How It Began: A History of the Modern World

A Message From Brad Harris

To download your own copy of all 20 ad-free episodes of the How It Began series, head to bradharris.com [https://www.bradharris.com/].

Context

I’m thrilled to announce the launch of my new podcast: Context. If you’ve enjoyed engaging in history with me so far, I think you’ll continue to find value in the new show. Join me as we explore how other scholars have interpreted the rise of the modern world. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts! For more information, visit the new website, bradharris.com. I'll see you there!

Money: From Barter to Blockchain

Money is a form of trust.  And credit, not coins, has been the heart of financial innovation. Communities that have figured this out have sustained the most progress, from the Medician money exchange networks that funded the Renaissance to the cryptography companies that are developing the blockchain-based internet of value today. But, how did money evolve as a system of trust? To support How It Began, https://howitbegan.com/support. For more information, https://howitbegan.com.

Measuring Time: The Hidden Mechanism of Modernity

Our submergence in the flow of time makes it difficult to comprehend how fundamental timekeeping technology has been to the evolution of civilization. But, to wind up the mechanism of modernity, our mastery of clockwork was critical. Where did the authority of our clockwork come from?  I give you measuring time, and how it began. To support How It Began, https://howitbegan.com/support. For more information, https://howitbegan.com.

The Enlightenment: From a Medieval to a Modern Mindset

The Enlightenment was an intellectual movement centered in Europe during the 1700s that established our modern convictions concerning the virtues of representative government, religious toleration, and human rights.  It inaugurated the idea that humanity could learn how to make the world a better a place, but why is its legacy so misunderstood?  To help support How It Began, go to https://howitbegan.com/support. For more information on this episode, go to https://howitbegan.com.