The Johnstown Flood (Ep13)

The Johnstown Flood (Ep13)

On May 31, 1889, after torrential rains worse than any in recorded history, the South Fork Dam on the western side of the Allegheny Mountains broke, and 20 million tons of water poured downstream. Towns in its wake were leveled: South Fork, Mineral Point, Woodvale, East Conemaugh and, most notably, Johnstown. Prior to the September 11th attack on the World Trade Center, it was the deadliest man-made disaster in U.S. history. 2,209 people were killed. Johnstown and several neighboring towns were destroyed. This episode addresses the questions of why it happened and what happened afterward.

Revolution on $33,000 a day Part 2 (Ep12)

This is the second episode in our three-part series on the financing and supply logistics of the American Revolution. In the first episode, we asked, “Who paid for all this stuff and how did it get to where it was needed?” We described how the Continental Congress funded the war at the start, and did so well enough to permit the military and diplomatic successes of 1777 and 1778. We introduced Philadelphia financier and merchant Robert Morris, one of the richest men in America, who played a key role in both the Continental Congress and the Pennsylvania Assembly in the administration of the war’s supply efforts. But, two years into the war, the wheels started to fall off financially, and Robert Morris’ help was even more urgently needed. This episode covers the period from the second half of 1788 to the Spring of 1781, during which time the Continental dollar and the Pennsylvania currency both depreciated. Congress faced mounting deficits, the populace was hurting from monetary inflation, the soldiers were unpaid, and unrest erupted. This episode ends at a point in 1781 when financial and monetary crises hit both the Continental Congress and the Pennsylvania Assembly. The Continental Congress responded by creating the new role of Superintendent of Finance and named Robert Morris to that position. Timestamps for major events/discussions: [01:45] – Recapping the description of the Continental dollar from the last episode [04:46] – Introducing Pelatiah Webster [08:23] – The creation of the committee on “ways and means” [10:10] – Congress makes the Continental dollar legal tender [21:08] – The Continental dollar ceases to function as a medium of exchange [25:14] – Political turmoil in the Continental Congress after the Occupation [28:04] – Political turmoil in the Pennsylvania Assembly post-occupation [29:42] – Monetary inflation post-occupation [33:54] – The Fort Wilson Riot [40:16] – Spain joins the war against Great Britain [44:59] – The Pennsylvania Line Mutiny [47:17] – Congress creates the position of Superintendent of Finance [51:58] – Robert Morris formally accepts the position of Superintendent of Finance Books to read: · The Continental Dollar: How the American Revolution was Financed with Paper Money. by Farley Grubb (University of Chicago Press, 2023) · Robert Morris: Financier of the Revolution, by Charles Rappleye (Simon & Schuster, 2010) Calls to action: · Follow us on Instagram to learn when new episodes drop or to be a part of our chat community IG: pennsylmaniapod · Join our email list to receive news on the podcast by emailing us at producer@pennsylmania.com · Provide feedback on this episode, or give us ideas for new episodes, by emailing us at producer@pennsylmania.com Link to website: www.pennsylmania.com

Revolution on $33,000 a day Part 1 (Ep11)

The financing and logistics of the American Revolution. In order to get a full picture of the American Revolution, one has to study more than the battles fought by the soldiers and the political ideals of the Founding Fathers. You have to ask, “Who paid for all this stuff and how did it get to where it was needed?” This episode covers the first three years of the War, from 1775 to 1778, when America was a scrappy start-up venture. It illuminates the ways in which the Continental Congress paid for the War. Chief among these are that they printed money, took out foreign loans, and received foreign military aide. But they also employed lesser-known methods, such as government-sanctioned piracy. This episode also explains the far-flung supply network that handled logistics for the Americans, which was essential in receiving and transporting needed supplies, such as gunpowder and arms. It features the man who did more than anyone to fund the War and to get provisions where they were needed: Philadelphia financier Robert Morris. This is the first of a 3-part series that takes us through the end of the War of Independence.

Occupied Philadelphia (Ep10)

What was life like in the nation’s capital under British control? From September of 1777 to June of 1778, the British Army occupied the City of Philadelphia. During this time, the Congress was in exile in York, and the Pennsylvania Assembly was in exile in Lancaster. This episode explains life and events in Philadelphia under British occupation. About a third of Philadelphians fled the approaching British, leaving behind a population of mostly loyalists and the disaffected. For the working-class, life would become difficult. But if you were a rich loyalist at the time, you could have the time of your life.

The Valley Forge Winter (Ep9)

July 1777 to June of 1778 was the pivotal year of the American Revolution. With the exception of the Battles of Saratoga, the most crucial events either happened in Pennsylvania (like the Battles of Brandywine and Germantown, the occupation of Philadelphia by the British, and the York Congress), or Pennsylvanians were at the heart of it (like Benjamin Franklin negotiating with the French in Paris). It was the Year of Pennsylvania. On the last episode we described those events but ended in December of 1777. We pick up where we left off, with Franklin at his residence outside of Paris hearing the delayed news of the victory in the Battles of Saratoga, and Washington’s Army leaving Whitemarsh for its winter encampment at Valley Forge. During this episode, and while at Valley Forge, General Washington and his staff successfully tackle the most difficult problems bedeviling the army – supplies, training and re-enlistments – and beat back efforts to replace the General or make him subservient to other military leaders. Meanwhile, in France, Benjamin Franklin parlays the American victory in the Battles of Saratoga to official French recognition of and a military alliance with the American state.