Episode 204: James Lewis, Jr., The Burr Conspiracy

by Liz CovartSeptember 18, 2018

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Aaron Burr: Revolutionary War hero, talented lawyer, Vice President, and Intriguer of treason?

Between 1805 and 1807, Aaron Burr supposedly intended to commit treason by dividing the American union. How did Americans learn about and respond to this treasonous intrigue?

James Lewis Jr., a Professor of History at Kalamazoo College and author of The Burr Conspiracy: Uncovering the Story of an Early American Crisis, guides us through what we know and don’t know about about Aaron Burr’s supposed plot to divide the American union.

About the Show

Ben Franklin’s World is a podcast about early American history.

It is a show for people who love history and for those who want to know more about the historical people and events that have impacted and shaped our present-day world.

Each episode features a conversation with a historian who helps us shed light on important people and events in early American history.

Ben Franklin’s World is a production of the Omohundro Institute.

Episode Summary

James Lewis Jr., a Professor of History at Kalamazoo College and author of The Burr Conspiracy: Uncovering the Story of an Early American Crisis, guides us through what we know and don’t know about about Aaron Burr’s supposed plot to divide the American union.

As we explore this early American intrigue, James reveals details about Aaron Burr and his political career; What the Burr Conspiracy entailed and why it captivated the attention of Americans during the 19th century; And, how Americans followed and grappled with the Burr Conspiracy as it unfolded and during and after Burr’s trial for treason.

What You’ll Discover

Aaron Burr
Burr’s duel with Hamilton
Details of the Burr Conspiracy
How Americans learned about and followed the Burr Conspiracy
Media during the early 19th century and its portrayal of Burr
Burr’s activities in Kentucky
Blennerhassett Island
The Spanish Association Conspiracy
The American fear of disunion
American identity in the early American West
Thomas Jefferson's response to Burr and his western activities
Congressional response to the Burr Conspiracy
Aaron Burr’s arrest in the Mississippi Territory
General James Wilkinson
The Burr Cipher Letter
Aaron Burr’s trial for treason
John Marshall’s ruling and Jefferson’s reaction to it
Historical sources about the Burr Conspiracy
Why we still care about the Burr Conspiracy

Links to People, Places, and Publications

Sponsor Links

Omohundro Institute
Cameron Strang, Frontiers of Science: Imperialism and Natural Knowledge in the Gulf South Borderlands, 1500-1750 (Use promo code 01BFW to save 50 percent)

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Time Warp Question

In your opinion, what might have happened if Burr’s wife Theodosia Bartow Prevost hadn’t died in 1794? If Theodosia had lived, do you think she would have tried to convince Burr not to involve himself in such a curious and conspiratorial plan? 