Episode 411: Paul Kahan, Philadelphia: An Early History

Two hundred fifty years ago, in May 1775, delegates from thirteen British North American colonies gathered in Philadelphia for the Second Continental Congress.

Why was Philadelphia chosen as the seat of Congress? What made the city a critical hub for revolutionary ideas, commerce, and culture? And how has Philadelphia’s early history shaped the broader narrative of American Independence?

Paul Kahan, a historian of American political, economic, and urban history, joins us to explore Philadelphia’s early American history with details from his book, Philadelphia: A Narrative History, the first comprehensive history book about Philadelphia in over 40 years.

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.

Episode Summary

Paul Kahan is a historian with expertise in United States political, economic, and diplomatic history. He’s the author of seven books, including Eastern State Penitentiary: A History, and, most recently, Philadelphia: A Narrative History.

Using details from his book, Paul reveals how Philadelphia’s colonial and revolutionary past made the city the cultural, intellectual, and political capital of early America. Why Philadelphia’s diversity, geography, and economic power made it ideal for convening the Second Continental Congress. And, how William Penn’s plans for a tolerant, organized, and profitable city collided with the realities of urban growth and revolutionary change.