Privateers, Revolutionaries, and Filibusters: The Hidden History of American Expansionism

Year(s) Discussed: 1813-1817

Most of what you think you know about early 19th-century American expansion is incomplete. A renegade naval captain, a privateer turned rogue, and a series of clandestine operations reshaped the Western Hemisphere’s borders — and the U.S. presidency’s approach to sovereignty, power, and diplomacy. This episode explores the complex history of early American foreign policy, filibustering expeditions, and key figures like Joel R. Poinsett and Jean Lafitte, revealing how these events shaped the nation's expansion and international relations in the early days of Monroe's presidency.

Sources used for this episode can be found at https://www.presidenciespodcast.com.

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