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History's Greatest Cities: Boston

History's Greatest Cities: Boston

Paul Bloomfield is joined by writer John Bell to explore the storied history of the capital of Massachusetts, which played a pivotal role in the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War, as well as the signing of the Declaration of Independence that followed

Paul Bloomfield

Published: October 29, 2026 at 9:35 AM

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As one of the oldest cities in the United States, Boston played a pivotal role in the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War, as well as the signing of the Declaration of Independence that followed. In this episode of History’s Greatest Cities, Paul Bloomfield is joined by writer John Bell to explore the storied history of the capital of Massachusetts. Together, they wander through Boston’s oldest neighbourhoods, tracing the story of this harbour city from its pre-colonial roots, through Puritan settlement, to its rise as a major port and administrative centre of the British Atlantic world.

History’s Greatest Cities is produced by HistoryExtra, the home of ‘History’s Greatest’ podcasts. Listen to our other podcasts: History’s Greatest Conspiracy Theories, History’s Greatest Scandals, History’s Greatest Battles, HistoryExtra Long Reads.

Authors

Paul BloomfieldWriter and editor

Paul Bloomfield is a writer and editor who has contributed to BBC History Magazine since 2013. He's worked in various publishing roles for over a quarter of a century, holding staff positions at the likes of Lonely Planet Publications, Wanderlust magazine and BBC Wildlife Magazine.

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