15-Minute History

During the holiday break, Jon and Joe wanted to reshare some of their favorite episodes. This episode originally aired on June 5, 2025.___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!

During the holiday break, Jon and Joe wanted to reshare some of their favorite episodes. This episode originally aired on June 23, 2025.___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 States. Jon takes us through these English "folkways" and identifies some good and bad ideas that were part of America's cultural identity and how we still see them today.

The imagery of Jesus' birth has evolved over the century, but its meaning to all humanity remains as simple as ever in this holiday season.Special thanks to my Uncle Matt for giving me the idea for this episode! - JonThis episode originally aired on December 23, 2024.

In this last episode of 2025, Jon takes us on a journey through time and space to learn the stories of several beloved Christmas carols. We hope you enjoy them, and we look forward to seeing you in January with new episodes, discussions, pop quizzes, and "Sketches in History." Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!Music: O Come All Ye Faithful

What are the essential works of history every curious reader should know, and where should someone actually start when diving into them? Join Jon and Joe for the first of many conversations about the timeless texts that shaped civilization.Join us each Thursday for Pop Quizzes and Sketches in History, and let us know your thoughts in the comments below.