Western Civ

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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…

Adam Walsh


    • May 30, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • weekdays NEW EPISODES
    • 43m AVG DURATION
    • 497 EPISODES

    Ivy Insights

    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.



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    Latest episodes from Western Civ

    Episode 452: A City Upon A Hill

    Play Episode Listen Later May 30, 2025 14:14


    John Winthrop and others found the Massachusetts Bay Company.Western Civ 2.0 Podcast Free Trial

    Episode 451: The Voyage of the Mayflower

    Play Episode Listen Later May 23, 2025 13:06


    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

    Jamestown Part Five

    Play Episode Listen Later May 16, 2025 57:07


    The English at Jamestown finally find a savior. It just turns out that savior is tobacco...Western Civ Podcast 2.0

    Jamestown Part Three

    Play Episode Listen Later May 2, 2025 51:35


    Jamestown survives as James Smith guides the colony. Meanwhile, in London, new plans are hatched to turn Jamestown profitable.Western Civ 2.0

    Jamestown Episode Reminder

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 25, 2025 0:37


    A reminder that every other episode of the series on Jamestown will be available only to patrons. To try a free membership for a week or to support the show and get access to all the materials, check out the link below.Western Civ 2.0 

    The Year That Made America

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 22, 2025 44:33


    Today, I sit down with Tom McMillan and discuss his most recent book: The Year That Made America: From Rebellion to Independence, 1775-1776.This gripping account reveals the precarious path to American independence through a series of pivotal dates that history has nearly forgotten. While July 4th claims the glory, the actual vote for independence came on July 2nd—and even that historic moment almost didn't happen. From January's publication of Common Sense to December's darkest hours of the Revolution, McMillan reconstructs the dramatic months when rebellious colonies transformed into a new nation.Through meticulous research and compelling storytelling, the book reveals:How the pivotal events of May 15, June 7, and July 2 shaped America's destinyWhy Congress's bold January declaration triggered a chain of unstoppable eventsThe behind-the-scenes feud between Adams and Jefferson on their views of government after independence was wonHow the Declaration's influence extended from Lincoln's Gettysburg Address to modern timesThis timely narrative strips away the myths to expose the raw political courage that launched a revolution. From heated Congressional debates to the dangerous aftermath of declaring independence, McMillan delivers a fresh perspective on America's founding that resonates powerfully with today's political challenges.Buy The Book

    The Pathfinder and the President

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 20, 2025 43:21


    Today I interview Historian John Bicknell about his newest book: The Pathfinder and the President.In 1856, John C. Frémont—the famed "Pathfinder" of the American West—became the Republican Party's first presidential nominee on an anti-slavery platform. Five years later, now a Union general under President Lincoln, he sparked a national crisis by unilaterally declaring emancipation in Missouri. Drawing from extensive research, author John Bicknell masterfully chronicles the volatile relationship between these two leaders as they grappled with slavery, military strategy, and the future of the nation.From award-winning historian John Bicknell comes an essential new perspective on the Civil War era, acclaimed by scholars as "powerful," "engaging," and "distinctive." Perfect for readers of both Civil War history and political biography, this compelling narrative shows how the clash between Lincoln and Frémont helped determine the course of emancipation and the outcome of the war itself.Buy the Book HERETo support this podcast join our Patreon.

    Jamestown Part One

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 18, 2025 67:24


    Today we begin an in-depth look at Jamestown - England's first successful colony in North America. I will examine the situation in England and along the Chesapeake leading up to 1607. Then John Smith and the rest of the English arrive and the real fun begins.To listen to Part Two, you will need to be a Patreon member. To become one, click this LINK for a free trial. 

    Episode 450: Dutch Colonization

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 11, 2025 12:36


    I briefly cover the Dutch East and West Indies Companies plus Dutch colonization efforts in the Americas.Western Civ 2.0

    Episode 449: New France and Roanoke

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 4, 2025 12:36


    France and England finally get into the colonization game.Western Civ 2.0

    Episode 448: Portuguese colonization

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 28, 2025 9:30


    In this episode, I give a quick refresher on Portuguese colonization. Western Civ 2.0

    Episode 447: The New World Exploited

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 21, 2025 23:02


    In this episode I cover Spain's colonial efforts between 1492 and 1600, focusing on the broad economic, political, and social trends.Western Civ 2.0

    Making Sense of Slavery: America's Long Reckoning, from the Founding Era to Today

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 20, 2025 47:53


    In recent years, from school board meetings to the halls of Congress, Americans have engaged in fierce debates about how slavery and its legacies ought to be taught, researched, and narrated. But since the earliest days of the Republic, political leaders, abolitionists, judges, scholars, and ordinary citizens have all struggled to explain and understand the peculiar institution.  In Making Sense of Slavery, historian Scott Spillman shows that the study of slavery was a vital catalyst for the broader development of American intellectual life and politics. In contexts ranging from the plantation fields to the university classroom, Americans interpreted slavery and its afterlives through many lenses, shaping the trajectory of disciplines from economics to sociology, from psychology to history. Spillman delves deeply into the archives, and into the pathbreaking work of scholars such as W. E. B. Du Bois and Annette Gordon-Reed, to trace how generations of Americans have wrestled with the paradox of slavery in a country founded on principles of liberty and equality.  As the debate over the place of slavery in our history rages on, Making Sense of Slavery shows that what is truly central to American history is this very debate itself. BUY THE BOOK

    Episode 446: Louis XIII

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 14, 2025 29:14


    Before turning to the New World, we bring the Old World up to speed, covering Louis XIII and France, Philip's heirs in Spain, the Ottoman Empire, and the Time of Troubles in Russia.Western Civ 2.0

    Episode 445: War and Peace

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 11, 2025 17:18


    The Thirty Years War comes to an end, leaving Germany devastated and divided.Western Civ 2.0

    Episode 444: The End of the Baltic War

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 10, 2025 15:44


    The Holy Roman Empire wilts under the combined pressure of Sweden and France. Spain exits our stage. And Central Europe lurches toward peace.Western Civ 2.0

    Episode 443: A New Alliance

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 9, 2025 17:14


    Shifting alliances continue to hamper peace efforts in the Thirty Years War.Western Civ 2.0

    Episode 342: The War in Germany

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 7, 2025 29:04


    The Thirty Years War continues to drag on in Germany after the death of Ferdinand II and the ascension of Ferdinand III. Western Civ 2.0

    Episode 341: The War After Adolphus

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 28, 2025 21:55


    The years after the death of the Swedish King Gustavus Adolphus saw the ever-shifting alliances of the Thirty Years War do maximum damage. Western Civ 2.0

    Episode 340: The Lion of the North

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 21, 2025 20:42


    King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden briefly, but decisively, intervenes in the Thirty Years War.

    Episode 339: Denmark Intervenes

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 14, 2025 19:55


    Christian IV of Denmark intervenes in the Thirty Years War. WebsiteWestern Civ 2.0

    Summer of Fire and Blood: The German Peasants War

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 11, 2025 40:02


    The German Peasants' War was the greatest popular uprising in Western Europe before the French Revolution. In 1524 and 1525, it swept across Germany with astonishing speed as well over a hundred thousand people massed in armed bands to demand a new and more egalitarian order. The peasants took control of vast areas of southern and middle Germany, torching and plundering the monasteries, convents, and castles that stood in their way. But they proved no match for the forces of the lords, who put down the revolt by slaying somewhere between seventy and a hundred thousand peasants in just over two months.  In Summer of Fire and Blood, the first history of the German Peasants' War in a generation, historian Lyndal Roper exposes the far-reaching ramifications of this rebellion. Though the war's victors portrayed the uprising as naive and inchoate, Roper reveals a mass movement that sought to make good on the radical potential of the Protestant Reformation. By recovering what the people themselves felt and believed, Summer of Fire and Blood reconstructs the thrilling, tragic story of the peasants' fight to change the world. Buy The Book Here

    Episode 338: Cardinal Richelieu

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 10, 2025 20:48


    Cardinal Richelieu comes to power in France, altering the course of French history.WebsiteWestern Civ 2.0 

    Land Power: Who Has It, Who Doesn't, and How That Determines the Fate of Societies

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 8, 2025 39:23


    For millennia, land has been a symbol of wealth and privilege. But the true power of land ownership is even greater than we might think. In Land Power, political scientist Michael Albertus shows that who owns the land determines whether a society will be equal or unequal, whether it will develop or decline, and whether it will safeguard or sacrifice its environment.  Modern history has been defined by land reallocation on a massive scale. From the 1500s on, European colonial powers and new nation-states shifted indigenous lands into the hands of settlers. The 1900s brought new waves of land appropriation, from Soviet and Maoist collectivization to initiatives turning large estates over to family farmers. The shuffle continues today as governments vie for power and prosperity by choosing who should get land. Drawing on a career's worth of original research and on-the-ground fieldwork, Albertus shows that choices about who owns the land have locked in poverty, sexism, racism, and climate crisis—and that what we do with the land today can change our collective fate.  Global in scope, Land Power argues that saving civilization must begin with the earth under our feet.Buy The Book

    Episode 337: Fall of the Winter King

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 7, 2025 19:08


    Frederick V's brief stint as the leader of the Protestant resistance comes to an end. WebsiteWestern Civ 2.0

    Episode 336: The Defenestration of Prague

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 5, 2025 16:34


    The Thirty Years War begins with the Bohemian revolt. That begins by a bunch of guys getting chucked out a window...WebsitePatreon Support

    Episode 335: The Eve of War

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 2, 2025 12:34


    The death of Emperor Rudolf in 1612 brought his brother Matthias to the throne. While this marked a period of recovery for the Habsburg dynasty, Matthias's position was precarious. He lacked the same authority as his brother and was already 55 years old, making his grip on power tenuous from the outset. The empire Matthias inherited was one riddled with internal divisions and vulnerabilities. The Turkish truce of 1606, though bringing much-needed peace, had ironically diminished the emperor's international standing. The Austrian Habsburgs' policy of neutrality in European conflicts further sidelined them in international affairs, further weakening the perception of imperial strength.WebsiteWestern Civ 2.0

    Episode 334: On The Brink

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 31, 2025 24:01


    The years leading up to the Thirty Years War saw the repeated failures of various institutions within the Holy Roman Empire.WebsiteWestern Civ Podcast

    Episode 333: Denmark

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 28, 2025 18:13


    We have not covered Denmark or Sweden much since the Viking Age. Today that changes. Both kingdoms will play major roles in the Thirty Years War so today we break down how both look coming into that conflict.WebsiteWestern Civ 2.0 Free Trial

    Episode 332: The Spanish Juggernaut

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 24, 2025 47:58


    Spain was truly a world empire by the opening of the Thirty Years War in 1618. While it was not without weaknesses, it was perceived as being the most dominant European power of the early modern period. WebsiteWestern Civ 2.0

    Lawless Republic: The Rise of Cicero and the Decline of Rome

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 21, 2025 50:12


    Today I interview historian Josiah Osgood and we discuss his latest book: Lawless Republic: The Rise of Cicero and the Decline of Rome. In its final decades, the Roman Republic was engulfed by a crime wave. An epidemic of extortions, murders, and acts of insurrection tested the court system's capacity to maintain order. As case after case filled the docket, an ambitious young lawyer named Cicero seized every opportunity to litigate, forging a reputation as a master debater with a bright future in politics. In Lawless Republic, historian Josiah Osgood recounts the legendary orator's ascent and fall, and his pivotal role in the republic's lurch toward autocracy.  Cicero's first appearance in the courts came shortly after the end of a brutal civil war. After leveraging his fame as a lawyer to become a consul, he ruthlessly crushed a coup by suppressing the liberties of Roman citizens. The premiere legal mind of Rome came to argue that the pursuit of a higher justice could sometimes justify sweeping the law aside, laying the groundwork for Roman history's most famous act of political violence—the assassination of Julius Caesar.  Lawless Republic vividly resurrects the spectacle of the courts in the time of Cicero and Caesar, showing how politics trumped the rule of law and sealed the fate of Rome.Buy the Book HEREWestern Civ 2.0

    Intent to Destroy: Russia's Two-Hundred-Year Quest to Dominate Ukraine

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 20, 2025 45:32


    Russia's brutal invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 shocked the world. And yet, to Ukrainians, this attack was painfully familiar, the latest episode in a centuries-long Russian campaign to divide and oppress Ukraine.   In Intent to Destroy, political scientist Eugene Finkel uncovers these deep roots of the Russo-Ukrainian War. Ukraine is a key borderland between Russia and the West, and, following the rise of Russian nationalism in the nineteenth century, dominating Ukraine became the cornerstone of Russian policy. Russia has long used genocidal tactics—killings, deportations, starvation, and cultural destruction—to successfully crush Ukrainian efforts to chart an independent path. As Finkel shows, today's violence is simply a more extreme version of the Kremlin's long-standing policy. But unlike in the past, the people of Ukraine—motivated by the rise of democracy in their nation—have overcome their deep internal divisions. For the first time, they have united in favor of independence from Russia.  Whatever the outcome of the present war, Ukraine's staunch resistance has permanently altered its relationship to Russia and the West. Intent to Destroy offers the vital context we need to truly understand Europe's bloodiest conflict since World War II.BUY THE BOOK

    Episode 331: And the Ottomans...

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 17, 2025 45:06


    The Thirty Years War might not have happened had the Habsburg monarchy been stronger. But a series of internal and external conflicts beginning in the late sixteenth century begin to change that dynamic for the worse. WebsitePatreon Support

    Episode 330: House Austria

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 10, 2025 39:00


    One simply cannot understand the Thirty Years War without first digesting the Austrian Habsburgs. Today, we tell that story.WebsiteWestern Civ 2.0 Free Trial

    Episode 329: The Religions of the Empire

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 3, 2025 27:23


    Today, I cover the convergence of faiths in the Holy Roman Empire that will, to an extent, drive the conflict of the Thirty Years War: Catholicism, Lutheranism, and Calvinism. WebsitePatreon Support/Western Civ 2.0

    Episode 328: The Empire

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 27, 2024 27:42


    As we begin the Thirty Years War, I back up a bit and explore the structure of the Holy Roman Empire.WebsiteWestern Civ 2.0 Free Trial

    Early Modern Overview Four: Religion, Economics, and Technology

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 20, 2024 57:31


    As you can imagine, much changed in European economic life and technology between 1450 and 1650. Here I cover many of the most relevant transformations that would alter European life in the Early Modern Period.WebsiteWestern Civ 2.0

    Early Modern Overview Three: Politics and Culture

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 13, 2024 41:58


    In this episode, we discuss major political and cultural changes in Early Modern Europe.WebsiteWestern Civ 2.0

    Early Modern Europe Part One: 1450

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 29, 2024 37:01


    We begin our overview of Early Modern Europe with a close look at the year 1450. That is the year when most textbooks begin the era. Today we explore the changes in society, the economy, politics, and technology that make the 1450 essential for understanding how far Europeans had come since the depths of the Middle Ages.WebsiteWestern Civ 2.0

    Episode 327: Ivan the Terrible (Part Four)

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 22, 2024 48:35


    Ivan's reign ends as it began, with needless death and destruction. Ivan appears powerless to resist Lithuanian advances but is more than capable of murdering his son and heir. WebsiteWestern Civ 2.0 Free Trial

    Episode 326: Ivan the Terrible (Part Three)

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 15, 2024 35:38


    Ivan creates a new government and takes his anger out on the citizens of Novgorod. WebsiteWestern Civ 2.0 Free Trial

    Episode 325: Ivan the Terrible (Part Two)

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 8, 2024 28:03


    Ivan goes on campaign against Kazan and the guardrails start coming off. WebsitePatreon Support

    Episode 324: Ivan the Terrible (Part One)

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 1, 2024 33:07


    Ivan IV assumes the throne after a twelve-year regency. It does not take him long to earn his nickname. WebsiteWestern Civ 2.0

    Episode 323: Russian Review

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 25, 2024 23:48


    Before we jump into Ivan the Terrible (Ivan IV), let's catch up on the Rus.WebsitePatreon Support

    Episode 322: The End of James I

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 18, 2024 37:58


    Charles and Buckingham go on an adventure to Spain which ends, spoiler alert, horribly. The Thirty Years War erupts in Germany. But James does not live to see it reach a fever pitch. WebsiteWestern Civ 2.0

    Episode 321: Trouble in Germany

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 11, 2024 23:59


    James I desperately wanted to marry his son, Charles, to the Spanish Princess. However, when his son-in-law, Frederick of the Palatinate, becomes embroiled in what will become the Thirty Years War, that goal seems more and more distant by the minute.WebsitePatreon Support

    The Bible: A Global History

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 9, 2024 52:07


    A global history of the world's best-known and most influential book.For Christians, the Bible is a book inspired by God. Its eternal words are transmitted across the world by fallible human hands. Following Jesus's departing instruction to go out into the world, the Bible has been a book in motion from its very beginnings, and every community it has encountered has read, heard, and seen the Bible through its own language and culture.In The Bible, Bruce Gordon tells the astounding story of the Bible's journey around the globe and across more than two thousand years, showing how it has shaped and been shaped by changing beliefs and believers' radically different needs. The Bible has been a tool for violence and oppression, and it has expressed hopes for liberation. God speaks with one voice, but the people who receive it are scattered and divided—found in desert monasteries and Chinese house churches, in Byzantine cathedrals and Guatemalan villages.Breathtakingly global in scope, The Bible tells the story of this sacred book through the stories of its many and diverse human encounters, revealing not a static text but a living, dynamic cultural force.Buy the book HERE.

    Episode 320: King and Parliament

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 4, 2024 25:12


    The Stuart dynasty did NOT have a good relationship with the English Parliament. That begins with King James I. WebsitePatreon Support

    Aesop's Fables: A New Translation

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 1, 2024 39:51


    Aesop's fables are among the most familiar and best-loved stories in the world. Tales like “The Tortoise and the Hare,” “The Dog in the Manger,” and “Sour Grapes” have captivated us for generations. The fables delight us and teach timeless truths. Aesop's tales offer us a world fundamentally simpler to ours—one with clear good and plain evil—but nonetheless one that is marked by political nuance and literary complexity.  Newly translated and annotated by renowned scholar Robin Waterfield, this definitive translation shines a new light on four hundred of Aesop's most enduring fables. Buy The BookWebsite

    Episode 319: The Gunpowder Plot

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 27, 2024 23:34


    Guy Fawkes et al decide to blow up King James I and the English Parliament. Spoiler alert: it doesn't work...WebsiteWestern Civ 2.0 Free Trial

    Episode 318: James I

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 20, 2024 27:18


    The end of the reign of Elizabeth I ends the Tudor dynasty. James I becomes the first of the short-lived Stuart line. His reign begins with no shortage of economic headaches.WebsiteWestern Civ 2.0 Free Trial

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