Season 5, Episode 2: The “King of Terrors”: Smallpox in the American Revolution
In this episode, we look at the origins of smallpox inoculation in the colonies, discuss the experiences of the Adams family, and consider how the disease entered into debates about a general inoculation of the troops in the Continental Army. We call on the talents of MHS staff to bring John and Abigail Adams to life. Reference Librarian Daniel Hinchen portrays John Adams and Sarah Hume, an Editorial Assistant in the Adams Papers Project, portrays Abigail Adams. We also speak with Andrew M. Wehrman, a professor of history at Central Michigan University, an expert on the topic and author of The Contagion of Liberty: The Politics of Smallpox in the American Revolution.
Episode Special Guests:
Daniel Hinchen is a Reference Librarian at the Massachusetts Historical Society.
Sarah Hume is an Editorial Assistant in the Adams Papers Project at the MHS.
Andrew Wehrman is a professor of history at Central Michigan University and author of The Contagion of Liberty: The Politics of Smallpox in the American Revolution which won the Peter J. Gomes Memorial Book Prize from the Massachusetts Historical Society.
This episode uses materials from:
Cloudbank by Podington Bear (Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported)
Psychic by Dominic Giam of Ketsa Music (licensed under a commercial non-exclusive license by the Massachusetts Historical Society through Ketsa.uk)
Curious Nature by Dominic Giam of Ketsa Music (licensed under a commercial non-exclusive license by the Massachusetts Historical Society through Ketsa.uk)
