Hank's History Hour

Ah, the Russian Revolution. The Russian people get a bit of freedom and democracy after centuries of toil under the czars, only to lose that freedom to another near-century of toil under the Bolsheviks. You will hear about Rasputin, one of the weirdest and creepiest men in Russian history (and that’s saying something), the fall of the czars, and the rise of Lenin and communism.I highly suggest you check out the song “Rasputin” by Boney M. It is basically a 70’s disco song about what a pimp Rasputin was, and it is hilarious.

This is the first huge chapter, so I have divided it into 2 podcasts. The chapter begins with the religious wars: the War of Three Henry’s, the Dutch Revolt, and, my personal favorite, the 30 Years War. This was one of the most tumultous times in the history of the world. The 30 Years War, as you will see, was basically the first World War, with basically every country in Europe fighting against one another. You will see the forming of much of modern Europe, and you will analyze whether or not the religious wars were actually religious or not. Hint: They Weren’t.

After WWII, Western Europe was in ruins. The nations of this devastated continent had crumbling economies, turbulent political reshuffling, and changing national identities. However, through a new series of alliances (and a little help from the US), these countries bounced back from the brink and became the nations we recognize today. We will also talk about that charming period of American and Soviet militarization known as the Cold War. We will discuss how Bob Dylan, the Beatles, and popular culture helped create a passionate (in the "let's riot" kind of way) youth movement. And finally, we will talk about the most badass of French badasses: Charles De Gaulle. In this episode I am also joined by Kyle Sheridan, a good friend of mine. Kyle is a gentleman and a scholar and kindly offered to assist me on this, the second to the last Podcast in Hank's History Hour. I hope you enjoy it, and good luck on your tests!

The second Ch. 16 Podcast. Constitutionalism is the basis for the American governmental system, but our system didn’t begin with a ruthless, Christian-fundamentalist dictator seizing power, beheading the King, and creating a police state. All hail Oliver Cromwell, Lord Protector of England.

n this next chapter, we will take a sharp u-turn from the progress of Constutionalism and talk about the total dictatorships of Austria, Prussia, and Russia. Be prepared for kings who throw enemies to ravenous dogs and emperors who cripple clumsy servants, because this is EASTERN EUROPE!