Imperfect Men

On this episode, Steve and Cody talk about Lyman Hall's ministerial misdeeds, representation in Congress, and about half a dozen other things that have nothing to do with this blip of a Founder.Podcast to recommend: Irish History Podcast (Irish History Podcast)Sources·        Cook, James F. The Governors of Georgia, 1754-2004. Macon, GA: Mercer U. Press, 2005.·        Lockwood, Thornton C. “Lyman Hall.” Society of the Descendants of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence. <https://www.dsdi1776.com/signer/lyman-hall/>. Retrieved 3 Feb 2025.·        See pinned post on Bluesky for general sources

On this episode, Cody and Steve discuss the lifetime of failures that is one of the most uniquely named figures of the era, Button Gwinnett.Podcast to recommend: History’s Trainwrecks (History's Trainwrecks)Sources·        Jackson, Harvey. Lachlan McIntosh and the Politics of Revolutionary Georgia. Athens, GA: U. of Georgia Press, 1979.·        McNamara, Jr., Rieman, ed. “Button Gwinnett.” Society of the Descendants of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence. 2007, <https://www.dsdi1776.com/signer/button-gwinnett/>. Retrieved 28 Jan 2025.·        See pinned post on Bluesky for general sources

On this episode, Cody and Steve discuss the man who would be okay with us having a king, Nathaniel Gorham.Podcast to recommend: Totalus Rankium Pirates (Totalus Rankium | Ranking all the Roman Emperors and American Presidents)Sources·        Hauptman, Laurence M. Conspiracy of Interests: Iroquois Dispossession and the Rise of New York State. Syracuse, NY; Syracuse U. Press, 2001.·        Morton, Joseph C. Shapers of the Great Debate at the Constitutional Convention of 1787. Santa Barbara, CA: Greenwood, 2006.·        See pinned post on Bluesky for general sources

On this episode, Cody and Steve discuss the Creature from the Exeter Lagoon, Nicholas Gilman, as well as review some fun statistics from the first 50 subjects and answer a few listener questions.Podcast to recommend: Kingdom (Kingdöm: Swedish Rulers – A Flatpack History of Sweden Podcast)Sources·        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 post on Bluesky for list of general sources

On this episode, Cody and Steve discuss Elbridge Gerry, gerrymandering, grumbles, and the nature of the word “gubernatorial.”Podcast to recommend: History of Africa (History of Africa Podcast)Sources·        Billias, George. Elbridge Gerry: Founding Father and Republican Statesman. New York City, NY: McGraw-Hill, 1976.·        Glynn, John C., Jr., and Grace Keiper Staller. “Elbridge Gerry.” Society of the Descendants of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence. <https://www.dsdi1776.com/signer/elbridge-gerry/>. Retrieved 17 Dec 2024.·        Seabrook, Nick. One Person, One Vote: A Surprising History of Gerrymandering in America. New York City, NY: Pantheon Books, 2022.·        Witcover, Jules. The American Vice-Presidency: From Irrelevance to Power. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Books, 2014.·        See pinned post on Bluesky for general sources

On this episode, Cody and Steve discuss the dark legacy of Christopher Gadsden and how he still affects us to this very day.Podcast to recommend: Grand Dukes of the West (Grand Dukes of the West – A History of Valois Burgundy)Sources·        Butler, Nic. “The Story of Gadsden’s Wharf.” Charleston County Public Library. 2 Feb 2018. <https://www.ccpl.org/charleston-time-machine/story-gadsdens-wharf>. Retrieved 26 Nov 2024.·        Eldridge, Kelcey M., "A Forgotten Founder: The Life and Legacy of Christopher Gadsden" (2018). All Theses. 2949. <https://tigerprints.clemson.edu/all_theses/2949?utm_source=tigerprints.clemson.edu%2Fall_theses%2F2949&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=PDFCoverPages>. Retrieved 26 Nov 2024.·        Godbold, Stanley, Jr., and Robert Woody. Christopher Gadsden and the American Revolution. Knoxville, TN: U. of Tennessee Press, 1983.·        McDonough, Daniel. Christopher Gadsden and Henry Laurens: The Parallel Lives of Two American Patriots. London, UK: Associated U. Press, 2000.·        See pinned post on Bluesky for general sources

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