A Journey into Human History

About A Journey into Human History

Welcome to a journey into human history. This podcast will attempt to tell the whole human story. You may be asking yourself what is history? Is it simply a record of things people have done? Is it what writer Maya Angelou suggested—a way to meet the pain of the past and overcome it? Or is it, as Winston Churchill said, a chronicle by the victors, an interpretation by those who write it? History is all this and more. Above all else, it is a path to knowing why we are the way we are—all our greatness, all our faults—and therefore a means for us to understand ourselves and change for the better. But history serves this function only if it is a true reflection of the past. It cannot be a way to mask the darker parts of human nature, nor a way to justify acts of previous generations. It is the historian’s task to paint as clear a picture as sources will allow. Will history ever be a perfect telling of the human tale? No. There are voices we may never hear. Yet each new history book written and each new source uncovered reveal an ever more precise record of events around the world. You are about to take a journey into human history. The content contained in this podcast was produced by OpenStax and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License. For more information please review the links and resources in the description. Podcast produced by Miranda Casturo as a creative common sense production. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/a-journey-into-human-history--5860966/support (https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/a-journey-into-human-history--5860966/support?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss).

Publisher

Miranda Casturo

Category

history

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

13 May 2023

Latest episode

14 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

234 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   14 Oct 2026

   President Hoover’s Response

   President Hoover’s deeply held philosophy of American individualism, which he maintained despite extraordinary economic circumstances, made him particularly unsuited to deal with the crisis of the Great Depression. He greatly resisted government intervention, considering it a path to the downfall of American greatness. His initial response of asking Americans to find their own paths to recovery and seeking voluntary business measures to stimulate the economy could not stem the tide of the Depression. Ultimately, Hoover did create some federal relief programs, such as the Reconstruction Finance Corporation (RFC), which sought to boost public confidence in financial institutions by ensuring that they were on solid footing. When this measure did little to help impoverished individuals, he signed the Emergency Relief Act, which allowed the RFC to invest in local public works projects. But even this was too little, too late. The severe limits on the types of projects funded and type of workers used meant that most Americans saw no benefit. The American public ultimately responded with anger and protest to Hoover’s apparent inability to create solutions. Protests ranged from factory strikes to farm riots, culminating in the notorious Bonus Army protest in the spring of 1932. Veterans from World War I lobbied to receive their bonuses immediately, rather than waiting until 1945. The government denied them, and in the ensuing chaos, Hoover called in the military to disrupt the protest. The violence of this act was the final blow for Hoover, whose popularity was already at an all-time low. All images referenced in this podcast can be found at https://openstax.org/books/us-history/pages/25-2-president-hoovers-response Welcome to A Journey into Human History. This podcast will attempt to tell the whole human story. \The content contained in this podcast was produced by OpenStax and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License. Access for free at https://openstax.org/details/books/us-history (https://openstax.org/details/books/us-history) Podcast produced by Miranda Casturo as a Creative Common Sense production. No part of this podcast is made with generative AI Voice narration provided by computerized text-to-speech through voicemaker.in For those who prefer ad free listening other options of support are available. https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/a-journey-into-human-history--5860966/support

2. 

   12 Oct 2026

   The Stock Market Crash of 1929

   The prosperous decade leading up to the stock market crash of 1929, with easy access to credit and a culture that encouraged speculation and risk-taking, put into place the conditions for the country’s fall. The stock market, which had been growing for years, began to decline in the summer and early fall of 1929, precipitating a panic that led to a massive stock sell-off in late October. In one month, the market lost close to 40 percent of its value. Although only a small percentage of Americans had invested in the stock market, the crash affected everyone. Banks lost millions and, in response, foreclosed on business and personal loans, which in turn pressured customers to pay back their loans, whether or not they had the cash. As the pressure mounted on individuals, the effects of the crash continued to spread. The state of the international economy, the inequitable income distribution in the United States, and, perhaps most importantly, the contagion effect of panic all played roles in the continued downward spiral of the economy. In the immediate aftermath of the crash, the government was confident that the economy would rebound. But several factors led it to worsen instead. One significant issue was the integral role of automobiles and construction in American industry. With the crash, there was no money for either auto purchases or major construction projects; these industries therefore suffered, laying off workers, cutting wages, and reducing benefits. Affluent Americans considered the deserving poor—those who lost their money due to no fault of their own—to be especially in need of help. But at the outset of the Great Depression, there were few social safety nets in place to provide them with the necessary relief. While some families retained their wealth and middle-class lifestyle, many more were plunged quite suddenly into poverty and often homelessness. Children dropped out of school, mothers and wives went into domestic service, and the fabric of American society changed inexorably. All images referenced in this podcast can be found at https://openstax.org/books/us-history/pages/25-1-the-stock-market-crash-of-1929 Welcome to A Journey into Human History. This podcast will attempt to tell the whole human story. The content contained in this podcast was produced by OpenStax and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License. Access for free at https://openstax.org/details/books/us-history (https://openstax.org/details/books/us-history) Podcast produced by Miranda Casturo as a Creative Common Sense production. No part of this podcast is made with generative AI Voice narration provided by computerized text-to-speech through voicemaker.in For those who prefer ad free listening other options of support are available. https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/a-journey-into-human-history--5860966/support

3. 

   9 Oct 2026

   Republican Ascendancy Politics in the 1920s

   After World War I, Americans were ready for “a return to normalcy,” and Republican Warren Harding offered them just that. Under the guidance of his big-business backers, Harding’s policies supported businesses at home and isolation from foreign affairs. His administration was wracked by scandals, and after he died in 1923, Calvin Coolidge continued his policy legacy in much the same vein. Herbert Hoover, elected as Coolidge’s heir apparent, planned for more of the same until the stock market crash ended a decade of Republican ascendancy. All images referenced in this podcast can be found at https://openstax.org/books/us-history/pages/24-4-republican-ascendancy-politics-in-the-1920s Welcome to A Journey into Human History. This podcast will attempt to tell the whole human story. The content contained in this podcast was produced by OpenStax and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License. Access for free at https://openstax.org/details/books/us-history (https://openstax.org/details/books/us-history) Podcast produced by Miranda Casturo as a Creative Common Sense production. No part of this podcast is made with generative AI Voice narration provided by computerized text-to-speech through voicemaker.in For those who prefer ad free listening other options of support are available. https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/a-journey-into-human-history--5860966/support

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Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.3 / 5

3 ratings

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Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.