History Unplugged Podcast

History Unplugged

World War II

Civil War

Barbary Wars

American Revolution

Ottoman Empire

United States

Cold War

Slavery

Soviet Union

Atomic Bomb

Great Depression

Climate Change

Vietnam War

War Of 1812

Hiroshima

Abraham Lincoln

Siege Of Leningrad

Alexander the Great

Western Roman Empire

George Washington

For history lovers who listen to podcasts, History Unplugged is the most comprehensive show of its kind. It's the only show that dedicates episodes to both interviewing experts and answering questions from its audience. First, it features a call-in show where you can ask our resident historian (Scott Rank, PhD) absolutely anything (What was it like to be a Turkish sultan with four wives and twelve... more

5.1k ratings

Publishes	Daily	Episodes	1105	Founded	9 years ago
Number of Listeners		Categories	HistorySociety & Culture

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Latest Episodes

The Boston Tea Party Was a Protest Against the East India Company Being Too Big to Fail

The Boston Tea Party is the most misunderstood event in American history. Every schoolchild learns it was an antitax protest, proof that Americans have always hated paying taxes. But the Tea Act of 1773 was actually a tax cut. Parliament lowered the ... more

23 Jul 2026 • 48 min • Most popular

The 1873 Global Financial Meltdown that Cause 20 Years of Deflation and Destroyed 2 Empires

On May 9, 1873, as the Vienna Stock Exchange collapsed and thousands of speculators were wiped out in a single afternoon, young Salbert von Rothschild and two colleagues from the Schey and Goldschmidt banking families were nearly lynched on the floor... more

21 Jul 2026 • 44 min • Popular

Johnny Appleseed's Trees Were for Booze, Not Pies, and He Dressed Like a Hobo for Marketing Purposes

The Disney version of Johnny Appleseed has a cheerful barefoot man in a tin pot hat scattering apple seeds for grateful pioneers to bake into pies. The real John Chapman collected his seeds for free from cidery waste, planted them into strategically ... more

16 Jul 2026 • 53 min

All the World’s Empires Became Nations in Less Than 100 Years, and What That Means for the Next 100

For the last 5,000 years, empires ruled the world — Rome administered hundreds of languages across three continents, and the Ottomans governed Christians, Jews, and Muslims under a single legal canopy. The nation-state as we know it is barely a centu... more

14 Jul 2026 • 49 min

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Recent Guests

Vanessa Williamson

Author of The Price of Democracy

Author, The Price of Democracy

Episode: The Boston Tea Party Was a Protest Against the East India Company Being Too Big to Fail

Isaac Fitzgerald

Author of American Rambler, Walking the Trail of Johnny Appleseed

Author, American Rambler

Episode: Johnny Appleseed's Trees Were for Booze, Not Pies, and He Dressed Like a Hobo for Marketing Purposes

Rana Dasgupta

Author of After Nations

Penguin/Author

Episode: All the World’s Empires Became Nations in Less Than 100 Years, and What That Means for the Next 100

Antonia Senior

Author of Stalin's Apostles

Author, Stalin's Apostles

Episode: Five Cambridge Graduates Became Soviet Spies and Built Stalin’s Empire

H. W. Brands

Author of American Patriarch, The Life of George Washington

Author/Historian

Episode: Washington’s Power Went Beyond President or General – He Was a Full-Fledged Patriarch

Joseph Moore

Author of How to Get Rich in American History: 300 Years of Financial Advice That Worked and Did It

Author

Episode: Abigail Adams Beat Warren Buffet’s Rate of Return and Ben Franklin Loved Debt: Personal Finance Lessons From Colonial America

Emma Southon

Author of Not Built In A Day, How Slavery Made The Roman Empire

Not Built In A Day (Book)

Episode: The Highs and Lows of Roman Slavery: From the Emperor's Advisor to Suffocating in Sulfur Mines

Harry Sidebottom

Author of Those Who Are About to Die, A Day in the Life of a Roman Gladiator

Author, Claydon House? (as introduced)

Episode: A Day at the Gladiatorial Games: Beast Hunts, Mass Slaughter, and Flooding the Colosseum to Reenact Roman Naval Battles

Thomas Asbridge

Author of The Black Death, A Global History of Humanity's Most Devastating Pandemic

Author/Historian

Episode: The Black Death’s Global Ripple Effects, and How They Were Felt Outside Europe

Host

Scott Rank

Host of History Unplugged with deep expertise in history and a background as a scholar/media commentator.

Reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars from 5.1k ratings

I was a 5 year listener, until
TPUSA became your advert sponsor.
Boycotting Scott now.
Over and out✌🏿
Apple Podcasts
1
Jeremiah ben Jonah
United States18 days ago
Commercials
I really wanna give this podcast 5 stars, I really do….the production, host and topics are great, but the interruptions from commercials makes me skip or not even listen. Idk what the solution is, bcz I understand the economics of all this but damn. It’s jarring and forces me to completely change to another podcast. Sorry Scott…I already know this won’t change anything but you ask for reviews, so here ya go
Apple Podcasts
3
Avidpodlistener
United Statesa month ago
Liberal history show
At some point just talk about history and not woke garbage.
Apple Podcasts
1
Tico8
United Statesa month ago
Shame
Been listening for years and enjoy most of the content but the resent ads have been too much. Gonna turn off my subscription for a few months and I hope they drop the Kirk.
Apple Podcasts
1
myopinionsrry
United States2 months ago
Very cool show,
I enjoy it, even though he isn’t a crazy blue hair lib,
P.s., I too, am from texas
Apple Podcasts
5
# 67 #
United States3 months ago

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Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners appreciate the breadth and depth of topics.

The show is seen as serious, professional, and well-researched.

Some critiques focus on ads and perceived political slant by a few guests or sponsors.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts	#63	United States/History
Apple Podcasts	#94	Canada/History
Apple Podcasts	#240	United Kingdom/History
Apple Podcasts	#174	Australia/History
Apple Podcasts	#81	Taiwan/History
Apple Podcasts	#90	South Africa/History

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

All the World’s Empires Became Nations in Less Than 100 Years, and What That Means for the Next 100

Q: What might the future look like if the US no longer dominates global affairs?

The host suggests a multipolar world with several regional powers and non-state actors, including tech companies, shaping global order, potentially reducing the dominance of any single nation-state.

All the World’s Empires Became Nations in Less Than 100 Years, and What That Means for the Next 100

Q: How did France and Britain differently shape Frenchness and British national identity?

France tied sovereignty to theological authority and mystical nationhood, whereas Britain emphasized property, enterprise, and a more secular, law- and contract-based national identity that spread through colonization and private corporations.

All the World’s Empires Became Nations in Less Than 100 Years, and What That Means for the Next 100

Q: So what does change from empires to nations? What problem did that solve?

The guest explains that empires centralized power but often caused instability and high costs, while nations provided a framework for self-determination, legitimacy through myth and religion, and a more manageable system for governing diverse populations as societies industrialized.

Five Cambridge Graduates Became Soviet Spies and Built Stalin’s Empire

Q: What was the impact of their intelligence on the postwar order, particularly in Eastern Europe and Poland?

Their intelligence helped the Soviets consolidate control over Eastern Europe and influence decisions about Poland's fate, effectively extending Soviet influence well into the early Cold War period.

Five Cambridge Graduates Became Soviet Spies and Built Stalin’s Empire

Q: Do you know how carefully orchestrated this was, whether their handlers gave general directives or specific job placements?

The arrangement seems to have been a mix of guided placements and opportunistic exploitation of open channels; the handlers set up patterns, but the five also leveraged their social capital to maximize access in key postings.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About History Unplugged Podcast

What is History Unplugged Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

History Unplugged often features in-depth conversations with historians and authors, exploring big historical questions through biographical portraits, geopolitical narratives, and sometimes archival mysteries. Episodes frequently center on empire, war, ancient civilizations, and long-running cultural themes, with guests ranging from scholars to book authors providing context, nuance, and accessible storytelling. The show stands out for its breadth of topics, rigorous historical framing, and a mix of narrative history with expert analysis, appealing to listeners who want substantial background and practical takeaways from historical studies.

Noteworthy elements include a strong emphasis on primary-source context, cross-disciplinary connect... more

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How many listeners does History Unplugged Podcast get?

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Which podcasts are similar to History Unplugged Podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with History Unplugged Podcast:

1. Key Battles of American History
2. American History Hit
3. History That Doesn't Suck
4. This American President
5. History Daily

How many episodes of History Unplugged Podcast are there?

History Unplugged Podcast launched 9 years ago and published 1105 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact History Unplugged Podcast?

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What guests have appeared on History Unplugged Podcast?

Recent guests on History Unplugged Podcast include:

1. Vanessa Williamson
2. Isaac Fitzgerald
3. Rana Dasgupta
4. Antonia Senior
5. H. W. Brands
6. Joseph Moore
7. Emma Southon
8. Harry Sidebottom

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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