The American Idea

Was the American Revolution just a regional rebellion on the eastern seaboard, or something far larger? Professor Richard Bell, author of The American Revolution and the Fate of the World, argues it was a geopolitical earthquake that reshaped the global order. In this episode, Bell explores how France, Spain, and the Netherlands entered the conflict for their own strategic reasons, why Jamaica mattered more to Britain than Virginia, and how foreign intervention proved decisive at battles like Yorktown. Along the way, he shares remarkable stories: Benjamin Franklin organizing his own privateering fleet from Paris, 50,000 ordinary Americans taking to the seas as state-sponsored pirates, and Harry Washington, a man enslaved at Mount Vernon who escaped to British lines and eventually led his own anti-colonial revolution in Sierra Leone. A fresh perspective on America's founding as a truly global event.Timestamps00:54 The American Revolution as a Global Conflict04:55 The British Empire and the Value of Jamaica07:27 Expanding the Patriot Coalition Beyond 13 Colonies09:44 Why France Joined the War13:21 Spain's Strategic Goals: Gibraltar and the Caribbean17:16 Dutch Financial Support and the St. Eustatius Arms Trade19:34 How Foreign Intervention Boosted British Morale24:06 From Philadelphia to Yorktown: Foreign Aid on the Battlefield27:11 Patriot Privateers and the War on British Commerce38:28 Harry Washington: From Mount Vernon to Sierra LeoneHost: Jeff SikkengaExecutive Producer: Jeremy GyptonSubscribe: https://linktr.ee/theamericanideaHomepage: https://ashbrook.org/the-american-idea-podcast/

Jeff Sikkenga, Professor of Political Science and Executive Director of the Ashbrook Center, shares a brief message about the reasons behind and goals of The American Idea, as well as Ashbrook’s plans to celebrate 250 years of America’s independence.Learn more at Ashbrook.org, or about our celebratory plans for 2026 at AshbrookFreedom250.orgHost: Jeff SikkengaExecutive Producer: Jeremy GyptonSubscribe: https://linktr.ee/theamericanideaHomepage: https://ashbrook.org/the-american-idea-podcast/

What does it mean to be American? How does one become an American? Join us for this special episode as Peter Schramm, past Executive Director of the Ashbrook Center and Professor of Political Science, discusses his family's flight from Communist Hungary, move to California, and growing up in his adopted home, learning the answers to those questions and, in his career, teaching native-born Americans about their homeland and the legacy they had been gifted by past generations.In this season of reflection and the impending start of a new year, take some time to consider what being American means for you, and how you fit into our great story as we approach our 250th birthday.Host: Jeff SikkengaExecutive Producer: Jeremy GyptonSubscribe: https://linktr.ee/theamericanideaHomepage: https://ashbrook.org/the-american-idea-podcast/

The Declaration of Independence summarizes and defends the most fundamental ideas about America - about our government, the relationship between it and individuals, and how its proper place in public life. If the Constitution is a set of rules and processes, with a 'mission statement' in the Preamble, the Declaration of Independence presents the ideas that call for those rules and processes, and make sense of that mission statement.As we prepare for America's 250th birthday, let's understand the connection between these two fundamental documents and how the relate to our ongoing experiment in self-government.Host: Jeff Sikkenga Executive Producer: Jeremy Gypton

Summer, 1776: the war for independence is over a year old and the leaders of the 13 colonies have finally decided that independence is their goal. How shall they explain America’s aims and reasons to her own people and to the world?A committee of five was selected to draft the document; the Second Continental Congress debated, revised, and voted on the document; and the world was never the same again.Read the document: https://teachingamericanhistory.org/document/declaration-of-independence/Read the original draft: https://teachingamericanhistory.org/document/draft-of-the-declaration-of-independence/Host: Jeff SikkengaExecutive Producer: Jeremy GyptonSubscribe: https://linktr.ee/theamericanidea

The American Revolution, born in the hearts and minds of Americans in response to British tyranny, is one of the most pivotal moments in human political and national history. But what caused it? It’s a lot deeper than taxes or tea, and as we prepare for America’s 250th birthday, it’s a good time to look back, and look deeply at the roots of the revolution, and what our Founders thought about the relationship between individuals and the state, and the appropriate limits of government - enduring ideas for all times.Host: Jeff SikkengaExecutive Producer: Jeremy GyptonSubscribe: https://linktr.ee/theamericanidea

What Did Frederick Douglass Really Think of Abraham Lincoln?Discover the complex relationship between two of America's most influential figures in this revealing conversation about a groundbreaking new book. Historians John White and Lucas Morel unveil previously unknown letters and documents that transform our understanding of how Frederick Douglass viewed Abraham Lincoln—from harsh critic to reluctant admirer.Featured Guests:Dr. John White, Professor of American Studies at Christopher Newport University and co-winner of the 2023 Gilder Lehrman Lincoln PrizeDr. Lucas Morel, Professor of Politics at Washington and Lee University and trustee of the Supreme Court Historical SocietyWhat You'll Learn:Why Douglass initially called Lincoln "the South's greatest slave hound" and "abolitionism's worst enemy"The surprising letters revealing Douglass believed Andrew Johnson would be a better Reconstruction president than LincolnHow three private meetings between Douglass and Lincoln changed the abolitionist's perspectiveDouglass's "rail-splitting" philosophy explaining Lincoln's strategic approach to black voting rightsWhy Douglass spent the rest of his life honoring Lincoln's legacy despite early criticismsThe newly discovered correspondence with British abolitionists that historians hadn't seen in over 150 yearsWhite and Morel's book "Measuring the Man: The Writings of Frederick Douglass on Abraham Lincoln" compiles every known statement Douglass made about Lincoln, including a dozen previously unknown documents uncovered through digital archives and London newspaper microfilm.This episode explores themes of emancipation, political strategy, black suffrage, Civil War leadership, and the tension between radical abolitionism and practical statesmanship during America's most defining era.Get the book: https://a.co/d/1axh4FLHost: Jeff SikkengaExecutive Producer: Jeremy GyptonSubscribe: https://linktr.ee/theamericanidea

Jeff is joined by Justice Sharon Kennedy, Chief Justice of the Ohio State Supreme Court to discuss the Rule of Law - what is it? Why is it so essential to limited, fair government? How is it promoted, protected, and how can we understand it better so as to pass on its value to future generations?Join us as we look at some of the most foundational, essential ideas, moments, and events in our history as we look forward to America's 250th birthday.Host: Jeff SikkengaExecutive Producer: Jeremy GyptonSubscribe: https://linktr.ee/theamericanidea

America is, at its core, a nation founded on ideas, and those ideas have faced criticism, revision, and review over the centuries. Abraham Lincoln, who once said that he didn’t have a political idea that didn’t spring from the Declaration of Independence, not only reframed the meaning of the Civil War, but also pointed back to America’s Founding to assert what America should and could be in the future.The Gettysburg Address is far more than commentary on the Civil War; it was a critique of how America had, by 1863, let down the promise of the Founding, and how she could rediscover herself for a more glorious future.What can we learn from Lincoln today?Host: Jeff SikkengaExecutive Producer: Jeremy GyptonSubscribe: https://linktr.ee/theamericanidea

What are entitlements? How did they come to be so entrenched in American politics and economics? Why is it that people say that Social Security is going to run out of money? What does this have to do with you? Jeff welcomes analyst Jim Capretta to discuss the origins of America’s entitlement programs, how they have evolved, and why we are reaching a point where something must be done to shore up programs that are no longer fiscally solvent.Read Jim's book on the subject: https://a.co/d/hn2gsDkHost: Jeff SikkengaExecutive Producer: Jeremy GyptonSubscribe: https://linktr.ee/theamericanidea

Jeff is joined this week by Rear Admiral Mike Giorgione (ret.), former commander of Camp David during the Clinton and Bush administrations, to discuss the creation, evolution, and role of the president’s Maryland retreat. Get the book here: https://a.co/d/aHCzcuSHost: Jeff SikkengaExecutive Producer: Jeremy GyptonSubscribe: https://linktr.ee/theamericanidea

Alexander Hamilton didn’t get his due until a Hip-Hip musical brought him to the public eye, over 200 years after his death. But what did he contribute to the American Founding? What did he contribute to the #1 cited source by the Supreme Court, The Federalist? Renowned historian and author Stephen Knott joins Jeff to kick off our series of “Freedom for the Next 250” episodes, leading up to America's 250th birthday.Host: Jeff SikkengaExecutive Producer: Jeremy GyptonSubscribe: https://linktr.ee/theamericanidea

Think Herbert Hoover was just a failed Great Depression president? Think again. Historian George Nash reveals the shocking truth about one of America's most misunderstood leaders in this eye-opening episode of The American Idea.What You'll Discover: How Hoover saved more lives than perhaps any person in history through WWI humanitarian efforts Why both Democrats AND Republicans wanted him as president in 1920 (FDR even supported him!) The real story behind his Great Depression response - and the external shocks that derailed recovery How a Quaker orphan from Iowa became a global mining engineer and international hero Why his "American Individualism" philosophy still matters in today's political debates The Full Story Behind the Myths: Most Americans only know Hoover's 4-year presidency, but George Nash - the world's leading Hoover expert - reveals his incredible 50-year career in public service. From organizing food relief that fed millions across war-torn Europe to pioneering the role of Commerce Secretary, Hoover's progressive Republican vision shaped American policy for decades. Learn how Hoover's post-presidency "crusade against collectivism" influenced the conservative movement, why he founded the Hoover Institution as his "most important contribution," and how his ideas about limited government and voluntary associations remain relevant today. Perfect for: American history enthusiasts, political science students, anyone curious about presidential leadership, and viewers interested in the roots of modern conservative thought.

Taking Manhattan, available on Amazon - https://a.co/d/eQTNGWV https://www.newnetherlandinstitute.org/ Host: Jeff Sikkenga Executive Producer: Jeremy Gypton On Apple Podcasts: https://tr.ee/aTARALr9Gx On Spotify: https://tr.ee/09Ca21CCp- On iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-the-american-idea-119582945/

In August 1861, General John C. Fremont—once America's most famous explorer and the Republican Party's first presidential nominee—issued an unauthorized order freeing all slaves in Missouri. President Lincoln swiftly revoked it, fearing the decision would drive crucial border states into Confederate hands. The clash between these two men revealed a fundamental tension: Fremont operated on moral urgency and personal instinct, while Lincoln worked within constitutional constraints and political reality. Fremont's military career never recovered from the confrontation.Yet sixteen months later, Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation employed the exact legal framework Fremont had pioneered: military necessity as commander-in-chief during wartime. Historian and journalist John Bicknell joins us to explore how this forgotten general's bold gambit forced critical conversations about slavery's role in the war effort and ultimately shaped the constitutional pathway to emancipation. The story reveals why we remember one man as the Great Emancipator while the other faded into historical obscurity—and why both were essential to America's path toward freedom.Host: Jeff SikkengaExecutive Producer: Jeremy GyptonSubscribe: https://linktr.ee/theamericanidea

What was the original purpose of Congress? What powers did the Founders give it to fulfill that purpose? How does that compare to the institution we see today, in which Americans profess very little trust. Explore the historical and constitutional roots of the “First Branch” and how time and some well-intentioned changes have distorted its powers and role within our government.Host: Jeff SikkengaExecutive Producer: Jeremy GyptonSubscribe: https://linktr.ee/theamericanidea

Discover how 55 delegates created the U.S. Constitution in just 88 days during the summer of 1787. Constitutional scholar Gordon Lloyd breaks down the Philadelphia Convention using his acclaimed "four-act drama" framework, revealing the behind-the-scenes negotiations, heated debates, and crucial compromises that shaped American government.What You'll Learn:✓ How Madison's Virginia Plan clashed with the New Jersey Plan✓ The Connecticut Compromise that balanced state vs. popular representation✓ Why slavery debates nearly derailed the entire convention✓ How the Electoral College and presidency were actually created✓ The dramatic final moments and Franklin's famous "rising sun" speechKey Topics Covered:Virginia Plan vs New Jersey Plan conflictConnecticut Compromise and Great CompromiseThree-Fifths Compromise and 1808 slave trade agreementCreation of the Electoral College systemPresidential powers and impeachment provisionsCommittee of Detail and Committee of StyleBill of Rights controversy and non-signersFeatured Experts:Gordon Lloyd (Pepperdine University, Ashbrook Center Senior Fellow)Chris Burkett (Ashland University, Ashbrook Scholar Program Director)Hosted by Jeff Sikkenga (Ashbrook Center Executive Director)Related Resources:The American Founding website: theamericanfounding.orgAshbrook's 50 Core American Documents: https://teachingamericanhistory.org/product/50-core-american-documents-cdc/Madison's Constitutional Convention notes (Ashbrook edition): https://teachingamericanhistory.org/product/debates-in-the-federal-convention-of-1787/

This episode explores James Ellman's book "Seeds of Victory: Defeat, Triumph, and the American Way of War" with host Jeff Sikkenga from the Ashbrook Center. This military strategy documentary examines how US war tactics follow a consistent pattern: initial strategic defeats followed by rapid adaptation and ultimate victory. From Washington's military disasters in New York (1776) to early setbacks in Korea, American military history shows eight major strategic defeats between 1776-1951, yet US forces recovered each time through superior industrial mobilization, quick military leadership changes, and technological innovation.The discussion challenges popular narratives about American military effectiveness, arguing that conflicts like Vietnam were battles within the broader Cold War victory. This military history analysis emphasizes that warfare has shaped America as much as democracy itself, with military service being the most reliable path to the presidency. The conversation covers America's unique ability to promote effective generals rapidly, mobilize industrial capacity for war, and maintain public support through prolonged military conflicts, while raising concerns about future warfare where traditional American military advantages may be threatened by emerging technologies like drone warfare and modern military tactics.Host: Jeff SikkengaExecutive Producer: Jeremy GyptonSubscribe: https://linktr.ee/theamericanidea

You hear about them in the news, but how much do you know about capital markets - what they are, why they exist, how they've evolved over time, and what role the play in our economy and politics? Jeff discusses these in plain language with Bob Selvaggio, Head of Analytics at Rutter Associates. Host: Jeff Sikkenga Executive Producer: Jeremy Gypton Subscribe: https://linktr.ee/theamericanidea

Jeff welcomes Michael Lucchese, Editor of Law & Liberty, to discuss the life, accomplishments, and ideas of John Quincy Adams - a man whose public life was almost his entire life.Read more about him: https://www.loa.org/writers/672-john-quincy-adams/Host: Jeff SikkengaExecutive Producer: Jeremy GyptonSubscribe: https://linktr.ee/theamericanidea