Whiskey: An American Delirium

In this episode, we are finally covering the history of my favorite spirit: whiskey! This uniquely American tale touches on whisky's backstory involving the migration of the Scots-Irish, as well as exactly how farmers felt when one (sing it with me) Alex-an-der Ham-il-ton tried to levy taxes on their beloved corn liquor. We also cover the ways the rise of the Industrial Revolution changed the drinking culture in the young United States, such as the very real problems that developed when the US population hit an unprecedented peak of alcohol consumption. One such problem involved recognition of a new disease called delirium tremens that could cause terrifying hallucinations. Was this a possible cause of the great author Edgar Allan Poe's death? So many topics, and so much whiskey - dive on in, and I hope you enjoy. Primary Sources:Jesse Carter, “Observations on Mania a Potu” The American Journal of Medical Sciences (Aug. 1, 1830)Nils-Gerrit Wunsch, “Per capita consumption of corn products in the U.S. 2000-2019,” Statista (June 1, 2022). Secondary Sources:Michael Brander, Brander’s Guide to Scotch Whiskey, fifth edition (New York: Lyons Press, 1996).Bruce L. Bustard, Spirited Republic: Alcohol’s Evolving Role in U.S. History, Prologue, the US National Archives, Winter 2014. Cleveland Clinic, “Delirium Tremens,” June 5, 2023. Joe Dabney, Mountain Spirits: A Chronicle of Corn Whiskey from King James' Ulster Plantation to America's Appalachians and the Moonshine Life (Bright Mountain Books, 1984). Patrick Griffin, The People With No Name: Ireland's Ulster Scots, America's Scots Irish, and the Creation of a British Atlantic World, 1689-1764 (Princeton University Press, 2001).National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), “Delirium or Psychosis? The Strange Death of Edgar Allan Poe,” November 16, 2021.James Nicholls, The Politics of Alcohol: A History of the Drink Question in England (Manchester: Manchester University Press, 2011).Andrew J. O’Shaughnessy, An Empire Divided: the American Revolution and the British Caribbean (University of Pennsylvania Press, 2000).  Matthew Warner Osborn, Rum Maniacs: Alcoholic Insanity in the Early American Republic (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2014).W.J. Rorabaugh, The Alcoholic Republic: An American Tradition (Oxford University Press, 1979). Written and recorded by: Kenyon PayneTheme music: "Southern Gothic" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Outro music: “D´vil,” anrocomposerAdditional featured music:“Industrial Decay,” stephane_varloteaux“Rustic Vocal Phrases,” DesiFreeMusic“Celtic Folk Song,” Caffeine_Creek_Band“Pirate Bay,” Ebunny“Appalachian Folk Instrumental,” alanajordan “Dark Fear,” AUDIOREZOUT“Dramatic Mystery Investigation,” ShadowsAndEchoes“Below the Surface,” Anon (Pixabay)“Separation,” HarumachiMusic Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.