Our Fake History

The beloved children's novel The Wonderful Wizard of OZ has been celebrated as the quintessential American fairytale. But, many believe that the book is more than just a pleasing adventure story for kids. It's been argued that hidden in the text is a subtle allegory that satirizes the politics of late 19th century America. Some believe that the author L. Frank Baum used his fantasy story to make...

In this Bonus Episode Sebastian answers questions from listeners about the recent series on President McKinley. He discusses the challenges associated with using a book written by Karl Rove, conspiracy theories around the destruction of the USS Maine, and the complicated political legacies of Theodore Roosevelt and Marc Hanna. One listeners also provides some fun 19th century political...

It's impossible to assess the historical reputation of President William McKinley without tangling with the Spanish-American War. In this final part of the William McKinley trilogy Sebastian gets into the debate around what actually lead to the war. Could a war with Spain have been avoided? Was McKinley pushed into it by a manipulative American press? How did the outcome of the "splendid little...

The 1896 election of William McKinley has been noted as an inflection point in American politics. But, historians are often conflicted about what story they want to tell. It could be seen as moment when Americans rejected a populist firebrand, critical of the wealthy and appealing to working class consciousness. It could also be seen as the moment when American industrialists, bankers, and other...

The 25th President of the United States, William McKinley, has recently been in the news. In the 2025 inaugural address it was announced that Alaska's highest peak would once again be known as Mt. McKinley to honour the former President, who was apparently a "great businessman" who made America "very rich." Like many, Sebastian found this newfound interest in president McKinley rather curious....

In this Bonus Episode Sebastian takes questions about his recent exploration of mermaid mythology. He gets into the difference between Selkies and Mermaids, and wades into the murky waters of Scottish oral tradition. There is also some discussion of the 2012 hoax documentary Mermaids: The Body Found. Tune in and find out how aquatic apes, near sighted sailors, and good looking seals all play a...

Mermaids are part of countless mythological traditions found the world over. Almost ever culture has a belief in some form of human-fish hybrid. In the west the modern mermaid evolved as combination of the sirens in Homer's Odyssey and water spirits described by Pliny the Elder. In medieval times they became symbols of sin: temptresses leading lustful men astray. In 16th century, just as belief...

In this interview episode Sebastian speaks with podcaster, author, and host of Let's Talk About Myths, Baby Liv Albert. Liv has spent the last 8 years and 700 episodes of her podcast exploring the nuances of Greek and Roman mythology. Sebastian and Liv dive deep into the world of classical myth and talk about the myriad ways that the ancients understood their legendary tradition. In this free...

In this bonus episode Sebastian responds to listener questions and comments about the Spartan series. He gets a chance to give some more details about the Helots and Spartan women. He also muses at length about the role of historical fiction. If you want to be part of the next bonus feel free to send an email to ourfakehistory@gmail.com.Take your personal data back with Incogni! Use code...

The famous Battle of Thermopylae forms the centerpiece of the Spartan Mirage. Legend has it that a tiny force of 300 Spartans took on over two million Persians and managed to hold them off for a remarkable four days. The Spartan sacrifice has been credited with saving Greece and paving the way to the ultimate Greek victory over the invaders. While it's true that the Spartans made a stand at...