In the sixth and final installment on the French Revolution, Dan takes a deep dive into one of history’s most influential and controversial figures: Napoleon Bonaparte. After winning victory for France in Northern Italy, the brilliant young general has the attention of the French Directory. A campaign in Egypt and victory in another war will put Napoleon in a position to become Emperor. But across the English Channel, Great Britain continues a naval blockade and a diplomatic campaign to unite...

The Reign of Terror reaches a climax when the French Revolutionaries begin to turn on one another. Jacques Hébert and Georges Danton are executed, and Robespierre rules briefly as a dictator, verging on a god-king. After the Festival of the Supreme Being, he too will face the guillotine.

When the young French Republic declares war on the Netherlands, all hell breaks loose. Within a month, the French find themselves facing a coalition that includes Austria, Prussia, Great Britain, Spain, Portugal, and most of Italy. At home, a counter-revolution in the rural Vendee region threatens to tear the country in two, and smaller federalist revolts break out in several major cities. In Paris, Robespierre and the Mountain seize control of the government from the Girondins, and send a...

After the Flight to Varennes, the Parisian public turns decisively against Louis XVI. The French constitutional monarchy teeters on the brink, reliant on a war with Austria to maintain public confidence. When the war turns against France, the French people turn against their government and overthrow the King for good. A new legislature is formed, and the revolutionaries struggle to achieve their goals on the battlefield and in politics. Meanwhile, the French Revolution cannot move forward...

After the Storming of the Bastille, the French Revolution shifts into high gear. The Constituent Assembly quickly abolishes feudal reforms and promotes the foundation of a new government with a document: the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen. 1790 is a quieter year, but under the surface, divisions harden as the Paris political clubs metamorphosize into modern political parties. Meanwhile, the Assembly faces unexpected backlash when it passes the Civil Constitution of the...

The French Revolution is a watershed moment not just in the history of France, but for all of humanity. Old ideas of class, hierarchy, and the divine right of kings are being challenged. For the first time since the classical era, an urban proletariat is starting to demand its own voice in politics. But the Revolution doesn’t start that way. What begins as a financial crisis for the French government requires a legislative body to sign off on new taxes. This body, the Estates General, calls...

What do the Kennedy assassination, the Martin Luther King assassination, and the Iraq War all have in common? Maybe nothing. Or maybe they were all orchestrated by a shadow government that has quietly taken over the United States. In this bonus episode, Dan delves into the realm of conspiracy theory and asks whether everything we thought we knew about US history since 1960 was wrong. CONTENT WARNING: This episode gets political, and Dan also talks about conspiracy theories. If you prefer a...

The British surrender at Yorktown isn’t the end of the American War for Independence, but it’s the end of the war in North America, and within another year the war overseas is also finished. With peace comes an end to the bloodshed, a chance to rebuild, and a turning point in many people’s lives. But the end of the war is not the end of the American Revolution. Now that independence has been won, a new nation struggles to find its identity. In this episode, we’ll talk about the Constitutional...

In 1780, the American War for Independence is at a stalemate. The British, eager to crush the rebellion once and for all, decide to change strategies and invade the American south. There, they will face not just the Continental Army, but also the backwoods militia who dominate the inland United States.   Meanwhile, the French and the Spanish will deal blow after blow to the British Empire, threatening not just Britain’s status in North America, but her dominance over world trade. With few...

In this bonus episode, Dan discusses the trend of historical presentism – judging past figures by present-day standards. Should we hold yesterday’s figures to today’s ethical norms? Or does history require a broader approach? Dan breaks down the case against presentism, along with a few points in its favor. SUBSCRIBE TO RELEVANT HISTORY, AND NEVER MISS AN EPISODE! Is History History? -...

In the years 1778 and 1779, the American revolutionaries work to keep the British army bottled up in New York City. At the same time, the British open a second offensive in the southern states, and encourage their Native American allies to open up a series of small frontier wars in the American West. The American revolutionaries are also aided by new friends. For the first time, the French take an active role against the British. Sensing opportunity, Spain jumps on the bandwagon, hoping to...

In July of 1776, even as the ink on the Declaration of Independence is still drying, a British invasion force invades New York, forcing George Washington and the Continental Army to retreat into New Jersey and leave America’s largest port in British hands. By winter, the cause of the United Colonies appears lost. But 1777 is a new year, and brings with it new opportunities. Will the colonists be able to turn things around and beat back the British? And if they win, what kind of country will...

In the aftermath of the French and Indian War, Great Britain struggles to manage her enlarged North American holdings. In an effort to fund necessary garrison troops, Parliament levies a series of taxes on the 13 Colonies, who have previously held the right to manage their own taxes. This leads to a series of protests and back-and-forth exchanges that culminates in an organized group of angry Bostonians pitching thousands of pounds worth of tea into Boston Harbor. When King George suspends...

Dan dives into current events once again, with an update on the war in Ukraine. Here’s where things stand in December 2022, along with some warnings for the future. SUBSCRIBE TO RELEVANT HISTORY, AND NEVER MISS AN EPISODE! Relevant History Patreon: https://bit.ly/3vLeSpF Subscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/38bzOvo Subscribe on Apple Music (iTunes): https://apple.co/2SQnw4q Subscribe on Google Music: https://bit.ly/30hUTRD RSS feed: https://bit.ly/2R0Iosz Relevant History on Twitter:...

At the dawn of 1761, Frederick the Great’s Kingdom of Prussia is on the brink of collapse. Under attack by the Russians and Swedish in the north and the Austrians in the south, it would take a miracle for Prussia to survive. Meanwhile, the war in the west spreads to the Iberian peninsula, where Spain joins France in a surprise attack on British-allied Portugal.   In the conclusion of World War Zero, Dan talks about the final stages of the Seven Years’ War, and the political fallout around the...

In 1759, Europe is in its fourth year of war. North America is in its sixth. There, a new British commander named Jeffery Amherst partners with Native American allies to take the fight to the French. If successful, Amherst can force the French out of Canada altogether. In Europe, France and Britain fight to a stalemate. But British-allied Prussia is in grave danger as Frederick the Great tries to fight off the combined might of Austria, Russia, France, and Sweden. Will Prussia survive and...

In 1756, the French and British war over North America spills over to Europe. Prussian leader Frederick the Great, a British ally, takes the opportunity to make a pre-emptive attack on French-allied Austria, Poland, Saxony, and Russia. Soon, Sweden joins the counterattack against Prussia, and virtually all of Europe is at war. But the Seven Years’ War will continue to spread. The French and British fight battles in West Africa, and the French and British East India Companies struggle for...

In this episode, Dan traces the origins of the Seven Years’ War, starting with a seemingly-insignificant skirmish commanded by a young George Washington. This 1754 clash between British and French colonial forces will eventually turn into a global conflict. But what are the stakes in North America? Why are the French and the British willing to risk a world war? And why will these far-flung events lead to a global war? Here’s how it all got started. MAP:...

With the War of the Austrian Succession slowed to a crawl in Europe, the conflict spreads around the globe. In North America, French and British colonists fight in battles from Nova Scotia to Upstate New York. In the plains of east India, the French and British East India Companies wage a proxy war, aided by their nations’ warships. Back in Europe, peace breaks out in 1748. But after eight years of war, politics, and intrigue, there’s just as much bad blood between allies as there is between...

At the end of 1743, Europe is divided in two. On the one side, Austrian Archduchess Maria Theresa struggles to hold on to her ancestral lands, supported by her allies in Britain, the Netherlands, and Piedmont-Sardinia. On the other side, France and Spain are trying to conquer the old Habsburg lands, while Frederick the Great in Prussia continues to pose a real threat. Meanwhile, the French and Spanish are also trying to start a rebellion in Great Britain. The War of the Austrian Succession is...

The War of the Austrian Succession marks the beginning of the transition from dynastic politics to a more modern sense of nationalism. At the time, though, it merely seems like a calamity. What begins as a personal land grab by the young Prussian King Frederick the Great turns into a general European war, as multiple powers try to grab land from the vulnerable Austrian Archduchess Maria Theresa.   This war won’t remain confined to Europe. Thanks to the involvement of colonial powers, the...

At the mid-point of the first season, Dan takes a breather to recap what we’ve learned, and discuss nationalism more broadly. SUBSCRIBE TO RELEVANT HISTORY, AND NEVER MISS AN EPISODE! Relevant History Patreon: https://bit.ly/3vLeSpF Subscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/38bzOvo Subscribe on Apple Music (iTunes): https://apple.co/2SQnw4q Subscribe on Google Music: https://bit.ly/30hUTRD RSS feed: https://bit.ly/2R0Iosz Relevant History on Twitter: https://bit.ly/3eRhdtk Relevant...

Following Commodore Matthew Perry’s expedition to Japan, the floodgates to foreign trade are open. British, French, and even Russian merchants come to Japan, introducing foreign ways of life. Rebellious daimyos, worried about losing their way of life, resort to extreme measures; they overthrow the Shogunate and restore the Emperor of Japan to a position of real power. When even the Emperor cannot eliminate foreign influence, restive samurai launch a series of rebellions. Can the new...

In the year 1853, Japan is an isolationist, feudal society. By 1877, she’s a modern nation, with a centralized government and burgeoning national industry. This process, called the Meiji Restoration, is one of the most remarkable national transformations in all of history. But how does it happen? In this episode, Dan discusses the first part of the story. We’ll start out with the Tokugawa Shogunate and its policy of Sakoku – isolation. Then we’ll talk about the Japanese experience in the 19th...