Storytime with the Historists

Mr. Booren and Mrs. Dumas

We tell the weird, wonderful, and whimsical stories that make up the world's history, but we do it in our own way. We are HISTORISTS. This is a podcast geared for AP World History, AP U.S. History, and AP European History students, but is accessible for anyone else interested in history. It's the world's history, told our way.

  1. Oct 25

    S4 E9: "God's Lunatics" - The Gunpowder Plot

    The Gunpowder Plot was never just a failed attempt to blow up Parliament - it was a pressure-cooker story of religious persecution, covert networks, radicalization, and state power that still shapes how November 5th is remembered today. If you want the real story behind Guy Fawkes, the people who actually led the conspiracy, and why this plot became a foundational myth of English identity, this one is essential. Jen and Matt take you inside 1605 and trace how decades of anti-Catholic laws, crushing recusancy fines, and the brutal collapse of Catholic life in England created the conditions for violence. We unpack why Robert Catesby, not Guy Fawkes, is the real ideological architect, and how wealthy Catholic families, priest-holes, Jesuit networks, and women like Eliza and Anne Vaux helped sustain a secret underground world. The conversation also digs into the logistics that made the plan both audacious and fragile: a pre-existing tunnel under Parliament, 36 barrels of gunpowder, delays caused by plague, and the growing fractures inside the conspiracy as some plotters began to question whether the whole thing had gone too far. We finish with the bigger question of whether the plot was truly foiled or whether the state knowingly let it unfold so it could become a propaganda victory — a true strategy of tension event. Show Notes: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1h0tPlzkX8vg5hLKxYVrm0V6sWfsdKp4TL5Dp1DNsrQY/edit?usp=sharing The Rest is History: https://therestishistory.com/episodes

    S4 E9: "God's Lunatics" - The Gunpowder Plot

  2. Apr 24

    S4 E8: Desaparecidos - The Pinochet Coup in Chile, Part III

    On September 11, 1973, Chile’s military overthrew President Salvador Allende, ending a democratic experiment and beginning Augusto Pinochet’s brutal dictatorship. In this episode, Jen Dumas and Matt trace how U.S. intervention, economic pressure, and local political forces helped set the stage for the coup, and how its effects reached far beyond Chile. We unpack what it meant to “make the economy scream,” including the impact of economic pressure, shortages, and inflation, and examine how covert operations and political violence weakened Allende’s government. The conversation follows the military takeover into the repression that followed: the secret police, detention and torture centers, the killing of folk singer Víctor Jara, and the thousands who were executed or disappeared. The episode also connects Chile to the wider Cold War, exploring Operation Condor, counterinsurgency strategies, and the economic ideas tested under Pinochet’s regime. Along the way, Jen and Matt reflect on how fear and ideology can be used to justify violence and why confronting the historical record matters. Show Notes: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vUl_gXfi7BAnfQ9yhWqWoidBq8-whT79yWYXjZenBcw/edit?usp=sharing

    S4 E8: Desaparecidos - The Pinochet Coup in Chile, Part III

  3. Apr 16

    S4 E7: Ripe Bananas - The Pinochet Coup in Chile, Part II

    In this episode Jen leads Matt through the complex tapestry of Latin American history and the military coups that played a significant role in shaping the political landscape for decades. Why should you care about these events? In this episode, we’ll unpack the dynamics of military coups, focusing on Guatemala and Chile, to reveal what these historical events mean for contemporary society and governance. With insights drawn from personal experiences and academic research, you'll gain a deeper understanding of this critical aspect of history. Show Notes: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1V6k7kmgP-J5RJFNYBrLp2P3YjdtmNANa30Ov790487o/edit?usp=sharing

    S4 E7: Ripe Bananas - The Pinochet Coup in Chile, Part II

  4. Mar 13

    S4 E6: Free Real Estate- The Pinochet Coup in Chile, Part I

    This is a bit of a special episode as we have decided to add an episode to our strategy of tension series based on events that have occurred at the start of 2026. The U.S. is engaging in military incursions and diplomatic interventions  in Venezuela and Cuba respectively. These actions have been justified under what has been called, as of this recording, either the Trump Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine, or the Trump Doctrine. So, let’s get into the history of the Monroe Doctrine. Show Notes: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1gyWQ66dhRAUQoaCu9_LX8HmqHqWI_33_4fIQijpu79Y/edit?usp=sharing

    S4 E6: Free Real Estate- The Pinochet Coup in Chile, Part I

  5. Mar 13

    S4 E5: "C-O-N, Control" - Gladio & The Italian Years of Lead, Part II

    Last week we started our investigation of the strategy of tension in Italy by exploring the overt ways in which far-right groups and NATO secret military forces tried to overtly undermine the center-left governments in Italy in the post World War 2 era. This week Jen and Matt pick back up with the P2 Masonic Lodge, bloody bombings campaigns, the kidnapping and assassination of Aldo Moro, and a conspiracy ripped straight from a screen play. Show Notes: https://docs.google.com/document/d/168-eWVZhsfj3cGqr-C5iMpCbT2ls8kV9qW_0Zh9gKZA/edit?usp=sharing Works Cited: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1wWBlJYbXXbuqbUq6CXZAjXoaYxi7jGT2w3gPrBHsAxk/edit?usp=sharing Years of Lead Timeline: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1wrDp5g5NJnDN-aoCFjV3A6Xx8cll9vKcJsa8_8wrptg/edit?usp=sharing

    S4 E5: "C-O-N, Control" - Gladio & The Italian Years of Lead, Part II

  6. Feb 8

    S4 E4: Who is Pepe Silvia? - Gladio & The Italian Years of Lead, Part I

    This episode is for the European history heads! Matt and Jen continue their exploration of the strategy of tension, this time by analyzing the Italian Years of Lead. This event is a true implementation of the strategy of tension, a phrase coined to describe the bloody attacks during Italy's "long 1970s".  Join us as we delve into the complex history of the Italian Years of Lead, exploring the intertwining of conspiracy theories, political violence, and the role of NATO and Gladio in shaping Italy's tumultuous past, the Peteano bombing as a pivotal event that exemplifies the manipulation of political narratives, and the use of violence to suppress leftist movements. This episode highlights the historical context of these events, emphasizing the need for thorough research and fact-checking in understanding the past. If you thought the Weathermen were forgotten, wait until you see what we have dug up for you! Show Notes: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ydU3IyeBhOIhLPtg-t-aT1Hk96SlPeDiCKmATbvfRPs/edit?usp=sharing Works Cited: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1wWBlJYbXXbuqbUq6CXZAjXoaYxi7jGT2w3gPrBHsAxk/edit?usp=sharing Years of Lead Timeline: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1wrDp5g5NJnDN-aoCFjV3A6Xx8cll9vKcJsa8_8wrptg/edit?usp=sharing

    S4 E4: Who is Pepe Silvia? - Gladio & The Italian Years of Lead, Part I

  7. 12/01/2025

    S4 E3: "Mixin' Up the Medicine" - The Weather Underground and America's Days of Rage, Part II

    In this episode, Matt and Jen delve into the Weather Underground's radicalization and violent actions during the 1970s, explore their motivations, analyze the internal dynamics of the group, and the consequences of their actions, including the tragic Greenwich Village explosion. The discussion also touches on the role of COINTELPRO in monitoring and infiltrating radical groups, and the broader implications of political violence in social movements. Show Notes: https://docs.google.com/document/d/12jBXBHhFaBswSmfXU7pSN398xvNtNY9mO0jrYEfS8xI/edit?usp=sharing Works Cited: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1UjqOv6_ht-XBrh1vaVncmUjvCwhE0FskMUrFm5ApxbQ/edit?usp=sharing Abington Ridge Collective: https://soundcloud.com/abingtonridge

    S4 E3: "Mixin' Up the Medicine" - The Weather Underground and America's Days of Rage, Part II

  8. 10/16/2025

    S4 E2: Despite All Our Rage, We Are Still in a Malaise - The Weather Underground and America's Days of Rage, Part I

    This week we start a multi-part series on political violence across the 20th century. We are kicking things off here in the U.S. by examining a largely memory holed element of the 1960's counter culture: The Weather Underground. Join us as we dust off those old Bob Dylan records and channel our inner Boomer to tell the story of how "great" things used to be during America’s Days of Rage. Show Notes: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1pfls3G-N_uU0tmpoAZsY1sior4JVaaaPxzHNqhtM3xE/edit?usp=sharing Works Cited: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1UjqOv6_ht-XBrh1vaVncmUjvCwhE0FskMUrFm5ApxbQ/edit?usp=sharing Abington Ridge Collective Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/abingtonridge

    S4 E2: Despite All Our Rage, We Are Still in a Malaise - The Weather Underground and America's Days of Rage, Part I
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About

We tell the weird, wonderful, and whimsical stories that make up the world's history, but we do it in our own way. We are HISTORISTS. This is a podcast geared for AP World History, AP U.S. History, and AP European History students, but is accessible for anyone else interested in history. It's the world's history, told our way.

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