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American History Hotline

Scratch Track Productions
George Washington
Abraham Lincoln
American History
Civil War
Slavery
Electoral College
Parson Weems
Daylight Saving Time
Southern Strategy
Buffalo Soldiers
Thomas Jefferson
Great Depression
Republican Party
Democratic Party
Aztec Empire
World War II
Second Avenue Subway
JFK
Marilyn Monroe
Independence Day

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 AmericanHistoryHotline@gmail.com.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes64Foundeda year ago
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HistoryEducation

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Artwork for American History Hotline

Latest Episodes

Why does the United States use the Electoral College instead of a national popular vote? Wait Wait ... Don't Tell Me! Or, actually, DO tell me.

To get answers, Bob calls up Peter Sagal, longtime host of NPR's Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! and host o... more

The history of the Army Rangers isn't one continuous story, it's a cycle of creation, disbandment, and revival that stretches back before the United States even existed.

In this episode of Bob calls up Brian Halstead, President of the U.S. Army Ran... more

How did the Cold War really end?

Most Americans know about the Berlin Wall and the fall of the Soviet Union—but few know about the extraordinary meeting that helped make it all possible.

On this episode of American History Hotline, host Bob Crawf... more

Guns, germs and steel. Emphasis on GERMS. When Europeans arrived in the Americas, they brought all sorts of diseases!

A listener asks: Why did diseases like smallpox devastate Native American populations but not European colonists? Was it simply a... more

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Recent Guests

Peter Sagal
Host of NPR's Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me; historian
NPR / PBS Constitution USA
Episode: Why Does America Have the Electoral College? Peter Sagal Explains
Brian Halstead
President of the US Army Ranger Association
US Army Ranger Association
Episode: Why Did the U.S. Army Keep Disbanding the Rangers?
Michael Russell Gunn
Writer and Director of The Brink of War
The Brink of War (film)
Episode: How Did the Cold War End? Reagan, Gorbachev & the Secret Summit That Changed History
Charles C. Mann
Journalist and author of 1491 and 1493; co-host of Everyday Abundance
Author and Journalist
Episode: Why Did Disease Devastate Native Americans—but Not European Colonists? | Charles C. Mann
Alex Wellerstein
Historian of science at Stevens Institute of Technology
Stevens Institute of Technology
Episode: The Man Who Saved Kyoto?
Ric Gillespie
Author of One More Good Flight, The Amelia Earhart Tragedy; Director of The International Group for Historic Aircraft Recovery (TIGHAR)
TIGHAR
Episode: Did Amelia Earhart survive her disappearance? (Part 2)
Dorothy Cochrane
Curator at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum (general aviation and women in aviation)
Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
Episode: What Happened to Amelia Earhart? Inside the World's Greatest Aviation Mystery (Part 1)
Barbara A. Perry
Professor of Presidential Studies at the University of Virginia's Miller Center
University of Virginia Miller Center
Episode: Do Americans Have a Right to Know the President's Health?
Jake Brennan
Host of the Disgraceland podcast
Disgraceland
Episode: Did Jim Morrison's Dad Start the Vietnam War?

Hosts

Bob Crawford
Host of American History Hotline; docks on credentials as a history-focused interviewer.
Kathleen DuVal
Guest expert and author featured on episodes covering early American history.

Reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars from 138 ratings
  • My FAVORITE PODCAST

    This is my absolute favorite podcast! 10/10 recommend! I actually get excited when I see a new episode! Thank you for this!

    Candy Armstrong

    Louisiana Cajun

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    TranplantMom
    United States7 months ago
  • Almost!

    You have a title of what “Watergate does not bother me” and you spend a minute on it. I thought you might dive into the fake outrage culture of taking events like ‘Watergate’ or ‘Jan 6’ and treat it as something comparable to ‘9/11’ or ‘Pearl Harbor” but, no.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    Youdumpster
    United States9 months ago
  • Fantastic

    I love history and I love podcasts with a conversational style and this scratches both itches. He gets different experts on for every topic and they’re always great. My new favorite that I can’t stop binging.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    upinatem
    United States10 months ago
  • Great find!

    So glad to have found this podcast! I’m enjoying hearing interesting topics explained in an interesting way. Bob Crawford and his guests provide amazing context to American History. I’m in the process of binging all the episodes and am happy I cottoned on to the podcast relatively early!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    SeaSuCC
    United States10 months ago
  • Columbus

    He was not “just a man of his time”, he was a crazed genocidal man who doesn’t need to be mentioned politely.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Antks555
    United Statesa year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Fans highlight the host's engaging conversational style and breadth of topics.
Some reviews note perceived partisanship and sponsorship clutter.
Listeners praise accessible, story-driven history with strong guest lineups.

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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

How Did the Cold War End? Reagan, Gorbachev & the Secret Summit That Changed History
Q: Naomi's question: how did the Cold War end when there was so much tension for so long?
The guest explains that the Reykjavik Summit created a foundation of personal trust between Reagan and Gorbachev, which opened the door to significant nuclear-arms negotiations and culminated in a broader shift that contributed to the end of the Cold War, not as a single event but as a process of engagement and verification.
Why Did Disease Devastate Native Americans—but Not European Colonists? | Charles C. Mann
Q: How did immunity affect mortality differences between Native populations and European settlers?
There were two forms of immunity: genetic resistance in some groups due to long-term exposure to diseases like malaria and acquired immunity from surviving childhood diseases, which meant settlers often had lower mortality in their own cohorts than Indigenous populations when faced with the same outbreaks.
Why Did Disease Devastate Native Americans—but Not European Colonists? | Charles C. Mann
Q: Did the pilgrim era outbreaks stem from the same diseases that affected broader New England and other early settlements?
Yes, outbreaks were linked to similar diseases brought by European arrivals; the Pilgrims encountered a landscape already devastated by epidemics among Native populations and later faced new waves as colonial settlements expanded.
What Happened to Amelia Earhart? Inside the World's Greatest Aviation Mystery (Part 1)
Q: What happened to Amelia Earhart?
Dorothy Cochrane explains that Earhart disappeared during the final legs of her around-the-world flight due to a combination of fuel exhaustion, heavy aircraft, and failed navigation and communications. The lack of reliable two-way communication and the inability to determine a precise bearing left Earhart and Noonan without a clear course to Howland, making the final fate uncertain but most plausibly a crash near the Howland area, where no conclusive wreckage has been found.
Was Abortion Always Controversial? From the Pilgrims to Dobbs v. Jackson
Q: What is the significance of the Dobbs decision in changing access today?
Dobbs overturned Roe, returning abortion regulation to the states, which has created a patchwork system where access is highly dependent on geography, leading some to travel long distances and face legal and logistical hurdles to obtain care.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About American History Hotline

What is American History Hotline about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Historian-focused Q&A and interview show that surfaces expert perspectives on American history, from colonial times through modern debates. Episodes center on schooling, abortion history, Congress, Native diplomacy, immigration, presidential biographies, and labor or war-era events, often pairing a host with university-affiliated or published historians and authors. Notable strengths include a steady stream of credentialed guests, accessible storytelling, and a format that invites listener questions and listener-driven topics. This combination makes it useful for listeners who want clear historical context, debated viewpoints, and practical takeaways tied to current discussions about policy, culture, and education.

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How many listeners does American History Hotline get?

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Which podcasts are similar to American History Hotline?

These podcasts share a similar audience with American History Hotline:

1. Throughline
2. History That Doesn't Suck
3. HISTORY This Week
4. Stuff You Missed in History Class
5. Family Lore

How many episodes of American History Hotline are there?

American History Hotline launched a year ago and published 64 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on American History Hotline?

Recent guests on American History Hotline include:

1. Peter Sagal
2. Brian Halstead
3. Michael Russell Gunn
4. Charles C. Mann
5. Alex Wellerstein
6. Ric Gillespie
7. Dorothy Cochrane
8. Barbara A. Perry

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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