Best Ushistory Podcasts (2025)

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James Beckwourth: From Slave to Mountain Man 27:39

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3d ago27:39

27:39

James Beckwourth lived one of the most extraordinary lives in American frontier history. Born the son of a white plantation owner and an enslaved Black woman, Beckwourth was freed by his father and set out to make his own way in the West. He trapped beaver alongside legendary mountain men like Jim Bridger and Kit Carson, fought in battles ranging f…

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421 Loyalism and Revolution in Georgia 1:01:01

1d ago1:01:01

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What if loyalty, not rebellion, was the default position in revolutionary British North America? It’s easy to forget that before 1776, most colonists identified as proud Britons. They didn’t see themselves as future Americans or revolutionaries; they saw themselves as subjects of a global empire. And in the colony of Georgia, many clung to that ide…

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188: World War II in Europe & The American Response (1939–40): Isolationism vs. Arsenal of Democracy 1:08:05

6d ago1:08:05

1:08:05

“I have said not once but many times that I have seen war and that I hate war. … I hope the United States will keep out of this war. I believe that it will.” This is the story of the first year of WWII in the European theater and the United States’ response. Since the days of President George Washington, the United States has largely held to George…

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Sheriff Pat Garrett & the $500 Controversy 24:06

9d ago24:06

24:06

Did Pat Garrett receive the $500 bounty on Billy the Kid’s head? For years, rumors have spread that Garrett was denied payment because he failed to prove the Kid’s death. But how true are these claims? Buy Me A Coffee! https://buymeacoffee.com/wildwest Check out the website! https://www.wildwestextra.com/ Email me! https://www.wildwestextra.com/con…

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Bigfoot Wallace: Texas Hero or Villain? 27:10

12d ago27:10

27:10

Bigfoot Wallace is one of those figures who looms so large in Texashistory that it can be tough to separate the facts from the tall tales. Born inVirginia and hardened by tragedy, Wallace headed to Texas with vengeance on his mind. What followed was a life filled with brutal frontier battles, narrow escapes, and enough wild stories to fill volumes.…

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BFW Revisited: Loyalism in the British Atlantic World 1:10:19

12d ago1:10:19

1:10:19

When we think of the American Revolution, we often focus on the patriots who fought for independence. But what about the Loyalists—those who chose to remain faithful to the British crown? In this episode, we revisit a thought-provoking conversation with historian Brad Jones of Fresno State University, author of Resisting Independence: Popular Loyal…

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The Widow's Secret: Was Billy the Kid's Death a Hoax? 24:00

15d ago24:00

24:00

Did Pat Garrett’s widow really claim that her husband helped to fake the demise of Billy the Kid? What about Garrett’s daughter, Elizabeth? Did she really give an interview in the 1980s saying the same thing? Endless online debates and unreliable sources have fueled questions such as these. But what does the historical evidence actually say? Today,…

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John Tornow | Wild Man of the Wynoochee 20:58

18d ago20:58

20:58

John Tornow, also known as the Wild Man of the Wynoochee, became one of the most feared and hunted men in the Pacific Northwest during the early 1900s. Born in Iowa in 1880, he grew up in Washington’s Olympic Peninsula, where he developed an unmatched skill with a rifle and a deep love for the wilderness. What began as the life of a quiet hermit sp…

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420: Creating the U.S. Federal Government 1:20:25

15d ago1:20:25

1:20:25

When we think about the founding of the United States, we often focus on the Constitution, the Founding Fathers, and those first landmark elections. But how did the United States actually build its federal government, the entire apparatus of state that could collect revenue, manage international diplomacy, provide law and order, and extend its reac…

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187: From the Rhineland to Poland (1935–1939): Annexation, Appeasement, & the Start of World War II 1:08:46

20d ago1:08:46

1:08:46

“A great war can hardly be avoided any longer.” This is the story of Nazi Germany’s aggressive territorial expansion and the start of WWII. The Treaty of Versailles has long been a thorn in Adolf Hitler’s side. Its troublesome limits on troops and technology pose challenges for a man bent on taking lebensraum and building a Grossdeuschland by any m…

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Frank "Pistol Pete" Eaton 20:29

20d ago20:29

20:29

Frank “Pistol Pete” Eaton was more than a mascot. He was a real man who claimed to have lived one of the most violent and extraordinary lives of the Old West. Born in 1860 in Hartford, Connecticut, Eaton moved with his family to Kansas, where he witnessed his father’s murder at the hands of six vigilantes. From that moment on, young Frank dedicated…

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Young Guns 2: Fact vs Fiction 1:32:04

25d ago1:32:04

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If you grew up watching westerns in the late 80s and early 90s, Young Guns II was probably on your list, but how much of what we saw on screen was true? Today, we dig into the real history behind Billy the Kid and Young Guns II with Dan LeFebvre, the award-winning host of the Based on a True Story Podcast. Together, we explore questions such as whe…

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BFW Revisited: Women & the Constitutional Moment of 1787 1:16:19

26d ago1:16:19

1:16:19

Each September, Constitution Day marks the signing of the U.S. Constitution on September 17, 1787. But beyond celebration, this commemoration invites deeper reflection: Whose voices helped shape this foundational document? And who was imagined as part of the political community it created? In honor of Constitution Day and Constitution Month, we’re …

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Archie Clement's Bloody Last Stand 20:52

27d ago20:52

20:52

Archie Clement was one of the most notorious guerrilla fighters to emerge from Missouri during the Civil War and Reconstruction era. Barely over five feet tall and weighing around 130 pounds, Clement quickly became feared across the state for his ruthlessness and intensity. Riding with William “Bloody Bill” Anderson, Jesse James, and Frank James, h…

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Jack Hinson: Civil War Sniper 20:49

29d ago20:49

20:49

Jack Hinson, known as “Old Jack,” began the Civil War as a wealthy Tennessee planter with no intentions to enlist in the Civil War. That changed in 1862 when Union troops executed his sons and displayed their heads on his plantation gateposts. At 57 years old, Hinson armed himself with a custom .50 caliber rifle and launched a one-man war of reveng…

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Chief Joseph & the Nez Perce War: The Fight Begins 32:02

1M ago32:02

32:02

The Battle of White Bird Canyon was one of the most lopsided defeats the U.S. Army ever suffered in the American West. On June 17, 1877, Captain David Perry led roughly one hundred soldiers and scouts into Idaho’s White Bird Canyon, believing they could quickly subdue the Nez Perce. Instead, the Nez Perce delivered a crushing defeat. In less than a…

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419 The North Carolina Regulator Movement 1:04:24

1M ago1:04:24

1:04:24

What happens when the very people meant to uphold justice become the ones exploiting it? In the 1760s, North Carolina farmers watched sheriffs pocket their tax payments, judges rule in favor of corrupt land speculators, and government officials literally steal their land, all while claiming to represent the Crown’s interests. Nathan Schultz, a publ…

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186: From Czardom to Stalinism: Building the USSR & the Ascent of Joseph Stalin 1:06:39

1M ago1:06:39

1:06:39

“Comrade Stalin, now that he is general secretary, has concentrated immense power in his hands, and I am not sure whether he will always be capable of exercising this power with sufficient caution.” This is the story of Joseph Stalin’s path to becoming the dictator of the USSR. Ioseb (Joseph) Jughashvili, or little “Soso,” is a good student. A choi…

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Elfego Baca & the Frisco Shootout (Encore) 38:16

1M ago38:16

38:16

In October of 1884, 19-year-old Elfego Baca made history during the legendary Frisco Shootout. After pinning on a fake badge and arresting a drunken cowboy named Charlie McCarty, Baca found himself surrounded by dozens of angry ranch hands. The standoff escalated into a 33-hour siege in which as many as 80 cowboys fired more than 4,000 rounds into …

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BFW Revisited: The Tory's Wife 1:05:42

1M ago1:05:42

1:05:42

Revolutionary upheaval didn't just reshape governments—it transformed daily life for ordinary families across colonial America. In this revisited episode, historian Cynthia Kierner reveals the remarkable story of Jane Spurgin, a woman navigating loyalty, survival, and family obligations in Revolutionary-era North Carolina. Through Jane's experience…

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They're Remaking Lonesome Dove!? 47:36

1M ago47:36

47:36

Teton Ridge has snagged the film and TV rights to Larry McMurtry’s legendary Lonesome Dove series, promising a fresh take on the Pulitzer Prize-winning saga of retired Texas Rangers on a perilous cattle drive from Texas to Montana. The original adaptation in 1989 became a Western classic, but will the remake live up to its legacy? And did you know …

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Chief Joseph & the Nez Perce War: Genesis 41:19

2M ago41:19

41:19

The Nez Perce War erupted in 1877 after decades of brokentreaties, stolen land, and violent confrontations between settlers and the Nez Perce people. At the center of this struggle was Chief Joseph, a leader who had spent years trying to keep peace, only to be forced into leading his people on one of the greatest fighting retreats in American histo…

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418 The Driver's Story 1:02:11

1M ago1:02:11

1:02:11

We often learn about slavery in early America through broad economic or political terms—cotton, sugar, markets, revolutions. But what happens when we turn our focus to the lived experiences of enslaved people themselves? What did slavery feel and look like on the ground? What did survival look like day to day? And what do we make of the enslaved pe…

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185: The Early Holocaust: From the “Jewish Question” to Kristallnacht 1:08:59

2M ago1:08:59

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“Being a Jew is not a crime, I am not a dog.” This is the story of the start of the Holocaust. Serving as the scapegoat for everything from a disappearing child to the Black Plague, European Jews are used to “anti-Jewry.” But as the nation state rises in the modern world, it brings the so-called “Jewish Question” to the fore: can one be a faithful …

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Mysterious Dave Mather: The Gunfighter Who Vanished Without a Trace 23:18

2M ago23:18

23:18

Mysterious Dave Mather was one of the Old West’s most elusive figures. Born in Connecticut and orphaned at a young age, Mather drifted west, where his life became a blur of gunfights, gambling halls, and questionable alliances. He wore a badge in towns like Dodge City and East Las Vegas, but just as often found himself standing trial for murder. Kn…

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The Unlikely Union: New Tour Dates 7:53

2M ago7:53

7:53

Professor Greg Jackson is touring the country with a live version of the podcast telling the story of The Unlikely Union of American states. Starting Sep 19, 2025 through July 4, 2026, you can hear the Professor history-tell in person, with video and live musicians. It’s not recorded for the podcast so get your tickets now at ⁠HTDSpodcast.com/live-…

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BFW Revisited: The Business of Slavery 52:28

2M ago52:28

52:28

When we think about slavery in early America, we often rightfully focus on the human toll–the violence, the exploitation, the dehumanization that defined the institution. But slavery wasn’t just a system of forced labor; it was also a business. Next week, in Episode 418, we’ll be investigating a different facet of the business of slavery: the story…

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Tom "Bear River" Smith: Abilene's Forgotten marshal 21:52

2M ago21:52

21:52

Tom “Bear River” Smith tamed one of the wildest towns in the Old West without firing a single shot. Armed with nothing more than a badge, a banjo, and a pair of fists that made even the toughest cowboys think twice, Smith brought order to Abilene, Kansas, at a time when cattle drives and rowdy trail hands turned the streets into chaos. But how did …