From The Mayflower To The Moon (and Back Again)

Episode

Title

First
Broadcast

Comments

De La Salle Has Left The Room

20200831

Joe Queenan is setting out in an inflatable canoe. He's heading down the steamy Mississippi River, looking for the adventurers who built the United States.

That my country should presently be helmed by a rapacious real estate developer,' Queenan says, 'should come as no surprise to anyone who has studied the early years of the nation. Back then, people just showed up from Europe and stole land. The Dutch stole Manhattan, the Spanish stole Florida, the French stole Louisiana, and the English stole everything.`

Today's expedition retraces the trip of a man who claimed Louisiana for King Louis in 1682. This is the first of ten journeys between the arrival of the Pilgrim Fathers on the Mayflower in 1620 and the landing of the men on the moon in 1969. Other episodes follow the forced relocation of Native Americans by President Andrew Jackson, the same Andrew Jackson whose statue was nearly pulled down in Washington in June; plus the crossing of the Bering Strait by Vitus Bering and the movement of African Americans up to Chicago and Detroit from the South. All were recorded in lockdown against the background of major turmoil in the US.

The producer in Bristol is Miles Warde

Contributors include Paul Chaat Smith, Merete Boge Pedersen, Cariole Berkin and Clive Webb.

A 400-year journey into the creation of the United States with the writer Joe Queenan

Vitus Bering And The Bering Strait

20200901

In 1867 the United States of America purchased Alaska from Russia. The history of Russian involvement on the American mainland dates back to the arrival of trappers, who came as far south as California looking for sea otter. But the key explorer of the gap between Asia and the Americas was a Dane - Vitus Bering. He led two of the greatest explorations in history before dying of scurvy on what was later called Bering Island. This is his story.

With contributions from Merete Boge Pedersen from Bering's Danish hometown of Horsens.

The presenter is Joe Queenan.

The producer in Bristol is Miles Warde.

How to cross the gap between the world's two greatest landmasses.

A 400-year journey into the creation of the United States with the writer Joe Queenan

Paul Revere's Midnight Ride

20200902

Paul Revere was the Boston silversmith who rode just over 12 miles to warn the rebels that the British were coming. The year was 1775, the eve of the American Revolution. Over eight decades later Henry Longfellow wrote the poem that made Revere an immortal. Paul Revere's Ride is a famous part of the national tale, but, as Joe Queenan points out, Longfellow famously left out the other men who rode with Revere because:

a) history works better when it's simple

b) Longfellow couldn't find rhymes for their more complicated names.

Presented by the satirist Joe Queenan, with archive contributions from Carole Berkin and Andrew Sachs reading Paul Revere's Ride.

The producer in Bristol is Miles Warde

Listen my children and you shall hear of the midnight ride of Paul Revere

A 400-year journey into the creation of the United States with the writer Joe Queenan

The Trail Of Tears

20200903

The Trail of Tears is one of the cruellest most shameful events in all American history,' says presenter Joe Queenan, 'a history that is by no means short on cruel, shameful behaviour. ' The title of this episode, The Trail of Tears, refers to the forced relocation of five entire Nations - the Cherokee, the Creek, the Choctaw, the Chickasaw and the Seminoles - from their ancestral homes to the charmless wastes of Oklahoma.

Contributors include Paul Chaat Smith of the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington.

The producer in Bristol is Miles Warde

The forced relocation of Native Americans in the 1830s

A 400-year journey into the creation of the United States with the writer Joe Queenan

Interstate Delight

20200904

'Alright - we're setting out now!'

This is Joe Queenan's true account of an unexpected journey, east to west, coast to coast, eating only at one particular chain of restaurant - Hooters.

And yes - Joe really did make this trip. Also includes contributions from Clive Webb of Sussex University on the origins of the highway, plus Joe's daughter on concerns about her father's choice of eating establishment.

With music by Kraftwerk and Loudon Wainwright III.

The producer in Bristol is Miles Warde

A trip from coast to coast eating only at Hooters restaurants.

A 400-year journey into the creation of the United States with the writer Joe Queenan

Lewis And Clark's Expedition Out West

20200907

The Lewis and Clark expedition to reach the Pacific ocean is perhaps the most famous event in the exploration up of the American west. They set off under President Jefferson with instructions to write down everything they saw. 'Back then,' says the presenter, 'we elected presidents who were interested in flora and fauna and botany and minerals and astronomy and anthropology and everything.' But the expedition of Meriwether Lewis and William Clark to explore this vast and mysterious land came at a price - particularly for the people already living there..

Produced by Miles Warde in Bristol

Joe Queenan's alternative history of the United States

A 400-year journey into the creation of the United States with the writer Joe Queenan

The Dust Bowl

20200908

The great migration of agricultural workers from the Dust Bowl states to California. Here they were told that jobs were plentiful, that the streets were paved with gold. This turned out not to be the case. Presenter Joe Queenan immerses himself in the music of Woody Guthrie, the photos of Dorothea Lange and the novel by John Steinbeck to recreate a disaster everyone knew about at the time. Includes contributions by Clive Webb of Sussex University and the play Migrant Mother by Michael Symmons Roberts.

The producer in Bristol is Miles Warde

Joe Queenan enters the Dust Bowl of the 1930s

A 400-year journey into the creation of the United States with the writer Joe Queenan

The Blues

20200909

In 1964 the Rolling Stones went to Chess Records in Chicago. In a later interview Keith Richards said this was when they first met Muddy Waters, up a ladder, painting the ceiling white. Is it true? Keith says it's true. This is the story of how the music of the Mississippi delta travelled first to Chicago and then inspired a whole generation of British rock musicians, who then brought it back to a white American audience who barely knew who Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf and Willie Dixon even were.

The producer in Bristol is Miles Warde

A journey up the Mississippi with Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf.

A 400-year journey into the creation of the United States with the writer Joe Queenan

From New York To La

20200910

For as long as I can remember,' says Joe Queenan, 'New York has been afraid of Los Angeles stealing its riches.' This then is the story of Johnny Carson, host of the Tonight Show and American TV star, moving to LA. It also embraces baseball, Friends, and LCD Sound System, and attempts to pinpoint the moment star power moved from one coast to the other.

The presenter is Joe Queenan

The producer in Bristol is Miles Warde

An alternative history of the United States.

A 400-year journey into the creation of the United States with the writer Joe Queenan

What Have We Learnt

20200911

Unlike most of the expeditions described in this series. the moon landings were pure. No blood was spilt, no bogus treaties signed, no wildlife killed. Nor did any white men claim to have 'discovered' anything - unlike so many previous trips across the US. In this concluding episode, presenter Joe Queenan travels From the Mayflower to the Moon (and Back Again) and asks what he has learnt and which qualities he discovered on his journeys might be useful today.

The producer in Bristol is Miles Warde

The end of the journey from the Mayflower to the Moon.

A 400-year journey into the creation of the United States with the writer Joe Queenan

Omnibus 1

20200904

While it's nice to think that America is about life, liberty and exploration, it's also about real estate,' says Joe Queenan in the opening episode.

'That my country should presently be helmed by a rapacious real estate developer should come as no surprise to anyone who has studied the early years of the nation.'

From the journey by canoe down the Mississippi by Robert de la Salle in 1682 to the forced relocation of five nations of Native Americans in the 1830s, Queenan recreates key moments from the early history of the United States - a history that is still being fought over today. Other journeys include Vitus Bering crossing the Bering Strait, and Queenan's own journey from coast to coast eating only at the same chain of restaurant.

The producer in Bristol is Miles Warde

A 400-year journey into the creation of the United States with the writer Joe Queenan

Omnibus 2

20200911

A 400-year journey into the creation of the United States with the writer Joe Queenan

Episodes

Episode	Title	First Broadcast	Comments
01	De La Salle Has Left The Room	20200831	Joe Queenan is setting out in an inflatable canoe. He's heading down the steamy Mississippi River, looking for the adventurers who built the United States. That my country should presently be helmed by a rapacious real estate developer,' Queenan says, 'should come as no surprise to anyone who has studied the early years of the nation. Back then, people just showed up from Europe and stole land. The Dutch stole Manhattan, the Spanish stole Florida, the French stole Louisiana, and the English stole everything.` Today's expedition retraces the trip of a man who claimed Louisiana for King Louis in 1682. This is the first of ten journeys between the arrival of the Pilgrim Fathers on the Mayflower in 1620 and the landing of the men on the moon in 1969. Other episodes follow the forced relocation of Native Americans by President Andrew Jackson, the same Andrew Jackson whose statue was nearly pulled down in Washington in June; plus the crossing of the Bering Strait by Vitus Bering and the movement of African Americans up to Chicago and Detroit from the South. All were recorded in lockdown against the background of major turmoil in the US. The producer in Bristol is Miles Warde Contributors include Paul Chaat Smith, Merete Boge Pedersen, Cariole Berkin and Clive Webb. A 400-year journey into the creation of the United States with the writer Joe Queenan
02	Vitus Bering And The Bering Strait	20200901	In 1867 the United States of America purchased Alaska from Russia. The history of Russian involvement on the American mainland dates back to the arrival of trappers, who came as far south as California looking for sea otter. But the key explorer of the gap between Asia and the Americas was a Dane - Vitus Bering. He led two of the greatest explorations in history before dying of scurvy on what was later called Bering Island. This is his story. With contributions from Merete Boge Pedersen from Bering's Danish hometown of Horsens. The presenter is Joe Queenan. The producer in Bristol is Miles Warde. How to cross the gap between the world's two greatest landmasses. A 400-year journey into the creation of the United States with the writer Joe Queenan
03	Paul Revere's Midnight Ride	20200902	Paul Revere was the Boston silversmith who rode just over 12 miles to warn the rebels that the British were coming. The year was 1775, the eve of the American Revolution. Over eight decades later Henry Longfellow wrote the poem that made Revere an immortal. Paul Revere's Ride is a famous part of the national tale, but, as Joe Queenan points out, Longfellow famously left out the other men who rode with Revere because: a) history works better when it's simple b) Longfellow couldn't find rhymes for their more complicated names. Presented by the satirist Joe Queenan, with archive contributions from Carole Berkin and Andrew Sachs reading Paul Revere's Ride. The producer in Bristol is Miles Warde Listen my children and you shall hear of the midnight ride of Paul Revere A 400-year journey into the creation of the United States with the writer Joe Queenan
04	The Trail Of Tears	20200903	The Trail of Tears is one of the cruellest most shameful events in all American history,' says presenter Joe Queenan, 'a history that is by no means short on cruel, shameful behaviour. ' The title of this episode, The Trail of Tears, refers to the forced relocation of five entire Nations - the Cherokee, the Creek, the Choctaw, the Chickasaw and the Seminoles - from their ancestral homes to the charmless wastes of Oklahoma. Contributors include Paul Chaat Smith of the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington. The producer in Bristol is Miles Warde The forced relocation of Native Americans in the 1830s A 400-year journey into the creation of the United States with the writer Joe Queenan
05	Interstate Delight	20200904	'Alright - we're setting out now!' This is Joe Queenan's true account of an unexpected journey, east to west, coast to coast, eating only at one particular chain of restaurant - Hooters. And yes - Joe really did make this trip. Also includes contributions from Clive Webb of Sussex University on the origins of the highway, plus Joe's daughter on concerns about her father's choice of eating establishment. With music by Kraftwerk and Loudon Wainwright III. The producer in Bristol is Miles Warde A trip from coast to coast eating only at Hooters restaurants. A 400-year journey into the creation of the United States with the writer Joe Queenan
06	Lewis And Clark's Expedition Out West	20200907	The Lewis and Clark expedition to reach the Pacific ocean is perhaps the most famous event in the exploration up of the American west. They set off under President Jefferson with instructions to write down everything they saw. 'Back then,' says the presenter, 'we elected presidents who were interested in flora and fauna and botany and minerals and astronomy and anthropology and everything.' But the expedition of Meriwether Lewis and William Clark to explore this vast and mysterious land came at a price - particularly for the people already living there.. Produced by Miles Warde in Bristol Joe Queenan's alternative history of the United States A 400-year journey into the creation of the United States with the writer Joe Queenan
07	The Dust Bowl	20200908	The great migration of agricultural workers from the Dust Bowl states to California. Here they were told that jobs were plentiful, that the streets were paved with gold. This turned out not to be the case. Presenter Joe Queenan immerses himself in the music of Woody Guthrie, the photos of Dorothea Lange and the novel by John Steinbeck to recreate a disaster everyone knew about at the time. Includes contributions by Clive Webb of Sussex University and the play Migrant Mother by Michael Symmons Roberts. The producer in Bristol is Miles Warde Joe Queenan enters the Dust Bowl of the 1930s A 400-year journey into the creation of the United States with the writer Joe Queenan
08	The Blues	20200909	In 1964 the Rolling Stones went to Chess Records in Chicago. In a later interview Keith Richards said this was when they first met Muddy Waters, up a ladder, painting the ceiling white. Is it true? Keith says it's true. This is the story of how the music of the Mississippi delta travelled first to Chicago and then inspired a whole generation of British rock musicians, who then brought it back to a white American audience who barely knew who Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf and Willie Dixon even were. The producer in Bristol is Miles Warde A journey up the Mississippi with Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf. A 400-year journey into the creation of the United States with the writer Joe Queenan
09	From New York To La	20200910	For as long as I can remember,' says Joe Queenan, 'New York has been afraid of Los Angeles stealing its riches.' This then is the story of Johnny Carson, host of the Tonight Show and American TV star, moving to LA. It also embraces baseball, Friends, and LCD Sound System, and attempts to pinpoint the moment star power moved from one coast to the other. The presenter is Joe Queenan The producer in Bristol is Miles Warde An alternative history of the United States. A 400-year journey into the creation of the United States with the writer Joe Queenan
10	What Have We Learnt	20200911	Unlike most of the expeditions described in this series. the moon landings were pure. No blood was spilt, no bogus treaties signed, no wildlife killed. Nor did any white men claim to have 'discovered' anything - unlike so many previous trips across the US. In this concluding episode, presenter Joe Queenan travels From the Mayflower to the Moon (and Back Again) and asks what he has learnt and which qualities he discovered on his journeys might be useful today. The producer in Bristol is Miles Warde The end of the journey from the Mayflower to the Moon. A 400-year journey into the creation of the United States with the writer Joe Queenan
11	Omnibus 1	20200904	While it's nice to think that America is about life, liberty and exploration, it's also about real estate,' says Joe Queenan in the opening episode. 'That my country should presently be helmed by a rapacious real estate developer should come as no surprise to anyone who has studied the early years of the nation.' From the journey by canoe down the Mississippi by Robert de la Salle in 1682 to the forced relocation of five nations of Native Americans in the 1830s, Queenan recreates key moments from the early history of the United States - a history that is still being fought over today. Other journeys include Vitus Bering crossing the Bering Strait, and Queenan's own journey from coast to coast eating only at the same chain of restaurant. The producer in Bristol is Miles Warde A 400-year journey into the creation of the United States with the writer Joe Queenan
12	Omnibus 2	20200911	A 400-year journey into the creation of the United States with the writer Joe Queenan