In this episode of the Professor Liberty Podcast, we saddle up and ride through history to explore the true origins of the American cowboy. From Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s shout-out at the Munich Security Conference to Spain’s role in bringing horses, ranching, and the vaquero tradition to the New World, to the Comanche’s legendary mastery of the horse that reshaped the Plains, to Black cowboys like Bill Pickett who innovated rodeo culture and bulldogging, we cover it all. We’ll dig into daily life on the trail, food, pay, and the rugged individualism that forged frontier life, while showing how the cowboy is really a tapestry of Spanish, Indigenous, African American, and broader Western European contributions: a living symbol of freedom, skill, and ingenuity that helped define the American ethos.

From hand-cranked wooden death traps to steel predators stalking the depths, this episode of the Professor Liberty Podcast dives deep into the deadliest submarines of World War II and the men who dared to serve aboard them. Mr. Palumbo traces the origins of submarine warfare from the American Revolution to the Atlantic and Pacific battlefields, explains why submarines are still called “boats,” and unpacks the brutal reality of life inside a cramped, airless steel tube where one mistake could mean death for everyone aboard. Along the way, we meet legendary vessels like Germany’s U-48 and U-99 and America’s USS Tang, explore the tactics and commanders that made them so lethal, and confront the human cost behind every ton sunk. It’s a story of innovation, strategy, fear, and endurance—where oceans became chessboards, submarines reshaped global warfare, and courage turned even the smallest boat into a legend.

​​In this episode of the Professor Liberty Podcast, Mr. Palumbo kicks off 2026 by exploring whether the United States may be drifting toward a political structure similar to the Holy Roman Empire, using history as a lens to analyze modern American diversity, federalism, and national identity. After defining the concept of the nation-state, he examines the Holy Roman Empire as a long-running but fragmented political system that governed deep cultural and religious diversity through negotiation rather than centralized authority. Drawing on the ideas of commentator Auron MacIntyre, Palumbo argues that modern liberal democracies often mask elite rule while struggling to maintain cohesion amid expanding bureaucracy, immigration, and ideological fragmentation. He contrasts historical assimilation in the U.S. with contemporary immigration patterns, raises questions about culture, religion, and shared identity as binding forces, and suggests that America may be evolving from a unified nation-state into a looser, negotiated union. The episode ultimately asks whether this transformation represents decline—or simply the cost of holding together a society that no longer shares a single story about who it is.

In this special Christmas episode of the Professor Liberty Podcast, we explore the history behind December 25th and challenge the claim that Christmas is merely a pagan holiday in disguise. Drawing from biblical accounts, Roman history, early Christian writings, and astronomical evidence, your favorite social studies teacher examines when Jesus was likely born and why December 25th became the traditional date. From the Roman census and the birth of John the Baptist to the Star of Bethlehem and ancient planetary alignments, this episode shows that December 25th was not chosen at random but carries deep theological and historical significance. While the exact date of Jesus’ birth remains uncertain, the evidence reveals a tradition rooted in early Christianity—not pagan imitation.

With today’s growing conversation about the lost young men of this generation and their gravitation toward controversial online influencers, Mr. Palumbo offers a powerful and timeless alternative. In this episode, “The Roman Road to Masculinity,” Mr. Palumbo takes listeners on a journey back to ancient Rome to rediscover what it truly meant to be a man in a world that demanded courage, discipline, and purpose. Long before the comforts of modern life, Roman men built their identity around seven enduring virtues. For the modern young man who feels lost, untested, or without direction, this episode is your call to action. It’s time to rise above distraction, reclaim discipline and duty, and walk the Roman Road to Masculinity to rediscover your ancestral calling and become the man you were meant to be.

At the dawn of the twentieth century, Europe believed it was marching toward heaven guided by reason, faith, and progress. Within a decade, that confidence drowned in the trenches of the Somme. In this episode, we trace how the First World War didn’t just end empires; it ended belief itself. We explore how the same industrial power that built modern civilization became the engine of its destruction, how the churches lost their moral compass, and how a generation of thinkers, poets, and soldiers were left asking whether God or meaning itself had died on the battlefield. It’s the story of how a war meant to redeem the world instead left it haunted by silence.

From the steam engines of the Industrial Revolution to the rise of artificial intelligence, every technological leap has forced humanity to redefine work, purpose, and fairness. But this time, the machines aren’t just replacing muscle, they’re replacing minds. As AI begins to write, create, and decide, we’re confronting questions that strike at the heart of identity itself: What happens when work disappears? Who benefits from automation’s wealth? And how do we build a new social contract before inequality and disconnection tear society apart? In this episode, we trace history’s lessons, explore the promises and perils of AI, and ask what it means to be human in an age when intelligence is no longer ours alone.

In this powerful episode of the Professor Liberty Podcast, Mr. Palumbo explores why George Washington was, as historian James Thomas Flexner called him, “The Indispensable Man” in the American Revolution and the founding of the United States. With a mix of humor, reverence, and historical insight, the episode traces Washington’s critical role from his reluctant acceptance of military leadership in 1775, through the brutal years of the Revolutionary War, to his unprecedented decision to surrender power after victory. Mr. Palumbo highlights how Washington’s leadership was defined not by tactical brilliance, but by unwavering character, humility, and a deep commitment to republican values.

In this episode, A Tribute to Charlie and Free Speech, we explore the powerful origins, philosophical foundations, and modern-day challenges surrounding one of humanity’s most essential liberties. From Voltaire’s Enlightenment ideals and the bold defiance of American colonists to the work of the late Charlie Kirk on college campuses, Mr. Palumbo traces how free speech became the cornerstone of democratic self-governance and individual conscience. We examine the First Amendment’s intellectual roots in the writings of Jefferson and Madison, the warnings from Washington and Franklin, and how freedom of expression serves both as a safeguard against tyranny and a path to personal growth. The episode also critiques the erosion of speech freedoms today highlighting overreach in British internet laws and the ideological conformity on modern university campuses, the very hostile places where Charlie Kirk bravely attempted to debate opponents and change hearts and minds.  

In this provocative episode of The Professor Liberty Podcast, Mr. Palumbo, your favorite "undocumented conservative social studies teacher" pulls back the curtain on one of the most mysterious and powerful institutions in America: the Federal Reserve. With his signature mix of humor, skepticism, and historical insight, he traces the Fed’s shadowy origins from the secretive 1910 Jekyll Island meeting to its enormous influence on today’s economy. From inflation to interest rates, from the gold standard to quantitative easing, this episode explores how the Fed shapes the value of your dollar and raises serious constitutional and ethical questions about accountability, transparency, and control. Packed with facts, reflections, and a little bit of Hulkamania, this is a must-listen for anyone who wants to understand how economic power operates behind closed doors—and what reforms might put it back in the hands of the people.