Who is Calvin Coolidge?

Who is Calvin Coolidge?

Author: Liam Heffernan March 4, 2025 Duration: 53:11

On this day 100 years ago, a Presidential inauguration was broadcast on national radio for the first time. Having inherited the White House from Warren G. Harding three years into his Vice Presidential career, the thirtieth President of the United States arrived amidst scandal and left behind a Great Depression. But was he popular? Was he successful? And why didn’t he run for a second full term? In this episode, I’m asking… who is President Calvin Coolidge?

...

Special guest for this episode:

  • Amity Shlaes, the author of four New York Times bestsellers, including Coolidge, a full-length biography of the thirtieth president. She now chairs the board of the Calvin Coolidge Presidential Foundation, a national foundation based at the birthplace of President Coolidge.

...

Additional Resources:

READ: The Coolidge Foundation

READ: Coolidge by Amity Shlaes

LISTEN: Calvin Coolidge: A tale of two - Presidential - Apple Podcasts

LISTEN: 1924, Coolidge vs. Davis vs. L - American Elections: Wicked Game - Apple Podcasts

READ: Calvin Coolidge: Life Before the Presidency | Miller Center

...

And if you like this episode, you might also love:

What Was the Constitutional Convention?

Why Does the President Only Serve Two Terms?

Is the President Above the Law?

How Are Presidents Elected?

What is the US Constitution?

...

Contact us: america@podcastsbyliam.com

Join the community: https://www.patreon.com/cw/americathestoryoftheusa - use code USA26 for 50% off your first month

Get the newsletter: https://america-the-story-of-the-usa.beehiiv.com/

Brand & advertising enquiries: liam@mercurypodcasts.com

Want to advertise with us and support the American Studies community?

Email liam@mercurypodcasts.com and let's talk.


Hosted by Liam Heffernan, America: The Story of the USA is a deep and ongoing conversation about the forces that have shaped the nation. This isn't just a history lesson; it's an exploration of how the past directly informs today's headlines and cultural shifts. Each episode brings together a remarkable range of voices, from Nobel laureates and acclaimed historians to veteran journalists, to dissect pivotal moments and current events with nuance and depth. You'll hear discussions that connect the dots between a centuries-old political decision and a modern social movement, or examine a breaking news story through the lens of long-standing cultural patterns. The aim is to provide a richer, more connected understanding of the American experience in all its complexity. By weaving together threads from history, politics, society, and culture, this podcast offers a comprehensive and thoughtful narrative. For those who want to look beyond the soundbites and understand the deeper currents running through the United States, this series serves as an essential and engaging resource. Tune in for a consistently insightful analysis that treats the American story as the living, evolving saga that it truly is.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

America: The Story of the USA
Podcast Episodes
Study Notes: The Rules of American Football [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:57
America: Study Notes are quickfire explainers for all the things you want to know about the USA, but don't want to ask.This week, The Rules of American Football - a brief history of the game, and everything you need to k…
In the Making: The Return of the Epstein Files [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:48
This week, we're talking about the DOJ's release of three million documents relating to Jeffrey Epstein, and Trump's suggestion of nationalising elections.Plus Sanam Naraghi Anderlini MBE discusses growing tension in the…
What is The Last of the Mohicans? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:56
Set in the forests of upstate New York during the French and Indian War, James Fenimore Cooper’s 1826 novel has become one of the most enduring works of early American literature. It helped define the frontier myth, shap…
Study Notes: A Brief History of the 50 States [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 4:44
America: Study Notes are quickfire explainers for all the things you want to know about the USA, but don't want to ask.This week, A Brief History of the 50 States. I’ll explain how the United States grew from the 13 orig…
In the Making: Is America About to Strike Iran? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:40
This week, we're talking about Trump showing signs of cooling on ICE in Minnesota, social media giants feel the pressure, plus Mr. Potato Head finds himself at the center of a legal dispute.Plus, the US are lining up for…
What Was the American Revolutionary War? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:00
This week, we explore what is arguably the most consequential event in the creation of the United States, reshaping the Western world by enshrining new concepts of liberty, equality, and self-governance. So I want to kno…
Study Notes: US Time Zones Explained [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 5:23
America: Study Notes are quickfire explainers for all the things you want to know about the USA, but don't want to ask.This week, US time zones: what they are, why they exist, and a few quick tips so you don’t miss a lec…
In the Making: The End of the Special Relationship [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:23
This week, on America: In the Making…Will Greenland be the death of the UK-US special relationship?AI-generated confusion after Monkeys escape a zoo in Missouri, andOne small step for Congress, one giant leap for mankind…
Who is JFK? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:33
Today, we turn our focus to a figure who remains as enigmatic as he is iconic. Ascending to the presidency at one of the tensest moments in American and world history, he energized a nation with his call for a “New Front…
America: The Story of the USA Returns Soon [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 4:41
In July 2023, I launched a bit of a passion project, with my old lecturers at the University of East Anglia.America: A History was born.But a lot has changed in two and half years.And we thought it was about time we did…