America: Study Notes are quickfire explainers for all the things you want to know about the USA, but don't want to ask.

This week, US time zones: what they are, why they exist, and a few quick tips so you don’t miss a lecture (or a podcast recording) ever again.

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This week, on America: In the Making…

1. Will Greenland be the death of the UK-US special relationship?
2. AI-generated confusion after Monkeys escape a zoo in Missouri, and
3. One small step for Congress, one giant leap for mankind. I speak to Casey Dreier, Chief of Space Policy at The Planetary Society, about Trump’s failed efforts to decimate the NASA budget.

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Special Guest:

This week, we are delighted to be joined by Emma Long, an Associate Professor in American History and Politics at the University of East Anglia.

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Useful Links:

1. Trump has threatened Europe with higher tariffs. What happens now? | The Independent
2. The exchange of messages between Norway's prime minister and President Trump | Reuters
3. Keir Starmer about to hold emergency press conference
4. Trump Shares Map of US Including Greenland, Canada, Venezuela - Newsweek
5. Congress passes $24.4 billion NASA budget, rejecting Trump's deep cuts
6. As Musk works to slash federal spending, his own firms have received billions in government contracts - ABC News
7. The Planetary Society
8. Army has put 1,500 soldiers on standby for possible Minnesota deployment | AP News
9. Multiple monkeys on the loose in St. Louis | AP News
10. Supreme Court weighs Trump's firing of the Fed's Lisa Cook by social media | Reuters

Today, we turn our focus to a figure who remains as enigmatic as he is iconic. Ascending to the presidency at one of the tensest moments in American and world history, he energized a nation with his call for a “New Frontier,” navigated the shoals of the Cold War, and inspired Americans with his vision for space and civil rights. Yet behind his polished image lay personal struggles, political obstacles, and a legacy marked as much by tragedy as by promise.

So in this episode, on the anniversary of his inauguration, I’m asking… who is President John F. Kennedy?

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Special guest for this episode:

1. Barbara Perry, a distinguished scholar from the University of Virginia’s Miller Center and one of the preeminent experts on the Kennedy family and presidency. She has authored and edited numerous books, including Jacqueline Kennedy: First Lady of the New Frontier and Rose Kennedy: The Life and Times of a Political Matriarch.

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Highlights from this episode:

1. John F. Kennedy's presidency, despite its brevity, was marked by significant achievements in civil rights and the space race.
2. Kennedy's early life and family background played a crucial role in shaping his political ambitions and character.
3. The complexities of JFK's personal life, including his infidelities, contrast sharply with his public persona as a devoted leader.
4. The impact of JFK's assassination continues to resonate in American culture and politics, symbolizing a profound national tragedy.

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Additional Resources:

Jacqueline Kennedy: First Lady of the New Frontier by Barbara Perry

Rose Kennedy: The Life and Times of a Political Matriarch by Barbara Perry

Miller Center: JFK Life Before the Presidency

Miller Center: Domestic Affairs

Miller Center: Impact and Legacy

JFK Library: Life of John F. Kennedy

JFK Library: PT-109

JFK Library:...