15-Minute History

Join us as we discuss the actions of Charlemagne, the interpretations that followed, and how such evil can be combatted.

Welcome to Thursday Thoughts! Every other Thursday, Joe will speak about a specific person, place, or event in history in under five minutes. This week, we teach you about the history of the 40-hour work week, its origins, and why it came into being. Spoiler alert: There was a good reason.

Ten long years of war in the dark forests of Saxony, and there was no end in sight. Centuries earlier, these woods had witnessed the destruction of mighty Roman legions, a fact that several Frankish scribes had already noted in their chronicles. Per-haps their king would fare better than the Roman Emperor Augustus. Their enemy, the Saxons, were a far greater threat than the older Germanic tribes had been. When confronted with the truth of holy writ and the might of Christendom’s armies, they had refused to bow to the Frankish King Charles and clung to their pagan ways. Now, a decade after the first uprising along the border, Charles had resolved to suppress the Saxons’ desire for independence once and for all. He had learned of a re-volt near the Süntel massif that had killed several members of his court. Join us as we teach you about what happened as a result, the interpretations that followed, and how such evil can be combatted.

Welcome to the Pop Quiz! Every other Thursday, Joe asks a topical question about history, and Jon has to answer it without any help or resources - other than his legendary memory and knowledge of history. These episodes are unedited and a fun way for the team to interact more with you, our outstanding audience. Have an idea for a topic? Want to try and stump Jon? Send it to us at 15minutehistory@gmail.com or submit it to our website at https://www.15minutehistorypodcast.org. We promise not to give him any hints.

Join us as we discuss Xerxes I, his conquest, and how hubris ruined him.

Welcome to the Pop Quiz! Every other Thursday, Joe asks a topical question about history, and Jon has to answer it without any help or resources - other than his legendary memory and knowledge of history. These episodes are unedited and a fun way for the team to interact more with you, our outstanding audience. Have an idea for a topic? Want to try and stump Jon? Send it to us at 15minutehistory@gmail.com or submit it to our website at https://www.15minutehistorypodcast.org. We promise not to give him any hints.

Xerxes I, also known as Xerxes the Great, was a Persian king who ruled over the vast Achaemenid Empire from 486 BCE to 465 BCE. He was the son of King Darius I and Atossa, the daughter of Cyrus the Great. This lineage protected Xerxes during his time as a prince and solidified his claim to the throne. Join us as we teach you about Xerxes I, his conquest, and how hubris ruined him.

It’s Christmas Day, 1863, and a man is reading a letter. The letter had arrived several days before, but every time he picks up the parchment, it feels like the first time. He sits quietly in the solitude of his study, his hands trembling, his mind bearing the weight of the words on the page. His eyes, now weary and red-rimmed, trace over the inked letters as he uses the words “battle”, “seriously wounded”, and “son” to form a picture in his mind. Join us as share the story of a broken man and the hope he finds. From all of us at the 15-Minute History podcast, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.

When reviewing evil in history, ancient kings are easy targets. Join us as we discuss two kings and detail two major events during their reign.

Welcome to the Pop Quiz! Every other Thursday, Joe asks a topical question about history, and Jon has to answer it without any help or resources - other than his legendary memory and knowledge of history. These episodes are unedited and a fun way for the team to interact more with you, our outstanding audience. Have an idea for a topic? Want to try and stump Jon? Send it to us at 15minutehistory@gmail.com or submit it to our website at https://www.15minutehistorypodcast.org. We promise not to give him any hints.