Missing Pages

Scott McWilliams
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Missing Pages is a podcast that explores the history of the United States and critically examines the high school AP US History curriculum. Through deep dives into key events, people, narratives, and themes, I seek to uncover the fascinating stories and overlooked perspectives that make up America's rich and complex past. From colonial times to the present day, no topic is off-limits as we explore the triumphs, tragedies, and everything in between. Get ready for a journey through the missing pages of history. missingpages.substack.com

  1. 12/12/2025

    Episode 24: Era 2 Recap

    Just like last season—and from here on out—this episode acts as a recap and reflection of this era. I provide a brief summary of the episodes released this season, explore some of the themes that stuck out to me, discuss some of my previously held misconceptions, and explore how well the AP notes hold up to scrutiny. Finally, I provide a short preview into the next era: the American Revolution. As this late colonial era concludes, I would like to thank all of you that have supported me on this continued journey through history. I have been looking forward to getting to actual American history (I say in jest), so I hope to make next season my very best so far. The lining up of the the Revolutionary era with the Semiquincentennial is serendipitous, but fortunate. Because of the anniversary, I am going to be trying something slightly different next season to fully dive into the Revolution. Next season will debut May 1, 2026. All extra content in the interim—and throughout next season—will be posted to Substack only. So, if you want all the extra stuff, to read all of the essays I have written, or comment on any of the episodes, please head to missingpages.substack.com. Thanks for listening to Missing Pages! Subscribe for free to receive every new episode right in your inbox. Music Intro: Fractured Timeline - Sémø Outro: Talk - Con Davidson This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit missingpages.substack.com

    42 min

  2. 07/11/2025

    Episode 23: The Fall of Canada

    After the first two wars for empire dominated the attention of the colonies throughout North America, both the English and French were able to focus on growth. For the English colonists, this respite allowed their financial position to rival, and even surpass, Great Britain. In New France, the fort and trading post network continued to expand, allowing them to encircle the British. However, the diverging populations by the French and British would eventually be too much for New France to handle. While the tenacious military action by France endured, their place in North America was secured Eventually, though, the sheer weight of numbers would prove too much to bear for the French. But, that doesn't mean it would be easy for the English. They would be forced to throw everything they could muster at Canada, including more active participation from the colonies. This combined force drove a wedge between British and American leadership. But, it also reinforced the rising colonial stature within the British Empire. By war end, it could be anyone's guess whether this would start a golden age, or slide to rebellion. While the second of this set of conflicts is heavily covered in the notes, the first is barely mentioned. So let's fill in those missing pages… Thanks for listening to Missing Pages! Subscribe for free to receive every new episode right in your inbox. Music Intro: Fractured Timeline - Sémø Outro: River of Doubt - Sean Solo Sources The War of Jenkins’ Ear - Robert Gaudi Crucible of War - Fred Anderson Before the Revolution: America’s Ancient Pasts - Daniel K. Richter American Colonies - Alan Taylor This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit missingpages.substack.com

    1 h 28 min

  3. 03/10/2025

    Episode 22: American Revival

    There are many events in history that remain controversial far after there happening. But most revolves around the causes and effects. In this case, though, the controversy is over its existence at all. The Great Awakening was a period of religious revival that swept throughout the colonies between 1730 and 1750. It was ignited during a period of spiritual malaise in the aftermath of imperial wars, and during the upending of religion during the Enlightenment. Or… the “Great” Awakening was an amalgamation of a few small-scale revivals in Connecticut and New Jersey that were connected by force by those who would most benefit. It was merely invented by a few preachers trying to sow chaos and create a new religious order. Needless to say, the notes do not go into the details of this fight for the truth, so join me to try to fill in those missing pages… Thanks for listening to Missing Pages! Subscribe for free to receive every new episode right in your inbox. Music Intro: Fractured Timeline - Sémø Outro: Carried Away - Honeysuckle Sources Inventing the “Great” Awakening - Frank Lambert Scotland and Its First American Colony - Ned C. Landsman Before the Revolution: America’s Ancient Pasts - Daniel K. Richter American Colonies - Alan Taylor This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit missingpages.substack.com

    59 min

  4. 05/09/2025

    Episode 21: The Pursuit of Happiness

    While this is not an episode strictly following a historical event, it is still vital to the story of the American colonies, and America itself. I only scratch the surface in this episode, and focus mostly on the aspects that carried over to the Americans, but this era was filled with growth in the sciences, political theory, and economics, but also the arts, interpersonal relationships, education, and community. If there is an aspect of life that existed prior to the Enlightenment, it was challenged or promoted during it. In America, the Enlightenment was key to the growth of ideals like liberty, and natural rights, which became vital to the revolutionary effort. Beyond that, the colonies became more literate, more connected via mass printing, thus allowing for the great awakening (the topic for the next episode) to take hold. The colonial elites followed along with the work of their European peers, and even expand upon the work across the Atlantic. By the middle of the 18th century, there was a strong roster of American enlighteners. My AP notes cover this era with some good depth, but there is always more to say. So grab your quills and paper, and let’s fill in those missing pages… Thanks for listening to Missing Pages! Subscribe for free to receive every new episode right in your inbox. Music Intro: Fractured Timeline - Sémø Outro: Revolution - Willow McKenna Sources The Enlightenment - Ritchie Robertson The Enlightenment in America - Henry F. May Crucible of War - Fred Anderson American Colonies - Alan Taylor This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit missingpages.substack.com

    47 min

  5. 01/08/2025

    Episode 20: The First Imperial Wars

    As we continue on through the late colonial period, it has become glaringly obvious that this era is largely overlooked. Between Bacon’s Rebellion, and the French and Indian War, is nearly 100 hundred years of colonial progress, and colonial struggle. The latter is where the lack shows up most clearly. The American story is largely a British story. To deny that would require substantial evidence to the contrary, or immense bias. However, the other empires involved, the tapestry of Native nations, and of course the slaves, add important complexity, and nuance, to that narrative. The conflicts involving all of these people are as important to the colonial story as the founding of Pennsylvania. We discussed the slave conflicts earlier in the season, so now we must discuss the inter-empire wars. In this episode, I will be covering the first two (at least that touch the colonies in a meaningful way): King William’s War and Queen Anne’s War. These are mentioned in the notes, though only briefly. So I had a lot of work to do to detail the significance of these conflicts. So grab your muskets and cannons, and let’s fill in those missing pages… Thanks for listening to Missing Pages! Subscribe for free to receive every new episode right in your inbox. Music Intro: Fractured Timeline - Sémø Outro: Rise Fall - Eldar Kedem Sources King William’s War - Michael G. Laramie Queen Anne’s War - Michael G. Laramie American Colonies - Alan Taylor This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit missingpages.substack.com

    1 h 24 min

  6. 04/07/2025

    Episode 19: The Golden Age of Piracy

    This is Part Two of this short series on piracy in the American colonies. If you would like to learn more about the origins of piracy and the average life of a pirate, please check out Episode 18. Piracy arose quickly in the American colonies as a menace to polite society. From plantation raids, to ships taken at sea, and even a blockade of a whole colony, the pirates had their way. This rise came after the chaos of the two early wars left thousands of sailors adrift. With nothing to offer the economy, they turned to what they knew best: the sea. Under the tutelage of Benjamin Hornigold, a whole cadre of pirates—Charles Vane, John Rackham, Sam Bellamy, and even Blackbeard himself—began to prowl the seas. They took what they wanted and never looked back. That is, until the English crown realized the damage they had wrought. There are stories abound throughout the Caribbean during this golden age of piracy. Now hoist your sails, grab your muskets, and raise your colors and join me as we fill in those missing pages… Thanks for reading Missing Pages! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. Music Intro: Fractured Timeline - Sémø Outro: Spanish Ladies - HillTopTrio Sources Under the Black Flag - David Cordingly Black Flags, Blue Waters - Eric Jay Dolin The Republic of Pirates - Colin Woodard American Colonies - Alan Taylor This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit missingpages.substack.com

    1 h

  7. 06/06/2025

    Episode 18: Raising the Black Flag

    This is part one of a two-part series on the rise and fall of piracy. This episode covers the rise. It’s not often that the myths and stories we tell ourselves about history are accurate (more or less). This is one of those times. The collective imagination surrounding piracy, though far more brutal and dangerous than how it is portrayed in movies, especially in the Pirates of the Caribbean series, is accurate to history. There were drunken, stumbling, grimy, treasure loving men scouring the West Indies in search of prizes at sea and on shore. They flew the black flag, boarded and raided ships, and engaged in naval battles. Everything we see pirates do in the movies, they did in real life. It is a wonder, then, that this topic is completely overlooked in my AP history notes. Not a single mention. So, grab your swords and lower your sails as we have a lot of ground to cover to fill in those missing pages… Thanks for reading Missing Pages! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. Music Intro: Fractured Timeline - Sémø Outro: Water - ARYEH Sources Under the Black Flag - David Cordingly Black Flags, Blue Waters - Eric Jay Dolin The Republic of Pirates - Colin Woodard American Colonies - Alan Taylor This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit missingpages.substack.com

    55 min

  8. 02/05/2025

    Episode 17: Breaking the Chains

    As we saw last month, the slavery story was not static. Nor were the victims passive. They pressed every advantage they could. However, this was not enough. The miniscule freedoms granted did not offer much of an escape from the drudgery they faced. This was especially true of many of the new arrivals, who saw the horrors of slavery in the English colonies and were quick to protest. This episode, I will be covering three slave revolts and their aftermath in detail. One along the Stono River in South Carolina, and two others in New York City. These revolts played off the threat of war with the Spanish, and a general mistrust between rivals, and, of course, the ever-present fear among the European settlers of slave revolt. The reaction often far outpaced the actual revolt, and for one of them, conspiracies were alleged implicating every corner of society. The notes do not touch on these revolts much, so grab your weapon of choice—or your gavel, if you’d prefer—and let’s fill in these missing pages… Thanks for listening to the Missing Pages Podcast! Subscribe for free to receive new episodes every month. Music Intro: Fractured Timeline - Sémø Outro: Smoke - Michael Witt Sources Stono - ed. Mark M. Smith New York Burning - Jill Lepore When I Die, I Shall Return to My Own Land - Ben Hughes Many Thousand Gone - Ira Berlin Gotham - Edwin G. Burrows, Mike Wallace American Colonies - Alan Taylor Before the Revolution - Daniel K. Richter This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit missingpages.substack.com

    1 h 11 min
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À propos

Missing Pages is a podcast that explores the history of the United States and critically examines the high school AP US History curriculum. Through deep dives into key events, people, narratives, and themes, I seek to uncover the fascinating stories and overlooked perspectives that make up America's rich and complex past. From colonial times to the present day, no topic is off-limits as we explore the triumphs, tragedies, and everything in between. Get ready for a journey through the missing pages of history. missingpages.substack.com

Informations

  • Création
    Scott McWilliams
  • Années d’activité
    2023 - 2025
  • Épisodes
    25
  • Classification
    Tous publics
  • Copyright
    © Scott McWilliams
  • Site web de l’émission
    Missing Pages