Listener Laura is descended from Colonel John Barnwell—better known as "Tuscarora Jack"—but she struggles with her ancestor's brutal actions during the Tuscarora War. Why is Barnwell still celebrated as a hero in South Carolina?

Bob speaks with author and fellow Barnwell descendant John Warley about the bloody conflict that earned Tuscarora Jack his nickname, the disturbing violence recorded in his own journals, and his role in shaping colonial South Carolina. Was Barnwell a patriot, a villain, or a complicated product of a violent age?

Have a question about American history? Record a voice memo or video at AmericanHistoryHotline.com.

For much of American history, the vice presidency was a political afterthought. Presidents and vice presidents sometimes disliked each other, worked against each other, or barely communicated at all. So how did the office become one of the most influential positions in Washington?

On this episode of American History Hotline, Bob Crawford talks with Elaine Kamarck, Senior Fellow in Governance Studies and Director of the Center for Effective Public Management at the Brookings Institution, about the surprising evolution of the American vice presidency.

Kamarck explains how changes to the presidential nomination process transformed the relationship between presidents and their running mates — and why modern presidents increasingly chose vice presidents who could actually help them govern.

Along the way, they explore Theodore Roosevelt's vice president actively working against him, Harry Truman learning about the atomic bomb only after FDR's death, Al Gore's groundbreaking role in the Clinton administration, Dick Cheney's extraordinary power after 9/11, John McCain's controversial selection of Sarah Palin, and the vice presidencies of Joe Biden, Mike Pence, Kamala Harris, and JD Vance.

Plus: Was Dick Cheney really running the show during George W. Bush's first term? Why did Sarah Palin go from an exciting running mate to a political liability? And what should future presidential candidates look for when choosing a VP?

Millions of Americans grew up playing The Oregon Trail, trying to avoid dysentery, survive dangerous river crossings, and make it west in one piece. But how accurate was the famous video game?

In this episode of American History Hotline, host Bob Crawford talks with Yale historian Sarah Keyes, author of American Burial Ground: A New History of the Overland Trail, to separate fact from fiction.

Together they explore:

• How realistic The Oregon Trail video game really was
• Did people actually die of dysentery?
• The biggest dangers pioneers faced on the trail
• Why river crossings were so deadly
• What travelers packed—and what they should have left behind
• Native Americans and the realities of life on the trail
• The California Gold Rush and westward expansion
• The Donner Party and the dangers of the Sierra Nevada
• Why thousands of Americans risked everything to head west

If you loved playing The Oregon Trail in school—or you're fascinated by American history—this episode reveals the surprising truths behind one of the most iconic educational video games ever made.

Guest: Sarah Keyes, Yale historian and author of American Burial Ground: A New History of the Overland Trail

American History Hotline is the podcast where your questions about American history are answered by leading historians and experts. Hosted by Bob Crawford.

Have a question for the show? Send a voice memo to AmericanHistoryHotline@gmail.com