Join us every other week for a Pop Quiz! This week, Joe asked me about the Federal Reserve, how it works, and whether or not it's run by reptilian aliens.

Well, maybe not the last one, but we do get into a conversation about the important--and dangerous--role the Federal Reserve plays in American finance today.

Join us as we explore the history of the steam engine, its impact on industrialization, and how both have translated into the modern age.

The 15-Minute History Podcast team is bringing you a new segment, just for kids, called Sketches in History, where 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 to dark night on April 18, 1775. In the distance, she hears a horse fast approaching. Its rider has a special message for the inhabitants of the town! Your kids will learn about bravery, agency, and the beginning of the American Revolutionary War.

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 [email protected], and it might just make its way into the notebook!

Until then, remember that history is just a page away.

In the workshop, all he could smell was the coal. It filled his nostrils day and night. The metal under his hands was hot. A few months before, the heat would have been unbearable, but the scares on his hands dulled the sensation.

He bent over the two cylinders and watched as steam left one to fill the other. A spray of water went into the first cylinder, and he listened as the piston fell back into a resting position.

The man repeated this action countless times. He looked at the fire creating the steam. And then at the stores of coal which, for the first time, still seemed full. He closes his eyes, and continues the work, listening intently, almost searching for the error as the piston moves inside the cylinder. The movement of steam from one tube to the other, the created vacuum, and the sound of the responding piston continues until they encapsulate his entire world.

After some time, the mechanism slows. He knows its because the fire has gotten low.

The man drops his tools, takes a step back, and opens his eyes to a new world.

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Join us as we talk about the history of the steam engine and how it was the pivotal change agent that led to many of the modern marvels we experience today.

Hey kids! I know you were excited to hear Lottie bring you another episode of "Sketches in History." Unfortunately, she isn't here this week. But Joe has a story to tell you about a trip he took with his son, and then we have a Pop Quiz you can listen to with your parents.

Lottie will be back with her notebook for another "Sketches" episode next week!

After a two-part podcast on this immense topic, Joe and I discussed some of the war's greatest impacts on society, how it shaped the lives of those who fought and suffered, and the tragic triumph that ended it.

In today's episode, Joe and Jon discuss King Henry VIII's "Great Debasement" (which has nothing to do with his palace's root cellar) and how it shaped our understanding of monetary policy.

Seven years ago, Joe and I began this podcast with a two-part episode on the Second World War in Europe. Today, we bring you part two, followed by our discussion next week.

As always, you can send us questions or post comments on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts!

As promised, the 15-Minute History Podcast team is bringing you a new segment, just for kids, called Sketches in History, where 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 to a bustling marketplace in 79 AD. But something is very wrong. Imagine warm air, clear skies, and a menace on the horizon. Your kids will learn about an ancient culture, preservation, and how a city was frozen in time.

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 [email protected], and it might just make its way into the notebook!

Until then, remember that history is just a page away.

Seven years ago, Joe and I began this podcast with a two-part episode on the Second World War in Europe. Today, we fulfill a promise to longtime listeners with the first installment of the Pacific War--from Pearl Harbor to Midway. Join us next week for the second part and then an epic discussion later this month.

As always, you can send us questions or post comments on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts!

In today's double pop quiz, Jon answers an audience question and then faces a historic moment for the podcast. Don't miss it!