Gordon Wood and the History of the Founding at 250
About this episode
Jay and Sean discuss the legacy of historian Gordon Wood and the historiography of the American founding.
This episode of Stubborn Things comes out a week ahead of schedule, and this one’s for the historiography nerds. This week, Jay and Sean discuss the legacy of historian Gordon Wood, who passed away earlier this month, and the historiography of the American founding. Our hosts lead us on a tour from Charles Beard’s economic interpretation of the founding and framing of the constitution to the “consensus historians” of the mid-20th century who responded to Beard’s theory. Then, they address the shift in the way history was done, with the emergence of Bernard Bailyn, Gordon Wood, and others, all of whom emphasized that the American founding was ideological in nature. Jay and Sean also analyze new histories of the founding, including social histories and critical histories, like the 1619 Project. The episode concludes with a dialogue on how to think about the founders and the founding, 250 years on. Remember to rate and follow Stubborn Things and stay up to date by following us on X @aei_STpodcast . Comments? Suggestions? Email us at StubbornThings@aei.org . Show notes: Gordon S. Wood, a Historian Who Loved America Gordon Wood Accepts the 2025 Irving Kristol Award, AEI Annual Dinner…
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