America: The Story of the USA

Liam Heffernan | A Mercury Podcast
  • 3.7 (7)
  • HISTORY
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Blending US history, American politics, and news, America: The Story of the USA is your ultimate guide to the United States of America, in partnership with the British Association for American Studies. With the world's biggest experts and brightest minds, we unpack the big moments, bold ideas, and cultural shifts that define the nation. Whether you’re in the US, the UK, or anywhere with an interest in US news, this podcast brings clarity and context to the American experience. We connect the dots in American history, from the Founding Fathers to Donald Trump, breaking down how the past informs the present — and why it matters. . AD FREE & BONUS CONTENT: https://www.patreon.com/cw/americathestoryoftheusa . GET THE NEWSLETTER: https://america-the-story-of-the-usa.beehiiv.com/ BRANDS & ADVERTISING: liam@mercurypodcasts.com . America: A History is a part of the Mercury Podcast Network, hosted by your resident US expert Liam Heffernan, in partnership with The British Association for American Studies: baas.ac.uk

  1. What Did Bernie Goetz Do?

    1D AGO

    What Did Bernie Goetz Do?

    New York City, 1984: a subway car rattles beneath Manhattan, four teenagers joke and sway on the poles, and a quiet, bespectacled white man takes a seat directly across from them. What happens next becomes one of the most explosive and racially charged criminal cases in modern American history. Bernhard Goetz’s shooting of four Black teenagers - an act he claimed was self‑defence - ignited a national firestorm about crime, fear, vigilantism, and the deep racial fault lines shaping American life. But behind the headlines lies a far more complicated story: a city in crisis, a media machine eager for a narrative, a justice system bending under political pressure, and a man whose own confession revealed far more than the public was ever told. We will discuss the real events on that subway car, the distorted coverage that followed, and the long shadow the case cast over policing, gun culture, and racial justice in the United States. In this episode, we're asking… what did Bernie Goetz Do? . Special Guest: Heather Thompson, a Pulitzer Prize–winning historian, professor at the University of Michigan, and one of the leading scholars of mass incarceration, policing, and social movements in the United States. Her latest book, Fear and Fury: The 80s, the Getz Shootings and the Rebirth of America, offers the definitive re‑examination of the case, drawing on extensive archival research, interviews, and newly uncovered evidence to reveal how the Goetz shooting reshaped American attitudes toward crime, race, and justice. . Highlights: 03:21 - The chain of events 11:23 - Bernie's early life 18:22 - The pro-Goetz narrative 25:22 - Media and racism 33:27 - American history is episodic 41:14 - The cost of injustice 47:08 - A hinge moment in US justice . For an extended reading list and to learn more, join our Patreon community now: ⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/cw/americathestoryoftheusa⁠ . Contact us: america@podcastsbyliam.com Get the newsletter: ⁠⁠⁠https://america-the-story-of-the-usa.beehiiv.com/⁠⁠⁠ Brands & advertises: liam@mercurypodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 1m
  2. Study Notes: A Brief History of the Oscars

    5D AGO

    Study Notes: A Brief History of the Oscars

    America: Study Notes are quickfire explainers for all the things you want to know about the USA, but don't want to ask. This week, A Brief History of the Oscars - when and why the Academy Awards started, how they evolved, why they matter, and a few fun facts to finish. . Contact us: america@podcastsbyliam.com Join the community: ⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/cw/americathestoryoftheusa⁠⁠ - use code USA26 for 50% off your first month Get the newsletter: ⁠⁠https://america-the-story-of-the-usa.beehiiv.com/⁠⁠ Brand & advertising enquiries: liam@mercurypodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    7 min
  3. In the Making: Talarico's Rise, Trump's Legacy, and Girl Scouts Cashing in on Cannabis

    6D AGO

    In the Making: Talarico's Rise, Trump's Legacy, and Girl Scouts Cashing in on Cannabis

    It's been a pivotal week in US politics, beginning with the death of Alexander Butterfield, the Nixon aide whose quiet revelation of Oval Office recordings changed American history. There's also the meteoric rise of Texas Democrat James Talarico, whose record‑breaking primary turnout and cross‑party appeal have sparked talk of flipping Texas blue and even future presidential ambitions. And Donald Trump’s escalating war in Iran, the spiraling oil crisis, and the geopolitical fallout of a conflict the administration appears unable to control. Joining the show today is Andrew Moran, the Head of Criminology, Sociology, Politics and International Relations at London Met University . Stories Mentioned: The death of Alexander Butterfield (01:24) The rise of James Talarico (05:32) The legacy of Donald Trump (15:00) The downfall of Keir Starmer (40:47) The Girl Scouts' munchies cure (43:25) . America: The Story of the USA is a Podcasts by Liam production for ⁠⁠Mercury⁠⁠, in partnership with the ⁠⁠British Association for American Studies⁠⁠. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: https://america-the-story-of-the-usa.beehiiv.com/ Join the community: https://www.patreon.com/americathestoryoftheusa Get in touch: america@podcastsbyliam.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    52 min
  4. Who Killed the Movie Star?

    MAR 10

    Who Killed the Movie Star?

    American cinema has always been a mirror, reflecting the nation’s ambitions, anxieties, and appetite for spectacle. In today's episode, we trace the evolution of movie‑going from the travelling roadshows of Gone with the Wind to the streaming‑dominated landscape of today, where Netflix is king. We unpack how Hollywood scaled up, how the blockbuster was born, why the multiplex became a cultural institution, and what ultimately destabilised the movie star system. So in this episode, I’m asking… who killed the movie star? . Special Guest: Van Connor, a film critic, writer, and broadcaster. He is the host of acclaimed movie podcast OffScreen and a regular on TV and radio, but if long film analysis isn’t quite your thing, check out Fifteen Second Cinema on his social channels. . Highlights: 02:25 - Gone with the Wind and the Roadshow Era 11:18 - The Netflix of the 1950s 18:53 - Counterculture 22:36 - Lucas, Spielberg and the Hollywood Blockbuster 32:34 - Cocaine 43:31 - Generation PG-13 53:44 - SFX vs Movie Stars 58:55 - The Netflix Era . For an extended reading list and to learn more, join our Patreon community now: ⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/cw/americathestoryoftheusa⁠ . Contact us: america@podcastsbyliam.com Get the newsletter: ⁠⁠⁠https://america-the-story-of-the-usa.beehiiv.com/⁠⁠⁠ Brand & advertising enquiries: liam@mercurypodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 19m
  5. Study Notes: How Does the US Government Work?

    MAR 6

    Study Notes: How Does the US Government Work?

    America: Study Notes are quickfire explainers for all the things you want to know about the USA, but don't want to ask. This week, How Does the US Government Work? I’m gonna explain the three branches. The different levels of government and how they all interrelate. . Contact us: america@podcastsbyliam.com Join the community: ⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/cw/americathestoryoftheusa⁠⁠ - use code USA26 for 50% off your first month Get the newsletter: ⁠⁠https://america-the-story-of-the-usa.beehiiv.com/⁠⁠ Brand & advertising enquiries: liam@mercurypodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    7 min
  6. In the Making: Donald Trump and the War in Iran

    MAR 5

    In the Making: Donald Trump and the War in Iran

    This week, we're discussing the rapidly escalating conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran, including: Trump’s “large‑scale combat operation” and the killing of Ayatollah Khamenei Iran’s retaliation across the Middle East The failed Democratic attempt to restrict Trump’s war powers The absence of a clear US strategy, exit plan, or defined objectives The risk of regional destabilisation and global economic fallout Whether this could spiral into a wider conflict Joining the show today is Stefan Grobe, a former American history professor, now political editor and host at Euronews. . Stories Mentioned: The Clintons testify on Epstein: https://eu.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2026/02/26/hillary-bill-clinton-testify-about-jeffrey-epstein-files-will-it-be-filmed/88883149007/ Georgia Man Convicted for Second Degree Murder: https://apnews.com/article/georgia-school-shooting-trial-colin-gray-e9afe6e8289f474aa474242ee4bdca67 The War in Iran: https://www.msn.com/en-za/news/other/timeline-us-israeli-strikes-on-iran-as-war-breaks-out-in-middle-east/ar-AA1XgxMq?ocid=BingNewsSerp . America: The Story of the USA is a Podcasts by Liam production for ⁠Mercury⁠, in partnership with the ⁠British Association for American Studies⁠. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: https://america-the-story-of-the-usa.beehiiv.com/ Join the community: https://www.patreon.com/americathestoryoftheusa Get in touch: america@podcastsbyliam.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    53 min
  7. Who is Huey P. Newton?

    MAR 3

    Who is Huey P. Newton?

    Today, we journey into the life and legacy of one of the most influential and controversial figures of the Black Power era. From the streets of Oakland to the halls of academia, he co-founded the Black Panther Party and became a symbol of resistance, community empowerment, and revolutionary thought. We’re going to explore his early influences, the rise and philosophy of the Panthers, his confrontations with law enforcement, his intellectual contributions, his decline and tragic death, and the enduring impact of his vision on both American political thought and today’s movements for racial justice. So in this episode, I’m asking… who is Huey P. Newton? . Special Guest: Joe Street, an Associate Professor of American History at Northumbria University. He specializes in twentieth-century American and African American history, with a particular focus on the intersections of race, politics, and popular culture in the San Francisco Bay Area. He is the author of Black Revolutionaries: A History of the Black Panther Party, which was shortlisted for the 2025 British Association for American Studies book prize . Highlights: 03:52 - Early life and the angry black man 10:53 - Faith, family and the Black Panthers 20:40 - Panthers in the community 28:08 - Systemic inequality 42:35 - Huey's later tragic years 47:52 - Newton's legacy . For an extended reading list and to learn more, join our Patreon community now: ⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/cw/americathestoryoftheusa⁠ . Contact us: america@podcastsbyliam.com Get the newsletter: ⁠⁠⁠https://america-the-story-of-the-usa.beehiiv.com/⁠⁠⁠ Brand & advertising enquiries: liam@mercurypodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 2m
  8. Study Notes: Every American National Holiday

    FEB 27

    Study Notes: Every American National Holiday

    America: Study Notes are quickfire explainers for all the things you want to know about the USA, but don't want to ask. This week, Every American National Holiday - how they started, when they are, and what you should know before you go! . Contact us: america@podcastsbyliam.com Join the community: ⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/cw/americathestoryoftheusa⁠⁠ - use code USA26 for 50% off your first month Get the newsletter: ⁠⁠https://america-the-story-of-the-usa.beehiiv.com/⁠⁠ Brand & advertising enquiries: liam@mercurypodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    8 min
See All (207)

Trailers

Ratings & Reviews

3.7
out of 5
7 Ratings

About

Blending US history, American politics, and news, America: The Story of the USA is your ultimate guide to the United States of America, in partnership with the British Association for American Studies. With the world's biggest experts and brightest minds, we unpack the big moments, bold ideas, and cultural shifts that define the nation. Whether you’re in the US, the UK, or anywhere with an interest in US news, this podcast brings clarity and context to the American experience. We connect the dots in American history, from the Founding Fathers to Donald Trump, breaking down how the past informs the present — and why it matters. . AD FREE & BONUS CONTENT: https://www.patreon.com/cw/americathestoryoftheusa . GET THE NEWSLETTER: https://america-the-story-of-the-usa.beehiiv.com/ BRANDS & ADVERTISING: liam@mercurypodcasts.com . America: A History is a part of the Mercury Podcast Network, hosted by your resident US expert Liam Heffernan, in partnership with The British Association for American Studies: baas.ac.uk

Information

  • Creator
    Liam Heffernan | A Mercury Podcast
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    207
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Mercury Podcasts

You Might Also Like