Ben Franklin's World

Liz Covart

American Revolution

Declaration Of Independence

Slavery

Thomas Jefferson

Boston Tea Party

Philadelphia

British Empire

Rhode Island

Benjamin Franklin

George Washington

Early American History

Haudenosaunee

Boston

Genealogy

Continental Army

Tea

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.

1.8k ratings

Publishes	Weekly	Episodes	516	Founded	12 years ago
Number of Listeners		Categories	HistorySociety & Culture

Listen to this Podcast

Guests Host Reviews Charts Talking Points

Latest Episodes

BFW Revisited: The Ideological Origins of the American Revolution

What caused the American Revolution?

Taxation without representation? Colonies that had outgrown their dependence on the British Empire? Or something harder to see: a quarrel about power itself and about what a government may rightly do to the peop... more

8 Sep 2026 • 51 min

YouTube

450 Whose Revolution? The Delaware and the War for Independence

In December 1776, a Delaware Chief named White Eyes stood before the Second Continental Congress. He had not come to declare himself a revolutionary, nor had he come to pledge his loyalty to King George III. White Eyes came to test a promise.

What d... more

1 Sep 2026 • 1 hr 8 min • Most popular

YouTube

BFW Revisited: The Brafferton Indian School, Part 1

In 1723, the College of William & Mary opened the Brafferton building, a permanent home for an Indian School the college had been chartered to run and struggled to fill for its first 30 years. The premise of the Brafferton: take Native boys and strat... more

25 Aug 2026 • 1 hr 23 min

YouTube

449 Stealing America: Indigenous Slavery and the American Revolution

More than half a million Indigenous people were enslaved within the present-day borders of the United States.

Historian Linford Fisher spent fifteen years in archives across North America, the Caribbean, and Britain to investigate this forgotten hi... more

18 Aug 2026 • 1 hr 32 min

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 PodcastHistory Unplugged

For the Ages: A History PodcastThe New York Historical

American History HitHistory Hit

Lectures in HistoryC-SPAN

This American PresidentThis American President

Recent Guests

Jeremy Johnson

Cultural Education Director of the Delaware Tribe of Indians

Delaware Tribe of Indians

Episode: 450 Whose Revolution? The Delaware and the War for Independence

Brooke Bower

Indigenous historian, Catawba Nation expert

University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Episode: BFW Revisited: The Brafferton Indian School, Part 1

Fallon Berner

Indigenous Historian for Colonial Williamsburg Foundation

Colonial Williamsburg Foundation

Episode: BFW Revisited: The Brafferton Indian School, Part 1

Buck Woodard

Senior professorial lecturer, Anthropology

American University

Episode: BFW Revisited: The Brafferton Indian School, Part 1

Lorén Spears

Enrolled Narragansett Tribal Citizen and Executive Director of the Tomaquag Museum

Tomaquag Museum

Episode: 449 Stealing America: Indigenous Slavery and the American Revolution

Michael Witgen

Professor of history, Center for the Study of Ethnicity and Race at Columbia University

Columbia University

Episode: BFW Revisited: American Expansion & the Political Economy of Plunder

Mary Beth Norton

Mary Donlon Alger Professor Emerita at Cornell University, historian

Cornell University

Episode: 448 The Declaration of Independence as American Scripture

Maeve Kane

Associate Professor of History at the University at Albany

University at Albany

Episode: BFW Revisited Threads of Power

Geoff Benton

Historian, Clermont State Historic Site

Clermont State Historic Site, New York

Episode: 447 The Other Committee Members: Robert R. Livingston, Roger Sherman, and the Declaration of Independence

Host

Elizabeth Covart

Lead host and historian focused on early American history with extensive archival and scholarly collaboration.

Reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars from 1.8k 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 States4 months ago
Not Woke Enough
Please, I need more shows about slavery.
Apple Podcasts
1
craneshaft
United States4 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 States4 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 States5 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 States6 months ago

Embed These Reviews on a Website

Listeners Say

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

Listener feedback shows desire for high-quality audio and balanced perspectives.

Guests come from top universities and museums, adding credibility.

Deep-dive history with strong scholarly rigor.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts	#198	United States/History
Apple Podcasts	#228	Israel/History

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

450 Whose Revolution? The Delaware and the War for Independence

Q: What do you think might have happened if the United States had invited Native Nations to form an Indigenous State within the United States, with the Delaware at the head?

The guest suggested that while it's a compelling ideal, it would have been unlikely to sustain a unified government if the Delaware led a 14th state; he imagined a truly unique governance rooted in shared decision-making but warned that power dynamics and internal factions would still pose challenges.

450 Whose Revolution? The Delaware and the War for Independence

Q: Now, as you know, Jeremy, we're in the 250th year of American independence, and many states are reconsidering the meaning of the Revolution. How are the Delaware people thinking about the 250th anniversary and what it means to them?

There are diverse views within Lenape communities about the anniversary: some celebrate veterans and resilience while others emphasize the trauma of displacement and treaties that did not hold, underscoring the need for reconciliation and acknowledgement of past harms.

448 The Declaration of Independence as American Scripture

Q: What role would you like to see in 2026 for the parchment copy of the Declaration in American life? Is there still a usefulness to having it serve as a form of Scripture?

The parchment copy serves as a beacon of enduring principles—equality, life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness—and as a public, moral standard that communities refer to in debates over rights and national identity; it remains a symbol and reference point rather than just a historical artifact.

448 The Declaration of Independence as American Scripture

Q: How does Pauline interpret the weeks in June when Jefferson was drafting and the committee and then the full Congress were revising and adopting the Declaration?

Norton explains that Pauline stresses the collectivity involved, noting Jefferson drew on ideas from various sources and that the Congress and its editing committees refined and improved the draft, illustrating a collaborative process rather than a lone author's revelation.

448 The Declaration of Independence as American Scripture

Q: So Mary Beth, can you situate us in the 1990s? Before Pauline's book, what was the state of historians thinking about the declaration?

Norton explains that the dominant framework followed Becker's early 20th-century perspective, which treated the Declaration largely as Jefferson's product and as an intellectual document. Pauline Maier reframed this by situating the Declaration within a broader social and political context, emphasizing collective authorship, the participation of many people in drafting, and the idea that the Declaration reflected wider currents of thought and action across colonies, not just Philadelphia's Congress.

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 show presents meticulous, historian-led explorations of early American history, with a strong emphasis on the founding era, revolutionary diplomacy, and the lived experiences of people from Indigenous nations to enslaved communities. Episodes often center on documentary-era documents, archival sources, and the interpretations of leading scholars, producing rigorous, source-driven conversations that connect past events to contemporary debates about sovereignty, rights, and national identity. Noteworthy traits include a scholarly guest roster drawn from top universities, museums, and national institutions, plus a clear focus on contextualizing foundational documents and institutions within broader social and political histories. Potentia... more

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 four 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. Lectures in History
5. This American President

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

Ben Franklin's World launched 12 years ago and published 516 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. Jeremy Johnson
2. Brooke Bower
3. Fallon Berner
4. Buck Woodard
5. Lorén Spears
6. Michael Witgen
7. Mary Beth Norton
8. Maeve Kane

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