioned in this series, head to our curated list, which includes archive podcast episodes and video clips on battles, key figures and more, all available in the HistoryExtra app: https://bit.ly/42OYGpt
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