Episodios

  • Pop Quiz | Remember the California Wildfires?
    Mar 12 2026

    Remember the California Wildfires? Most of us watched the footage, maybe donated to the cause, and moved on. But what happened after the cameras left? Are the homes rebuilt? Why are permits nearly impossible to get? And where did the FireAid concert money go? The people who lost everything are still waiting for answers. It may feel like yesterday, but this is already history, and it's exactly the kind of history we can't afford to forget.

    Join us on Thursdays for pop quizzes and Sketches in History and on Mondays for episodes and discussions. Send us your thoughts in the comments below.

    Más Menos
    5 m
  • Temptations of Power | A Discussion on Presidential Scandals
    Mar 9 2026

    The modern presidency's power is beyond anything our founders could have dreamed. Its limits often seem ill-defined, as are efforts to hold elected officials accountable for their actions. So what can be done?

    Join us every Monday for episodes and discussions, and check out our Thursday pop quizzes and Sketches in History episodes!

    Más Menos
    26 m
  • Pop Quiz | Taiwan
    Mar 5 2026

    What happens when a powerful nation attacks a long-standing rival? No, we aren't talking about the United States and Iran (though that conversation is coming). What would happen if China tried to retake the island of Taiwan as it as long planned to do so. What are the historical forces in play? And how would America and the world respond to this kind of aggression?

    Join us on Thursdays for pop quizzes and Sketches in History and on Mondays for episodes and discussions. Send us your thoughts in the comments below.

    Más Menos
    8 m
  • Temptations of Power | Scandals in the American Presidency
    Mar 2 2026

    Americans love a scandal, especially when it involves those in power. In this episode, we take a look at three of the most scandal-ridden presidencies in American history (none of which involve living chief executives) and try to understand what each one tells us about the abuse of power and the institutions that work to both preserve and restrain it.

    Join us every Monday for episodes and discussions and Thursdays for pop quizzes and Sketches in History. We love hearing from you, so leave a comment below!

    Más Menos
    17 m
  • Sketches in History | Marching for Progress
    Feb 26 2026

    Welcome back to 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, Lottie travels to 1913 Washington, D.C., where thousands of women in white march down Pennsylvania Avenue demanding the right to vote. But this march is just the beginning. Lottie discovers an era when Americans rewrote their own rulebook four times in seven years. Your kids will learn what progress really means, why one amendment had to be completely undone, and how a single letter from a mother changed the course of history forever.

    Listen and subscribe to the 15-Minute History podcast to hear Sketches in History every other Thursday. Got a favorite historical moment? Share it with us at 15minutehistory@gmail.com, and it might just make its way into the notebook!

    Más Menos
    19 m
  • The Grey Ghost | The USS Enterprise (Repost)
    Feb 23 2026

    By popular demand, the 15-Minute History team is re-airing one of our most popular episodes. This originally aired on April 8th, 2019. New episode next Monday, March 2nd.

    ____

    The name “Enterprise” is not exclusive to fictional starships or the space shuttle; in fact, nineteen ships of the British Royal Navy and nine of the United States Navy have born the name (spelled either with an S or a Z). Undoubtedly, the most famous USS Enterprise is the World War Two-era aircraft carrier, which fought in more battles in the Pacific War than any other vessel, earned twenty battle stars, and is today the most decorated ship in American naval history. “The Big E,” (first of her many nicknames) was commissioned in May 1938 and attached to the Atlantic fleet for her first year of service. As tensions rose with Japan and the Navy Department realized the importance of aircraft carriers in the Pacific, the Enterprise was transferred to the Pacific Fleet and based first at San Diego and then at Pearl Harbor.

    Join us as we teach you about the most decorated ship in the history of the US Navy, the USS Enterprise. We talk about her history, engagements, and why she was called, The Grey Ghost. When it comes to the United States Navy, names carry with them the legends of those ships which came before, and history will surely not forget the name Enterprise.


    Más Menos
    15 m
  • Pop Quiz | Steve Jobs
    Feb 19 2026

    Walter Isaacson's biography paints Steve Jobs as a visionary genius. But was Jobs truly the inventor and designer he's often portrayed as?

    In this pop quiz, we talk Steve Jobs's leadership style, his contributions, and whether the company has actually lost its edge without him.

    Join us every Thursday for pop quizzes and Sketches in History, and comment below with your thoughts and questions!

    Más Menos
    6 m
  • Changing the Constitution | A Discussion on the Progressive Amendments
    Feb 16 2026

    This discussion covers the four progressive amendments and how each changed Americans' relationship with their government. Joe and I also delve into some broader topics about constitutional changes and how our society continues to evolve in its understanding of the rule of law.

    Join us every Monday for new episodes and discussions, and let us know your thoughts and questions in the comments below!

    Más Menos
    43 m