American History Too!

On the eighth episode of American History Too! we delve into one of the great crisis moments in American History – the Great Depression.  We’re joined by special guest, Alastair Duthie (@d_alastair), who helps guide us through the historiographical minefield that surrounds Presidents’ Herbert Hoover and Franklin Roosevelt in their attempts to bring the American economy and people back from the brink.  We begin by explaining some of the reasons for the global financial collapse of the 1920s and 1930s.  Malcolm inspires his own great depression as he dips his toe into the cold waters of economic history, Alastair reminds us that the 1920s was not all it has been cracked up to be, and Mark wholeheartedly refuses to ever discuss the t*riff.  Also, it is decided that perhaps the much maligned Herbert Hoover was not the twentieth century’s James Buchanan (more of a Franklin Pierce, perhaps). The second half of the podcast is devoted to a consideration of Roosevelt’s New Deal and the surrounding historiography