Rephonic
Artwork for Lectures in History

Lectures in History

C-SPAN
American Revolution
World War II
Cold War
Civil Rights Movement
Vietnam War
George Washington
C-Span
Gilded Age
Baseball
Slavery
Civil War
Abortion
Richard Nixon
Great Depression
Lizzie Borden
Ronald Reagan
Reproductive Rights
Appalachia
Thomas Jefferson
Title IX

Go back to school with the country's top professors lecturing on a variety of topics in American history. New episodes posted every Saturday evening. From C-SPAN, the network that brings you "After Words" and "C-SPAN's The Weekly" podcasts.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes600Founded15 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
PoliticsHistoryNews

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Lectures in History

Latest Episodes

Washington University hosted a series of lectures called "1776: Then and Now." This lecture looked at women's roles when the United States declared independence and fought the Revolutionary War.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/a... more

YouTube

What was the natural world like during the American Revolution — and how did it shape the fight for independence? Washington University’s Rachael DeWitt and Hester Blum explore the landscapes, weather, waterways, plants, and animals that were part of... more

YouTube

University of Wisconsin professor Alfred McCoy explored how espionage played a critical role during the Vietnam War.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

YouTube

San Diego State University professor Edward Blum examines the state constitutions created before the U.S. Constitution was ratified in 1787. He explores how states approached questions of political power, representation, and individual rights—and how... more

YouTube

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

For the Ages: A History Podcast
For the Ages: A History PodcastThe New York Historical
History Unplugged Podcast
History Unplugged PodcastHistory Unplugged
This American President
This American PresidentThis American President

Recent Guests

Alfred McCoy
University of Wisconsin Professor, expert on espionage and the Vietnam War
University of Wisconsin
Episode: Vietnam War Espionage
Edward Blum
Professor at San Diego State University
San Diego State University
Episode: Comparing Federal & State Constitutions
Fannie Bialek
Assistant Professor of Religion and Politics at Washington University in St. Louis
Washington University in St. Louis
Episode: 1776 Then and Now - Early American Political Thought
Heather Penney
Air National Guard pilot who was scrambled on 9/11 to potentially engage hijacked aircraft
United States Air National Guard
Episode: 9/11: Air National Guard Pilot Heather Penney Recalls Her Mission
Michael Beschloss
Presidential historian and author
Author and historian
Episode: Michael Beschloss Explores the Revolutionary War, Civil War & 20th Century America
Kathleen Duvall
Professor of history at the University of North Carolina
University of North Carolina
Episode: The American Revolution Era and the Rest of the World
Dr. Aaron Aster
Professor of history at Maryville College
Maryville College
Episode: Appalachia's Role in America's Founding
Dr. Doug Sofer
Faculty colleague of the presenter
Maryville College
Episode: Appalachia's Role in America's Founding
Kathleen DuVal
Pulitzer Prize-winning historian
Washington University in St. Louis
Episode: International Context of the American Revolution

Host

Peter Castor
Host/lecturer accompanying the audience in the lecture series

Reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars from 846 ratings
  • Couple issues

    Can be a great show with valuable information. However…

    First, it’s distasteful to listen to a vocal-fry professor mock others accents. Even if the said accent if from a group of people “acceptable” to make fun of (realize the logic in that statement?).

    Second, we can handle more. There’s no need to only select lectures from post-syllabus week freshman year introductory undergrad courses. Accessibility is definitely a goal, but trust that your audience can understand and comprehend more detai... more

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    consumer1156
    United States2 months ago
  • Great stuff but…

    don’t expect to hear only opinions you like. These are lectures presenting historical facts which are sometimes then interpreted and applied to contemporary life. But unlike so many podcasts it isn’t pretending to be what it’s not.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    TV Food and Drink
    United States4 months ago
  • !

    Cool

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    !huh
    United States4 months ago
  • Great Overall

    Many of the lectures are very good. Skip the cult and the prison gang ones, though. You won’t learn much about either.

    Would enjoy more variety of subjects. History has a lot of great topics.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    historyheather
    United States8 months ago
  • 1876 Great Sioux War

    I was just grinding my teeth this entire lecture. It was extremely biased against USA. Is the Professor by any chance Native American for crying out loud? It was too one sided for me. He was unsuccessful in taking a balanced approach. Too much liberal sentiments studded this interesting subject. 🤷🏻‍♂️

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    ballpeen brain
    United Statesa year ago

Listeners Say

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

Listeners praise the scholarly rigor and broad guest mix, noting strong historical context and engaging Q&As.
A few critiques mention bias or selectivity in topic choices and sound quality from certain lectures.
Some episodes draw attention for balance concerns or pacing, with feedback on voice speed and editorial balance.
Positive feedback often highlights high-profile guests and practical leadership takeaways from history.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#205
United States/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#165
Poland/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#238
Ukraine/News/Politics

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

1776 Then and Now - Early American Political Thought
Q: Could you talk more about Hobbes's sense of imagination and its relation to memory and projection?
Hobbes's imagination is really memory in a sense, blended with projection. He treats imagination as how past experiences and sensory input shape expectations and actions, often more about guiding behavior than revealing truth.
Vietnam War Espionage
Q: Could you explain the covert opium trade system in Southeast Asia and Saigon's heroin distribution during the war?
The opium trade connected a network from Laos to South Vietnam, with CIA-supported channels, Air America flights, and local leaders pressing for revenue to sustain covert operations. Investigations revealed CIA complicity or at least tolerance due to strategic needs, and journalists uncovered how rice and opium economics intertwined with the secret war, complicating moral judgments and policy decisions.
Michael Beschloss Explores the Revolutionary War, Civil War & 20th Century America
Q: If you could change the presidency, how would you change the way presidents are elected or constrained?
He advocates preserving a democratic element in choosing presidents while strengthening checks on executive power, noting past attempts at reform and emphasizing the importance of accountability and clear constitutional boundaries.
Michael Beschloss Explores the Revolutionary War, Civil War & 20th Century America
Q: How did you get access to those tapes, and what did you learn from them?
Beschloss explains that access came through key archival contacts and introductions, notably involving Johnson Library directors, and that the tapes offered an unprecedented, intimate window into decisions, emotions, and real-time leadership during moments of national crisis.
The American Revolution Era and the Rest of the World
Q: Would loyalties change if you were Métis, like mixed?
The Métis tended to align with mixed identities, often siding with British or Indigenous communities depending on proximity and kinship, illustrating how personal and community identities influenced allegiance during the war.

Audience Metrics

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

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Lectures in History

What is Lectures in History about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A rigorous history-focused series featuring top university professors, historians, journalists, and authors examining American history from the Revolutionary era to modern times. Episodes emphasize deep context, primary sources, and thoughtful discussion on leadership, religion, politics, and culture, often including Q&A or panel formats to illuminate complex historical debates. Notable strengths include high-profile guest appearances, strong scholarly grounding, and a clear mission to educate while connecting past events to contemporary discussions. The format mixes lectures, expert commentary, and narrative storytelling to help curious listeners discern nuance in historical narratives and leadership lessons across eras.

Where can I find podcast stats for Lectures in History?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Lectures in History. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Lectures in History and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Lectures in History get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for four million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Lectures in History, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Lectures in History?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Lectures in History, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Lectures in History have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Lectures in History has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Lectures in History?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Lectures in History:

1. Booknotes+
2. For the Ages: A History Podcast
3. Ben Franklin's World
4. History Unplugged Podcast
5. This American President

How many episodes of Lectures in History are there?

Lectures in History launched 15 years ago and published 600 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 Lectures in History?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Lectures in History?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Lectures in History from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Lectures in History?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Lectures in History. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Lectures in History?

Recent guests on Lectures in History include:

1. Alfred McCoy
2. Edward Blum
3. Fannie Bialek
4. Heather Penney
5. Michael Beschloss
6. Kathleen Duvall
7. Dr. Aaron Aster
8. Dr. Doug Sofer

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.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days