Posts Tagged ‘Historical Myth’
How Americans Became Political Junkies
Dr. Claire Bond Potter explains how Americans became political junkies in the 20th and 21st centuries. From talk radio to Twitter, she shows us how alternative media hooked us on politics and broke our democracy. Listen right away! Episode #385 — Buzzkill Bookshelf Claire Bond Potter, Political Junkies: From Talk Radio to Twitter, How Alternative…
Read MoreThe Electoral College in US History
What is the “electoral college” and how does it work? Why was it created? Was it created to protect slavery and slave states in the 18th century? Is the current electoral college what the Founders intended? And what can Americans do about this broken and abused relic? Prof Philip Nash explains all! Episode #383. Here’s…
Read MoreFake News in American History
Professor Michelle Nickerson explains the complicated and compelling history of the news media in US history, and the changing development of “fake news.” She also helps us understand what to do about it! Episode #382. Our listeners get a free trial at The Great Courses Plus! Click here to go to thegreatcoursesplus.com/buzzkill !! —Buzzkill Bookshelf…
Read MoreMark Twain: “A Lie Can Travel Halfway Around the World Before the Truth Puts On its Shoes” – Quote or No Quote?
Like all good and sentient Americans, I have been reading Dr. Heather Cox Richardson’s “Letters from an American,” and watching her Facebook Live and YouTube “History and Politics” talks, where she ties current events to their historical backgrounds and puts them in context. Not only is Professor Richardson one of the most notable historians in…
Read MoreChurchill’s Wartime Speeches: the Untold Story
Professor Richard Toye explains the background and context of Winston Churchill’s famous World War II speeches, from how they were written, to how they were delivered, to how the public reacted. It’s the “untold story”! Episode #380. Our listeners get a free trial at The Great Courses Plus! Click here to go to thegreatcoursesplus.com/buzzkill !!…
Read MoreBabe Didrikson Zaharias – Woman Crush Wednesday!
One of the greatest athletes of all time, Babe Didrikson Zaharias has been somewhat forgotten in the 21st Century. An Olympic gold medalist, she excelled in track and field, basketball, baseball, and golf throughout her career. Episode #379. Our listeners get a free trial at The Great Courses Plus! Click here to go to thegreatcoursesplus.com/buzzkill…
Read MoreChurchill Myths in Film and Television
Professor Steven Fielding explains Churchill myths in film and television from Mission to Moscow (1943) to Darkest Hour (2017), and everything in between! The new book, “The Churchill Myths” is available on the Buzzkill Bookshelf. Episode #378. Our listeners get a free trial at The Great Courses Plus! Click here to go to thegreatcoursesplus.com/buzzkill !!…
Read MoreChurchill, Boris Johnson, and Brexit
Professor Bill Schwartz explains the relationship between Churchill worship, Brexit, and Boris Johnson’s rise to the office of Prime Minister. This crucial episode also explains how “wartime nostalgia continues to work in conjunction with the fashioning of new instalments of the Churchill myths, each acting upon the other,” as Professor Schwartz writes in the new…
Read MoreMilitias and the 2nd Amendment to the US Constitution
Debates about the 2nd Amendment (“right to bear arms”) to the US Constitution never seem to address the 18th century meanings and importance of “militias” (included in the amendment’s first clause). Professor Noah Shusterman explains the long history of citizen militias since ancient Rome, and what the Constitution’s Framers accepted as the meaning of “militia.”…
Read MoreVanguard: How Black Women Broke Barriers, Won the Vote, and Insisted on Equality for All
Professor Martha Jones offers a new history of African American women’s political lives in America. She recounts how they defied both racism and sexism to fight for the ballot, and how they wielded political power to secure the equality and dignity of all persons. From the earliest days of the republic to the passage of…
Read More