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Latest Episodes:

OFH Throwback- Episode #10- Did the Aztecs Think Cortes Was a God? (Part II) Aug 10, 2021

Show notes

In this throwback episode Sebastian revisits "Part II" in the Season One series on the conquest of Mexico. In the freshly recorded introduction the host reflects on criticisms that this episode first received when it was originally published in 2015. Do you think Sebastian goes too hard on Cortes and the conquistadors? Tune-in and find out how far-out flute concerts, the Wizard of Oz, and a creep with an agenda all play a role in the story. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

OFH Throwback- Episode #9- Did the Aztecs Think Cortes Was a God? (Part I) Aug 04, 2021

Show notes

In this throwback episode Sebastian revisits a series from Season One of OFH. After the shows on Jared Diamond it seemed like a good time to take another look at the conquest of Mexico. This was also the first time "Ancient Aliens" came up on the show. Tune-in and find out how regrets about pacing, scallywags, and Christopher Walken all play a role in the story. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Episode #138- Any Questions? (2021) Jul 27, 2021

Show notes

Season 6 wraps up with Sebastian taking questions from the listeners! He gets into everything from the name of the podcast, to his most loved shows, to the nature of humanity itself. Tune-in and find out how obscure Canadian playwrights, stubborn Stratfordians, and a "wombly child" all play a role in the story. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Episode #137- What's the Deal with Guns, Germs, and Steel? (Part II) Jul 14, 2021

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Is Jared Diamond's 1997 bestseller a work of staggering genius, or a piece of intellectual garbage? Has it moved our understanding of humanity forward, or has it set us back by decades? Are these binary choices ridiculously limiting? Totally! In this episode Sebastian does his best to parse the good ideas from Guns, Germs, and Steel, while also engaging with some of the best and most memorable criticisms of the book. Tune-in and find out how cantankerous zebras, the neglected history of India, and the Sapa Inca all play a role in the story. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Episode #136- What's the Deal with Guns, Germs, and Steel? (Part I) Jun 30, 2021

Show notes

When Sebastian first read Jared Diamond's Pulitzer Prize winning book Guns, Germs, and Steel as an undergrad, he thought it was brilliant. That was until a Professor he deeply respected, dismissed it as being little better than the Da Vinci Code. It turns out that while the 1997 bestseller earned many high profile plaudits, it also spawned legions of of critics. What's in this book that has inspired such passionate responses? Did Jared Diamond crack the code of human history, or was he playing a little too fast and loose with his pop-science? Tune-in and find out how Charles Darwin, expletive laden academic journals, and Will Smith all play a role in the story. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Episode #135- Who Won the War of 1812? (Part III) Jun 16, 2021

Show notes

Every spring thaw between 1812 and 1814 seemed to inaugurate a completely new war in North America. The momentum in the War of 1812 would swing wildly between the Americans and British until the two sides eventually hammered out a peace in 1814. Before the war was over the Niagara frontier would be desolated, York and Washington would both be ravaged by fire, and thousands would be dead. The war also remained somewhat inconclusive. Can Sebastian make a thoughtful case about who the true "winner" of 1812 really was? Tune-in and find out how rocket's red glare, bombs bursting in air, and the worst campaign slogan ever, all play a role in the story. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Episode #134- Who Won the War of 1812? (Part II) Jun 02, 2021

Show notes

When Sebastian first learned about the War of 1812 when he was a Canadian middle-schooler, there were two words he was told he had to remember of the test: manifest destiny. Back then it was heavily implied that this nefarious ideology was the most important cause of the war. Since then historians have largely dismissed this interpretation. But, that is just the start of misconceptions about this conflict. Canada beat the odds by resisting the first American invasion in 1812. How was this even possible? Tune-in find out how a pan-indigenous prophet, a war decree bordering on criminal negligence, and "Teddy Burns" all play a role in the story. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Episode #133- Who Won the War of 1812? (Part I) May 19, 2021

Show notes

American historians sometimes refer to War of 1812 as the "Forgotten War", but this has never really sat well with Canadians. You know who has not forgotten about the War of 1812? Canada, that's who! In the Anglo-Canadian historical imagination the War of 1812 looms large. Canadians (and especially Ontarians) learn that 1812 was a hard won Canadian victory against American aggression. But, it turns out, many Americans have learned that the war was more of a stalemate, and might even be considered an American victory. Who has it right? Tune-in and find out how bad YA historical fiction, The Guess Who, and gangs of navy kidnappers all play a role in the story. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Episode #132- Does Ethiopia Have the Ark of the Covenant? (Part II) May 04, 2021

Show notes

Ethiopia's history is nothing short of remarkable. The East African nation is home to one of the worlds oldest Christian traditions. For centuries the country was ruled by a line of kings who claimed to be descended from the biblical King Solomon. They also claimed to be the caretakers of the long lost Ark of the Covenant. However, Ethiopian archaeology and other historical sources can sometimes complicate these claims. How should we fit the story of the ark into a balanced understanding of Ethiopian history? Tune-in and find out how massive obelisks, ancient war gods, and an incense burning guardian all play a role in the story. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Episode #131- Does Ethiopia Have the Ark of the Covenant? (Part I) Apr 21, 2021

Show notes

The Ark of the Covenant is one of the most fascinating objects mentioned in the Old Testament. The ancient Israelites believed the Ark held a divine power that made them unstoppable on the battlefield. When Solomon's temple in Jerusalem was destroyed by the Babylonians in 587BC, most assumed the Ark was lost. That is, except the Ethiopians. According to many pious Ethiopian Christians, the Ark was not destroyed in the sack of Jerusalem, because the Ark wasn't there that day. Could it be that the Ark of the Covenant has been safely squirreled away in Ethiopia for centuries? Tune-in and find out how thirst potions, Bob Marley, and the tiny space between cherub wings all play a role in the story. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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