Capital Day: Lancaster and the Revolution

In this episode, we explore the extraordinary moment in September 1777 when Lancaster, Pennsylvania, briefly became the capital of the United States. As the British captured Philadelphia and the Continental Congress fled in the dark, the American government was forced into a desperate, improvised evacuation that sent delegates, public papers, and even the Liberty Bell scrambling westward. The episode follows the chaos that led to that moment, from General Howe’s campaign for Philadelphi...