Our American Stories

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Latest Episodes:

"Fair Game" and the Wonderful Origins of Everyday Expressions Mar 18, 2025

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Andrew Thompson shares another slice of his guide to understanding the baffling mini-mysteries of the English language. The book is Hair of the Dog to Paint the Town Red: The Wonderful Origins of Everyday Expressions and Fun Phrases.

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The Story of America’s Most Famous Metaphor: “A City Upon A Hill” Mar 18, 2025

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On this episode of Our American Stories, if you want to know about the history of America, you must know the role the Bible played in shaping our country. Our Founding Fathers, Christian and non-Christian—were heavily influenced by the Bible. Here to share another story is Robert Morgan author of 100 Bible Verses That Made America: Defining Moments That Shaped Our Enduring Foundation of Faith.

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How One Man’s Dog Taught Him New Tricks Mar 18, 2025

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On this episode of Our American Stories, our regular contributor and listener Paul Bauer from Minneapolis, MN brings us a story entitled “Lessons from Gizmo” ...about his best friend—his dog.

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The King of Snowboards: How Jake Burton Created An Industry… And An Olympic Sport Mar 18, 2025

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On this episode of Our American Stories, the sport of Snowboarding skyrocketed when a young East Coast college graduate made some innovative designs that have lasted to this very day. Here’s our own Greg Hengler to tell us the story of Jake Burton and the sport that became a worldwide phenomenon.

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Bankrupt and Dying from Cancer, Ulysses S. Grant Waged His Greatest Battle Mar 18, 2025

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On this episode of Our American Stories, aided by Mark Twain, the former president and Civil War hero raced to complete a literary masterpiece that saved his wife from destitution. Christopher Klein is here with the story.

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The Story of the Real Saint Patrick Mar 17, 2025

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On this episode of Our American Stories, buried beneath the St. Patrick’s Day symbols of shamrocks, leprechauns, and green beer, lies the story of a man determined to share a message with a people who made him a slave. Happy St. Patrick's Day!

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The True Story of the Puritans Mar 17, 2025

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On this episode of Our American Stories, today, the word "Puritan" is often used as an insult—but who were the Puritans? Our own Greg Hengler (and others) tell the story of the men and women who tamed the wilderness and shaped what would become America in their own image—and in the image of their God.

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The White Union Commander of the All-Black Civil War Regiment—Made Famous by the Movie Glory Mar 17, 2025

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Colonel Robert Gould Shaw's life was permanently altered when he read Uncle Tom's Cabin. He would soon find himself leading one of the Union's first all-black regiments to see combat in the Civil War. Shaw would later be played by Matthew Broderick (I.E Ferris Bueller) in the hit 1989 movie Glory. Here to tell the story is Kirk Higgins of the Bill of Rights Institute.

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The Disowned British Noble Who Founded the Smithsonian—After His Death Mar 17, 2025

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On this episode of Our American Stories, James Smithson was never accepted by his father, the Duke of Northumberland. He never married, had no children, and spent his life studying minerals—but his parting gift to the world upon his death was to a country he never set foot in or even spoke about during his lifetime. Wyatt Hensley, a history education major at Pittsburgh University and a two-time winner of Constituting America’s We the Future contest, tells the remarkable story of the outcast who created America’s premier museum, which now bears his name.

We’d like to thank Constituting America for sharing this wonderful tale with us.

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Was Eisenhower Really Responsible for Our Interstate Highways? Mar 17, 2025

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On this episode of Our American Stories, although President Eisenhower’s name is forever etched upon our interstate highway system, Charles Zug wanted to know if this was true. Zug is an Assistant Professor of Constitutional Democracy and Political Science at the University of Missouri, a Jack Miller Center fellow, and the author of Dwight D. Eisenhower and the Federal Highway Act.

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