Jill Lepore, Professor of Early American History at Harvard University, speaks about her book, The Name of War: King Philip’s War and the Origins of American Identity, and traces the meanings attached to this brutally destructive war. Lepore examines early colonial accounts that depict King Philip's men as savages and interpret the war as a punishment from God, discusses how the narrative of the war is retold a century later to rouse anti-British sentiment during the Revolution, and finally describes how the story of King Philip is transformed yet again in the early 19th century to portray him as a proud ancestor and American patriot.

From Colonial Williamsburg: Past and Present Podcasts

"A lost relic returns to the Pamunkey tribe in a new form. American Indian Initiative Manager Buck Woodard guides us through treaties and time."

This podcast also has a corresponding vodcast that can be accessed here.

Buck Woodard of Colonial Williamsburg talks about instances of first contact between explorers and colonists and Native Americans, focusing on the diversity of Native American languages and problems of understanding and translation that arose at these meetings.

Stewart Pittman, a military interpreter at Colonial Williamsburg, talks about the city's Powder Magazine, looking particularly at the Boys' Company, a group of young men who broke into the magazine in order to steal muskets for drilling for participation in the American Revolution.

Buck Woodard of Colonial Williamsburg describes the population and social organization of Native American society in the Chesapeake area prior to and during the arrival of the Jamestown colonists, focusing particularly on Powhatan and the Powhatan Paramount Chiefdom.

Todd Norris, manager of performing arts at Colonial Williamsburg, talks about colonial theatrical performances and Colonial Williamsburg's presentation of Othello.

Note: this podcast is no longer available. To view a transcript of the original podcast, click here.