The Old World with Will Tanner

Listen ad-free and access the transcript here: ⁠https://www.theamericantribune.news/p/john-rolfe-the-hero-who-twice-saved⁠   This is the tale of the heroic John Rolfe, the English farmer and gentleman who saved the fledgling colony of Virginia not once, but twice. In this episode, we describe how Rolfe smuggled Orinoco tobacco into Virginia, and used his unique skills to learn how to cultivate it and save the broke colony from financial collapse. We then tell the true story of Rolfe's fairy tale-like marriage to Pocahontas, focusing on how the marriage created the colony-saving "Peace of Pocahontas" and how London Society in the Court of King James I viewed her with immense interest and respect.   We then turn to how John Rolfe died, discussing the 1622 Indian Massacre that he tried and failed to stop, but why his previous work to save the colony ensured the 1622 disaster wasn't enough to totally destroy it. In this episode, we also describe Rolfe's family background, the immense tragedy he suffered when the Sea Venture wrecked in Bermuda, Captain Argall's capture of Pocahontas at the cost of a kettle, Rolfe's Christian faith, and how Rolfe helped develop representative government in Virginia.   0:00 How John Rolfe Saved Virginia with Tobacco 3:41 Reviewing the Golden Age 3:57 Who Was John Rolfe? 8:10 Tragedy Strikes Rolfe 9:39 John Rolfe Saves Virginia by Cultivating Tobacco 15:21 How Tobacco Built Virginia 15:39 Rolfe Saves Virginia Again: The Peace of Pocahontas 17:22 The Capture of Pocahontas and the Anglo-Powhatan War 18:39 Pocahontas Meets John Rolfe 21:26 Pocahontas Becomes Beloved in England, and Dies 23:30 Rolfe Returns to Virginia, and Helps Create Representative Government 25:06 Rolfe Dies in the 1622 Indian Massacre 26:48 The Legacy of John Rolfe Sources Referenced in this Episode: I am an Amazon Affiliate. If you would like to support my work at no cost to yourself, you can do so by ordering the sources I used for this episode using the links below Bruce, Philip Alexander: Economic History of Virginia in the Seventeenth Century, https://amzn.to/437bho4  Dowdey, Clifford: The Great Plantation, https://amzn.to/434EBeS  Willison, George F.: Behold Virginia: The Fifth Crown, https://amzn.to/4do9YG4  Bruce, Philip Alexander: Social Life of Virginia in the Seventeenth Century,  https://amzn.to/4tDRsQd  Wertenbaker, Thomas Jefferson: Virginia Under the Stuarts, 1607-1688, https://amzn.to/431VN4O  Wertenbaker, Thomas Jefferson: Planters of Colonial Virginia, https://amzn.to/4tyVARt  Wertenbaker, Thomas Jefferson: Patrician and Plebeian in Virginia, https://amzn.to/48ZgIcl  Morton, Richard L.: Colonial Virginia, https://amzn.to/4ua3bqY  Andrews, Matthew Page: The Soul of a Nation: The Founding Of Virginia and the Projection of New England, https://amzn.to/4d9Ut60  Bruce, Philip Alexander: The Virginia Plutarch, Vol I, https://amzn.to/437cAU0 

This is the story of Colonial Virginia in its fullest flowering. From its unique culture to its excellent people, from the glorious Georgian mansions for which it is still remembered to the political leaders its tobacco plantations produced, this is how the special society that grew out of the Virginia Tidewater turned into the cradle of the American Revolution. Particularly, we discuss why the Virginia gentry produced such excellent leaders as it did, and how the culture of leadership and command, when paired with the sense of dignity and refinement for which the classic Virginia Gentlemen were known, created most of America's greatest heroes and most important leaders. In this episode, we dive into both those leaders and what enabled them to be such. We uncover the importance of architecture to the Virginia gentry's social dominance, how leadership was built at the local level and cultivated from the ground up, how the political culture of Virginia's Golden Age produced the Founders, and how their reliance on depleted soil, London merchants, and British debt became a budding economic crisis for colonial Virginia. But, most of all, we discuss how the civil society of the Golden Age was refined and cultivated, and how that produced the men who led the Revolution and created the Early American Republic. Sources for the Episode I am an Amazon Affiliate. If you would like to support the show at no added cost to yourself, you can do so by using the links below to order and read the sources I used to create this episode. Thanks!  Sydnor, Charles S.: Gentlemen Freeholders: Political Practices in Washington's Virginia: https://amzn.to/3R0ujKf  Isaac, Rhys: The Transformation of Virginia, 1740-1790: https://amzn.to/4dEcMiL  Evans, Emory G.: The "Topping People": The Rise and Decline of Virginia's Old Political Elite, 1680-1790: https://amzn.to/430Fmpi   Bruce, Philip Alexander: Economic History of Virginia in the Seventeenth Century: https://amzn.to/4eEocVF   Wertenbaker, Thomas J.: The Planters of Colonial Virginia, https://amzn.to/4uDFJ4Y  Morton, Richard L.: Colonial Virginia, https://amzn.to/4ua3bqY  Dowdey, Clifford: The Golden Age: A Climate for Greatness, https://amzn.to/4wkvVi7  Stanard, Mary Newton: Colonial Virginia: Its People And Customs, https://amzn.to/4u5X2Mm  Wright, Louis B.: The First Gentlemen of Virginia, https://amzn.to/3PgaHRM  Bridenbaugh, Carl: Seat of Empire, https://amzn.to/42WMhQn  0:00 The Virginia Golden Age 2:51 The Refinement of Virginia and Creation of the Virginia Gentleman 4:39 How Architecture Supported the Gentry's Pre-Eminence 6:54 The Inheritors: How Merchants Became Gentlemen 10:20 Virginia Hospitality 11:49 How Plantations and Local Leadership Built the Great Virginia Statesmen 19:02 The House of Burgesses, The Training Ground of the Founders 23:48 The Dire Economic Reality In Colonial Virginia 28:43 How Virginia's Culture Was Refined 29:45 Liberty and Duty: Why the Founding Grew Out of Virginia 34:34 The Golden Age Fractures 38:26 The Sun Sets on Colonial Virginia, and Rises on a Republic They Built  

The Knights of the Golden Horseshoe: 12 Virginia Gentlemen who embarked upon the Transmontane Expedition with Governor Alexander Spotswood as he sought to open new lands to settlement, defeat the attempt of the French to box Virginia in, and bend the Topping People to his will. A romantic adventure story populated by frontier guides, swaggering Cavaliers, and a frolicking tavern of an expedition through primeval forests!   It is a riotous tale of high living on the frontier, from the travelling tavern that the expedition became known as with its many toasts and bottles of everything from claret to rum, to the great work these beknighted Virginians did in opening frontier lands for new settlement. It's a story of adventure and high living that explains why America became a continental empire.   Further, this is also the tale of Gov. Alexander Spotswood, the most influential Royal Governor of Virginia in the 18th century. This is the story of how a veteran of Marlborough's campaigns who was wounded at Blenheim, a consummate Cavalier dedicated to High Tory principles, bent the "haughty" ruling classes of Virginia to his will, and did so in such a way that they loved him for it and became all the wealthier and more powerful for it. So, listen in to hear how 12 gentlemen, 14 rangers, 4 Indian guides, a governor, and a bevy of dozens of servants and porters pierced the rocky veil of the Blue Ridge for the first time ever, and did so with goblets of rum in hand, one of the most romantic adventure stories of American history. I am an Amazon Affiliate. If you would like to support my work at no cost to yourself, you can do so by ordering the sources I used for this episode using the links below Sources Referenced in this Episode: Fontaine, John: The Journal of John Fontaine, 1710-1718 (Edited by Edward P. Alexander). Evans, Emory G.: The Topping People: The Rise and Decline of Virginia's Old Provincial Elite. Bruce, Philip Alexander: Economic History of Virginia in the Seventeenth Century. Isaac, Rhys: The Transformation of Virginia, 1740-1790. Morton, Richard L.: Colonial Virginia. Bruce, Philip Alexander: The Virginia Plutarch, Vol. I Dabney, Virginius: Virginia: The New Dominion

The Great Massacre of 1622 almost destroyed Virginia. Understanding that the ever-larger numbers of settlers and their accumulation of land would destroy his people and their way of life, Great Chief Opechancanough, the brother of Powhatan and uncle of Pocahontas, bands the Powhatan people together and launches a surprise attack on the English on the morning of March 22, 1622. A third of the colony is wiped out in the blink of an eye, its precarious prosperity is wiped away, and the outlying plantations are ravaged by treacherous natives who pose as friends of the unsuspecting settlers before striking down them and their families. Jamestown is saved by the bravery of an Indian boy named Chanco and a settler named Richard Pace who had taken him in, but only just, and the settlers respond with fury, launching the Third Anglo-Powhatan War. This is the full tale, and the story of how Virginia survived such treachery!   Timestamps: 0:00 The Indian Massacre of 1622 3:49 The Great Peace after John Rolfe Married Pocahontas 5:47 Opechancanough Plots the Destruction of the English 6:35 The Powhatan Launch the Great Good Friday Massacre of 1622 10:07 How Jamestown Survived the 1622 Massacre 10:54 The Aftermath of the 1622 Good Friday Massacre 12:44 The English Settlers Respond to the Powhatan with Total War 15:14 The Virginia Company Dies 17:04 Virginia is Born   Farmer at Colonial Williamsburg, Sarah Stierch, CC BY 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons   Jamestown House, Hudson, CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons   Berkeley Hundred First Thanksgiving, By Joe Orbin - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=51846533   George Thorpe Coat of Arms, By Glasshouse - Crozier, William Armstrong. Virginia Heraldica. 1908; rpt. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co, 1965, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=137116635   Thomas Gates Reaches Jamestown, Jna. P. Davis Sc (via Edward Eggleston) via Internet Archive Book Images, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons   Bennett's Plantation, Steveprutz, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons   Arrival at Jamestown, Drake, Francis S. (Francis Samuel), 1828-1885, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons   Henricus, Morgan Riley, CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons   An Indian Warrior, W.H. Drake via via M.E. Thalheimer (Internet Archive Book Images), CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

In this episode, Will and Paul Fahrenheidt discuss Virginia's unique military culture. They begin with its origins in the British militia system and Indian fighting, then discuss how the mercantile backgrounds of the first families impacted it, and then discuss how it became a tremendous force that drove American military culture starting in the early 1800s. They further discuss how it can be glimpsed in the Mexican-American War and War Between the States, and how it lives on today. They also discuss the Cavaliers, the Scots-irish and Anglo-Normans, and in what capacities Virginians excelled as military men. Follow Paul on X here: https://x.com/cavkingpaul Find the Old Glory Club Substack here: https://oldgloryclub.substack.com/

This is the tale of Nathaniel Bacon's Rebellion against Governor Sir William Berkeley, the long-ruling governor of Virginia who went from beloved Cavalier to despised despot. It is the story of how the engrossment of Virginia's lands by the Virginia gentry, the sub-penny trap in tobacco prices that drove the yeomen of the Old Dominion under, and the Indian attacks along the frontier that finally led to Bacon's Rebellion. Bacon's private campaign against the Susquehannock and the Occaneechi, the story of how Bacon got his commission, and why Bacon's Men burned Jamestown, is all covered, as is the story of Berkeley's revenge after Bacon died and his men were defeated. Finally, we describe how the Virginia of the Golden Age was born from the ashes of Bacon's rebellion, and how rising tobacco prices and the switch from indentured servants to an enslaved workforce stopped revolution from happening again.

Were the famed Virginia Cavaliers truly the architects of the Old Dominion, or are they merely a phantom of Southern chivalry's imagination? Did those proud and defiant Royalists, the "Distressed Cavaliers" of legend, ever actually flee to the Tidewater to escape the dreary tyranny of Oliver Cromwell's Protectorate, or is the "Cavalier" just a convenient myth—a mask worn by a merchant class in search of a noble pedigree? This episode resolves that perennial question.  We discuss the reality of the Cavalier-Puritan split in America—a conflict of visions rooted in an irreconcilable divide between the Tobacco Plantations of the Virginia Gentry and the Gospel of Labor. We explore the offer of Cavalier sanctuary provided by Governor Sir William Berkeley, and how Virginia culture became Cavalier culture. Most of all, we discuss the reality of the Second Sons myth of the First Families of Virginia, and if there really were nobles in America's Old Dominion, or at least their second sons. This is the foundational story of the Tidewater Gentry and the rise of the First Families of Virginia. It is the tale of how a tobacco plantation economy was transfigured into a colonial aristocracy, how the fires of the English Civil War were reignited in the New World, and how Virginia became the land of the Cavaliers. 0:00 The Cavalier of Virginia: Man or Myth? 3:47 The English Civil War Comes to Virginia 5:59 Why Virginia Remained Cavalier 7:10: What the Conflict Between Puritan and Cavalier was All About 10:50 Were There Puritans in the Tidewater? 11:23 Puritan Levellers and Diggers Chase the Cavaliers Out of England 12:27 The Three Stages of Cavalier Migration to Virginia 17:21 The Cavaliers Define the Virginia Gentry 19:07 Governor Berkeley Invites the Cavaliers and Creates a Ruling Class 23:09 The Importance of the Anglican Church of Virginia 25:47 Virginia's Cavalier Ruling Class Has Formed 26:46 Was the Virginia Cavalier Real? Richard of Jamestown, Internet Archive Book Images, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons Astley Bernard, Unknown artistUnknown artist, CC BY 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Rev. Hunt Reads, Internet Archive Book Images, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons Pilgrim Fairmount, Internet Archive Book Images, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons Westover Plantation, Internet Archive Book Images, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons Berkeley, D.H. Maury (via Internet Archive Book Images), CC0, via Wikimedia Commons Church of All Saints, Lewis Hulbert, CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons Berkely, John Philip Davis via Frank X. Sadlier (via Internet Archive Book Images), CC0, via Wikimedia Commons Jamestonwn Church, Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons Colonial Williamsburg, Harvey Barrison from Massapequa, NY, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons Colonial Williamsburg Parish Church, Carolyn from Pemberton Township, NJ, USA, CC BY 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons Colonial Williamsburg, Mobilus In Mobili, CC BY-SA 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons Settlers, Frank X. Sadlier (via Internet Archive Book Images), CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

How did NASA boldly advance the Apollo Program over the course of a decade to accomplish the greatest feat of mankind: the landing of humans on the Moon and their safe return to Earth? In this episode, Will sits down with Charles Murray—renowned author of The Bell Curve and Coming Apart—to discuss a lifelong passion project: the Apollo Program. While many focus on the astronauts, Murray's book, Apollo: The Race to the Moon, tells the story of the engineers, the mission controllers, and the institutional genius that made the impossible a reality. What We Discuss: The Cold War Background: How the Bay of Pigs Disaster led to President Kennedy deciding to set the Moon as a benchmark of Space Race victory, and why he chose it, along with whether the Soviet space program was really that far ahead of America's. They cover Von Braun and the Germans at the Marshall Space Center, the incredible story of the NASA Langley Research Center. The Engineering Talent Pool: How the mid-century U.S. produced an unprecedented concentration of technical brilliance, and how many of Apollo's engineers came from backgrounds other than what one might expect. The Saturn V & The Lunar Module: Examining the "otherworldly" engineering and the sheer scale of the incredibly advanced spacecraft and rockets. Saving the Mission: How a handful of personnel in Mission Control made split-second decisions that saved the program from disaster, and how courageous decisions made by  NASA leaders over the decade ensured Kennedy's pledge was fulfilled. The SpaceX Connection: Why Elon Musk is the true heir to the Apollo legacy and how SpaceX mirrors the NASA of the 1960s. The Future of Human Achievement: What missions today could inspire the same civilizational impact as the moon landings. About the Guest: Charles Murray is a Hayek Emeritus Scholar at the American Enterprise Institute. While widely known for his sociological work, his history of the Apollo program is considered a definitive look at the technical and organizational triumphs of the Space Race.     Get Charles Murray's book about Apollo here: ⁠Apollo: The Race to the Moon⁠   See his other books here: ⁠Charles Murray's books⁠   Find his other work here: ⁠Charles Murray AEI⁠   Note: I am an Amazon affiliate. Using the above Amazon links to Mr. Murray's books is a way of supporting my work at no cost to yourself.

his is the tale of how tobacco created the plantations in Virginia for which the Old Dominion is known, and how those plantations entrenched and solidified the power of the famous "Topping People" of Virginia, those First Families of Virginia and Virginia Gentry who ruled the state for decades. It is a tale of indentured servants in colonial Virginia and slave labor workforces on vast Virginia plantations. It is a tale of the Navigation Acts, of soil exhaustion, of Starving Times in Jamestown and dying gentlemen in their starched, ruffled shirts. This is the story of Virginia's shift, brought about thanks to John Rolfe of Pocahontas fame, from the blighted land  Captain John Smith and Gov. George Percy knew, to that flourishing and flowering Old Virginia of Robert "King" Carter, Thomas Lee, and the others of Virginia's Golden Age. But most of all, this is the tale of tobacco and plantations in Virginia, and why they developed as they did.

In this episode, Will and Richard Easton, a historian of GPS and son of one of the inventors of GPS, discuss the history of the Space Race and Apollo missions. They go over the impetus for Eisenhower committing America to launching a satellite, the reasons for the Gemini and Mercury missions, why Kennedy settled on the moon mission, and how the Apollo program progressed. They discuss the technical advancements required to make Apollo happen, the characters and competence of the men involved, the scientific legacy of Apollo, and why the missions were ended. They discuss also why space exploration slowed to a crawl after Apollo 17, the challenges NASA faces, and the incredible technical competence shown by SpaceX, along with GPS and Richard's book about its history. Note: the Apollo 16 CapCom whose name Richard could not remember is Charlie Duke Get Richard's Book here: GPS Declassified: From Smart Bombs to Smartphones Get Michael Collins's Book here: Carrying the Fire Get Charles Murray's book about Apollo here: Apollo: The Race to the Moon

In this concluding video on the Lewis and Clark Expedition, Will discusses what the legacy of these two great explorers is. He comments on their discovery that the Northwest Passage was a figment of the imagination, but how they nevertheless sparked a massive fur trade rush. He tells how Clark mapped the West with incredible accuracy and created a resource used for decades, how their careful cataloguing and preservation of natural specimens was an immense scientific accomplishment, and how they discovered and documented much of the West's incredible species and beauty. He also discusses the death of Meriwether Lewis, and how Lewis's incomprehensible failure to publish the Lewis and Clark Journals led to many of their greatest scientific accomplishments going unrecorded for almost a century.

In this episode, Will and Gregory Treat, an attorney who helps families plan for multiple generations into the future. They discuss Great Houses—families that build a multi-generational legacy and use it to influence and lead their polities—and how such a concept is relevant today. They discuss democratic vs. aristocratic technologies, the mindset behind Great Houses, whether the form of wealth matters, some examples of Great Houses acting for the best in American life, and how technological change could lead to a very different world…that will likely still rely on Great Houses. Find Gregory Treat on Substack here: ⁠Gregory Treat⁠ Listen to His Great Houses episodes here: ⁠https://greathouses.forum/⁠ Check out his consulting here: ⁠https://avaloncircle.com/⁠ Read Will's thoughts on this here: ⁠https://www.theamericantribune.news/p/all-elites-are-not-created-equal⁠

The Corps of Discovery's Permanent Party makes it back to St. Louis in this episode, finishing the grand march across a continent and back on which it set out two years prior. This is the tale of how the Lewis and Clark Expedition made it back from Fort Clatsop to St. Louis in one travel season. It's the story of fighting up rivers, marching through the Bitterroot Mountains in a heavy season of snow, splitting the party up despite the immense risks so that the Marias River and Yellowstone River Valley could be explored as the party filled in the map and looked for commercial opportunity, and how the party split with Sacagawea when they returned to the Mandans.   This is also the story of Pompey's Tower, of a desperate fight with the Blackfeet Indians, of the discovery that the Northwest Passage was truly non-existent, of the wisdom of the Nez Perce Indians, of the first mountain man—a veteran of the Permanent Party, and of the tragic fate Lewis met with after an immensely successful journey

Emerging from the skeletal hunger and crushing snows of the Bitterroot Range and its Lolo Trail, the Lewis and Clark Expedition finally reaches the waters that will lead them to the Pacific. But the Permanent Party explorers in the Corps of Discovery quickly realize that their mountain ordeal was merely a prelude to further terrible ordeals to follow. This critical chapter captures the moment they commit themselves to the unyielding, ferocious whitewater of the great river descent, forced to navigate dangerous cascades in cumbersome, hand-carved dugout canoes. As the snow-dusted, jagged peaks from their past loom in the background, they are thrust into a relentless battle against a watery labyrinth that threatens to swallow the dreams of an "Empire of Liberty" whole. This is the tale of how the Lewis and Clark Expedition reached the Pacific. It is a tale of crushing snow and frigid temperatures in the Bitterroot Mountains, high-stakes negotiations with the Nez Perce, shooting the dangerous rapids after making dugout canoes, and a winter of misery spent at Fort Clatsop amongst the Clatsop Indians in steady rain. It is a tale of courage, of triumph over insurmountable odds, and of incredible leadership in the face of immense danger

In this episode, Will and Rowdy Yates discuss the two premier novels of American journalist and author Tom Wolfe—The Bonfire of the Vanities and A Man In Full. They discuss what Wolfe says about America and the men within it through the lens of the novels, from the decayed "moral tone," as Wolfe put it, of cosmopolitan cities in the New South like Atlanta to the nature of class and wealth in America. They discuss everything from the mess that is Atlanta to Wolfe's genius as an author, along with some of their favorite "laugh out loud funny" moments and characters in each novel. Further, they discuss how Wolfe portrays the Civil Rights grifters, new money, old money, and men who are out of place in a cosmopolitan world. Get A Man in Full here Get Bonfire of the Vanities here

What happens when the dream of an Empire meets the reality of a vertical wall of granite? In this episode, we follow the Corps of Discovery as they "step off the map" and enter the truly uncharted West. The journey becomes a high-stakes survival epic, beginning with the White Pirogue disaster, where Sacagawea's calm resolve saves the mission's intellectual legacy from the bottom of the Missouri. We witness the "rude awakening" of the American frontiersmen as they encounter the Beast of the Plains—the Grizzly Bear. From the near-fatal "Espontoon Incident" to the harrowing 18-mile portage around the Great Falls, this was the month that forged the "Permanent Party" into an ironclad force hardened by cactus-shredded feet and hailstorms the size of apples. The expedition reaches its breaking point at the Continental Divide, where Meriwether Lewis discovers that the "Northwest Passage" is a myth, leaving the expedition staring in the face of a labyrinth of snow-capped peaks. Just as starvation and defeat seem inevitable, the mission is saved by a miraculous reunion so improbable it would be dismissed as fiction. This is the moment Sacagawea recognizes the Shoshone Chief as her long-lost brother, Chief Cameahwait, turning a potential massacre into a diplomatic triumph. This is more than a trek; it is a masterclass in leadership at the edge of the world. Subscribe to The Old World as we detail the turning point of American history and the moment Jefferson's Empire of Liberty finally found its path across a continent and to the Pacific.

This is the tale of how Captains Meriwether Lewis and William Clark led the Corps of Discovery out of Camp Dubois and up the Missouri River, sailing, rowing and pushing a keelboat against the current and into history. It's the story of their standoff with the Teton Lakota, their need for nine pounds of meat per man per day to make up for the caloric expenditure of the expedition, and of their time with the incredible Mandan Indians. It is a romantic story of adventure, an excruciating story of hard work on a merciless frontier, and an exciting tale of perseverance in the face of immense danger and terrible odds.   This is also the tale of how the Corps of Discovery was hammered into being an effective unit with the lash, the tragic death of Sgt. Charles Floyd, and how the ingenuity of one blacksmith kept the men alive through a freezing and starving winter. This is the tale of the Corps of Discovery as it began the march that constituted its American Epic.

In this episode, Will and Donald Maclean, whose family moved to South Africa and spent a good bit of time in Rhodesia before its fall to Mugabe, discuss what life was like in Rhodesia and South Africa before they fell to Mugabe and Mandela, respectively. They begin by describing the First World nature of South Africa in the 1970s. They then describe life in Rhodesia over the 1970s, with a focus on the unique Rhodesian spirit and culture, particularly the polished nature of Rhodesian society and how they defeated sanctions. They then discuss what life was like in South Africa for its waning days, with a focus on Donald's military service in the Angolan Border War in support of 32 Battalion, and the essentially evil nature of Nelson Mandela. They discuss the reality of apartheid, Mandela's many crimes, and the utter destruction of South Africa under his rule.

This is the tale of how Captain Meriwether Lewis forged the Corps of Discovery and prepared for the grand expedition he and William Clark led across the American West to explore the Louisiana Purchase. It is a tale of studying the natural world with President Thomas Jefferson in Monticello, studying everything from naturalism to medicine in the salons and parlors of Philadelphia, painstakingly selecting the perfect equipment—including his famous lead powder cannisters and variation of the Model 1792 Rifle—and then selecting William Clark as his co-captain.   This is also the tale of whom Lewis and Clark selected for the Corps of Discovery, primarily in terms of what characteristics they selected for when choosing their companions.  From the special talents of some of the bold adventurers to the general skills needed for exploring the frontier, this is the tale of how they were selected so that Jefferson's vision of exploring the route to the Pacific could be fullfilled

This is the story of the Corps of Discovery, the famous Meriwether Lewis and William Clark-led American Army expedition to explore and map a route across the American continent and to the Pacific Ocean. In this episode, Will tells the tale of why President Thomas Jefferson dreamed of exploring and settling the American West, who Lewis and Clark were, why Jefferson chose Lewis to lead the Corps of Discovery, and how the Virginia backgrounds of all three men shaped their outlook of the American West and the expedition itself. Will also describes how Jefferson managed to get the funding for the expedition through a skeptical Congress, how the Louisiana Purchase changed the expedition in a major way, and how the travels of Scottish-born British adventurer Alexander Mackenzie impelled Jefferson and Lewis, then an Army officer and fellow Virginia Piedmont tobacco planter serving as his secretary in the White House, to act quickly.

This is the story of Vyner Brooke, the Third and Last White Rajah of Sarawak. In this episode of the Old World, Will tells the tale of how Vyner Brooke lost the Raj of Sarawak primarily due to the Japanese invasion of Borneo to take the Miri oil fields he controlled at the beginning of World War II, and his own feeling that he was an anachronism and democracy was coming. In this episode, we tell the tale of what life was like in wartime Sarawak, how the Japanese invasion went, Vyner's refusal to stand and fight the Imperial Japanese from the deep jungles of Sarawak, how the Dayaks resisted the Japanese occupiers, and how the destruction of the Miri oil fields and Kuching left Sarawak destroyed. We then show why Vyner decided to give it up to become the Crown Colony of Sarawak, and how that sparked a familial war between him and the Rajah Muda that ended in tragedy. Finally, we show how the Brooke legacy has been kept alive, including in Sarawak, where they remain beloved.

This is the story of Vyner Brooke, the Third and Last White Rajah of Sarawak. In this episode of the Old World, Will tells the tale of how different Vyner was from the Second White Rajah of Sarawak, Charles Brooke, and how Vyner managed to inherit his splendorous kingdom despite his father's dislike of him. it is a tale of intrigue, deadly jungle expeditions, and high-stakes diplomacy. From there, we tell the tale of how Vyner Brooke turned Sarawak into what Sir James Brooke always knew it could be. The oil fields of Miri, famous pepper fields of Sarawak's hills, Borneo Company Limited-run gold and antimony mines, and much more drive Sarawak's success and turn it into a thriving commercial colony. We also show how Vyner used clever infrastructure developments, such as rail, radio, and port investment, to make Sarawak more prosperous than it had ever been, just before the disaster that ended the White Rajahs struck.

In this episode, Will and Dan Lyman discuss the present state of South Africanization in America, and whether things are getting worse or better. They describe the border situation, how Trump is doing with deportations, law and order in American cities, and much else!   Find Dan on X here: https://x.com/realdanlyman   Find Border Hawk here: https://t.co/EZrGo8qZNb   Check out Will's new YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@realTheOldWorldShow

he story of Charles Brooke, the Second White Rajah of Sarawak, resumes in this episode. Picking up with the passing of his uncle, Sir James Brooke, the first White Rajah of Sarawak, in 1868, we tell the great colonial adventure tale of how Charles Brooke massively expanded the Raj of Sarawak across much of Borneo. This is the tale of how Charles fulfilled his uncle's dream of making Sarawak not just safe and stable for the natives or romantic for European adventurers, but also prosperous and well-developed. This is a tale not just of defeated pirates and headhunters in teh steamy jungles of Borneo, nor just of gunboat diplomacy when facing off with the Sultan of Brunei, but of smart diplomatic moves and stead colonial expansion. It's the story of how Charles outfoxed the British North Borneo Corporation, how he expanded his personal empire, and what smart moves he made to develop Sarawak with modern infrastructure.   Finally, we tell the sad and sorry story of Charles Brooke's personal life, such as his marriage to the Ranee of Sarawak, Margaret, and the death of their children in Suez.

Dive into the legend of Sir Charles Brooke, the Second White Rajah of Sarawak, and the tales of his daring battles against Iban pirates and Kongsi Chinese rebels in Sarawak's deepest, darkest jungles, and the burned city of Kuching! This is the history of Sir Charles Brooke, the Second White Rajah of Sarawak, from the time of his arrival in Sarawak as a young officer in his uncle's Raj, and how he became the key figure on whom Sir James Brooke consistently relied. It's an exciting tale of how Charles defeated Rentap the Iban pirate king in his Mount Sadok fortress, how he saved the Raj in its darkest hour, and how he became the second Rajah of Sarawak, instead of  his brother, Brooke Brooke.   Subscribe for more colonial history and adventure stories! Make sure to like the video if you love adventure tales. Don't forget to comment your favorite historical figure below, so I can add him to the lineup!

The White Rajah's saga concludes as we follow Sir James Brooke first into the heart of Sarawak's jungle as he fights Rentap, the last pirate king of Sarawak, in a massive jungle battle. We then turn to the city of Kuching tell the tale of how the Chinese Kongsi Rebellion of 1857 almost ended the White Raj of Sarawak for good when they sacked Kuching and destroyed the Rajah's Astana palace, with Sir James just barely escaping into the Sarawak River in his pyjamas, but was saved at the last moment by the stern bravery of Charles Brooke and the fortitious arrival of a key piece of naval technology. From the muddy waters of Sarawak's pirate and rebel-infested rivers, we then turn back to England, where Sir James finds peace and cool in retirement as his state is rebuilt thanks to the kind efforts of Baroness Angela Burdett-Coutts, the beautiful heiress Sir James could have, but didn't, marry. We end with a brief summary of his life and accomplishments, preparing to turn to the second rajah.

In this episode, Will and Warren Steury discuss the history and importance of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. They discuss its historical background, the preparation phase, the course of the expedition, and remarkable incidents that occurred during it, as well as the character of Meriwether Lewis. They also discuss the death of Lewis, his failure to publish the journals, and the legacy of the expedition.   Note: The Sergeant mentioned by Warren was Sgt. Charles Floyd, not Sgt. George Floyd.   Find Warren on X here: https://x.com/NWSteury   Check out his Meriwether Academy here: https://meriwetheracademy.com/   Check Will's new YouTube show out here: James Brooke

In this episode, Will and Roman Cabanac, a South African, discuss the reality of life in a South Africanizing world. They discuss the complex political situation in South Africa, what the crime and infrastructure situation is like, how to deal with such a world, and how to succeed despite the race communism. They also discuss what Westerners can learn from South Africa's experience.   Find Roman on X here: https://x.com/RomanCabanac   Check Will's new YouTube show out here: James Brooke   And read his thoughts about South Africanization here: https://www.theamericantribune.news/p/how-south-africans-defend-their-lives

In this episode of The Old World, Will tells the history of Sir James Brooke, the first White Rajah of Sarawak, from the time of his birth in the glorious Raj of the East India Company to his privately funded and high-stakes battle against poison blow-dart-wielding headhunters in the steaming jungles of Borneo to become a Rajah, a feat never equalled by any other European. It's an exciting tale of stormed barricades, gunboat diplomacy with a private yacht, and bravery in the face of immense adversity. Read more about James here: ⁠https://www.theamericantribune.news/p/the-white-rajahs-of-sarawak-part ⁠ Follow us on Instagram here: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/theoldworldshow/⁠   All pictures are public domain from Wikimedia Commons, except the following:    Map of the British East India Company Dominions:  Moll, Herman, -1732, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons   First image of the First Anglo-Burmese War: Myanmar's Defence Services Museum, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons   Datu Patinggi Ali picture: Alena Murang, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons   Image of Dayak with dart gun: AnonymousUnknown author, CC BY 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons   Picture of the jungle: Internet Archive Book Images, No restrictions, via Wikimedia Commons   Last picture, of the house in Kuching credit: Frank S. Marryat, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

In this episode, Will and Zoomer Historian do a deep dive into Rhodesian and British imperial history. They discuss how Rhodesia became the land of excellence it was, what sort of men the Rhodesians were, and whether Cecil Rhodes was a great man or great villain. They also comment on whether the British Empire should be viewed positively or negatively by the right, how a shift in post-war ideology shaped Rhodesia's downfall and the Empire's collapse, and what hope there is for modern Britain.   Check out Zoomer's Substack here: https://zoomerhistorian.substack.com/   Find him on X here: https://x.com/zoomerhistorian   Read Will's thoughts on the book by Peter Baxter they reference here: https://www.theamericantribune.news/p/a-general-history-of-rhodesia

In this episode, Will and Jonas discuss the history of Rhodesia, focusing on how it created a new people out of the unique conditions it found in Africa, and how a change in the Western ideology doomed it. The comment on Sweden's role in destroying colonial Africa, the ideology of decolonization, Orania, South Africa, and what we in the West can learn from Rhodesia's fall.   Check out Jonas's article on Rhodesia here: https://jonasnilssonen.substack.com/p/what-rhodesia-teaches-us-about-our   Get his book on Orania here: Orania: Building a Nation   Get his book on migration here: When Migration Becomes Conflict: Political Group Dynamics

In this episode, Will and Richard discuss the plague of spite-driven decline through the lens of Richard's fabulous novel, Lost Causes. They discuss Rhodesia, the decay of Britain, the slovenliness of society, and how all of the societal disasters we see around us stem from the same source. They also comment on the Confederacy, Jamaica, and how the IRA became a leftist parody of itself.   Get Richard's book here: Lost Causes   Find Richard on X here: https://x.com/NicholsAuthor

In this episode, Will and Mortiz discuss the failing institutions in America, the problems lurking across much of the West, and how he is helping combat it by teaching men to be Modern Minutemen. They discuss what that means, what civic actions it can translate into, the importance of language, and how teach and use statecraft to our advantage   Find Moritz on Substack here: https://substack.com/@moritzbierling   Check out his Modern Minuteman project here: https://modernminuteman.net/

In this episode, Will and Voodoo discuss the history of the Rhodesian Bush War and how strategic mistakes turned a successful tactical effort into a lost war. They discuss the three main stages of the war, how Rhodesian tactics developed throughout, and why the Rhodesians ultimately lost despite winning every battle. They also discuss what Rhodesia's weaknesses were, when the war could have been won, and how missed opportunities led to their ultimate defeat.   Find Voodoo on X here: https://x.com/6Voodoo   Get his book here: Blood Memory   Read about the CIA's involvement in Rhodesia's defeat here: https://www.theamericantribune.news/p/the-cia-knew-rhodesia-was-fighting

In this Christmas special of the Old World, Will and Evan Amato discuss the nature of Christian nobility, with a focus on what the Bible and Christian theology say on the subject, what that looks like in practice, and what certain families have done to continue in that tradition into the modern day. Find Evan on X here: https://x.com/SirEvanAmato Check out his Substacks here: https://www.lettersfromtheoldworld.com/ https://www.join-invictus.com/ Get his course on style here: https://sixweekstostyle.com/

In this episode, Will and Karl Dahl discuss the course of the Spanish Civil War, with a focus on how Franco won and why that is relevant to us today. They discuss the tactics used by Franco's forces, how he managed relationships with Western powers by presenting himself as an anti-Bolshevik force, how he managed the Germans and Italians, and how he reinvigorated and rebuilt Spain after the war. They also describe how this is relevant to the modern right, and what helpful lessons can and should be drawn from it.   Find Karl on X here: https://x.com/CaudilloDahl   Check out his Substack here: https://karldahl.substack.com/   Get his book here: Faction: With the Crusaders

In this episode, Will and Karl Dahl discuss the run-up to the Spanish Civil War, with a focus on the political changes that led to a fight between the traditionalists and the communists and how each side organized. They discuss Spanish history, effective organization, the virtue of seriousness as applied to politics, and what the Spanish Nationalists did effectively that we can learn from.   Find Karl on X here: https://x.com/CaudilloDahl   Check out his Substack here: https://karldahl.substack.com/   Ge his book here: Faction: With the Crusaders

In this episode, Will and Natalia discuss the history of the Virginia gentry. They discuss its British origins and in what ways it was different from the British landed elite, its values, the society it created, and its contributions to the fledgling American nation. They also discuss what remnants of it exist, and why its spirit remains relevant.   Find Natalia on X here: https://x.com/classicspilled   Read Will's thoughts about the subject here: https://www.theamericantribune.news/p/our-civilizational-spirit-of-anglo-e7d

In this episode, Will and Black Horse discuss the Laurentian elite, a collection of a few hundred families that rules Canada. They discuss its background, its politics, why it is at war with the energy, why it has imported so many Third World migrants, and the basis of its wealth and power. They also discuss how Canada went from a stronghold of empire to its present, awful state. Overall, they show why the Laurentian elite is so rotten, and what it looks like when a rotten plutocracy strip mines a country.   Find Black Horse on X here: https://x.com/TheBlackHorse65   Check out his Substack here: https://theredensign.substack.com/

In this episode, Will and Johann Kurtz discuss Johann's fabulous new book, Leaving a Legacy, with a focus on what can be done to build a dynasty and teach the right values to family members. They discuss charity, Christian theology surrounding inheritance and weatlh, what sort of assets are most conducive to a successful, long-term family, and what sorts of hobbies and activities tend toward inculcating the right spirit. They also discuss the virtue of seriousness, and Johann's nascent project, building an intentional community in Transylvania. Get a copy of Johann's book here: Leaving a Legacy Find him on X here: https://x.com/JohannKurtz Find him on Substack here: https://becomingnoble.substack.com/ Read Will's thoughts on this here: https://www.theamericantribune.news/p/the-old-world-mindset-be-a-grosvenor

In this episode, Will and Ben Black discuss what separates a family from a dynasty, and what sort of actions you can take to build a dynasty. They discuss everything from financial decisions to the importance of family, the importance of rootedness and how to raise kids with an eye toward infinity, with a focus on building families that last for centuries. They also discuss why having an "estate" in a particular community matters, the different types of capital, and how Ben has organized his life with dynasty in mind. Find Ben on X here: https://x.com/Dynastus Check out his articles and videos here: https://dynastyfoundry.com/newsletter/ Check out Will's thoughts on dynasty here: https://www.theamericantribune.news/p/the-old-world-mindset-be-a-grosvenor

In this episode, Will and J Burden discuss how young Americans are approaching politics, with a focus on the male-female divide, fracture points within the different coalitions, and how we might be getting more honest politics regarding a few key issues. They discuss how things got here, how big of an issue DEI is, and why certain hot button issues are such a big deal. They also discuss whether certain influencers are malicious or just dumb. Find J on X here: https://x.com/_jburden Find him on Substack here: https://jburden.substack.com/

In this episode, Will and Big Tuna discuss the McKinley presidency, with a particular focus on how and why America became an imperial power under McKinley, whether that was a good thing, and how McKinley's perspective on economics informed his push to make America a world power. They also discuss gold as money, JP Morgan, Friedrich List, and Henry Clay, along with what Trump can learn from McKinley. Find Big Tuna on X here: https://x.com/TunaRJS Find him on Substack here: https://castyournets.substack.com/ Read Will's thoughts on McKinley here: https://www.theamericantribune.news/p/what-mckinley-understood-that-the Read Will's thoughts on Listian economics here: https://www.theamericantribune.news/p/great-powers-can-have-tariffs-or

In this episode, will and Rust Belt Kid discuss the history of the American industrial economy, with a focus on the men, companies, and cities that built the Rust Belt. They discuss America's rise as an industrial power, the political and economic winds that cemented us as the leading industrial power, and how we fell thanks to globalization and regulation. They discuss what made the Rust Belt fall from glory, why things went so poorly in it, and how it could potentially be fixed, with a focus on the main problems holding it back from recovering. Find Rust Belt Kid on X here: https://x.com/rustbeltkid1 Read Will's thoughts on tariffs and the industrial economy here: https://www.theamericantribune.news/p/why-free-trade-is-a-one-sided-suicide

In this episode, Will and shampoo manufacturing king turned gentleman farmer and book reviewer Charles Haywood discuss the relative merits of an aristocratic social order compared to the present managerial regime. They also discuss how and why the aristocracy died, why the English model of landed rule was so much better than the others, the roots of an aristocratic order, and why aristocracy and democracy are incompatible. Finally, they discuss Haywood's concept of "Armed Patronage Networks" and how young men ought to prepare for the future.  Find Charles on X here: https://x.com/TheWorthyHouse Read his book reviews here: https://theworthyhouse.com/ Read Will's take on the class between gentry and bureaucracy here: https://www.theamericantribune.news/p/the-death-of-the-gentleman-and-the

In this podcast, Will and Ben Wilson of the fantastic "How to Take Over the World" podcast discuss power, entrepreneurialism, and the idea of doing something greater in life than just acquisitiveness for its own sake. They discuss the traits and virtues of great men, the tradeoffs between being a man out of time and one who harnesses his time, and why many feel a natural draw the honesty of aristocracy. They also discuss how Washington molded himself into a great man, living a life of excitement, and the importance of selective breeding and a grand vision.   As a side note, both love David Senra and his podcast Founders, which comes up in this conversation.    Find Ben's podcast and website here: https://www.takeoverpod.com/ Find Ben Wilson on X here: https://x.com/BenWilsonTweets   Read about the White Rajahs of Sarawak here: https://www.theamericantribune.news/p/the-second-white-rajah Home Ben Wilson (@BenWilsonTweets) on X   I share lessons from history's greatest leaders. Creator and host of @HTTOTW podcast X The Second White Rajah The White Rajahs of Sarawak, Pt. III

In this podcast, Will and returning guest Councilman Brandon Harnish get granular and discuss the sorts of local projects and policies that can help revive America's small towns. They discuss the importance of a downtown and urban density, why fixing crime is the basis of any successful society, balancing amenities and business, and the controversial topic of property taxes. They also discuss how viewing a town like a grand estate helps solve the malinvestment problem, what type of buildings are needed to keep the government in the black, and why growth isn't always good. They also debate the virtues of the book "Small Towns". Find Councilman Harnish on X here: https://x.com/PaleoGOP Listen to their first episode here: https://www.theamericantribune.news/p/can-we-save-small-towns-america-with Read Will's take on Small Towns here: https://www.theamericantribune.news/p/diverse-cities-and-the-coming-municipal

In this episode, Will and financial macroanalyst Robert, of the famous "Infranomics" channel, discuss whether America has been in a long, silent Depression since the 2008 Recession. Pointing to everything from the cost of living as measured in real, gold terms to the massive number of deaths of despair, Robert explains that we likely are in such a Depression. They also discuss the impact robotics will have on the workplace, what Japan can teach us about industrial strength and policy, and why protection is needed. Find Robert on X here: https://x.com/infraa_ Find him on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/@EconomicsUnmasked

In this episode, Will and noted X personality, hedge fund trader, and Dallas-based real estate investor Ron Dodson discuss how his family rose to local prominence, turning a family business into a family office, and a Biblical approach to legacy and family continuity. They also comment on building for the long term, how tax policies incentivize bad behavior, and how to raise kids that handle legacy well. Find Ron on X here: https://x.com/RonDodson Find him on Substack here: https://rondodson.substack.com/ Read Will's thoughts on legacy here: https://www.theamericantribune.news/p/the-old-world-mindset-be-a-grosvenor

In this episode, Will and AJR Klopp discuss the differences between industrial capitalism and financial capitalism, with a focus on DEI, ESG, "zombie companies," and financial vampirism. They also discuss past financial panics, forced deleveraging, and what that history means for us. Find Mr. Klopp on X here: https://x.com/ThirteenFathers Find him on Substack here: https://substack.com/@ajrklopp Listen to his past interview with Will here: https://www.theamericantribune.news/p/the-yamnaya-and-the-foundation-of