Vasco da Gama: The Ruthless Admiral Who Opened the East
In this episode of pplpod, we chart the violent and transformative life of Vasco da Gama, the Portuguese nobleman who discovered the first direct maritime route between Europe and India. We discuss ho...
2 Feb 27min
Marco Polo: The Venetian Merchant in Kublai Khan’s Court
In this episode of pplpod, we traverse the Silk Road to explore the life of Marco Polo (c. 1254–1324), the Venetian merchant and explorer whose travels gave Europeans their first comprehensive look at...
2 Feb 31min
Amerigo Vespucci: The Pickle Dealer Who Named the New World
Why do we live in the "Americas" rather than the "Columbias"? In this episode of pplpod, we explore the life of Amerigo Vespucci (1454–1512), the enigmatic Florentine explorer who recognized what Chri...
2 Feb 28min
The Mystery of John Cabot: England’s Italian Explorer
In this episode of pplpod, we chart the course of John Cabot (born Giovanni Caboto), the Italian navigator who—under the flag of King Henry VII—conducted the earliest known European exploration of coa...
2 Feb 25min
Sacagawea: The Teenager Who Saved the Expedition
She is one of the most famous women in American history, yet everything from the spelling of her name to the date of her death remains a mystery. On this episode of pplpod, we retrace the steps of Sac...
2 Feb 29min
Kit Carson: The Myth, The Mountain Man, and The Long Walk
In this episode of pplpod, we traverse the complicated life of Christopher "Kit" Carson, a man who rose from an illiterate runaway apprentice to become the defining symbol of the American frontier,. W...
2 Feb 25min
Annie Oakley: The Sharpshooter Who Conquered the Wild West
In this episode of pplpod, we take aim at the life of Phoebe Ann Mosey, better known to history as the legendary sharpshooter Annie Oakley. From her humble beginnings in an Ohio log cabin to performin...
2 Feb 28min
Wyatt Earp: From Peoria Pimp to Hollywood Consultant
Most know Wyatt Earp as the fearless lawman of the O.K. Corral, but the reality of his life was far more complex. In this episode of pplpod, we explore the 80-year saga of a man who was not only a mar...
2 Feb 27min
