Western Civ

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

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 destiny
• Why Congress's bold January declaration triggered a chain of unstoppable events
• The behind-the-scenes feud between Adams and Jefferson on their views of government after independence was won
• How the Declaration's influence extended from Lincoln's Gettysburg Address to modern times

This 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

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 HERE

To support this podcast join our Patreon.

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.

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

Western Civ 2.0

France and England finally get into the colonization game.

Western Civ 2.0

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

Western Civ 2.0

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

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

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