In this weekâs show, we are talking about all things Joseph Warren. Author Christopher di Spigna joins us to discuss his book Founding Martyr: The Life and Death of Dr. Joseph Warren, the American Revolutionâs Lost Hero, a new biography of our favorite patriot. Weâll start with his boyhood in a Roxbury filled with farms and apple orchards, then cover his education at Harvard, his rise in politics, his untimely death at the start of the revolution, and the recent discovery of living descendants.
Tag: revwar
The Occupation of Boston (episode 100)
250 years ago this week, British troops landed in Boston. Author J.L. Bell joins us to discuss the British governmentâs decision to send troops in an attempt to keep peace after Bostonâs years of upheaval. Instead of bringing peace, the tense occupation would culminate in the Boston Massacre less than two years later.
Listen to the end to find out how you can get some free HUB History swag in celebration of our 100th episode!
Paul Revere’s Not-So-Famous Rides (Ep76)
In honor of Patriots Day and the anniversary of Paul Revereâs famous ride, we are focusing on some of Paul Revereâs less famous rides this week. When Paul Revere set out to warn the Provincial Congress that the British Regulars were coming in April of 1775, it wasnât his first gig as an express rider for the patriots. For almost three years, he had been carrying messages from the Boston Committee of Correspondence on horseback to patriots in New York, Philadelphia, New Hampshire, and beyond. Itâs just that Henry Wadsworth Longfellow didnât write poems about the other rides.
Episode 54: The 1747 Impressment Riot
In 1747, a British Commodore began kidnapping sailors and working men in Boston, and the people of the city wouldnât stand for it. Â Three days of violence followed, in a draft riot that pitted the working class of Boston against the Colonial government and Royal Navy.
Episode 42: Total Eclipse of the Podcast
Your humble hosts are traveling this week, trying to see the first total eclipse of our lifetimes. Â While weâre gone, listen to the story of the 1806 eclipse, the first total eclipse seen in Boston after European colonization.
Episode 33: The Four Burials of Joseph Warren
Dr. Joseph Warren was the greatest Patriot leader youâve never heard of. Â His many accomplishments led the royal governor of Massachusetts, General Thomas Gage, to remark that âThe death of Joseph Warren is akin to the death of five hundred Patriots.â Â He was so in demand that his body was moved three times after his death at the Battle of Bunker Hill.
Continue reading Episode 33: The Four Burials of Joseph Warren
Episode 26: Isaiah Thomas and the American Oracle of Liberty
This week, weâre going to talk about Isaiah Thomas.  Not the NBA star, but the colonial printer and founder of the Massachusetts Spy, whose office became known by the British as the Sedition Foundry.  He snuck his presses out of Boston on the eve of war, helped Paul Revere spread the news of the British march, and shared first-hand accounts of the battles at Concord and Lexington.  Later, he would spread his business empire across multiple states, and become a historian, founding the American Antiquarian Society in Worcester, Massachusetts.  Listen to his story!
Continue reading Episode 26: Isaiah Thomas and the American Oracle of Liberty
Episode 25: The Court Martial of Paul Revere
This week we celebrate Patriotsâ Day, and the anniversary of Paul Revereâs famous ride.  Itâs easy to forget that Paul Revereâs story didnât end on April 18, 1775.  This week, we bring you a less glorious story about Paul Revere, one thatâs not shrouded in myth.  In 1779, Revere was among the leaders of a military expedition in Maine that ended with the greatest US Naval defeat prior to Pearl Harbor, and eventually led to his court martial on charges of cowardice and insubordination.
Well, listen children, and you shall hear,
A different story of Paul Revere.
In Maine, the troops fled before a British drive,
Until hardly a man was left alive.
They court martialed Paul in â82, I fear.
Continue reading Episode 25: The Court Martial of Paul Revere
Episode 22: Boston in the American Revolution, Author Interview with Brooke Barbier
This weekâs episode features a conversation with Brooke Barbier, founder of Ye Olde Tavern Tours and author of the new book Boston in the American Revolution: A Town Versus an Empire. Â We talk about a forgotten Revolutionary War story, why the Revolutionary period isnât as simple as good guys and bad guys, and which Founding Fathers weâd like to have a beer with. Â Stick around after the interview to find out whatâs coming up this week in Boston history, and how you can win a private tour of the Back Bay with hosts Nikki and Jake. Â Listen to the show!
Continue reading Episode 22: Boston in the American Revolution, Author Interview with Brooke Barbier