How much of history is shaped by the people who survived to tell the story? In this Dad Tangent, we look at how writers, conquerors, priests, and governments shaped the way later generations understood major events — from Roman accounts of “barbarians” to Viking raids, the Crusades, and World War I propaganda. Because history is not just about what happened...it’s also about who got to describe it afterward. Support the show here: https://buymeacoffee.com/historywithdad

Why do powerful societies keep getting shocked by new tactics they never saw coming? In this Dad Tangent, we look at moments in history when old defenses suddenly stopped working — from Mongol horse archers to Viking raids, cannons smashing castles, and Blitzkrieg in World War II. Because sometimes history changes not when technology appears… but when people finally realize the rules have changed. Support the show here: https://buymeacoffee.com/historywithdad

In 793, Viking raiders attacked the monastery at Lindisfarne — and the news shocked Christian Europe. But why did this raid feel so terrifying to the people living at the time? In this episode of History with Dad, we look at the early Viking raids, why monasteries became targets, how writers like Alcuin reacted, and why the attack on Lindisfarne became remembered as the moment the Viking Age truly arrived. Support the show here: https://buymeacoffee.com/historywithdad

Why do people fight battles they know they can’t win? In this Dad Tangent, we explore famous “last stands” from Thermopylae to the Alamo to the Warsaw Uprising — and beyond — to understand courage, identity, and decision-making when outcomes aren’t in your control. Support the show here: https://buymeacoffee.com/historywithdad

Why do people keep predicting the end of the world — and believing it will happen soon? In this Dad Tangent, we explore historical “apocalypse” moments from the year 1000 to Y2K, and what they reveal about how humans deal with uncertainty. Support the show here: https://buymeacoffee.com/historywithdad

What did Ragnarok actually mean in the Viking Age? In this episode of History with Dad, we tell the full Norse myth of Ragnarok — from Fimbulwinter to the final battle — and then break down what that story may have meant. Looking at cycles, courage, and the difference between myth and meaning, we explore why the Viking “end of the world” isn’t as simple as it seems. Support the show here: https://buymeacoffee.com/historywithdad

Do graves reflect what people believed about the afterlife, or what the living wanted remembered? In this Dad Tangent, we explore how burial practices across history reveal identity, status, and human priorities under pressure. From elaborate tombs to crisis burials, the choices tell a deeper story. Support the show here: https://buymeacoffee.com/historywithdad

Why do people try to influence fate, even when they can’t control it? In this Dad Tangent, we explore a recurring historical pattern — from ancient rituals to major crises — showing how humans keep trying to tilt the odds in their favor. Even when it doesn’t work, the instinct never goes away. Support the show here: https://buymeacoffee.com/historywithdad