About this episode

The episode introduces the history podcast 'First America', exploring the impact of Native history on today's political landscape.

Today, we are sharing the debut episode of First America, the brand-new history podcast from Critical Frequency and Pushkin Industries. Hosted by award-winning journalist Rebecca Nagle and featuring leading Native historians, First America explores how Native people have been left out of the American story. And without them, that story is wrong. From the Declaration of Independence to the founders' real motivations for rebellion and the government they built, First America reveals the true story of the founding of the United States – and how today's political moment has been 250 years in the making. In this premiere episode, Rebecca sits down with Ned Blackhawk, who is Western Shoshone and a leading scholar of Indigenous history. They explore why the drive to seize Indigenous land – not taxation without representation – fueled the American Revolution. To listen to the rest of the series, follow First America on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

People in this episode

Host: Rebecca Nagle

Guest: Ned Blackhawk

Topics covered

• Native history
• American Revolution
• Indigenous land
• Political history
• Founding of the United States

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Critical Frequency, Pushkin Industries

Books & works: First America, Declaration of Independence

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