Podcast #200: The Virgin Vote| The Art of Manliness

We’re in the middle of a presidential campaign here in the U.S., and once again commentators, politicians, and reporters are bemoaning the apathy and disengagement of young Americans. But there was a time in American history when young people were the most passionate participants in American democracy. The 1960s? Nope, the 1860s. My guest today on the podcast has just published a book about nineteenth century politics, the energy that young voters brought to the process, and how young people, particularly young men in the nineteenth century, looked to politics for a sense of adult identity and even a sense manhood during a time of economic and social upheaval. His name is Jon Grinspan, and his book is The Virgin Vote: How Young Americans Made Democracy Social, Politics Personal, and Voting Popular in the Nineteenth Century. On today’s episode Jon and I discuss why politics was an essential part of male identity in the nineteenth century, and how a man’s first vote used to be an important rite of passage into manhood. We also get into the atmosphere of campaigns in nineteenth century America. If you think this current election cycle is unprecedented in its violence, nastiness, and general circus-like environment, wait until you hear about the booze-laden, torch-lit, late-night-BBQ-filled campaigns of old, and the shankings and brawls that happened at the polls during the 1800s. Follow us! https://ift.tt/YAd15k http://twitter.com/artofmanliness