He's the best president that the United States has ever had ... at least according to one 2021 C-span study.But how did Lincoln's religious views affect his life and leadership? In this episode, Don is joined by Joshua Zeitz, author of 'Lincoln's God: How Faith Transformed a President and a Nation'.We hear about Lincoln's journey from scepticism to spiritualism, and the growth of connections between politics and the church in the United States.Produced by Sophie Gee. Edited by Siobhan Dale. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

13 equal horizontal stripes in red and white, with a navy blue square in the top left bearing 50 small white five pointed stars. It's recognisable the world over as the flag of the United States of America.But how did this become the American flag? When did it develop its own 'cult'? And does Betsy Ross have anything at all to do with this story?Don is joined by Marc Leepson, author of Flag: An American Biography.For more History Hit content, follow our newsletters here.If you’d like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad-free podcasts, and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Was the USA already a superpower when it joined the Second World War? How did it turn from an isolationist nation to a force ready for action? Today Don is joined by Craig Nelson to find out how President Franklin D. Roosevelt manoeuvred the country from the isolationism of the interwar years to supplying an arsenal and, eventually, manpower to its European allies.Craig's new book is 'V Is For Victory: Franklin Roosevelt's American Revolution and the Triumph of World War 2'.For more History Hit content, follow our newsletters here.If you’d like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad-free podcasts, and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Between 1871 and 1872, Labette County, Kansas became a source of mystery. Several people have gone missing on their journey west and a few bodies have been found. Is this the work of highway robbers? Or could it be the peculiar family who live beside the Great Osage Trail?Don is joined for this episode for Susan Jonasus, author of 'Hell's Half-Acre : The Untold Story of the Benders, America's First Serial Killer Family'.Email us at [email protected] if you have any areas of history that you would love Don to explore.For more History Hit content, follow our newsletters here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Vietnam War or the Great Society? Which event looms larger in the history of the United States? The 36th President of the United States, Lyndon Baines Johnson, is often weighed up in these terms - the balance between domestic and foreign policy. But what is his legacy? Could he be called the first President of our modern era?In this episode, Don is joined by Mark Lawrence, Director of the LBJ Presidential Library and Museum in Austin, Texas.Produced and mixed by Sophie Gee. Senior Producer: Charlotte Long.Email us at [email protected] if you have any areas of history that you would love Don to explore.For more History Hit content, follow our newsletters here.If you’d like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad-free podcasts, and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today!Complete the survey and you'll be entered into a prize draw to win 5 Historical Non-Fiction Books- including a signed copy of Dan Snow's 'On This Day in History'. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.