Worlds Turned Upside Down

Worlds Turned Upside Down

Worlds Turned Upside Down tells the story of the American Revolution as a transatlantic crisis and imperial civil war through the lives of people who experienced it. Worlds is written and narrated by Jim Ambuske, and executive produced by Jeanette Patrick.

Recent Episodes

March 7, 2025

Episode 13: The Massacre

In response to rioting and protests over the Townshend Acts, the British deploy four regiments to Boston, leading to a deadly shooting on March 5, 1770, a massacre that wounds a family.
Dec. 18, 2024

Episode 12: The Conspiracy

In the wake of the Stamp Act Crisis, the British chart a new course for empire in North America by imposing taxes on paper, paint, lead, glass, and tea, pitting British Americans against Parliament…and each other.
Oct. 22, 2024

Episode 11: The Resistance

With the Stamp Act defeated, the Sons of Liberty in New York City celebrate by raising a Liberty Pole in tribute to George III, William Pitt, and Liberty, provoking a violent confrontation with British soldiers quartered in the city's barracks.
Sept. 13, 2024

Episode 10: The Stamp

In the mid-1760s, British fears that a new war with France was only a matter of time leads King George III and his ministers to draw up plans for a permanent army in North America, and a Stamp Tax on the colonies to pay for it, sparking massive...
July 27, 2024

Episode 9: The Sugar

In the 1760s, Jamaica and the islands of the British Caribbean were the crown jewels of Britain's American Empire. And as King George III's ministers searched for solutions to a vexing imperial puzzle and moved to a counter pernicious threat in the...
June 8, 2024

Episode 8: The Trade

At the dawn of a new era after the Seven Years’ War, British officials envision commerce and colonies as the key to British independence and its rising glory, but trade in commodities and manufactured goods comes at an awful price.
May 2, 2024

Episode 7: The Divide

With a blueprint in place for transforming British America into an empire of order, George III's government begins sending an army of cartographers to map North America, while diplomats in the colonies open negotiations with native nations to draw a...
March 23, 2024

Episode 6: The Proclamation

Against the backdrop of Pontiac's War in North America, George III's ministers in London draw on lessons learned in colonial Nova Scotia to begin drafting a blueprint for transforming British America into an empire of order. Featuring: Fred Anderson,...
Jan. 31, 2024

Episode 5: The Uprising

As the British began to assert control over North America in the wake of the Seven Years' War, the actions of British American settlers and the messages of a native prophet convinced some Indigenous peoples throughout the Ohio Country and beyond that...
Dec. 12, 2023

Episode 4: The Empire

Great Britain's conquest of New France in North America and its victory in the Seven Years' War inspired British subjects on both sides of the Atlantic to look forward to a future they could see but through a glass darkly, as they struggled to make...
Nov. 14, 2023

Episode 3: The Triumph

Following three years of stinging defeats in the Seven Years' War, the British begin to turn the tide against the French in North America in no small measure because Indigenous peoples decided the war should end.  Featuring: Fred Anderson, Christian...
Oct. 18, 2023

Episode 2: The Nadir

Following the outbreak of the Seven Years' War in North America, the British and French begin mobilizing for war and appoint commanders-in-chief to lead the war effort, only to clash with colonists over how power, authority, and honor should be used...

Reviews

Terrific podcast!

"I love this podcast! It’s thoroughly researched and full of detail. I enjoy that it’s narrated in storybook form, where each episode is like the next chapter of the book. It’s obvious that everyone i…"

Tim McKay | Nov. 14, 2023

One of the very best history podcasts

"The subject line is the gist of my review, but I will add that if you are even casually interested in the American Revolution, this one is a must. It is just a true pleasure to listen to. The fact th…"

bmedley110 | Nov. 16, 2023

Great listen

"Really engaging podcast! I appreciate getting the context of the battles and conflicts, especially the diplomatic challenges between the Indigenous and European peoples."

megsish | Nov. 18, 2023

Heat the Full Story, in an Enjoyable Way

"This new podcast is exactly the way to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary of the American Revolution. It’s well-paced, features excellent history writing, and the variety of experts offering detai…"

David A. Welker | Nov. 26, 2023

Deep Dive That Keeps You On the Edge of Your Seat

"The level of historical detail and expertise in this podcast is not just impressive but eminently engaging. This podcast reveals the facts that are often untold and untaught except at the highest lev…"

Ramin Ganeshram | Nov. 28, 2023

Please make more episodes!

"Are there only going to be four episodes? An excellent historical background that I don’t recall learning much about in school as a kid. Impressed by the idea that Britain was the second great multin…"

gewald | Dec. 16, 2023

Wonderful

"What they never taught in school, yet again."

Fred | Jan. 13, 2024

More??

"Hope there will be more. I was truly enjoying this podcast."

J.Slep | Jan. 18, 2024

Fascinating!

"My teenage son and I love listening to this podcast. Well-researched and well-narrated, with voices from different cultural backgrounds to give you a sense of how diverse early America was. Highly re…"

Mdhistorian | Jan. 28, 2024

Thoughtful, nuanced, and colorful depiction of the Revolution

"This story of the Revolution is not the one you got in high school - and that’s a good thing. It’s far more complex, colorful, and interesting than a list of facts and dates. The global revolution is…"

LMChistory | March 26, 2024

One of the best podcasts for this topic!

"Well researched and excellent production!"

Brian | May 27, 2024

Amazing!

"Love this podcast. Narrator Jim Ambuske handles the complexities of the period with sensitivity, compassion and expertise. Wanna know what happened in ‘American’ history before the US was established…"

louthelibrarian | March 14, 2024

Awesome series!

"This is a phenomenal podcast that gets deep into the roots of the revolution. I'm hooked, and so is my dad!"

Kevin Fenwick | May 30, 2024

History Come to Life

"Worlds Turned Upside Down is a world-class podcast that brings the roots of the Revolution to life through storytelling, sound, and expert commentary. To take a complicated part of American history a…"

Elizabeth | May 30, 2024

Informative and Entertaining

"I’ve listened to several podcasts based on historical events and none to date have been as informative and entertaining as “Worlds Turned Upside Down.” It provides an excellent rendering of the histo…"

Christopher Kupchik | May 31, 2024

Fantastic history!

"This podcast is one of my favorite history podcasts of all time. So well done, greatly researched, and engrossing. I grew up on unceded Seneca lands and have visited many of the forts mentioned in th…"

Hokiejoel | June 6, 2024

Fantastic history podcast

"Jim is a phenomenal narrator and the editing, sounds, and immersive feeling are all superb. Great for listening while cooking, cleaning, or going on walks. Like all good podcasts, this one brings up …"

Mehatspell | Sept. 19, 2024

Best historical narrative podcast out there

"Takes a very deep dive into the history of the American Revolution, highlighting the stories of many different people. Great commentary by some of the best professional historians out there. Great pr…"

Ohio paddler | Nov. 14, 2024

Great Listen

"For those interested in the formation of our nation, this podcast is an incredible resource. Very informative and presented in an engaging format, it’s easy to listen to and gives amazing detail and …"

WillieRP | Dec. 21, 2024

Really enjoying this unconventional look at this time.

"I’m enjoying the approach to topics, and storytelling, that looks at a broader cultural and practical context for the Revolutionary War. I wish the episodes came out a little quicker but I appreciate…"

SoCal-D | Jan. 19, 2025

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