First World’s Fair on American Soil

First Bank of The United States

Before there was a national economy, someone had to figure out how to pay for one. This episode tells the story of the First Bank of the United States, born right here in Philadelphia in 1791, and how a fierce fight over this bank set the terms of a constitutional debate we're still having today. Host Marisa Magnatta is joined by Dr. Peter C. Earle, Senior Director of Research at the American Institute for Economic Research (AIER), an economist and financial markets expert with over 30 years of experience.

First Paper Maker in America

Before there was freedom of the press, someone had to make the paper. This episode tells the story of William Rittenhouse, the immigrant who built America's first paper mill in Germantown in 1690, and why that mill wasn't just an industrial first, but the foundation of free speech in the colonies. Host Marisa Magnatta is joined by Professor Joseph M. Adelman, a historian of early American media, communication, and politics.

First Annual Reminder Demonstration

Most people think Stonewall was where the LGBTQ+ rights movement began, but Philadelphia got there first. This episode tells the story of the first Annual Reminder Demonstration, a series of Independence Day protests held at Independence Hall years before Stonewall, and how a simple act of holding hands helped ignite the modern Pride movement. Host Marisa Magnatta is joined by Rue Landau, Philadelphia City Councilmember At-Large, civil rights attorney, and the first openly LGBTQ+ member of Philadelphia City Council.

First U.S. Army

This episode tells the story of how thirteen fractured colonies — each with their own militias, customs, and loyalties — were forged into a single fighting force: the Continental Army. Host Marisa Magnatta is joined by Matthew Skic, Director of Collections and Exhibitions at the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia, whose award-winning curatorial work on the Revolutionary War brings the look, feel, and human drama of America's first army vividly to life.

First American Flag

Marisa sits down with Betsy Ross herself to dig into the story of the first American flag, the remarkable woman behind it, and why her story still resonates nearly 250 years later.