On this episode of Our American Stories, in the introductory episode of our series tracing America’s rich history and cultural foundations, Wilfred M. McClay, a professor at Hillsdale College and author of the acclaimed book Land of Hope, shares the surprising story of how America’s beginnings were shaped by religious conflict, political power, and sheer chance. From a group of defiant Catholics to a violent Atlantic storm and the iron will of a powerful English queen, McClay explains how a handful of unlikely forces helped determine the course of American history, and how the nation we know today might have turned out very differently.

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