The Two Ships that Divided America, w/ David S. Reynolds

In this episode, I sit down with acclaimed historian and cultural biographer David S. Reynolds to discuss his powerful new book, Two Ships: Jamestown 1619, Plymouth 1620, and the Struggle for the Soul of America. Just months apart in 1619 and 1620, two ships landed on American shores—the White Lion, bringing the first enslaved Africans to Jamestown, Virginia, and the Mayflower, carrying the Pilgrims to Plymouth, Massachusetts. What started as nearly simultaneous arrivals became enduring symbols of America's foundational divide: one representing bondage and hierarchical Cavalier culture, the other liberty and reformist Puritan ideals. David S. Reynolds is the author of award-winning books on Abraham Lincoln, Walt Whitman, John Brown, and Uncle Tom's Cabin. His work has been praised by figures like Henry Louis Gates Jr. and Jon Meacham. Grab a copy of Two Ships wherever books are sold!   SUPPORT THE SHOW: https://www.patreon.com/c/HistoryShortsPodcast ADVERTISE: https://www.historyshortspodcast.com/advertise  LEARN MORE: https://www.historyshortspodcast.com/   SPONSORED BY: www.thecollector.com