The Magical History Tour Podcast

Our tour takes a look at the attitudes stemming from the Great War. We go from extremely positive, we’ll-perfect'-society-or-else outlooks to very negative, did-you-see-what-happened-in-the-war-people-are-awful outlooks. We’ll examine the literature, the politics, and even the newspapers, all of which show a sense of disillusionment weighing heavily on society. **Be sure to check out the BONUS New...

In this tour, President Wilson heads to Europe to negotiate peace talks with his 14 Points…which dwindle quickly down to almost no points other than the League of Nations. But surprise! We don’t even join the entity that we created! And not listening to Wilson is a bad idea, but we’ll let the rise of Hitler speak for itself later…. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with o...

In this tour, future President Hoover does some really good work for America…but you just wait…he’ll ruin that good rep when he becomes President. Additionally, we see how America comes together, but also gets a bit intolerant if you happen to be German, and how civil liberties fly out the window in many cases. Women gain the vote, African Americans hope their help in the war will lead to better c...

From the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand to the armistice, we tour the Great War. Part one of this Great War series looks at the events that led to war, how it became a stalemate, and how the U.S. was drawn in. Come take the tour! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hollisknodewrites.substack.com

After the Spanish-American War we are looking outward much more. Teddy Roosevelt builds a canal in Panama, we have a rocky relationship with Japan, and we meddle in Mexico’s civil war, causing issues that just might hurt us in the war to come… This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hollisknodewrites.substack.com

We’ll wrap up our tour of the progressive period with a look at the three progressive presidents of the era - T.R., Taft, and Wilson. We’ll see a LOT of Teddy Roosevelt, so what else can I say? You’ve gotta take the tour! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hollisknodewrites.substack.com

We’ll tour the automobile factories of Henry Ford and see businesses changing to achieve maximum efficiency with the Principles of Scientific Management, a horrible fire at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory that led to reform, and various progressive movements like prohibition and the feminists. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus...

This week we take an overview of the progressive period…and we’ll find out it’s actually a conservative movement - What? Progressives are conservative?! We’ll see the muckrakers digging into the seamier side of life to highlight the problems that need to be addressed, and Upton Sinclair giving everyone some severe nausea when he exposes the grossness that was the meatpacking industry. This is a pu...

I know you occasionally hear from my Teaching Assistants in my podcast, but the majority of their “help” is edited out…here’s a quick look at what really goes on while I’m recording! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hollisknodewrites.substack.com

We’ll be talking about the hypocrisy of the United States taking colonies, touring the Spanish-American War with our favorite Rough Rider, Teddy Roosevelt, seeing the rise of Yellow Journalism and the NY Newspaper Wars, and being shocked that we were in a war with the Philippines that most people probably didn’t know about.  This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other su...

In this episode we cover the politics of the late 1800s, including the rise of the Populist party, how The Wizard of Oz can help you remember all the crazy politics of the era, and a couple more presidential assassinations….enough to finally make us realize we might need to organize the Secret Service. Plus Teddy Roosevelt makes an appearance, which is always entertaining. This is a public episode...

Come take a tour of the frontier in the late 1800s that will include getting a glimpse of people like Buffalo Bill Cody and General Custer. We'll see how the native tribes were faring in the late 1800s and how the United States gradually took over the rest of the West. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit holliskn...

This tour we’ll look at how pro sports like baseball become our national pastime. We’ll also tour city politics, the changes in education and literature, the expansion of the middle class, and a little Supreme Court ruling called Plessy v. Ferguson that established the idea of separate but equal. We’ll even meet distinguished black educators Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. DuBois, so come take the...

This episode looks at immigration in the late 1800s - who’s coming over and why, and how they’re treated by the immigrants who were here before them. We also see signifcant growth in the cities on our tour, and how that affects the people living there. Come join the tour! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit holli...

In the last episode we saw a rise of big business and the problems that came along with that, and now we see the reactions of the working class. Between the 1870s and the turn of the century we’ll see a lot of labor unrest and attempts to get better working conditions, hours, and pay for the working class by setting up labor unions. Come check it out! This is a public episode. If you would like to...

Today we're touring the inventors, the entrepreneurs, and the big businesses formed after the Civil War, as well as taking a look at the results of these burgeoning industries - things like the widening income gap, the working conditions, and just who was working at what jobs.  Come join the tour! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to b...

The second half of American history begins next week! Stay tuned, and catch up on all of your previous tours while you wait. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hollisknodewrites.substack.com

Here we see the different plans of Lincoln, Johnson, and Congress to put the Union back together again once the war was over. Additionally, we’ll tour post-war attempts to give newly freed slaves civil rights, and see how that works out in the end. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hollisknodewrites.substack.co...

Today’s tour takes us to the Battle of Bull Run all the way through the end of the war, and Lincoln’s assassination. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hollisknodewrites.substack.com

In this episode, we see the reaction from the Supreme Court’s sectional decision of the Dred Scott Case, tour the election of 1860, and see the South’s reaction to Lincoln’s election. We’ll then tour the kickoff of the Civil War, which takes place at Ft. Sumpter. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hollisknodewri...

This tour takes us down the road to the Civil War, beginning with arguments over extending slavery into the new territories won in the Mexican-American War. We’ll tour the Kansas-Nebraska territory as the settlers fight it out over whether to become a slave or free state, and wind up with the election of 1856 and the rise of the Republican party. Take the tour! This is a public episode. If you wou...

We’ll take about half a second to look at William Henry Harrison’s presidency – which is about how long it lasted. He’ll be followed by John Tyler and James K. Polk, who will work to significantly expand the United states westward. We’ll tour the Alamo and a little Texas history, and we’ll see the Mexican-American war. It’s our Manifest Destiny to see a LOT of history today! This is a public episo...

We’ll see how religion affects culture in the mid-1800s, and take a look at the outpouring of great literature. Additionally, we’ll tour the reform movements like temperance, abolition, and women's rights. Finally, our tour takes us to the really interesting utopian societies that spring up throughout the country. It's a wild ride, so take the tour! This is a public episode. If you would like to d...

This tour takes a look at the South and the institution of slavery, including slave owners, slave life, rebellions, and reactions.  This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hollisknodewrites.substack.com

This tour takes us through the scandal of the Petticoat Affair and the problems between Jackson and his Vice President, Calhoun. We'll get into the elections of 1832 and 1836, where we see the rise of the Whig party in response to Jackson's handling of the bank issue. Lots more drama in the Jackson years that you won't want to miss! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with...