Radio Free History

Surprisingly few people know just how North America got the way that it is. You may know a few facts about the Louisiana Purchase or the Alamo, but how does a continent end up dominated by three large countries with stable borders? This is the first in a series of episodes looking at North America as a whole, starting with Mexico's fall from a prominent position in the world's strongest empire at the start of the 19th century. https://www.subscribestar.com/radio-free-history https://ko-fi.com/radiofreehistory

In 1995, Mel Gibson produced, directed, and starred in "Braveheart". The movie won five Oscars, including Best Picture, and forever left its thumbprint on both pop culture and Scottish nationalism, but it did not always prioritize historical accuracy. In this episode, our hosts take a deep dive into the age of William Wallace and Robert the Bruce, and set the record straight on a crucial episode that forged the Scottish national identity. https://www.subscribestar.com/radio-free-history https://ko-fi.com/radiofreehistory

Picking up where the last episode picked off, we've already looked at how an upstart German political party rose to prominence and took over most of Continental Europe. Today we look at where it all went wrong, from both a political and a military perspective. You'll also hear family anecdotes that you won't read in any history books. https://www.subscribestar.com/radio-free-history https://ko-fi.com/radiofreehistory

When a political discussion gets empassioned, somebody always seems to bring up pre-WW2 Germany. And yet, it's amazing how few events are mentioned, other than the Nuremberg rallies, the invasion of Poland, and maybe the Treaty of Versailles. This is the first podcast in a series, really digging into the question of how Germany got to that point. https://www.subscribestar.com/radio-free-history https://ko-fi.com/radiofreehistory

It seems like nobody can explain what exactly money is, or how the banking system works. That doesn't stop people from having all sorts of theories about inflation, the central bank, currency traders, and the money printer. Benn and Jay explore the history of money and banking, as they try to answer a deceptively simple question: What exactly is a U.S. Dollar? https://www.subscribestar.com/radio-free-history https://ko-fi.com/radiofreehistory

The British Empire had a storied history, and at one point controlled more than 20% of the world's dry land. And yet, there are a lot of misconceptions about the Empire, even things as simple as the time period when it was at its strongest. https://www.subscribestar.com/radio-free-history https://ko-fi.com/radiofreehistory