How the 1721 Smallpox Epidemic Changed America

Smallpox was the killer you couldn't see. Between April and December 1721, 5,889 Bostonians had smallpox, and 844 died. It would have a significant impact on medicine, and the freedom of the press. It would also be the coming-of-age story behind one of America’s most ardent revolutionaries, Benjamin Franklin.
Historical U.S.A. is a weakly podcast hosted by Historian Lisa Weakland.
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