A fast-moving history of the western world from the ancient world to the present day. Examine how the emergence of the western world as a global dominant power was not something that should ever have been taken for granted. This podcast traces the development of western civilization starting in the…
The Western Civ podcast is a truly remarkable and educational show that delves into the history of Western civilization. Each episode is meticulously researched and provides a comprehensive and in-depth exploration of various events, figures, and eras. The stories told are not only sequential but also have the ability to stand alone, making it easy for listeners to jump in at any point. This podcast has quickly become my go-to show for unwinding while also learning some fascinating history.
One of the best aspects of The Western Civ podcast is its ability to engage and captivate listeners with its storytelling. The information presented is organized and presented in an interesting manner, making it easy to follow along and absorb the knowledge being shared. The delivery by Adam Walsh is exceptional, with his intelligent, articulate, and sometimes humorous approach making each episode enjoyable to listen to for hours on end. It's refreshing to find a history podcast that not only offers valuable information but also presents it in an engaging way.
On the other hand, one downside of this podcast is that at times I wish it would go into more depth on certain topics. However, considering the vast amount of content covered in each episode, it's understandable that there may be limitations on how much can be explored within a given timeframe. Despite this minor limitation, The Western Civ podcast still manages to provide enough interesting points to launch further research for those who want to delve deeper into specific subjects.
In conclusion, The Western Civ podcast is an amazing resource for anyone interested in history. Whether you're a history newbie looking for an educational and entertaining introduction or a history nerd seeking a refresher course, this podcast has something for everyone. From its well-organized information and captivating storytelling to its talented presentation by Adam Walsh, this podcast deserves recognition as one of the top history podcasts available today. I highly recommend giving it a listen and discovering the wonders of Western civilization.
An oath on a tennis court, of all things, sparks the French Revolution.Western Civ Podcast 2.0
Efforts to reform France under Louis XV and Louis XVI fail, plunging the kingdom into the flood of revolution. Western Civ 2.0 Free Trial
Today I sit down with historian Michael Livingston and talk about one of my favorite subjects: the Hundred Years War.Henry V at Agincourt. Edward III at Crécy. The Black Prince at Poitiers. Joan of Arc at Orléans. The period we call “the Hundred Years War” was a cascade of violence bursting with some of the most famous figures and fascinating fights in history. The central combatants, England and France, bore witness to uncountable deaths, unbelievable tragedy, and uncompromising glory. But there was much more to this period than a struggle between two nations for dominance. Bloody Crowns tells a new story of how medieval Europe was consumed, not by a hundred years' war, but by two full centuries of war from 1292 to 1492. During those years, blood was spilled far beyond the borders of England and France. The Low Countries became war zones. Italy was swept up. So, too, the Holy Roman Empire, the Iberian Peninsula, Scotland, and Wales. The conflict drove enormous leaps forward in military technology and organization, political systems and national identities, laying the groundwork for the modern world.With a keen eye for military intrigue and drama, Bloody Crowns critically revises our understanding of how modern Europe arose from medieval battlefields.Buy the Book
Also known as the Ancien Regimé, the system of France going into the revolution was maddeningly complex and, seemingly, designed to fail. Western Civ 2.0 Free Trial
The Americans won their independence, but what would they do with it?Western Civ 2.0 Free Trial
Today I sit down with historian Edward J. Watts and talk about his latest book: The Romans.When we think of “ancient Romans” today, many picture the toga-clad figures of Cicero and Caesar, presiding over a republic, and then an empire, before seeing their world collapse at the hands of barbarians in the fifth century AD. The Romans does away with this narrow vision by offering the first comprehensive account of ancient Rome over the course of two millennia. Prize-winning historian Edward J. Watts recounts the full sweep of Rome's epic past: the Punic Wars, the fall of the republic, the coming of Christianity, Alaric's sack of Rome, the rise of Islam, the Battle of Manzikert, and the onslaught of the Crusaders who would bring about the empire's end. Watts shows that the source of Rome's enduring strength was the diverse range of people who all called themselves Romans. This is the Rome of Augustus, Marcus Aurelius, and Constantine, but also Charlemagne, Justinian, and Manuel Comnenus—and countless other men and women who together made it the most resilient state the world has ever seen. BUY THE BOOK HERESUPPORT WESTERN CIV
Thucydides called his work a “possession for all time,” and his History of the Peloponnesian War has been essential reading for generals and politicians for centuries. Robin Waterfield's translation of Thucydides's sweeping narrative vividly depicts the events of the war between Athens and Sparta that began in 431 BCE and would continue until 404, a conflict that embroiled not only mainland Greece but Greek states from the eastern Mediterranean and as far west as Italy and Sicily. The only extant contemporary narrative of this conflict, Thucydides's History brims with military, moral, and political reflections, offering critical commentary on challenges that still dominate our world today, from the strife of civil war to the devastation of widespread plague to the nature of political power. Thucydides died before completing the account—it ends in 410—but his legacy is timeless. One of the great masterpieces of classical Greece, The History of the Peloponnesian War offers an incisive and timely window into the conflicts of the past. BUY THE BOOK
Washington's victory at Yorktown effectively ends the war and costs Great Britain her colonies.Western Civ 2.0 Free Trial
The Battle of Saratoga turns the tide while Washington builds resilience in Valley Forge.Western Civ 2.0 Free Trial
The American colonists vote for independence and Washington crosses the Delaware. Western Civ 2.0 Free Trial
By the end of the Second World War, more than seventy million people across the globe had been killed, most of them civilians. Cities from Warsaw to Tokyo lay in ruins, and fully half of the world's two billion people had been mobilized, enslaved, or displaced.In 1942, historian Peter Fritzsche offers a gripping, ground-level portrait of the decisive year when World War II escalated to global catastrophe. With the United States joining the fight following Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor, all the world's great powers were at war. The debris of ships sunk by Nazi submarines littered US beaches, Germans marauded in North Africa, and the Japanese swept through the Pacific. Military battles from Singapore to Stalingrad riveted the world. But so, too, did dramas on the war's home fronts: battles against colonial overlords, assaults on internal “enemies,” massive labor migrations, endless columns of refugees.With an eye for detail and an eye on the big story, Fritzsche takes us from shipyards on San Francisco Bay to townships in Johannesburg to street corners in Calcutta to reveal the moral and existential drama of a people's war filled with promise and terror.BUY THE BOOK
In the span of one decade, Great Britain went from winning a war against France to fighting a war with its own colonies. This is that story.Western Civ 2.0 Free Trial
Over the course of roughly three decades, Lithuania-Poland ceased to exist. Western Civ 2.0 Free Trial
AKA the French and Indian War for those of you who ever took US History...Western Civ 2.0 Free Trial
A number of factors led into the Seven Years War. Here I break them down.Western Civ 2.0
Plus the Russo-Turkish War of 1710 and the founding of New Orleans.Support the Show!
Frederick I founds the Kingdom of Prussia and the Great Frost of 1709 grips Europe.Western Civ 2.0 Free Trial
Russia enters our story as a major power player under Peter the Great.Support the Show
I cover a few remaining issues from the year 1700 including the rise of Russian and the formation of Great Britain.Western Civ 2.0 Free Trial
"I am the State." - Louis XIVSupport the show and become a MEMBER.
William of Orange supplants James II, the Stuart line ends, and with it, the English Civil War.Western Civ 2.0
The restored monarchy ends, but not with a bang. Charles II's death, however, thrusts the question of the succession front and center.Western Civ 2.0
We introduce Louis XIV. The French King quickly bribes his way into controlling Charles II.Western Civ 2.0
Enter stage left: the Restoration. Spoiler alert, it won't last long.Western Civ 2.0
Oliver Cromwell dies. His son is NOT a chip off the old block. And Charles II sees the Stuart line restored.Western Civ 2.0
Oliver Cromwell refuses the crown but agrees to become the Lord Protector of the Commonwealth. Western Civ 2.0
Charles II is dead. England has no king. So now what?Western Civ 2.0
Charles II becomes the only king in English history to be executed by the state.Western Civ 2.0
Charles' inability to raise men and capital finally dooms his cause and he surrenders to the Scottish army rather than fall into the hands of Parliament. Western Civ 2.0
The King begins the war with a run of successes. Arguably, Charles squanders them.Western Civ 2.0 Free Trial
For the first time terms Cavalier and Roundhead come into the vernacular. Charles decides the time for negotiation is over. And the English Civil War begins.Join Western Civ 2.0 for More Content!
Charles begins to rule without his key advisor. It doesn't go well...Western Civ 2.0 Free Trial
The first casualty of the English Civil War could be said to be the Earl of Strafford. Western Civ 2.0
The dam finally breaks in Scotland where discontent over Charles' religious policies ends his period of personal rule.Support the Show!
Charles continues his period of personal rule. He successfully demands ship money from England, but unsuccessfully tries to rein in the Scottish church.Western Civ 2.0
After the death of Buckingham, Charles I would begin a period of personal rule that would last just over a decade. Western Civ 2.0
After two more military debacles, the Duke of Buckingham is ingloriously assassinated, leaving Charles alone.Western Civ 2.0 Free Trial
Charles I ascends the English throne and almost immediately things turn south. Support the show!
In what is perhaps one of the most infamous episodes in all of American history, in the winter of 1692 the tiny village of Salem, Massachusettes descends into paranoia and chaos. The cause? Witches...Support the show by joining our Patreon!
Virginia finds itself torn apart by the first rebellion in North America by colonists against their own government. Spoiler alert, it won't be the last. Nathaniel Bacon finds himself leading disgruntled farmers, indentured servants, and Africans (both enslaved and free) against the wealthy planters of the coast. Western Civ 2.0 Free Trial
We finish our coverage of the First Nations of North America (for now) with the Great Lakes and upstate New York. Western Civ 2.0 Free Trial
Today we turn our attention to the tribes of the southeast and southwest United States.Western Civ 20 Free Trial
European farms are not the only kind... In this episode, I explore Native American farming in general and hunting.Western Civ 2.0
Today I begin a short series on pre-Columbian North American Indian history and culture. In this episode, I give a broad overview of several aspects of Native American culture and their use of fire to craft the world around them.Western Civ 2.0
Roger Williams and Anne Hutchinson found Rhode Island.Western Civ Podcast 2.0 Free Trial
In this bonus author interview, I sit down with Colonel Joseph Molyson Jr and discuss the second book in his series on World War Two: Air Battles Before D-Day: How Allied Airmen Crippled the Luftwaffe and German Army in France. In this groundbreaking analysis, retired Air Force Colonel Joseph T. Molyson reveals how a year of strategic bombing and aerial warfare created the conditions necessary for D-Day's success. Drawing on his thirty years of military intelligence experience, Molyson pieces together the complex puzzle of amphibious planning, airborne operations, and inter-Allied coordination that culminated in Operation Overlord. Key revelations include:How the Allied victory in the Battle of the Atlantic enabled the crucial flow of American resourcesThe strategic bombing campaign's dual role in weakening both German industry and Luftwaffe capabilitiesThe intricate coordination between British night raids and American daylight bombing missionsPreviously overlooked connections between air superiority and the success of the D-Day landingsPerfect for military history enthusiasts and World War II scholars alike, this meticulously researched account offers fresh insights into the aerial strategy that changed the course of history.Buy the book HERE.Support the show HERE.
Today I sit down with advocate and author Maria Foscarinis and discuss her latest book: And Housing for All: The fight to End Homelessness in America.In And Housing for All, founder of the National Homelessness Law Center Maria Foscarinis reveals the human impact of the housing crisis by sharing personal stories and examining the flawed policies that have perpetuated it. As millions face rising housing costs and encampments spread nationwide, she uncovers why past efforts have failed and what must change to achieve lasting solutions.Drawing from over 35 years of national advocacy, Foscarinis shares compelling stories of individuals and families impacted by homelessness, highlighting their resilience and growing leadership. Blending personal narratives with policy analysis, she reveals how deliberate decisions have fueled the crisis and how public narratives have sustained it.And Housing for All is essential reading for social justice advocates, policymakers, lawyers, and anyone invested in solving one of America's most pressing challenges.Buy the book HERE.Support the show HERE.
John Winthrop and others found the Massachusetts Bay Company.Western Civ 2.0 Podcast Free Trial
Jamestown was not the only English colony. Enter stage left: the Pilgrims. (Well, really Separatists but you get the point...)Western Civ Podcast 2.0
The English at Jamestown finally find a savior. It just turns out that savior is tobacco...Western Civ Podcast 2.0
Jamestown survives as James Smith guides the colony. Meanwhile, in London, new plans are hatched to turn Jamestown profitable.Western Civ 2.0
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