Imperfect Men

On this episode, Cody and Steve continue their discussion on the so-called First American, Benjamin Franklin, and try to parse legend and myth from the cold, hard truth.Podcast to recommend: Disastrous History (Disastrous History)Sources·        Brands, H. W. The First American: The Life and Times of Benjamin Franklin. New York City, NY: Doubleday, 2000.·        Gupton, Nancy. “Benjamin Franklin and the Kite Experiment.” The Franklin Institute. 12 Jun 2017. <https://fi.edu/en/science-and-education/benjamin-franklin/kite-key-experiment#:~:text=Franklin's%20experiment%20demonstrated%20the%20connection%20between%20lightning%20and%20electricity.&text=To%20dispel%20another%20myth%2C%20Franklin's,electrical%20charge%20from%20the%20storm.>. Retrieved 19 Nov 2024.·        Isaacson, Walter. Benjamin Franklin: An American Life. New York City, NY: Simon & Schuster, 2003.·        Rubin Stuart, Nancy. Poor Richard’s Women: Deborah Read Franklin and the Other Women Behind the Founding Father. Boston, MA: Beacon Press, 2022.·        Smith, John L., Jr. “Benjamin Franklin’s Battery of Lovers.” Journal of the American Revolution. 2 Jun 2016. <https://allthingsliberty.com/2016/06/benjamin-franklins-battery-of-lovers/>. Retrieved 19 Nov 2024.·        Waldstreicher, David. Runaway America: Benjamin Franklin, Slavery, and the American Revolution. New York City, NY: Hill & Wang, 2004.·        Wood, Gordon. The Americanization of Benjamin Franklin. New York City, NY: Penguin, 2005.·        See pinned post on Bluesky for general sources

On this episode, Cody and Steve finally tackle one of the giants of the American Revolution, Poor Richard himself, Benjamin Franklin.Sources·        Brands, H. W. The First American: The Life and Times of Benjamin Franklin. New York City, NY: Doubleday, 2000.·        Gupton, Nancy. “Benjamin Franklin and the Kite Experiment.” The Franklin Institute. 12 Jun 2017. <https://fi.edu/en/science-and-education/benjamin-franklin/kite-key-experiment#:~:text=Franklin's%20experiment%20demonstrated%20the%20connection%20between%20lightning%20and%20electricity.&text=To%20dispel%20another%20myth%2C%20Franklin's,electrical%20charge%20from%20the%20storm.>. Retrieved 19 Nov 2024.·        Isaacson, Walter. Benjamin Franklin: An American Life. New York City, NY: Simon & Schuster, 2003.·        Rubin Stuart, Nancy. Poor Richard’s Women: Deborah Read Franklin and the Other Women Behind the Founding Father. Boston, MA: Beacon Press, 2022.·        Smith, John L., Jr. “Benjamin Franklin’s Battery of Lovers.” Journal of the American Revolution. 2 Jun 2016. <https://allthingsliberty.com/2016/06/benjamin-franklins-battery-of-lovers/>. Retrieved 19 Nov 2024.·        Waldstreicher, David. Runaway America: Benjamin Franklin, Slavery, and the American Revolution. New York City, NY: Hill & Wang, 2004.·        Wood, Gordon. The Americanization of Benjamin Franklin. New York City, NY: Penguin, 2005.·        See pinned post on Bluesky for general sources

On this episode, Cody and Steve talk about the exploits of the Granite State’s favorite son, Nathaniel Folsom.Podcast to recommend: Civics 101 (Civics 101: A Podcast)Sources·        Bell, J.L. “General Folsom and Colonel Stark.” Boston 1775. Blogspot. 23 Jun 2011. < https://boston1775.blogspot.com/2011/06/general-folsom-and-colonel-stark.html>. Retrieved 15 Oct 2024.·        Bell, J.L. “General Folsom and General Sullivan.” Boston 1775. Blogspot. 24 Jun 2011. < https://boston1775.blogspot.com/2011/06/general-folsom-and-general-sullivan.html>. Retrieved 15 Oct 2024.·        Potter, C.E. The History of Manchester, Formerly Derryfield, in New Hampshire; Including that of Ancient Amoskeag, or the Middle Merrimack Valley. Manchester, NH: Self-published, 1856.·        United States Congress. “Folsom, Nathaniel.” Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. < https://bioguide.congress.gov/search/bio/F000244>. Retrieved 15 Oct 2024.·        Willey, George F., ed. State Builders: An Illustrated and Biographical Record of the State of New Hampshire. Manchester, NH: State Builders Publishing, 1903.·        See pinned post on Bluesky for general sources

On this week’s episode, Cody and Steve talk about William Floyd and decide whether or not silence earns you a place as a Founding Father.Podcast to recommend: Blowback (Blowback)Sources·        Maxwell, William Q. A Portrait of William Floyd of Long Island. Setauket, NY: Society of the Preservation of Long Island Antiquities, 1956.·        Pyne, Fred W. “William Floyd.” Society of the Descendants of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence. <https://www.dsdi1776.com/signer/william-floyd/>. Retrieved 7 Oct 2024.·        Scubiere, Paul J. New York’s Signers of the Declaration of Independence. Albany, NY: New York State American Revolutionary Bicentennial Commission, 1975.·        See pinned post on Bluesky for general sources

On this episode, Cody and Steve talk about Joseph Galloway, the Founding Father who committed the ultimate sin.Podcast to recommend: Assassinations (Assassinations Podcast)Sources·        Ferling, John. The Loyalist Mind: Joseph Galloway and the American Revolution. College Station, PA: Pennsylvania State U. Press, 1977.·        Ford, Washington C., ed. Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774-89 Vol 1. Washington, DC: Library of Congress, 1904.·        Gardner, Zachary. “Joseph Galloway: The Occupation of Philadelphia.” HIST 102: The American Revolutionary War. Harvard U. Department of History, 2017. <https://hist1002.omeka.fas.harvard.edu/exhibits/show/zachary-gardner/joseph-galloway----the-occupat>. Retrieved 24 Sept 2024.·        Stewart, Graham. “Joseph Galloway: The Forgotten Founding Father.” Englesberg Ideas, 19 Jan 2021. <https://engelsbergideas.com/portraits/joseph-galloway-the-forgotten-founding-father/>. Retrieved 24 Sept 2024.·        Smith, James M. “Joseph Galloway’s Plan of Union.” Journal of the American Revolution, 26 Jan 2022. <https://allthingsliberty.com/2022/01/joseph-galloways-plan-of-union/>. Retrieved 24 Sept 2024.·        United States Congress. “Galloway, Joseph.” Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. <https://bioguide.congress.gov/search/bio/G000026>. Retrieved 24 Sept 2024.

On this episode, Cody and Steve discuss the few and far between details of the Constitutional Convention’s man of few words, William Few.Podcast to recommend: American Revolution (http://blog.amrevpodcast.com/)SourcesUnited States Congress. “Few, William.” Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. <https://bioguide.congress.gov/search/bio/F000100>. Retrieved 27 Aug 2024.Wright, Jr., Robert K., and Morris J. MacGregor, Jr. Soldier-Statesmen of the Constitution. Washington, DC: U.S. Army Center of Military History, 1987.See pinned tweet for general sources

On this episode, Cody and Steve talk about another important dude who didn’t sign anything, Oliver Ellsworth.Podcast to recommend: America’s National Parks (https://nationalparkpodcast.com/)SourcesAbraham, Henry J. Justices and Presidents: A Political History of Appointments to the Supreme Court. Oxford, UK: Oxford U. Press, 1992.Brown, William Garrott. The Life of Oliver Ellsworth. New York City, NY: Macmillan, 1905.Friedman, Leon. The Justices of the United States Supreme Court: Their Lives and Opinions. New York City, NY: Chelsea House, 1995.Toth, Michael C. Founding Federalist: The Life of Oliver Ellsworth. New York City, NY: Simon & Schuster, 2011.See pinned tweet for general sources

On this episode, Steve and Cody discuss one of those rarest of creatures, a Rhode Islander, William Ellery.Podcast to recommend: America’s Secret Wars (https://redcircle.com/shows/america-secret-wars)SourcesFowler, Jr., William M. William Ellery: A Rhode Island Politico and Lord of Admiralty. Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow Press, 1973.Hand, Tom. “William Ellery of Rhode Island: Merchant, Lawyer, and Signer of the Declaration of Independence.” Constituting America. 22 October 2022. <https://constitutingamerica.org/90day-dcin-william-ellery-of-rhode-island-merchant-lawyer-and-signer-of-the-declaration-of-independence-guest-essayist-tom-hand/>. Retrieved 6 Aug 2024.Pyne, Frederick. “William Ellery.” Society of the Descendants of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence. 2011. <https://www.dsdi1776.com/signer/william-ellery/>. Retrieved 6 Aug 2024.United States Congress. “Ellery, William.” Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. <https://bioguide.congress.gov/search/bio/E000115>. Retrieved 6 Aug 2024.See pinned tweet for general sources