Hail to the Chief

With less than four weeks to go before American voters elect their next president, how has executive authority developed since George Washington was sworn in as the federal republic's first president in 1789?

In this first of three podcasts to mark the coming presidential election, Professor Jeremy Black, author of Fighting for America and Altered States, talks to The Critic's political editor, Graham Stewart, about where power lay in the period between the United States achieving independence and the outbreak of Civil War in 1861.

__

Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on Spotify and iTunes to ensure you never you never miss an episode.

Right now we’re offering 3 months for just £5. Go to thecritic.imbmsubscriptions.com/ for details.

__

Image: George Washington on horseback in front of a map of the United States, by James Montgomery Flagg, c. 1935. Screen print. (Illustration by GraphicaArtis/Getty Images)

Music: Radetzky March by Human Symphony Orchestra (premiumbeat.com)

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.