Reframing America

Painted Sky Podcasts
Reframing America

Frame by frame, the faces of US presidents are hung from the walls of America's history classrooms — but are those men REALLY the faces of America's history? Who REALLY belongs in the picture frames that line America's history classrooms? Welcome to "Reframing America," the podcast that explores American history — president by president, frame by frame — to determine the best faces to symbolize the evolution of American history. Join us for "Historical Hot Takes", the "Worst Person in America award," "What Actor Should Play this President?" and more!

  1. 4 DAYS AGO

    The Peter Pan President: Theodore Roosevelt's Eternal Youth

    To paraphrase the first line of J.M. Barrie's Peter Pan: all presidents, except one, grow up. Theodore Roosevelt started life as the sickly son of a wealthy New York family, and he ended it as an acclaimed author, a US President, a Nobel Peace Prize recipient, and one of four faces to be carved onto Mount Rushmore. Yet, through all of his achievements, he always retained the same youthful pluck he'd had when he was the little boy known as "Teedie." Both his supports and his detractors attest that Theodore Roosevelt redefined the office of the American President like few others have ever done. Tony Rydberg and Ryan Rasmussen trace the origins of this remarkable figure in world history and gauge his lasting impact on the American story.

    1h 42m

  2. JAN 27

    An Empire State of Mind: William McKinley, The Improbable Imperialist

    Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan, Napoleon Bonaparte... William McKinley? Does America's 25th president really deserve a place on the list of historical figures who conquered vast regions and established an empire? He seems to be an ill-fitting member of this elite group. Yet, there he was, commander-in-chief when the US burst beyond its continental bounds and reached across the seas. But was America an empire? Is it one today? Tony Rydberg and Ryan Rasmussen examine the humble origins of the man and the repercussions of the "splendid little war" he waged.

    1h 48m

  3. 12/23/2024

    Relationship Status... It's Complicated: Cleveland, Harrison, and a Fickle America

    From 1885-1897, America didn't know what (or whom) she wanted in a president: she dumped Grover Cleveland for Benjamin Harrison, only to dump Harrison for another go with Cleveland. Why all the dithering? Tony Rydberg and Ryan Rasmussen play love doctors for a nation in need of some straight talk and tough lough. From two of the most improbable ascents to the presidency to two of the most awkward presidential love stories ever, Tony and Ryan deliver the goods (just in time for Christmas!).

    1h 52m

  4. 11/25/2024

    Rage Against the Machine: Hayes, Garfield, Arthur, and a Spoiled System

    Rutherford B. Hayes, James A. Garfield, and Chester A. Arthur: all Presidents who have been dubbed the "lost Americans." On the other hand, perhaps it was not the Presidents who were lost, but the American political establishment itself. Tony Rydberg and Ryan Rasmussen pick apart the events of 1877-1885, eight years that span these three presidencies. Despite being often overlooked, this era contributed a variety of drastic and irreversible changes to the American story, from America's most controversial election to the assassination of one of its presidents. Tony and Ryan retrace the battle lines that defined the era and determine who (if anyone) came out of the battle a winner.

    1h 45m

  5. 10/28/2024

    Ulysses S. Grant: Reconstruction, Deconstructed

    How should history remember Ulysses S. Grant? As a general, was he a bloodthirsty butcher or a brilliant strategist? As president, was he a beacon of equality or a tyrannical dictator? Tony Rydberg and Ryan Rasmussen explore the best and the worst America's 18th president gave to his country.

    1h 30m

  6. 09/23/2024

    Fifty Shades of White Supremacy: Andrew Johnson's Presidency

    The Civil War was over, but the fight had just begun. In the wake of President Lincoln's assassination, the reeling nation needed a steady hand and a unified government for guidance. Unfortunately, America got President Andrew Johnson instead. Tony Rydberg and Ryan Rasmussen sift through the rubble of Andrew Johnson's disastrous presidency, an administration that offered the nation its first impeachment, a no-holds-barred fight between the executive and legislative branches, and an enormous step backward on the path to racial justice.

    1h 28m

  7. SEASON 3 TRAILER

    Season 3 Starts Sept 23!

    From the rubble of the Civil War through World War I, Tony Rydberg and Ryan Rasmussen will dissect the history of America and figure out how were the true movers and shakers in American history. The first episode of season 3 will arrive on September 23!

    2 min

  8. 05/27/2024

    Abraham Lincoln: That's It. That's the Title.

    Abraham Lincoln's face is universally recognizable, but do we really know him? His speeches are immortalized, but do we really understand his mind? On the Season 2 finale, Ryan Rasmussen and Tony Rydberg unpack the man, the myth, and the legend known as "Honest Abe" Lincoln. From his birth in a Kentucky log cabin to his assassination in Ford's Theatre, Ryan and Tony tackle the good, the bad, and the ugly of the Illinois Rail-splitter.

    1h 49m
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About

Frame by frame, the faces of US presidents are hung from the walls of America's history classrooms — but are those men REALLY the faces of America's history? Who REALLY belongs in the picture frames that line America's history classrooms? Welcome to "Reframing America," the podcast that explores American history — president by president, frame by frame — to determine the best faces to symbolize the evolution of American history. Join us for "Historical Hot Takes", the "Worst Person in America award," "What Actor Should Play this President?" and more!

Information

  • Creator
    Painted Sky Podcasts
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2025
  • Episodes
    24
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Painted Sky Podcasts
  • Show Website
    Reframing America

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