logo
episode-header-image
Sep 2023
42m 7s

President Thomas Jefferson

History Hit
About this episode

Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the Declaration of Independence, so how did it work out when he became the leader of this nation that he was so instrumental in founding?


For the third episode in American History Hit's special series about the Presidents, we're exploring Jefferson's presidency. What challenges did he face during his time as President, and how did he mould the early years of the nation?


Don is joined for this episode by Professor Frank Cogliano, direct from Thomas Jefferson's Monticello. Frank is a Professor of American History at the University of Edinburgh.


Produced by Sophie Gee. Edited by Siobhan Dale. The senior Producer was Charlotte Long.


Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world-renowned historians like Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code DANSNOW. Download the app or sign up here.


PLEASE VOTE NOW! for Dan Snow's History Hit in the British Podcast Awards Listener's Choice category here. Every vote counts, thank you!


We'd love to hear from you! You can email the podcast at ds.hh@historyhit.com.


You can take part in our listener survey here.


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Up next
Today
John F. Kennedy: Myths vs Reality
<p>John F. Kennedy was a man of charm, power, and contradictions. Behind the public image of the heroic president lay a figure plagued by pain, haunted by his past, and driven by desire.</p><br><p>Dan is joined by esteemed biographer Randy Taraborelli to explore Kennedy's private ... Show More
43m 41s
Nov 20
The Spanish Armada
<p>In 1588, Spain’s mighty armada sailed to invade England and change the balance of power in Europe. Dan explains why Philip II launched the Armada, details the high-stakes clash in the Channel, and outlines the decisive tactics, leadership and luck that helped the English preva ... Show More
1h 9m
Nov 17
Nuremberg: The Trial of Göring
<p>Warning: This episode contains discussion of suicide.</p><br><p>When the Nuremberg Trials began in November 1945, Hermann Göring was the highest-ranking Nazi to face justice for the crimes of the Third Reich. Charismatic, manipulative and unrepentant, he became the central fig ... Show More
40m 3s
Recommended Episodes
Aug 2023
President George Washington
<p>He was the victorious Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. As presiding officer of the Constitutional Convention, he oversaw the birth of the government of the United States. But George Washington is remembered by most as the first ... Show More
40m 34s
Jan 2024
President Millard Fillmore: The Most Handsome President?
<p>How did a president lose his entire cabinet so soon after taking office? What was his role in the Westward expansion of the United States? And where did the name Millard come from?</p><br><p>From teaching himself to read to becoming President of the United States, today we are ... Show More
48m 15s
Dec 2023
President John Tyler: The 'Accidental' President
<p>He may have been the tenth President, but John Tyler - 'His Accidency' - was a pioneer in many ways.</p><br><p>Tyler was the first Vice President to assume the position of commander-in-chief on the death of their running mate, the first President to be kicked out of their own ... Show More
37m 5s
Jan 2024
President Zachary Taylor
<p>Once the most popular man in America, hero of the Mexican-American war Zachary Taylor is our twelfth President and the subject of this episode.</p><br><p>To find out what Taylor managed to achieve in his 16 months in office, and how his presidency was marred with debates over ... Show More
49m 34s
Nov 2023
President Martin Van Buren
<p>The 'Little Magician', the 'Sly Fox' or - to our expert guest - a 6.5/10 president. We're onto President number 8, Martin Van Buren.</p><br><p>Don is joined by Edward Widmer - historian, writer, librarian, and musician who served as a speechwriter in the&nbsp;Clinton White Hou ... Show More
39m 9s
Mar 2023
George III - The Last King of America
<p>George III is forever known as the king who lost the 13 American colonies. In the US he is thought of by many as a tyrant king, taxing and subduing from across the Atlantic. Professor Jeremy Black tells Don that there is much more to his character, and his relationship with Am ... Show More
37m 4s
Apr 2024
President Ulysses S. Grant: The Myth of the Butcher
<p>How does a heroic general of the Civil War become one of the lowest rated Presidents (at least until recently)?</p><br><p>To discuss Grant's commitment to reconstruction, civil rights, and the crushing of the Ku Klux Klan, Don is joined by Professor Anne Marshall. Anne is a hi ... Show More
50m 10s
Jun 2024
President Grover Cleveland: Honest to a Fault?
<p>They say that honesty is the best policy, but was this the case for Grover Cleveland? He may be the only president to have served two non-consecutive terms (as of 13 June 2023), but Cleveland was deeply unpopular by the end of his last term.</p><br><p>From protecting the inter ... Show More
35m 15s
Mar 2024
The Founding Fathers of the US
The founding of the United States on July 4th, 1776, changed the world, and inspired other colonies to control their own destinies. The men responsible for writing and signing the Declaration of Independence - the Founding Fathers - have gone down in history as legends, with an a ... Show More
58m 39s
Jan 2024
America's Biggest Slave Rebellion (1811)
<p>It’s January 16th. This day in 1811, the aftermath of what came to be known as the “German Coast” uprising in the Orleans territory.</p> <p>Jody, NIki, and Kellie discuss how Charles Deslondes led a slave revolt that became the biggest in US history, and how it was inspired b ... Show More
15m 19s