Episode 19: The Gambit

About this episode

The episode discusses the desperate negotiations among Britons to prevent civil war in North America as British authority collapses.

With British authority collapsing in North America, Britons on both sides of the Atlantic including Benjamin Franklin, Caroline Howe, and Lord Dartmouth engage in desperate and secret negotiations to avoid all the horrors of civil war. Featuring: Julie Flavell, Mary Beth Norton, Michael Hattem, and Frank Cogliano. Voice Actors: Grace Mallon, Amber Pelham, Evan McCormick, Adam Smith, Craig Gallagher, and John Terry. Narrated by Dr. Jim Ambuske. Music by Artlist.io This episode was made possible with support from a 2024 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Help other listeners find the show by leaving a 5-Star Rating and Review on Apple , Spotify , Podchaser , or our website . Follow the series on Facebook or Instagram . Worlds Turned Upside Down is a production of the Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media at George Mason University.

People in this episode

Host: Dr. Jim Ambuske

Guests: Julie Flavell, Mary Beth Norton, Michael Hattem, Frank Cogliano

Topics covered

• British authority
• civil war
• negotiations
• historical figures
• American history

Keywords

• Benjamin Franklin
• Caroline Howe
• Lord Dartmouth
• civil war
• negotiations
• American history
• British authority

Sponsors

National Endowment for the Humanities

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media, Apple, Spotify, Podchaser, Facebook, Instagram

Places: North America

More episodes of Worlds Turned Upside Down

• Episode 23: The Liberation · January 27, 2026 · 1h 1m
• Episode 22: The Siege · December 16, 2025 · 1h 7m
• Episode 21: The Vengeance · November 25, 2025 · 1h 18m
• Episode 20: The Rebellion · October 28, 2025 · 1h 9m
• Episode 18: The Resurrection · August 26, 2025 · 1h 1m
• Episode 17: The Tyranny · July 30, 2025 · 1h 3m