Creating America

The documents and speeches that shaped the United States. It is my hope that as you listen to these documents and speeches you will gain an appreciation of what our country was, what it is, and what it hopes to be.

Creating America is a education podcast hosted by Unknown Host, with 29 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Unknown Host hosts Creating America, a education show with 29 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

• 

  Episode #28

  Episode 28: Lincoln’s “House Divided” | The Speech That Warned America

  Sep 24, 202625 min

  In June 1858, Abraham Lincoln delivered one of the most consequential speeches of his political career: his famous “House Divided” speech. Standing before the Illinois Republican State Convention in Springfield, Lincoln warned that the United States could not remain permanently divided between free and slave states. He connected the growing crisis over slavery to the Kansas-Nebraska Act, the Dred Scott decision, and the political struggle with Stephen A. Douglas. Lincoln’s argument was controversial—even among his own political allies. He would lose his Senate race against Douglas, but the speech helped establish Lincoln as a national political figure and foreshadowed the crisis that would soon engulf the country. In this episode of the Creating America Podcast, Will Sarris provides a little historical context before reading Lincoln’s complete “House Divided” speech of June 16, 1858. Hear Lincoln’s own words—and listen as he lays out his argument about slavery, the Constitution, Dred Scott, Stephen Douglas, and the future of the United States. Host & Narrator: Will Sarris Follow us on social media! Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61586175179173 Threads: https://www.threads.com/@creatingamericapod Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/creatingamericapod Contact: CreatingAmericaPod@gmail.com Support the show: patreon.com/williamsarris Reply on Bluesky More about Will: williamsarris.net Subscribe for more readings from American history. #AbrahamLincoln #HouseDivided #AmericanHistory #CivilWar #DredScott

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  Episode #26

  Episode 26: Dred Scott: The Supreme Court’s Most Infamous Decision

  Sep 10, 202617 min

  Dred Scott v. Sandford, decided by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1857, is one of the most consequential and controversial decisions in American history. The Court ruled that Dred Scott, an enslaved man who had lived in free territory, was not a citizen and therefore could not sue in federal court. The decision also declared that Congress did not have the constitutional authority to prohibit slavery in the federal territories, effectively striking down the Missouri Compromise. Rather than settling the nation’s growing conflict over slavery, the decision deepened the divide between North and South and became one of the major events leading toward the Civil War. Most disturbing are Taney’s arguments about race and citizenship—and the stark disagreement expressed by the dissenting justices. Their opinions provide an extraordinary window into the constitutional arguments surrounding slavery and citizenship in the years before the Civil War. In this episode, we hear the words of the justices themselves and consider a decision that has become a lasting cautionary example in the history of the Supreme Court. In this episode of Creating America , we read excerpts from Chief Justice Roger B. Taney’s majority opinion, along with powerful dissents from Justices John McLean and Benjamin Curtis. Host & Narrator: Will Sarris Follow us on social media! Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61586175179173 Threads: https://www.threads.com/@creatingamericapod Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/creatingamericapod Contact: CreatingAmericaPod@gmail.com Support the show: patreon.com/williamsarris Reply on Bluesky More about Will: williamsarris.net

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  Creating America

  A Quick Break!

  Jul 9, 20260 min

  I'm currently on vacation visiting a US National Park, and my work schedule is a bit hectic right after I get back. But we'll be back with new episodes soon!

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  Episode #25

  Episode 25: America's Founding Documents (250th Anniversary Special) | The Declaration of Independence, Constitution & Bill of Rights

  Jul 2, 202645 min

  As America approaches the 250th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence , Creating America revisits the documents that laid the foundation of the United States. In this special Independence Day episode, host Will Sarris reads the complete text of the Declaration of Independence , followed by the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights. E ach generation has reinterpreted these founding principles to meet the needs of their age, and as we move forward into the next 250 years, we need to do the same. Whether you're celebrating the Fourth of July, studying American history, preparing for civics classes, or simply want to hear these historic documents performed aloud, this episode offers an engaging reading of the words that shaped the nation. If you enjoy history, American founding documents, historical speeches, and dramatic readings, subscribe to Creating America for more of the documents and speeches that shaped the United States. Host & Narrator: Will Sarris Follow us on social media! Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61586175179173 Threads: https://www.threads.com/@creatingamericapod Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/creatingamericapod 📩 Contact: CreatingAmericaPod@gmail.com 💬 Support the show: patreon.com/williamsarris Reply on Bluesky 🌐 More about Will: williamsarris.net #DeclarationOfIndependence #Constitution #BillOfRights #AmericanHistory #July4 #IndependenceDay #America250 #USHistory #HistoryPodcast #FoundingDocuments #AmericanRevolution #CreatingAmerica #Civics #ThomasJefferson #EducationalPodcast

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  Episode #24

  Episode 24: Frederick Douglass | What to a Slave is the 4th of July? (full speech)

  Jun 25, 20261h 16m

  In this powerful episode of the Creating America Podcast , host Will Sarris presents a reading of the full text of Frederick Douglass’s landmark 1852 speech, “What to the Slave Is the 4th of July?” As the United States reflects on the ideals of independence, liberty, and justice—especially in the context of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence—this episode confronts a difficult but essential question: what did American freedom mean to those who were still enslaved? Frederick Douglass, born into slavery and later becoming one of America’s most influential abolitionists, delivers a searing critique of American hypocrisy, slavery, and inequality. However he houses this critique within a very rousing and passionate defense of the ideals of the founders. This episode preserves the full text of his speech, which is quite the journey from the highs of patriotic sentiment, to the lows of the evils of slavery, and back toward a fuller ideal of "all men are created equal". Creating America is a documentary-style podcast that reads and explores foundational speeches and documents in U.S. history—ranging from inspiring declarations to challenging and uncomfortable truths. Hosted and narrated by actor and voice professional Will Sarris, the show aims to make historical texts accessible, engaging, and impactful for modern listeners. Host & Narrator: Will Sarris Follow us on social media! Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61586175179173 Threads: https://www.threads.com/@creatingamericapod Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/creatingamericapod 📩 Contact: CreatingAmericaPod@gmail.com 💬 Support the show: patreon.com/williamsarris Reply on Bluesky 🌐 More about Will: williamsarris.net #FrederickDouglass #AmericanHistory #SlaveryInAmerica #BlackHistory #HistoryPodcast #Abolitionist #FourthOfJulySpeech #USHistory #EducationalPodcast

  ListenShow Notes

Recent guests on Creating America. Study who booked and why before you pitch.

Based on semantic analysis of episode topics and host coverage, this show is a strong guest fit for executives in:

Industry fit is computed by PitchCentric using vector embeddings of the show's episode catalog.