15-Minute History

In this week's discussion, we cover more detail about the building of the canal and the herculean medical and engineering feats American and Panamanian workers achieved. (Joe even gets to put on his doctor's hat and tell us about yellow fever.) We then get into some of the current-day events and what the future might hold for America and its southern neighbors.

Join us every Monday for discussions and episodes as well as our...

Over a century ago, the United States blasted its way through a continent in one of the largest engineering projects in world history. The Panama Canal's construction brought with it decades of American involvement in Latin America--the effects of which are still felt today.

Join us every Monday as we explore topics in American history leading to our 250th birthday in July and for pop quizzes and "Sketches in History" ...

During the holiday break, Jon and Joe wanted to reshare some of their favorite episodes. This episode originally aired on January 27, 2025. New episodes starting next week!

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The Battle of Agincourt, though small by modern standards, stands as a turning point in European history by bringing democracy to the battlefield. Joe takes us through the battle in all its detail and asks whether Henry V's actions proved to be a good idea...

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

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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&#...

During the holiday break, Jon and Joe wanted to reshare some of their favorite episodes. This episode originally aired on June 23, 2025.

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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...

"Based on a true story." "Inspired by actual events." "The following actually happened."

These five words might be Hollywood's greatest magic trick, transforming entertainment into education, fiction into fact, and Brad Pitt's abs into ancient Greek warfare. More Americans learn their history from movies than from any other source. Think about that for a moment. Our understanding of the past - of who we were, what we've done, and wh...

"Don't give up the ship." "The Star-Spangled Banner." "Old Hickory." The Battle of New Orleans.

The War of 1812 gave us some of America's most enduring symbols and phrases. But did it actually change anything? The treaty that ended it resolved almost nothing. The boundaries stayed the same. Impressment wasn't even mentioned. And the greatest American victory came after the war was technicall...

The 15-Minute History Podcast team welcomes you back to another Sketches in History. This segment, just for kids, shows that history isn't just a story, it's an adventure. Join Lottie Archer as she dives into her extraordinary notebook, where sketches from history come to life.

In this episode, she returns to September 10, 1813, to witness the dramatic conclusion of the Battle of Lake Erie. After Commodore Oliver Hazard Perr...

Washington burns. The White House is in flames. But from the smoke and ashes, a nation discovers what it means to be American.

The War of 1812's darkest hour became its defining triumph. As British veterans fresh from defeating Napoleon torched the capital, as rockets rained on Fort McHenry, as peace was signed but war raged on, Americans transformed humiliation into legend.

Join us for the explosive conclusion of our two-part se...

How did the writings of Greece and Rome influence our Founding Fathers, and what lessons did they take away from these documents? Join us for a conversation about the importance of representative government, the dangers of democracy, and how the Constitution both ensures our right to participate in government and protects us from tyranny.

Comment below with thoughts, suggestions, or a funny story--we love hearing from you!

From all o...

The 15-Minute History Podcast team welcomes you back to another Sketches in History. This segment, just for kids, shows that history isn't just a story, it's an adventure. Join Lottie Archer as she dives into her extraordinary notebook, where sketches from history come to life.

In this episode, she travels back to September 10, 1813, to the choppy waters of Lake Erie, where a young Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry faces impossible odds...

Detroit falls without a fight. War Hawks demand blood. But on a blood-slick deck, four words become legend: Don’t give up the ship.

The War of 1812 is often dismissed as a minor conflict, overshadowed by the Revolution and the Civil War. But this overlooked war forged American identity through fire and defiance on land and sea.

Join us as we launch our two-episode exploration of the War of 1812. In this first installment, we exp...