Revolutions in Retrospect

Revolutionary Histories and Primary Source Media

Historians Lynn Prince Robbins and Jim Ambuske explore the histories of the revolutions that remade the Atlantic world, from the civil wars of seventeenth-century Britain, the Jacobite Uprisings, and American Independence, to Revolutionary Haiti, the French Revolution, the Enlightenment, and everything in between.

Episodes

  1. 2D AGO

    Glimpses of Grief with Mary Eyring

    Death was a constant presence in early America, but grief extended far beyond the loss of loved ones. Everyday hardships—such as chronic illness, property dispossession, reproductive trauma, and bodily injury—made loss a near-constant companion. Together, these experiences of suffering produced a dense and often overlooked emotional landscape, one that shaped individual lives and the social worlds they inhabited. In this episode, Dr. Lynn Price Robbins talks with historian Mary Eyring, Ph.D., about people's experiences with grief in Early America and her new book Saltwater: Grief in Early America. Hosted by Dr. Lynn Price Robbins. Executive producers are Dr. Jim Ambuske, Jeanette Patrick, and Patrick Long. Audio and video editing by Patrick Long. Revolutions in Retrospect is a joint production of Primary Source Media and Revolutionary Histories.

    46 min

  2. FEB 5

    Avenging America with Julia Gaffield

    On January 1, 1804, Jean Jacque Dessalines and his followers announced to their countrymen and to the rest of the world that their home was no longer the French colony of San Domingue. It was now the nation of Haiti. After years of revolutionary civil war, the abolition of slavery and fears of slavery's return, Dessalines asked the citizens of Haiti "to let us swear to fight to our last breath and for the independence of our country." That nation was the world's first black republic. In this episode, Dr. Jim Ambuske talks with historian Julia Gaffield, Ph.D., about what we can learn from Jean-Jacques Dessalines. A man born enslaved on a San Domingo coffee plantation, who died emperor of Haiti, a man who boasted, "I have avenged America." Hosted by Dr. Jim Ambuske. Executive producers are Dr. Lynn Price Robbins, Jeanette Patrick, and Patrick Long. Audio and video editing by Patrick Long. Revolutions in Retrospect is a joint production of Primary Source Media and Revolutionary Histories.

    42 min

  3. JAN 20

    An Educated Citizenry with George Oberle

    The American Revolution ushered in a bold new system of government—one that depended on an informed and educated citizenry. Once the privilege of the elite, literacy and learning suddenly became essential for ordinary Americans. But who would build the institutions to educate the public, and what should they teach? Who had the authority to produce new knowledge, and how could its accuracy be trusted? From the creation of the Library of Congress to proposals for a national university and the founding of the Smithsonian Institution, early Americans wrestled with who should control the creation and dissemination of knowledge. These debates shaped the nation's intellectual foundations—and they echo powerfully today, as modern society once again struggles to assess credibility, expertise, and trust amid an overwhelming chorus of voices. Dr. Lynn Price Robbins is joined by Dr. George Oberle to discuss his new book Creating an Informed Citizenry: Contested Knowledge in the Early American Republic.  Hosted by Dr. Lynn Price Robbins. Executive producers are Dr. Jim Ambuske, Jeanette Patrick, and Patrick Long. Audio and video editing by Patrick Long. Revolutions in Retrospect is a joint production of Primary Source Media and Revolutionary Histories.

    1h 9m

  4. JAN 6

    Fighting Plagues of the Heart in Scotland with Mikki Brock

    In the seventeenth-century Scottish town of Ayr, Scots swore a sacred oath to defend the Presbyterian Church of Scotland against the meddling of King Charles I. These Scots pledged to lead godly lives and submit themselves to judgment when Satan's temptations overwhelmed them. But in the years that followed, the return of the plague, the killing of a king, the outbreak of civil war, the occupation of the town by English soldiers, and the specter of witchcraft all tested their faith in God and in each other. In this episode, Dr. Jim Ambuske talks with historian Mikki Brock, Ph.D, about a crisis of faith in a seventeenth-century Scottish community. Hosted by Dr. Jim Ambuske. Executive producers are Dr. Lynn Price Robbins, Jeanette Patrick, and Patrick Long. Audio and video editing by Patrick Long. Revolutions in Retrospect is a joint production of Primary Source Media and Revolutionary Histories.

    1h 9m

  5. 12/24/2025

    In Dependence with Jacqueline Beatty

    The American colonies declared their independence in 1776 with the famous line that "All men are created equal." But the reality of the Revolution told a different story. Women remained subordinate to men, limited by laws, social customs, and finance rules that restricted their rights and autonomy. But that is only part of the story. In this episode, Dr. Lynn Price Robbins talks with Jacqueline Beatty, Ph.D., about how women began to see themselves as individuals with rights, which helped lay the groundwork for future generations of American feminists.  Hosted by Dr. Lynn Price Robbins. Executive producers are Dr. Jim Ambuske, Jeanette Patrick, and Patrick Long. Audio and video editing by Patrick Long. Revolutions in Retrospect is a joint production of Primary Source Media and Revolutionary Histories.

    43 min

  6. 12/09/2025

    Recovering Black Mariners in the Atlantic World with Mary Hicks

    For centuries, Black mariners plied the waters of the Atlantic world. From the decks of ships that traversed vast distances between Brazil, Portugal, West Africa, and beyond, through dangerous swells and past enemy fleets, enslaved seamen connected continents as they labored for the Portuguese Empire in the Age of Revolutions. Despite their enslavement, they made a world that was their own. In this episode, Dr. Jim Ambuske talks with historian Mary Hicks, Ph.D, about these "captive cosmopolitans," who traded goods on their own accounts, infused Brazil with West African religions, foods, and fashions, and used Royal edicts pronounced in Lisbon to argue for their freedom. Hosted by Dr. Jim Ambuske. Executive producers are Dr. Lynn Price Robbins, Jeanette Patrick, and Patrick Long. Audio and video editing by Patrick Long. Revolutions in Retrospect is a joint production of Primary Source Media and Revolutionary Histories. Learn More: Mary Hicks, University of Chicago https://history.uchicago.edu/directory/mary-hicks Purchase Captive Cosmopolitans: Black Mariners and the World of South Atlantic Slavery 2024) at https://bookshop.org/shop/RevolutionaryHistories Support Great History on Patreon: Primary Source Media: https://patreon.com/PrimarySourceMedia?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_fan&utm_content=join_link Revolutionary Histories: https://www.patreon.com/c/RevolutionaryHistories?utm_campaign=creatorshare_fan

    41 min

  7. 11/25/2025

    The Founders Didn't Want A Gerontocracy with Rebecca Brannon

    Alexander Hamilton was just 25 when he was elected to the Continental Congress. Abigail Adams was 31 when she urged her husband John to "Remember the Ladies." Thomas Jefferson was only 32 when he drafted the Declaration of Independence. Today, we tend to picture all of them as older, grey-haired figures rather than ambitious and youthful. But as America aged, so did its leaders.In this episode, Dr. Lynn Price Robbins talks with Rebecca Brannon, Ph.D. about the gerontocracy the founders didn't want. Executive produced by Dr. Jim Ambuske, Dr. Lynn Price Robbins, Jeanette Patrick, and Patrick Long. Audio and video editing by Patrick Long. Revolutions in Retrospect is a joint production of Primary Source Media and Revolutionary Histories.

    56 min

  8. 11/11/2025

    Lafayette Bids His Last Adieu with Ryan L. Cole

    In 1824, nearly 50 years after he first set foot on American shores, the Marquis de Lafayette returned to the United States of America. He longed to see the progress of the nation he helped to found, a nation whose work he knew remained unfinished. And so, in the summer of 1824, Lafayette returned to his adopted home one last time, before he bid his last adieu. In this episode, Dr. Jim Ambuske talks with Ryan L. Cole about Lafayette's final journey to the United States, a moment that held up a mirror to Revolutionary America. Purchase Ryan L. Cole's The Last Adieu: Lafayette's Triumphant Return, the Echoes of Revolution, and the Gratitude of the Republic. Hosted by Dr. Jim Ambuske. Executive producers are Dr. Lynn Price Robbins, Jeanette Patrick, and Patrick Long. Audio and video editing by Patrick Long. Revolutions in Retrospect is a joint production of Primary Source Media and Revolutionary Histories.

    1h 17m
  • 8 Episodes

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
8 Ratings

About

Historians Lynn Prince Robbins and Jim Ambuske explore the histories of the revolutions that remade the Atlantic world, from the civil wars of seventeenth-century Britain, the Jacobite Uprisings, and American Independence, to Revolutionary Haiti, the French Revolution, the Enlightenment, and everything in between.

Information

  • Creator
    Revolutionary Histories and Primary Source Media
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    8
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025
  • Show Website
    Revolutions in Retrospect