Ep. 478: The American West

Steven Rinella talks with Elliott West, Randall Williams, Brody Henderson, Phil Taylor, and Corinne Schneider.

Topics discussed: How there are way more history PhDs now than there were before; talking about the dumb shit people do at Yellowstone National Park; when a fight over the last piece of fried chicken shuts down the interstate; a roaming bar in Northern Michigan for hire; how Steve invented an “old saying,” which goes, “a fresh set of eyes will always find more beans”; the Arkansas World Champion Squirrel Cook Off on September 23rd; how the origin of the word “shit” is old; the time when Dr. Randall reviewed the work of our esteemed guest; falling short on teaching American history; horses and disease; why you might call it the Last Indian War; Antietam; Elliott’s lifetime work, Continental Reckoning: The American West in the Age of Expansion; the greatest environmental transformation of the United States and making a new world; when citizenship is forced on you at gunpoint; the greater reconstruction and the great coincidence; humans’ long running obsession with gold; the 48ers; from hide hunter to candy salesman; and more. 

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