How accurate is Steven Spielberg's Lincoln? And what did the movie get wrong?

Listener Elijah wants to know how closely the 2012 film starring Daniel Day-Lewis matches the real history of Abraham Lincoln—and there may be no better person to answer than Harold Holzer, one of America's leading Lincoln historians and the film's principal historical advisor.

Harold takes Bob Crawford behind the scenes of Lincoln, explaining what the movie gets remarkably right—and where Hollywood took some liberties. He reveals how the filmmakers approached Lincoln's voice, personality, storytelling, political maneuvering, and relationship with the people around him.

The conversation goes deep into the dramatic struggle to pass the 13th Amendment, including Lincoln's efforts to win Democratic votes, his secret meeting with Confederate peace commissioners, and the complicated politics surrounding emancipation. Harold also weighs in on the movie's portrayals of Thaddeus Stevens, Mary Todd Lincoln, Edwin Stanton, and Lincoln himself.

And then there's the historical detail Harold warned screenwriter Tony Kushner about—one that Spielberg decided was simply too dramatically effective to change.

If you love Lincoln, Abraham Lincoln, the Civil War, historical movies, or the question of where Hollywood ends and history begins, this episode is for you.

Featuring Harold Holzer, Lincoln historian, author, and historical advisor to Steven Spielberg's Lincoln.

America's founders feared political parties—and then almost immediately began creating them. So are parties an unfortunate obstacle to democracy, or are they the reason democracy works at all?

Georgetown University political scientist Hans Noel joins Bob Crawford to explain why the Constitution never mentions political parties, how America became locked into a two-party system, and why Democrats and Republicans have repeatedly transformed without disappearing.

They explore whether parties shape what voters believe, the rise of populism on both the right and left, Donald Trump's takeover of the Republican Party, and whether independent candidates can truly escape party politics. Hans also answers a provocative question: Would stronger political parties actually make American democracy work better?

Plus: Is America really a center-right country—and will the Senate filibuster survive?

Have a question about American history? Send it to AmericanHistoryHotline@gmail.com, and it could be featured in a future episode!

Listener Laura is descended from Colonel John Barnwell—better known as "Tuscarora Jack"—but she struggles with her ancestor's brutal actions during the Tuscarora War. Why is Barnwell still celebrated as a hero in South Carolina?

Bob speaks with author and fellow Barnwell descendant John Warley about the bloody conflict that earned Tuscarora Jack his nickname, the disturbing violence recorded in his own journals, and his role in shaping colonial South Carolina. Was Barnwell a patriot, a villain, or a complicated product of a violent age?

Have a question about American history? Record a voice memo or video at AmericanHistoryHotline.com.