Jan. 25, 2026
Introduction: What is "History You Can Use?"
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Welcome to the "History You Can Use" podcast with Brian Thomas. This episode introduces the podcast’s approach: examining historical facts behind today’s political and social debates with clarity and balance. The host outlines how the show will present evidence, encourage listener judgment, and connect past events to modern issues.
Hosted by a psychologist with a master’s in history and experience in historical publishing and teaching, the podcast promises conversational, accessible episodes that provide the background needed to understand contemporary debates.
00:20 - Introduction to History You Can Use
01:45 - The Challenge of Remembering History
02:35 - Meet Your Host
03:17 - The Purpose of This Podcast
03:31 - Episode One: A Christian Nation?
WEBVTT
00:00:08.726 --> 00:00:13.326
Welcome to History You Can Use. I'm Brian Thomas. It seems everywhere you turn,
00:00:13.466 --> 00:00:17.066
people want to talk about history, whether it's a politician on cable news or
00:00:17.066 --> 00:00:20.526
your favorite podcaster, or even your co-workers around the water cooler.
00:00:21.066 --> 00:00:25.186
Usually they do it in the context of a political or social or maybe an economic
00:00:25.186 --> 00:00:26.206
argument they're making.
00:00:26.486 --> 00:00:32.226
What often is lost is whether that history they describe is actually, well, history.
00:00:32.906 --> 00:00:36.846
Facts are a funny thing. People pull out only those that support their argument
00:00:36.846 --> 00:00:40.026
and then pretend the ones opposing their argument just don't exist,
00:00:40.226 --> 00:00:42.986
or dismiss them as irrelevant or misunderstood.
00:00:43.626 --> 00:00:47.846
In this podcast, we'll dive into the actual history behind the pressing issues
00:00:47.846 --> 00:00:52.206
of today, the good, the bad, the ugly, and sometimes the downright bizarre,
00:00:52.446 --> 00:00:55.106
so that you're better informed about the world around you,
00:00:55.446 --> 00:00:57.986
whether you're trying to decide who to vote for in the next election,
00:00:58.146 --> 00:01:00.006
or you get cornered by that co-worker.
00:01:00.966 --> 00:01:04.326
It's important to remember that human beings have their own lenses through which
00:01:04.326 --> 00:01:07.306
they see the world, and reasonable minds can disagree.
00:01:07.866 --> 00:01:12.546
Historians who spend their entire lives studying a given topic often disagree
00:01:12.546 --> 00:01:16.286
about what actually happened or the impact that event had on the world.
00:01:16.786 --> 00:01:18.226
We're not going to settle any
00:01:18.226 --> 00:01:21.866
deep historical debates on this podcast and that's not really the goal.
00:01:22.166 --> 00:01:26.586
What we will do is provide the background that will let you make up your mind
00:01:26.586 --> 00:01:28.286
on what the history means for today.
00:01:28.726 --> 00:01:34.026
Take for example the topic of episode one. Was the United States founded as
00:01:34.026 --> 00:01:36.546
a Christian nation? That's a loaded question.
00:01:36.866 --> 00:01:40.906
We'll present the evidence in a straightforward manner, but it's up to you which
00:01:40.906 --> 00:01:44.606
side you believe has a more convincing argument and what it means for our current
00:01:44.606 --> 00:01:45.526
political environment.
00:01:46.086 --> 00:01:49.366
I can't tell you how many people I've heard say they hate history.
00:01:49.606 --> 00:01:53.106
They just can't remember all those dates and the names get jumbled in their heads.
00:01:53.366 --> 00:01:57.466
Maybe the lessons in school were taught by teachers who just droned on in a
00:01:57.466 --> 00:01:59.406
monotone voice and it was just boring.
00:02:00.300 --> 00:02:05.300
We'll cut through all of that, and we'll do it in a conversational way. No lectures here.
00:02:05.820 --> 00:02:10.480
Each episode will include all of the necessary background to examine that specific topic.
00:02:10.980 --> 00:02:15.700
If you're interested in more detailed stories that focus on only one particular era of U.S.
00:02:15.840 --> 00:02:19.680
History, there's plenty of other great podcasts out there that do exactly that.
00:02:19.800 --> 00:02:23.520
But if you're looking for a podcast that draws direct connections between the
00:02:23.520 --> 00:02:27.020
past and the issues of today, then you're in the right place.
00:02:27.580 --> 00:02:31.480
Also, this will be a helpful podcast for those outside of the United States
00:02:31.480 --> 00:02:35.880
who want to better understand American history, politics, and social issues.
00:02:36.340 --> 00:02:40.480
Oh, and let me tell you a little something about myself. I'm a professor at
00:02:40.480 --> 00:02:43.880
a major academic medical center with a doctorate in psychology.
00:02:44.440 --> 00:02:47.980
I spend much of my time treating patients and conducting scientific research.
00:02:48.340 --> 00:02:50.180
And I probably know what you're thinking.
00:02:50.640 --> 00:02:53.840
Why is a psychologist hosting a history podcast?
00:02:54.240 --> 00:02:58.680
It's a fair question. In short, I'm not exactly an amateur historian.
00:02:58.920 --> 00:03:00.700
I have a master's degree in history
00:03:00.700 --> 00:03:03.820
and have published a few papers in peer-reviewed historical journals.
00:03:03.980 --> 00:03:07.560
I'm working on a historical book, and I teach medical students about the history
00:03:07.560 --> 00:03:09.500
of medicine and society in America.
00:03:10.040 --> 00:03:14.800
All that to say, I'm an academic, but not an academic historian.
00:03:15.080 --> 00:03:17.740
And I think that's a benefit for a podcast like this.
00:03:18.140 --> 00:03:21.960
I believe history serves its best purpose when it's practical and relates to
00:03:21.960 --> 00:03:23.340
problems people are facing today.
00:03:24.040 --> 00:03:27.380
I've been told on many occasions that I'm able to take complex and difficult
00:03:27.380 --> 00:03:31.300
material and distill it down into straightforward and useful information.
00:03:31.560 --> 00:03:35.060
And that's the goal for this podcast. So let's get started.
00:03:35.520 --> 00:03:40.180
Episode one is waiting. Was the United States founded as a Christian nation?
00:03:40.680 --> 00:03:44.760
The answer to that question is up to you. But let's all share the same historical
00:03:44.760 --> 00:03:47.700
background, because that's history you can use.
00:03:53.340 --> 00:03:53.840
You.
00:00:08.726 --> 00:00:13.326
Welcome to History You Can Use. I'm Brian Thomas. It seems everywhere you turn,
00:00:13.466 --> 00:00:17.066
people want to talk about history, whether it's a politician on cable news or
00:00:17.066 --> 00:00:20.526
your favorite podcaster, or even your co-workers around the water cooler.
00:00:21.066 --> 00:00:25.186
Usually they do it in the context of a political or social or maybe an economic
00:00:25.186 --> 00:00:26.206
argument they're making.
00:00:26.486 --> 00:00:32.226
What often is lost is whether that history they describe is actually, well, history.
00:00:32.906 --> 00:00:36.846
Facts are a funny thing. People pull out only those that support their argument
00:00:36.846 --> 00:00:40.026
and then pretend the ones opposing their argument just don't exist,
00:00:40.226 --> 00:00:42.986
or dismiss them as irrelevant or misunderstood.
00:00:43.626 --> 00:00:47.846
In this podcast, we'll dive into the actual history behind the pressing issues
00:00:47.846 --> 00:00:52.206
of today, the good, the bad, the ugly, and sometimes the downright bizarre,
00:00:52.446 --> 00:00:55.106
so that you're better informed about the world around you,
00:00:55.446 --> 00:00:57.986
whether you're trying to decide who to vote for in the next election,
00:00:58.146 --> 00:01:00.006
or you get cornered by that co-worker.
00:01:00.966 --> 00:01:04.326
It's important to remember that human beings have their own lenses through which
00:01:04.326 --> 00:01:07.306
they see the world, and reasonable minds can disagree.
00:01:07.866 --> 00:01:12.546
Historians who spend their entire lives studying a given topic often disagree
00:01:12.546 --> 00:01:16.286
about what actually happened or the impact that event had on the world.
00:01:16.786 --> 00:01:18.226
We're not going to settle any
00:01:18.226 --> 00:01:21.866
deep historical debates on this podcast and that's not really the goal.
00:01:22.166 --> 00:01:26.586
What we will do is provide the background that will let you make up your mind
00:01:26.586 --> 00:01:28.286
on what the history means for today.
00:01:28.726 --> 00:01:34.026
Take for example the topic of episode one. Was the United States founded as
00:01:34.026 --> 00:01:36.546
a Christian nation? That's a loaded question.
00:01:36.866 --> 00:01:40.906
We'll present the evidence in a straightforward manner, but it's up to you which
00:01:40.906 --> 00:01:44.606
side you believe has a more convincing argument and what it means for our current
00:01:44.606 --> 00:01:45.526
political environment.
00:01:46.086 --> 00:01:49.366
I can't tell you how many people I've heard say they hate history.
00:01:49.606 --> 00:01:53.106
They just can't remember all those dates and the names get jumbled in their heads.
00:01:53.366 --> 00:01:57.466
Maybe the lessons in school were taught by teachers who just droned on in a
00:01:57.466 --> 00:01:59.406
monotone voice and it was just boring.
00:02:00.300 --> 00:02:05.300
We'll cut through all of that, and we'll do it in a conversational way. No lectures here.
00:02:05.820 --> 00:02:10.480
Each episode will include all of the necessary background to examine that specific topic.
00:02:10.980 --> 00:02:15.700
If you're interested in more detailed stories that focus on only one particular era of U.S.
00:02:15.840 --> 00:02:19.680
History, there's plenty of other great podcasts out there that do exactly that.
00:02:19.800 --> 00:02:23.520
But if you're looking for a podcast that draws direct connections between the
00:02:23.520 --> 00:02:27.020
past and the issues of today, then you're in the right place.
00:02:27.580 --> 00:02:31.480
Also, this will be a helpful podcast for those outside of the United States
00:02:31.480 --> 00:02:35.880
who want to better understand American history, politics, and social issues.
00:02:36.340 --> 00:02:40.480
Oh, and let me tell you a little something about myself. I'm a professor at
00:02:40.480 --> 00:02:43.880
a major academic medical center with a doctorate in psychology.
00:02:44.440 --> 00:02:47.980
I spend much of my time treating patients and conducting scientific research.
00:02:48.340 --> 00:02:50.180
And I probably know what you're thinking.
00:02:50.640 --> 00:02:53.840
Why is a psychologist hosting a history podcast?
00:02:54.240 --> 00:02:58.680
It's a fair question. In short, I'm not exactly an amateur historian.
00:02:58.920 --> 00:03:00.700
I have a master's degree in history
00:03:00.700 --> 00:03:03.820
and have published a few papers in peer-reviewed historical journals.
00:03:03.980 --> 00:03:07.560
I'm working on a historical book, and I teach medical students about the history
00:03:07.560 --> 00:03:09.500
of medicine and society in America.
00:03:10.040 --> 00:03:14.800
All that to say, I'm an academic, but not an academic historian.
00:03:15.080 --> 00:03:17.740
And I think that's a benefit for a podcast like this.
00:03:18.140 --> 00:03:21.960
I believe history serves its best purpose when it's practical and relates to
00:03:21.960 --> 00:03:23.340
problems people are facing today.
00:03:24.040 --> 00:03:27.380
I've been told on many occasions that I'm able to take complex and difficult
00:03:27.380 --> 00:03:31.300
material and distill it down into straightforward and useful information.
00:03:31.560 --> 00:03:35.060
And that's the goal for this podcast. So let's get started.
00:03:35.520 --> 00:03:40.180
Episode one is waiting. Was the United States founded as a Christian nation?
00:03:40.680 --> 00:03:44.760
The answer to that question is up to you. But let's all share the same historical
00:03:44.760 --> 00:03:47.700
background, because that's history you can use.
00:03:53.340 --> 00:03:53.840
You.
