Episode
Founding Fathers | The invention of the United States | 1
- Podcast
- Legacy
- Published
- May 19, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 2098
- Processing state
not_requested- Canonical source
- https://shows.acast.com/originallegacy/episodes/founding-fathers-the-invention-of-the-united-states-1
- Audio
- https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/68e4c0be965488b63a6987c5/e/6a0b13c7f37ac16f7c9fa3f4/media.mp3
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Summary
How did a collection of desperate survivors, religious outcasts, and petty criminals become the architects of the world's most powerful nation? What does it mean to build a society on the language of liberty when that society is entirely dependent on enslaved labour? And are Americans still reckoning with a founding story that was never quite what it seemed? Peter and Afua go back to the very beginning — from the disaster of Roanoke and the brutal early years at Jamestown, to the transatlantic slave economy that quietly powered the rise of New York, Boston, and Philadelphia. 00:00 Introduction — what America actually means 03:00 Roanoke and Jamestown — England's catastrophic first attempts 08:00 The colonial economy — slavery, sugar, and the triangle trade 14:00 New York's hidden history — one in five New Yorkers were enslaved 19:00 The contradiction at America's heart — liberty built on unfreedom 25:00 Who were the Founding Fathers — and who was left out? 32:00 Preview — Franklin and Madison up next Join Legacy Plus for bonus episodes, early access, Q&A's, fewer adverts and more. legacy.supportingcast.fm Stay connected with Legacy: Instagram: @originallegacypodcast TikTok: @legacy_productions Explore more from Peter and Afua — essays, sources, and ideas: Substack: peterfrankopan.substack.com | afuahirsch.substack.com Join Legacy+ for bonus episodes, early access, Q&A's, fewer adverts and more. legacy.supportingcast.fm Stay connected with Legacy: Instagram: @originallegacypodcast TikTok: @legacy_productions Explore more from Peter and Afua — essays, sources, and ideas: Substack: peterfrankopan.substack.com | afuahirsch.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.