Rephonic
Artwork for Ben Franklin's World

Ben Franklin's World

Liz Covart
American Revolution
Slavery
Declaration Of Independence
Boston Tea Party
Thomas Jefferson
Philadelphia
British Empire
Rhode Island
George Washington
Benjamin Franklin
Early American History
Genealogy
Continental Army
Haudenosaunee
Tea
Boston
Colonial Williamsburg
Colonial America
Loyalism
France

This is a multiple award-winning podcast about early American history. It’s a show for people who love history and who want to know more about the historical people and events that have impacted and shaped our present-day world. Each episode features conversations with professional historians who help shed light on important people and events in early American history.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes507Founded12 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Society & CultureHistory

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Ben Franklin's World

Latest Episodes

The man Congress chose to draft the United States’ first constitution refused to vote for independence.

John Dickinson wrote a bold plan, one with a strong central government, religious liberty protections that included women, and a question in the ... more

YouTube

Declaring independence on July 2, 1776 was only the beginning. To actually become a nation, the United States needed something else: foreign allies, international recognition, and the credibility to negotiate as an equal among the world's great power... more

YouTube

Declaring independence on July 2, 1776, was only the beginning.

To actually become a nation, the United States needed something else: foreign allies, international recognition, and the credibility to negotiate as an equal among the world's great pow... more

YouTube

On July 4th, 2026, the United States marks 250 years since the Declaration of Independence announced a new nation to the world. But how well do we actually know the document we're celebrating?

Most of us can recite "We hold these truths to be self-e... more

YouTube

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

History Unplugged Podcast
History Unplugged PodcastHistory Unplugged
For the Ages: A History Podcast
For the Ages: A History PodcastThe New York Historical
Listening to America
Listening to AmericaListening to America

Recent Guests

Jane Calvert
Founding director and chief editor of the John Dickinson Writings Project
John Dickinson Writings Project
Episode: 445 How Independence Happened, Pt 3: The Articles of Confederation
Sara Georgini
Series editor of the Papers of John Adams at the Massachusetts Historical Society
Massachusetts Historical Society
Episode: 444 How Independence Happened, Part 2: The Model Treaty
Elijah Gould
Harnsworth Professor of American History at Oxford University; Professor at University of New Hampshire
Oxford University; University of New Hampshire
Episode: 444 How Independence Happened, Part 2: The Model Treaty
Woody Holton
Professor of history at University of South Carolina; author
University of South Carolina
Episode: 443 How Independence Happened, Part 1: The Lee Resolution
Terence Rucker
Senior historical publication specialist, Office of the Historian, U.S. House of Representatives
Office of the Historian, U.S. House of Representatives
Episode: 443 How Independence Happened, Part 1: The Lee Resolution
Danielle Allen
Foundation Professor at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey; author of Our Declaration
Institute for Advanced Study
Episode: BFW Revisited: Reading the Declaration of Independence for Equality
Eugene Procknow
Writer and historian of the American Revolution
Author; Journal of the American Revolution contributor
Episode: 442 Everyday Military Life in the American Revolution
Gabriel Neville
Writer and historian
Author; Journal of the American Revolution contributor
Episode: 442 Everyday Military Life in the American Revolution
Thomas Sobol
Chief of Interpretation and Education at Guilford Courthouse National Military Park
National Park Service
Episode: 442 Everyday Military Life in the American Revolution

Host

Liz Covart
Host of the show; Ben Franklin's World

Reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars from 1.7k ratings
  • Please, Fix the guest audio!

    I enjoy the content but every guest has audio issues. Some sound like they are on a speaker phone in 1995. Some sound like they are eating the mic. Sometimes it's close to unbearable.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    amywagner
    United Statesa month ago
  • Not Woke Enough

    Please, I need more shows about slavery.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    craneshaft
    United States2 months ago
  • Excellent podcast

    This is a very informative podcast. I have learned so much new stuff about our history. Liz is a great host with good questions for her excellent guests. Enjoying it so much!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Twin brook Farm
    United States2 months ago
  • Too much Valley-Speak!

    The Civilian Life in Occupied Cities episode is un-listenable! The vocal fry and Valley Girl accent are so grating and unprofessional.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    SaraB3301
    United States3 months ago
  • I like History & this Podcast

    Excellent podcast. Liz is a real powerhouse and has created an extensive library of interviews that offer engaging listening. Highly recommended!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Bill R.
    United States3 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Many praise the depth, breadth, and accessibility of scholarly content for a general audience.
A subset wishes for more conversational interview styles and tighter editing.
Some listeners feel recent episodes are too agenda-driven or focused on race/gender themes.
Overall high-quality, well-researched history with engaging guests and hosts.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#105
United States/History

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

BFW Revisited: Valley Forge
Q: Rick, could you remind us how the Continental Army came to winter at Valley Forge and what pushed the army to encamp there?
Washington chose Valley Forge after weighing several options; it offered high ground for surveillance, control of access, and a defensible position near Philadelphia, balancing logistics and political considerations as winter approached.
BFW Revisited: Reading the Declaration of Independence for Equality
Q: Why is the Declaration described as a group-written document rather than Jefferson's sole creation?
Because the committee, congressional debates, and subsequent edits by Adams, Franklin, Sherman, and Livingston shaped it; Jefferson synthesized and organized these inputs, producing a text that reflects multiple voices.
BFW Revisited: Reading the Declaration of Independence for Equality
Q: Can you explain how slow reading differs from our usual quick skim of the Declaration?
Slow reading invites us to examine sentences and their relationships, exploring how words express values and how the structure reveals the principles behind independence, rather than just listing grievances.
440 Jefferson's Cut Grievance and the British Monarchy's Role in Slavery
Q: Do you think King George III was to blame for slavery in British North America?
No, not in the sense that the Crown alone bore responsibility for the entire system; the monarchy operated within a broader imperial and economic framework where Parliament, merchants, and colonial structures also shaped policy and practice.
439 When the Declaration of Independence Was News
Q: When did the first news of the Declaration begin to spread in 1776?
News spread immediately after the vote, through Philadelphia coffeehouses, taverns, and a Pennsylvania Evening Post, with the full text following in print soon after.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Ben Franklin's World

What is Ben Franklin's World about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This program features in-depth conversations with professional historians who illuminate early American history, focusing on people, events, and the global context surrounding the American Revolution and the founding era. Episodes frequently explore topics like slavery, abolition, civilian life during wartime, Atlantic connections, and the diffusion of revolutionary ideas, often highlighting archival evidence, multifaceted perspectives, and public history implications. Notable strengths include rigorous scholarly analysis, guest expertise from universities and museums, and a consistent emphasis on underrepresented voices and cross-cultural connections that broaden understanding beyond traditional narratives.

Where can I find podcast stats for Ben Franklin's World?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Ben Franklin's World. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Ben Franklin's World and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Ben Franklin's World get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Ben Franklin's World, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Ben Franklin's World?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Ben Franklin's World, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Ben Franklin's World have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Ben Franklin's World has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Ben Franklin's World?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Ben Franklin's World:

1. History Unplugged Podcast
2. For the Ages: A History Podcast
3. American History Hit
4. Listening to America
5. Lectures in History

How many episodes of Ben Franklin's World are there?

Ben Franklin's World launched 12 years ago and published 507 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Ben Franklin's World?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Ben Franklin's World?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Ben Franklin's World from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Ben Franklin's World?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Ben Franklin's World. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Ben Franklin's World?

Recent guests on Ben Franklin's World include:

1. Jane Calvert
2. Sara Georgini
3. Elijah Gould
4. Woody Holton
5. Terence Rucker
6. Danielle Allen
7. Eugene Procknow
8. Gabriel Neville

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.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days