How did the postal system work in Early America? How did people send mail across the North American colonies and the British Empire?
You sent these questions for Episode 200: Everyday Life in Early America. You also said you wanted to know more about transportation in early America.
Joseph Adelman, an Assistant Professor of History at Framingham State University and author of Revolutionary Networks: The Business and Politics of Printing, 1763-1789, joins us to further explore how the early American postal system worked and how people and mail traveled around early North America and the Atlantic World.
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
Joseph Adelman, an Assistant Professor of History at Framingham State University and author of Revolutionary Networks: The Business and Politics of Printing, 1763-1789, joins us to further explore how the early American postal system worked and how people and mail traveled around early North America and the Atlantic World.
What You’ll Discover
- How the British North American postal system worked
- Post riders and postal roads
- Ship’s bags and packet boats
- Post by friends and messengers
- Early American postage rates
- Transatlantic correspondence
- Cost of paper and letters
- Inter-imperial mail service
- Benjamin Franklin and the early American postal service
- Connections between the postal service and better transportation
- Travel conditions and experiences in 18th-century North America
- Early American rest areas, restaurants, and hotels for travelers
- Travel by sea
- Trains and Railroads
Links to People, Places, and Publications
- Joseph Adelman
- Joe on Twitter: @jmadelman
- Revolutionary Networks: The Business and Politics of Printing the News, 1763-1789
Sponsor Links
Complementary Episodes
- Episode 028: Janice Fontanella, Building the Erie Canal
- Episode 113: Brian Murphy, Building the Empire State
- Episode 156: The Power of the Press in the American Revolution
- Episode 200: Everyday Life in Early America
- Episode 219: Adrian Covert, Taverns in Early America
Questions, Comments, Suggestions
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Get in Touch! Send me an e-mail, tweet, or leave a comment.
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