Letters from an American

February 21, 2026

February 22, 2026·14 min·5-min readnarrativehistory
Podzilla Summary (5 min)
TLDR
This episode explores how the Republican Party under President Benjamin Harrison manipulated the admission of six Western states between 1889 and 1890 to consolidate political power, only to face a dramatic electoral backlash in 1890 and 1892. The story reveals how partisan gerrymandering

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Mentions

Books, people, and resources mentioned in this episode.

People

Grover ClevelandBenjamin HarrisonJoseph K. TooleHeather Cox Richardson

Companies

Frank Leslie's Illustrated NewspaperHarper's WeeklyBoston Globe

Topics

American HistoryDemocracyHistorical FiguresInequalityLong Form JournalismPolitical NewsUs Politics

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