
15-Minute History
Walking in the footsteps of history, fifteen minutes at a time. Join us for a 15-minute episode covering a person, place, or event in history, and stay for an extended discussion. New episodes and discussions every week.
Latest episodes

May 9, 2024 • 5min
Pop Quiz | Ancient Ideas
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.

May 6, 2024 • 19min
Teaching Evil | Signposts and Outcomes
Some of the greatest crimes in history began not on battlefields or politicians’ offices but in classrooms. Demagogues often seize control of educational institutions as a means of indoctrinating the young, filling their minds with false narratives meant to guide them toward evil. As a teacher, this both terrifies and enrages me in equal measure. As we approach the end of this season on villains, let us look back at some examples of this hateful practice from an objective, historical viewpoint. Listeners on every side of the widening political and cultural divide may notice some familiar trends, and these are signposts on the road to evil.
Join us as we show you these trends, their outcomes, and how those outcomes have played out in history.

May 2, 2024 • 6min
Thursday Thoughts + Pop Quiz | Inconvenient Road Construction
Welcome to a special combined episode of Thursday Thoughts and Pop Quiz! Every other Thursday, Joe speaks about a specific person, place, or event in history in under five minutes.
This week, Joe talks about the history of roads and as a result, Jon has a few questions.

Apr 29, 2024 • 34min
The Trail of Tears | A Discussion
Join us as we discuss the Trail of Tears, its root causes, and its effects.

Apr 25, 2024 • 4min
Pop Quiz | Inevitable History
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.

Apr 22, 2024 • 17min
The Trail of Tears | Forever Lost
"In the chill of a drizzling rain on an October morning, I saw them loaded like cattle or sheep into six hundred and forty-five wagons and started toward the west.
One can never forget the sadness and solemnity of that morning. Chief John Ross led in prayer and when the bugle sounded and the wagons started rolling many of the children rose to their feet and waved their little hands good-by to their mountain homes, knowing they were leaving them forever. Many of these helpless people did not have blankets and many of them had been driven from home barefooted." - From the Journal of Private John Burnett, 2nd Regiment.
Join us as we teach you about the Trail of Tears, its root causes, and its effects.

Apr 19, 2024 • 4min
Pop Quiz | National Debt
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.

Apr 15, 2024 • 28min
Margret Sanger | A Discussion on Intentions
Today, we discuss the motivations of Margaret Sanger, what – according to history – drove her “solutions”, and why even Planned Parenthood is beginning to disavow her.

Apr 11, 2024 • 4min
Pop Quiz | Brexit Elaboration
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.

Apr 8, 2024 • 16min
Margret Sanger | Intentions
Put her name into a search engine and you will be provided with a variety of titles such as “political activist”, “feminist”, “American social reformer”, and “sex educator”. You will be treated to the history of a person who fought hard for women’s reproductive rights. To be clear, all of this is true.
We can have two conversations. The benefits of contraception and reproductive rights while being honest about the person and her stated, evil intent behind both.
Today, we take a deep dive into the motivations of Margaret Sanger, what – according to history – drove her “solutions”, and why even Planned Parenthood is beginning to disavow her.
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