American History Hotline

President Donald Trump recently released his own ranking of America's presidents—placing himself at the top while labeling figures such as Barack Obama and Ulysses S. Grant failures. But how does his list hold up to history?
Presidential historian Lindsay Chervinsky joins Bob Crawford to examine Trump's rankings, identify their biggest surprises and omissions, and reveal her own five greatest presidents. She explains why George Washington and Abraham Lincoln belong at the top, why Grant deserves a historical reassessment and why John F. Kennedy may be overrated.
Bob and Lindsay also explore the complicated legacies of Andrew Jackson, John Quincy Adams, Bill Clinton and Richard Nixon. Plus, Lindsay explains why historians may need at least 30 years—and access to a president's classified records—before they can fairly assess a presidency.
Did Trump get any of his rankings right? And who would make your list of America's best and worst presidents?
Lindsay Chervinsky is a presidential historian, executive director of the George Washington Presidential Library and author of "Making the Presidency: John Adams and the Precedents That Forged the Republic." She also appears in the Netflix documentary series "The American Experiment."
Have a question about American history? Send a voice memo, video or email to AmericanHistoryHotline@gmail.com or visit AmericanHistoryHotline.com Your question could inspire a future episode.

Why does the United States use the Electoral College instead of a national popular vote? Wait Wait ... Don't Tell Me! Or, actually, DO tell me. 
To get answers, Bob calls up Peter Sagal, longtime host of NPR's Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! and host of the PBS series Constitution USA, to unpack what some have called "America's Worst Idea."  
Where did the Electoral College come from? Why did the Founding Fathers create it? How did slavery, the Three-Fifths Clause, and the political compromises of the Constitutional Convention shape the system we still use today? And why can't we get rid of it? 
Peter traces the surprising history of the Electoral College from 1787 to the present day, explaining how presidential elections work, why swing states receive so much attention, and why the Electoral College remains one of the most controversial institutions in American politics.
Guest: Peter Sagal

The history of the Army Rangers isn't one continuous story, it's a cycle of creation, disbandment, and revival that stretches back before the United States even existed.
In this episode of Bob calls up Brian Halstead, President of the U.S. Army Ranger Association, about the remarkable history of the Rangers. Together they trace their evolution from frontier scouts during the French and Indian War to George Washington's reconnaissance units, the Civil War, World War II's legendary D-Day assault at Pointe du Hoc, and the creation of today's 75th Ranger Regiment.
Along the way, you'll discover:
• Why the Rangers were repeatedly shut down after America's wars
• The surprising connection between Robert Rogers, frontier warfare, and modern special operations
• Whether Abraham Lincoln really served as an Army Ranger
• How Native American fighting tactics influenced Ranger doctrine
• Why the Rangers became one of America's premier special operations forces
• The origin of the famous motto: "Rangers Lead the Way."
Have an American history question you'd like answered? Send it to AmericanHistoryHotline.com and it could become a future episode.

How did the Cold War really end?
Most Americans know about the Berlin Wall and the fall of the Soviet Union—but few know about the extraordinary meeting that helped make it all possible.
On this episode of American History Hotline, host Bob Crawford speaks with filmmaker Michael Russell Gunn, writer and director of The Brink of War, about the dramatic 1986 Reykjavik Summit between President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev.
Together, they explore how two longtime rivals came closer than ever to eliminating nuclear weapons, why one word nearly derailed the negotiations, and how this little-known diplomatic breakthrough helped bring the Cold War to an end. Along the way, Michael shares behind-the-scenes stories from making the film, including filming in the actual room where history was made and using newly declassified transcripts to recreate the conversations.
You'll learn:
Why the Reykjavik Summit became a turning point in the Cold War
How Reagan and Gorbachev built trust despite decades of hostility
The true story behind Reagan's famous phrase, "Trust, but verify"
How close the world came to eliminating nuclear weapons
Why these events still matter in today's world
Whether you're fascinated by Cold War history, Ronald Reagan, Mikhail Gorbachev, diplomacy, nuclear weapons, or untold stories from American history, this episode brings one of history's most important—and least understood—moments to life.
Guest: Michael Russell Gunn, writer and director of The Brink of War
American History Hotline is the podcast where your questions about American history are answered by leading historians, authors, filmmakers, and experts—all with a fun, entertaining, and educational approach.

Guns, germs and steel. Emphasis on GERMS. When Europeans arrived in the Americas, they brought all sorts of diseases!  
A listener asks: Why did diseases like smallpox devastate Native American populations but not European colonists? Was it simply a lack of immunity, or is the story more complicated?
To get answers, Bob calls up bestselling author and journalist Charles C. Mann, author of 1491 and 1493, to explore one of the most consequential—and misunderstood—chapters in American history.
Together they discuss:
• What North America looked like before Columbus • Why Native societies were far larger and more sophisticated than many people realize • How diseases such as smallpox, malaria, and yellow fever spread across the Americas • The role of immunity, genetics, and prior exposure • The Great Dying in New England before the Pilgrims arrived • How epidemics shaped the fall of the Aztec and Inca empires • The connection between disease and the transatlantic slave trade • Why historians estimate that Indigenous populations declined dramatically after European contact
This fascinating conversation reveals how microbes became one of the most powerful forces in American history—and why understanding disease helps us better understand colonization, survival, and the world we live in today.
Guest: Charles C. Mann, author of 1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus and 1493: Uncovering the New World Columbus Created