What started as a simple question about The War of Jenkin's Ear devolved into a mighty whirlwind on social media, immortality, and Jon's opinion of Elon Musk! Let us know your thoughts or ask questions in the comments below, and tell us if you have ideas about new pop quizzes as well.

During the summer break, the 15-Minute History podcast team are republishing some of their favorite episodes. This episode originally aired on March 20, 2020. ___ The world's most powerful communist leader ultimately signed his own resignation with a capitalist's pen on Christmas Day 1991. This episode traces the stunning reversal of the Cold War f…

Why, in medieval times, were holy relics so popular? Was the church displaying them to give people hope in the divine or for financial gain, or both? In this pop quiz, Joe and Jon discuss the possible answers while asking the fundamental question: Do these holy objects actually have power? Join us every Thursday this summer for new pop quizzes and …

During the summer break, the 15-Minute History podcast team are republishing some of their favorite episodes. This episode originally aired on July 12, 2021. ___ The raft floated in the midst of the River Niemen. On it were two beautiful pavilions, one for the Emperor of the French and the other for the Czar and Autocrat of All the Russias. In the …

With economics being all the rage these days and everyone on social media becoming experts in tariff and spending policy, Joe and Jon discuss one of the most serious economic problems a country can face. Join us every Thursday this summer for new pop quizzes and leave a comment below with a topic you'd like us to cover!…

During the summer break, the 15-Minute History podcast team are republishing some of their favorite episodes. This episode originally aired on August 30, 2021. ___ From 1531-1532, Pizzaro and his group conquered and destroyed the Inca Civilization. Climbing the Andes Mountains, they probably never questioned the ability of the Inca Empire to feed i…

Recently, Jon mentioned "Sherman's Neckties" in an episode that referenced the American Civil War. Now it's time to talk about these fascinating--and terrifying--examples of psychological warfare! Join us every Thursday this summer for new pop quizzes, and comment below with any topics you'd like us to cover.…

Where does utopianism come from? Can we really create a perfect world, and did the colonists think they could create utopia in the New World? And why did Jon pick this topic? Join us for answers to these questions and more in our last discussion of the season! We want to thank everyone who joined us each week this past year. We'll have some pop qui…

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 goes back to Egypt for yet another ancient discovery. She witnesse…

This season has been about good and bad ideas, and we are concluding with Jon's thoughts on a journey he's been on through early American history. In his 1989 book Albion's Seed, Dr. David Hackett Fischer describes how four groups of English settlers brought utopian ideals to the New World and created the foundations of what became the United State…

This week, Joe and I discuss how warfare is evolving on the battlefields of Ukraine, the role drones and other new technologies are changing the battlespace, and whether or not we are headed directly into the world of the Terminator!

Join us for a discussion on the Divine Right of Kings and how it continues to shape modern political systems in our world today! Leave a comment below with any questions--we love to hear from our audience! (Also, please forgive us for the rather abrupt end with no closing comments--Jon forgot to include that in the recording!)…

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 visits a grand symphony hall filled with anticipation, as the audi…

Throughout history, leaders have claimed their positions in a variety of ways: military conquests, electoral mandates, revolutionary uprisings, and more. But probably the most common and certainly the furthest from modern democratic sensibilities is the divine right of kings. While it is present in a variety of religious and social traditions, most…

In this double pop quiz, Jon answers a question from an audience member and then discusses the Overton Window and how the range of "acceptable" political discourse changes over time. Join us every other week for these pop quizzes during the summer, and comment below with any topics you'd like us to cover!…

Join us as we discuss the history of the Magna Carta, how it changed English governance, and its influence on all democracies and constitutional federal republics that came after.

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 aboard a ship with a mission. Sailors are working frantica…

It’s raining. The men in the group are drenched and have been so almost all day. Nobles in their finest attire stand ankle-deep in mud, their expressions a mixture of triumph and apprehension. Before them, a thin, gray-faced king looks at the document. His jaw clenches. "You would strip me of my God-given rights?" the king yells, his voice thick wi…

In part two of this pop quiz series, Joe and I discuss the New Deal's long-term legacy and the controversial idea that anything can really be "free." As always, we love to hear from you, so leave a comment on this episode with any questions or thoughts, and you can also give us a topic that you'd like us to discuss in another pop quiz this summer!…

This week, the team wanted to revisit one of the most popular episodes from last season. A new, exciting episode is coming to you on Monday. ____ “I was fifteen years old when the Khmer Rouge came to power in April 1975. I can still remember how overwhelmed with joy I was that the war had finally ended. It did not matter who won. I and many Cambodi…

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 divided country. Crowds are breaking down a barrier t…

Join us as we discuss the Manhattan Project, the reason behind the development of nuclear weapons, and the ethical implications of such an invention.

In this first of a two-part pop quiz on the New Deal, Joe and I chat about the real origins of the Great Depression and how we still feel its effects today. Join us for the rest of this conversation in two weeks!

It was still dark. The group of men felt the breeze getting warmer as the eastern horizon began to show signs of light. One of the men, tall with no expression, watched as final preparations were made to a large object in front of the group. The others saw the anxiety in his face in a way that only those had had been around him could discern. The m…

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 workshop in Menlo Park. A man is working on an inventi…

Join us as we discuss the life of Pope Francis, his reforms, and the controversies that defined his papacy. From his humble beginnings to his efforts to reshape the Catholic Church, discover how Francis challenged tradition, sparked global debate, and inspired both admiration and criticism. Whether you’re a devoted Catholic, a history enthusiast, o…

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…

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, a…

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 m…

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.

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 sandy beach on December 17, 1903. She can see two men …

The creation of a united, powerful Germany completely reshaped European power politics in the late 19th century. But how did it happen? What was the character of that new country, and did it reflect older ideas and values of its Prussian ancestor? Join us as we consider the creation of a country that created so much art and technology but also viol…

Join us every other week for a Pop Quiz! This week, Joe asked me about the Federal Reserve, how it works, and whether or not it's run by reptilian aliens. Well, maybe not the last one, but we do get into a conversation about the important--and dangerous--role the Federal Reserve plays in American finance today.…

Join us as we explore the history of the steam engine, its impact on industrialization, and how both have translated into the modern age.

The 15-Minute History Podcast team is bringing 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 dark night on April 18, 1775. In the distance, she…

In the workshop, all he could smell was the coal. It filled his nostrils day and night. The metal under his hands was hot. A few months before, the heat would have been unbearable, but the scares on his hands dulled the sensation. He bent over the two cylinders and watched as steam left one to fill the other. A spray of water went into the first cy…

Hey kids! I know you were excited to hear Lottie bring you another episode of "Sketches in History." Unfortunately, she isn't here this week. But Joe has a story to tell you about a trip he took with his son, and then we have a Pop Quiz you can listen to with your parents. Lottie will be back with her notebook for another "Sketches" episode next we…

After a two-part podcast on this immense topic, Joe and I discussed some of the war's greatest impacts on society, how it shaped the lives of those who fought and suffered, and the tragic triumph that ended it.

In today's episode, Joe and Jon discuss King Henry VIII's "Great Debasement" (which has nothing to do with his palace's root cellar) and how it shaped our understanding of monetary policy.

Seven years ago, Joe and I began this podcast with a two-part episode on the Second World War in Europe. Today, we bring you part two, followed by our discussion next week. As always, you can send us questions or post comments on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts!

As promised, the 15-Minute History Podcast team is bringing 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 bustling marketplace in 79 AD. But …

Seven years ago, Joe and I began this podcast with a two-part episode on the Second World War in Europe. Today, we fulfill a promise to longtime listeners with the first installment of the Pacific War--from Pearl Harbor to Midway. Join us next week for the second part and then an epic discussion later this month. As always, you can send us question…

In today's double pop quiz, Jon answers an audience question and then faces a historic moment for the podcast. Don't miss it!

Join us as we discuss The Battle of Agincourt and ask whether Henry V's actions proved to be a good idea or a bad one.