7 Questions With Patrick Swan, Host of the Seminole Wars podcast

    Patrick Swan is a Podcast host and researcher on the three Seminole Wars of the first half of the 19th century. He is a U.S.  Army-trained-and-certified historian and instructor, and book reviewer of military histories. Military Command Historian author and editor. Former Deputy Command Historian, U.S. Central Command, MacDill AFB, Tampa, FL. He has over 35 years of public relations experience, and he has served as the Director of News Operations for the Army News Service at the Pentagon and as a Strategic Plans Officer at the U.S. Army War College.

   1.   How and/or when did you get you hooked on history?

       Probably as a youth, looking at photo books of WW2 with the battle images. My father served in the war and I played with GI Joes. So I had a sense of history as something that happened before me and that it was something important.

 

 

2. What role does history play or has it played in your personal life?

           It is my “what I’d rather be doing” role. I study it because I want to, not because I have to for a degree program. When you have a natural interest in a subject, studying it is not a chore; it is a joy.

 3. How will history play a part of your professional life/career?

        I parlayed it into work as military historian with the Army. I now employ the skills I learned to host a podcast examining the Seminole Wars in Florida in the 1800s.

 

          4.  Why is studying/knowing history important?

         It is a trite observation but a true one: if we don’t know what came before us we will have trouble navigating where to go to. In addition, ignorance of what came before us can lead to tragic misunderstandings or worse. In the case of the Seminole, new residents in Florida may wonder why the Seminole get “special” privileges. The short answer is because the U.S. government stole everything else from them (removal policies) and this is what they have left. The government agreed not to take that. We can then discuss how we got from there to here.

 

          5. What is your favorite period or aspect of history to learn about and why?

      I have a masters certificate in ancient history to go with my masters degree in history (facts/figures) and in public history (applied). When I travel overseas, I seek out ancient battle sites. It lets me understand better what happened. It provides a fusion to the textbook knowledge I’ve gained.

  6. How did your interest in the Seminole Wars begin and why are they significant? 

            As the Deputy Command Historian at US Central Command at MacDill AFB in Tampa, I assisted with military staff rides to the Dade Battlefield in Bushnell. The staff rides allow military leaders (officers and NCOs) to apply their training knowledge against an actual battle to see how they themselves may have waged the battle differently in a different. Are there timeless concepts one can employ? That lead me to dive in more deeply and I found it a fascinating as well as a neglected period in US military history. Many people study the Civil War or World War II. Those are too broad for me to get my arms around. But the Seminole Wars are ideal for exploration of what happened, why, and how it affects us today. They offer lessons that are applicable to today’s asymmetric or irregular warfare. One can see it is relatively to get into such a conflict and a terrible chore to get out of one. In the 2^nd Seminole War, Colonel William Worth removed as many Seminole to Oklahoma as he could find and then declared victory and went home. About 200 Seminoles remained and the US government had a tacit understanding that it would leave them alone if they left settlers alone. No one asked the question at the onset, it is feasible to remove ALL Seminoles from Florida? And if not, is this a worthwhile undertaking?

 

 

       7. What is the Seminole Wars podcast and how can people find it? 

                                                 The Seminole Wars podcast looks at Seminole resistance efforts to US Government attempts to remove them from Florida in the 1800. We look at all facets of these, including its legacy today. I’ve interviewed contemporary musicians about songs they’ve written about it. Other guests include children’s books authors; authors of books about what the soldiers ate on the march; archaeologists on what they find in the ground; military theorists about how the wars were waged; and living history reenactors who teach by showing, among others. I cast a wide net and each episode always captivating. One can subscribe from your favorite podcaster or visit us at www.seminolewars.podbean.com or www.seminolewars.us. The Seminole Wars Foundation, a nonprofit, sponsors us. This year the Foundation sponsored a virtual march to recreate an Army’s column trek intended from Tampa to Ocala, Florida, but which Seminole ambushed near Bushnell. It allowed one to envision the length of their march and to learn about the U.S. Army and Seminole back in 1835. We did this by sending trekkers digital postcards with historical descriptions of milestones one passes along the way. One gets in shape physically and learns important things along the way. It helped making learning fun.

7 Questions With Jamie Jeffers, creator of The British History Podcast

Jamie Jeffers has a Juris Doctorate and a BA in English.  You could say that his entire educational career has been focused upon researching and developing compelling narratives, and he makes use of that experience here. He was born in the United Kingdom, but he has lived in the United States for much of his live.  In spite of that, he grew up with an intense love of British history. The podcast’s website is https://www.thebritishhistorypodcast.com/#

1. How and/or when did you get you hooked on history?
My grandfather got me started on history. While I was born in Britain, I was raised mostly in the US and so my grandfather took it upon himself to make sure that I knew the history of my ancestors. Luckily, he was a gifted storyteller and would bring history to life as he recounted it. The result of this was that I developed a deep love of history and of storytelling.

That approach to history... the attention to the human side of it and the dramatic story that's unfolding... is something that I've maintained throughout my life and is something that I certainly bring to bear upon The British History Podcast.

2. What role does history play or has it played in your personal life?
Communicating history is my profession. I live and breathe British history. It is almost the only thing I read, it dominates the vast majority of my day, and it is something that I'm always thinking about. As I walk to get coffee, I'm thinking about how events and individuals interact. As I'm cooking dinner, I'm thinking about the cultural incentives that influenced decisions and outcomes. When I'm at the pub with my partner, we're often talking about how best to tell a story so that the details are included but they are also presented in a way that will enable the audience to attach to the people involved. For me, history is an all-consuming passion.

3. What is the role of history in your professional life? career? 
It already is. I produce The British History Podcast full time. It's the best job I've ever had.

4. Why is studying/knowing history important?
Knowing history gives us a sense of place, which I feel is important. But I also think it's vital to know the complexity and nuance of history. All too often people prefer to get the mythological version of history. Many history outlets like to tell simple stories of good and bad people. It's clear why they do this... it's easy. However, I think that's dangerous and leads people to strange notions about the past and present.

For example, if you don't have a nuanced understanding of the cultures and events of the past, then you might be tempted to believe that the way things are perceived today are natural and timeless. That the common sense of today is exactly the same as the common sense of the past. That your culture is the same as the culture of your ancestors, and that your views are the same.

But the truth is that the past is a foreign country and there is no such thing as true "Englishness" any more than there is a universal "common sense" and I think it's important for us to always remember that.

Learning proper deep history, with all its complexity, reminds us that no monolithic explanation of any group of people. Not now, and not in the past. Moreover, it shows us that the truths that we feel are timeless and certain are anything but I would say that proper history teaches critical thinking, and I believe that's absolutely vital for society.

5. What is your favorite period or aspect of history to learn about and why?
I'm a sucker for cultural history. I like to know how people saw things, how they did things, and why. I like to study the sociological reasons behind the dry events that are chronicled in books, so as to provide them context and better understand the people of the time. The where and when of history is important... but not nearly as important as the how and why. And often times, the answers to how and why can be found in culture.

6. What is The British History Podcast and how did it start?
The British History Podcast is a chronological telling of the story of Britain. I started in the Ice Age, and I've been steadily moving forward ever since.

There are several reasons for why I started it....

The first is because far too many people think they hate history, and instead what they hate is the way it was taught to them when they were young. Almost everyone loves stories, and our earliest histories came in the form of stories retold in social settings. The Podcasting environment allows us to reconnect to that ancient tradition of oral histories.

Second, something I'm rather passionate about is the democratization of knowledge. There tend to be a great deal of barriers between information and the people who seek it, often those barriers are economic, social, or geographic. The internet allows us to break through some of those barriers. And since history belongs to all of us, I think it's important that we make this information available.

And finally, this is the best creative outlet I've ever had. I absolutely love doing it!

7. What kinds of stories can listeners expect when they listen to your podcasts? What stories have stood out in your mind so far?
So far, we have covered the history of Britain from the last ice age up to the crowning of King Alfred the Great. Listeners will hear of the time when the island was once dominated by giant deer, they will hear of the invasions by Julius Caesar, they will hear of the rebellions of the Britons including the rebellion lead by the famous Boudica, and they will hear of the fall of the Western Roman Empire and the rise of Anglo Saxon Britain.

It is with Anglo Saxon Britain that the show really gets its stride. The Anglo Saxons are a group of people that most people are only vaguely aware of but they are an absolutely fascinating culture. You will learn about kings who were chastised by the pope for sleeping with nuns, threatened mighty Charlemagne, and who took part in some of the greatest comeback stories of all time. You'll hear about Queens who have changed the course of history and who refused to be confined to mere window dressing.

You'll also hear about the culture of the times. Have you ever wondered what daily life was like for the Anglo Saxons? What their medicine looked like? How much alcohol they drank? How their military was organized? How they handled trade? What their economy looked like? How their houses were built? If you listen to the British History Podcast, you'll have all of these questions answered... and more.

7 Questions With Jon Hagadorn of 1001 Heroes, Legends, Histories & Mysteries Podcast

 You can find 1001 Heroes, Legends, Histories & Mysteries at all podcast sites like iTunes and Stitcher, at Facebook at Facebook.com/1001Heroes, and at   www.1001storiespodcast.com.

1.         How and/or when did you get you hooked on history?
My dad was an excellent storyteller, and throughout his long life I was probably his biggest fan. He was raised on a ranch in four corners New Mexico (which became Philmont Boy Scout Reservation), got a job with GE large lamps division in LA, met and worked with Walt Disney, Ronald Reagan, and others, so between his growing up days and his work he had a bunch of great stories. Because of his work, we moved a lot, from LA to Illinois, then to PA, and when we reached PA my reading skills were found to be sub par so I was assigned a tremendous reading teacher. It always comes back to that great teacher, doesn't it?  I loved books, and still do, especially history, heroes, legends, and mysteries. So my reading passions morphed into my Podcast.

 2.        What role does history play or has it played in your personal life?
I see everything from a historical perspective. We can't move forward until we have learned the lessons of the past. My Hagadorn family tree starts in the US in 1656, and the best thing about researching family trees is that you soak up all the history, especially when your relatives are involved in Indian Wars, the American Revolution, and the Civil War.  My son also loves books and history, which lead him to an International Relations Degree and a job that enables him to protect our nation's security. My wife and daughter both teach, and they love to teach American history to their students. We have the greatest country on earth to be proud of.

3.        How is history a part of your professional life/career?
I'm hoping my podcast can grow to the point where it becomes my career. I have never enjoyed any work so much in my life. We are growing rapidly in popularity now and advertisers are talking to us. I am just cautious about finding the right match, so I can really recommend a product or service that helps others to share the same enthusiasm for history.

4.        Why is studying/knowing history important?
As mentioned above, we can't move forward for long unless we learn from the past. Our government, our lives, our persons- are all dependent upon our histories, our ancestors, and our DNA. To get the most out of each we need to understand our history. We also need to respect those who sacrificed so much to give us the lives we have today. History also teaches us that man is aggressive by nature. There will never be a year without war somewhere in the world, or a day that one country won't want to plunder another for its resources. Civilizations will always clash. So will religions. So will people. The more we understand history, the better we are able to cope and offer solutions for a safer, if not more peaceful future. The civilized world is slowly coming around.

5.        What is your favorite period or aspect of history to learn about and why?
I like American History, 1607 to yesterday. There are SO many stories of heroism, sacrifice, genius, and love. Then there's the world of entertainment and fiction.  It just keeps coming.

6.        How did you get into making podcasts?
I heard my first podcast last year. I don't recall how I found it. it was an episode from "The Stuff  You Never Learned in History Class". I said to myself- I can do this! I was an English major. I like to write and research. I REALLY like storytelling (Thanks Dad). I enjoy narrating and acting, too- I was in some of the Discovery Channel 'FBI Files" episodes and one of their two hour movies. I authored a book in 2014 called "America's Best of Times".  I had all these stories bottled up me, and decided to try podcasting. So I researched how to do it and started Jan 15th this year with "Gremlins: the WWII Myth That Became a Movie" and 51 podcasts later, here we are. We hope to reach the 50,000 listens per month level by the end of this year. I enjoy reading the stats every month on all the countries we are reaching.

7.        What would listeners hear in your podcasts?  What sets them apart from other podcasts?
My listeners tell me they enjoy the passion I put behind my stories, and they like the stories. We share some laughs together as well as some tragic moments, like the last minutes on the troop transport Dorchester when it sank in the icy waters of the North Atlantic and the few survivors watched from their lifeboats as the four chaplains, standing arm in arm on the disappearing deck, repeated the Lord's prayer  together loudly before they disappeared below the waves..  I think our podcasts offer a wonderful history lesson. for example, when you listen to 'Jack Jouett's Midnight Ride" you learn not only about his ride to save Thomas Jefferson, but how the American colonies were losing on many fronts, and how the British perceived that one big hit would squash the colonist's hopes and secure victory. And it was close. When your listen to "Blackbeard: The Man and the Myth" you learn not only of his dramatic story but how piracy was affecting trade and shipping all along the East Coast. When you listen to "The Kecksburg UFO", it will open up your eyes to the fact that our government does have its secrets, especially when it comes to all things that fly in the night.