How the US became America

How the US became America

From Throughline by NPR

April 14, 2026 · 16 min

About this episode

This episode explores how the U.S. transformed into a global power in the late 1890s and adopted the identity of 'America'.

In the late 1890s, the United States fought wars and backed independence movements around the world. By the time the fighting was over, the US emerged as a new global power —and with it, a new identity. This week: how the U.S. became an empire, and why it started calling itself America. To access bonus episodes and listen to Throughline sponsor-free, subscribe to Throughline+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org/throughline . See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

Topics covered

  • US history
  • empire
  • identity
  • global power

Keywords

  • independence movements
  • wars
  • 1890s

Mentioned in this episode

Places: US, America, the United States, U.S.

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