15-Minute History

In this pop quiz, Joe asks me why some historians choose to interpret the past through current-day lenses and the problems that can create for students of history. We then get into a discussion on the role of experts in academic inquiry and see why a narrow focus can lead to some truly awful outcomes.

Join us this week as Joe and I delve into the political, social, and (of course) economic consequences of tariffs. We stay away from the politics--mostly--and try to hone in on the fact that every economic policy has consequences, good and bad, and that leaders need to be open in how they present their ideas and honest in explaining their effects.

The 15-Minute History Podcast team brings you a new segment, just for kids, called Sketches in History, where history isn’t just a story—it’s an adventure. Join Lottie Archer as she dives into her extraordinary notebook where sketches from history come to life.In this episode, she travels to a dark night in Germany during World War II. She can see men whispering in the corners of a fortress, planning to do something impossible. Your kids will learn about ingenuity and witness one of the greatest wartime prison escapes in history. Listen and subscribe to the 15-Minute History podcast to hear Sketches in History every other Thursday. Got a favorite historical moment? Share it with us at 15minutehistory@gmail.com, and it might just make its way into the notebook!Until then, remember that history is just a page away.

We're back from our spring break a week early! This episode is a timely overview of tariffs--taxes on imported goods--from a historical perspective. We will not get into the political aspects of the current trade war, but please join us next week for a discussion that will likely include some current events.

This week, Joe comes awfully close to asking a "what if" question (and getting a shoe thrown at him)! Join us as we discuss historical perspectives on the Yalta Conference at the end of World War Two and what the West could have done differently in confronting the growing Soviet threat in Eastern Europe.

During the next few weeks, the 15-History Podcast team is taking a break and bringing you some of their favorite previous episodes. This episode originally aired on November 1, 2021._______The old man lay in his bed surrounded by courtiers and family members. He had traveled from Rome to visit the place where his father had died many years ago, and now his own life was nearing its end. History records his last words as, “Have I played the part well? Then applaud as I exit.” Caesar Augustus, the first citizen of Rome and the founder of an empire that outlasted him by over fourteen hundred years, departed this life peacefully. But his rise and reign had been anything but peaceful.Join us as we teach you about Ceasear Augustus, his life, and how his actions directed the rise of one of the largest empires in the history of the world. 

The 15-Minute History Podcast team brings you a new segment, just for kids, called Sketches in History, where history isn’t just a story—it’s an adventure. Join Lottie Archer as she dives into her extraordinary notebook where sketches from history come to life.In this episode, she travels to ancient sands in the deserts of Egypt. She can see two men kneeling near a dark entrance on the brink of a major discovery. Your kids will learn about perseverance and witness one of the greatest historical discoveries in history. Listen and subscribe to the 15-Minute History podcast to hear Sketches in History every other Thursday. Got a favorite historical moment? Share it with us at 15minutehistory@gmail.com, and it might just make its way into the notebook!Until then, remember that history is just a page away.

During the next few weeks, the 15-History Podcast team is taking a break and bringing you some of their favorite previous episodes. This episode originally aired on November 16, 2020. Join us as we teach you about the genius of Michelangelo Buonarroti, his timeless works of art, and the legacy he left behind. 

This week, Jon got to ask Joe about the morality of a military attacking civilian targets in war. His answer was very thought-provoking!

Join us for a conversation about the ideas behind Germany's unification, how that pivotal moment in world history shaped decades to come, and its legacy that the German people still confront today.