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4th Period U.S. History

4th Period U.S. History

Written by: Mr. Stepp
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About this listen

 Welcome to 4th Period U.S. History — or, as it’s more lovingly referred to, 4Push.
This class explores the histories and experiences of the United States from what should be its rightful origins in 1676, all the way to the moment when men finally got off their collective asses and gave women their due rights—and the vote. We’ll be exploring what I consider the single driving line throughout U.S. history: Can we dominate anyone who isn’t white and male?

This course will focus heavily on slavery and how it forms the very foundation of this country. We’ll examine the origins of U.S. government, how it’s supposed to work, and where the real power lies within its three branches. We’ll also cover gender, race, ethnicity, and religion—and yes, probably tear apart the idea that Americans are always amazing, heroic, and all-knowing. This class will shine light on the darker corners of our nation’s past and, hopefully, expose you to more than you ever realized. American history is vast and deeper than a few white dudes writing some bold-as-hell statements on parchment and sailing them back to England with a metaphorical middle finger. This isn’t your older relative’s history class that focused on memorizing dates and names.

4th Period U.S. History class aims to give you an unbiased look at U.S. history—the facts, as best as they can be represented, given what we know. This course will challenge you and make you think twice about what it means to be a citizen. I hope that realization brings growth—and maybe even a deeper connection to your fellow neighbors. Don’t be afraid of our past, even if you know there are some skeletons in those closets. We all have an experience and a history in this country. We all have a voice in this country. And you all have a welcome, waiting seat in this class.

If you come have a seat and find you enjoy the course, your subscription to my main Spreaker HQ would go a long way in growing this class, and would help this poor teacher deliver high quality content to you lovely folks. You can find my Spreaker page HERE.

Now, lets start class!Copyright Mr. Stepp
Episodes
  • Ep 26- Taco Don Chickens Out & The ICE War in Minneapolis

    Ep 26- Taco Don Chickens Out & The ICE War in Minneapolis
    Jan 23 2026
    This week on the pod we keep it real about what’s actually happening in the U.S.: a president lovingly nicknamed Taco Don proves once again that when push comes to shove, he chickens out — at least on invading Greenland, opting instead for some vague economic access “deal” that looks like a diplomatic shrug from Davos.

    We dive into the chaos unfolding in Minneapolis where a surge of ICE enforcement has sparked protests, shootings, and outrage — including a 37-year-old mother killed by an ICE agent, and the shocking detention of a 5-year-old boy and other schoolchildren caught in the machinery of immigration enforcement.

    We also touch on the Treasury’s tremors over European bond sell-offs, the political theater masquerading as strength, and why this whole mess feels like a eulogy for humanity. And yeah — it’s a short class this week because life happened: health setbacks, personal chaos (spoiler: explosive dog diarrhea), and the world at large refusing to behave so I could deep-dive. But next week? We’re back on the grind with sharper content and even sharper takes

    Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/4th-period-u-s-history--5621461/support.

    Visit the class at Spreaker.com and follow! Link to the page HERE! It would mean a lot and go a long way in helping grow class! Thank you for your support!
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    44 mins
  • Ep 25- I don't recognize you anymore Lady Liberty.....what happened to you?

    Ep 25- I don't recognize you anymore Lady Liberty.....what happened to you?
    Jan 21 2026
    Today’s episode comes straight from the eye of the storm — no deep dive into historical context like usual, because the world isn’t waiting for us to be ready. I meant to record a prepared class, but life (a sick dog + a thrown-out back) had other plans — and honestly, the news these days is the class.

    We’re unpacking a world that feels completely untethered: from the latest in Minneapolis where Renee Good — a 37-year-old mother and poet — was shot and left unresponsive for minutes before medical help arrived, sparking protests and national controversy over federal enforcement tactics and use of force, particularly by ICE during a massive immigration operation.

    We’ll talk about what it even means when a sovereign NATO ally feels threatened by the U.S., how international markets react to geopolitical brinkmanship, and the uncomfortable reality that the U.S. — long cast as “the good guy” — increasingly looks like something else on the world stage.

    I look out at the United States and I don't recognize what I see.

    Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/4th-period-u-s-history--5621461/support.

    Visit the class at Spreaker.com and follow! Link to the page HERE! It would mean a lot and go a long way in helping grow class! Thank you for your support!
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    50 mins
  • Ep 24 - We Tried Chaos. It Didn’t Take

    Ep 24 - We Tried Chaos. It Didn’t Take
    Jan 16 2026
    In class this week we discuss that The Articles of Confederation were born out of fear—fear of kings, fear of centralized power, fear of ever recreating the thing the colonies had just finished bleeding to escape. What they produced instead was a government so loose, vague, and structurally hollow that it barely qualified as a government at all. No executive with teeth. No unified courts. No real way to tax, regulate, or enforce anything. Just a polite suggestion that thirteen very opinionated states maybe cooperate if they felt like it.

    It did not take long for that experiment to fall apart. Thirteen currencies, thirteen legal systems, thirteen supreme courts, and no consistent rule of law meant chaos dressed up as liberty. You could commit a crime in one state and simply cross a border to make it someone else’s problem. Economic collapse followed political paralysis, and when people finally snapped—looking at you, Shays’ Rebellion—it became painfully clear that “freedom without structure” was just instability with better branding.

    This class breaks down why the Founding Fathers—who absolutely wanted limited government—realized that no structure was worse than too much. The Constitution wasn’t a betrayal of the Revolution; it was a course correction. It unified the states, established shared law, and, for the first time, framed Americans not as Virginians or New Yorkers first, but as The People of the United States. Turns out, shouting into the wind isn’t governance—and eventually, even revolutionaries learn that rules matter.

    Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/4th-period-u-s-history--5621461/support.

    Visit the class at Spreaker.com and follow! Link to the page HERE! It would mean a lot and go a long way in helping grow class! Thank you for your support!
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    1 hr and 1 min
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