At a time of extreme politcal polarization, Colin Woodard's latest book seems more pertinent than ever. On this episode of River to River, host Ben Kieffer speaks to Woodward about his book, "Union: The Struggle to Forge the Story of United States Nationhood." In it, he explores how the "myth" of national unity in the United States came to be.
During the founding moments of the United States, in the 1770s, the colonies had a shared threat: the British Empire. Now, the unifying factor of the United States is much less clear, and "[w]e're living in a time when people are again wondering what holds us together," Woodard says. His book uses the story of five American figures in history to string together a story of how American nationhood was created.
Guest:
- Colin Woodard, author, "Union: The Struggle to Forge the Story of United States Nationhood"
