Show Notes
The Lakota are on the rise.
For generations, the Sioux had possessed one enormous advantage: numbers. But numbers alone were not enough.
The Lakota lacked the horses and firearms necessary to turn their strength into military power. Caught between rival European empires and powerful Indigenous nations, their expansion had repeatedly been checked.
Now, everything is about to change.
In this first episode of our new series, we trace the transformation of the Lakota as they encounter two technologies that will reshape the Great Plains: the gun and the horse.
We travel back to the seventeenth century, exploring the Lakota's encounters with French traders, the Iroquois, Cree, Ojibwa and other Indigenous nations competing for control of the continent.
As France and Britain battle for North America, both seek Indigenous allies.
The Sioux need guns.
The Europeans need warriors.
But the Indigenous nations have their own ambitions, rivalries and political calculations.
Then comes the horse.
Reintroduced to North America by the Spanish, it begins spreading across the interior. For the Lakota, it will be revolutionary.
Mobility, firepower and access to the vast buffalo herds of the Great Plains begin transforming Lakota society.
But the Lakota are not entering an empty wilderness. They face the Crow, Pawnee, Cree, Assiniboine, Mandan, Arikara and many other powerful peoples.
Smallpox devastates the peoples of the Missouri River, shattering societies that had long acted as a barrier to Lakota expansion.
As the old balance of power collapses, the Lakota move west.
The Black Hills become increasingly important. The Missouri becomes a highway rather than a boundary.
And the Lakota begin combining the things they need most: mobility, firepower, numbers and the buffalo.
Meanwhile, Britain defeats France and emerges as the dominant European power in North America.
Then, as Britain and its American colonies go to war, another great power begins to emerge.
In 1776, as the American colonists declare independence, the Lakota are establishing their dominance across the Black Hills.
Two peoples are declaring themselves to the world.
Two nations whose futures will become inseparably intertwined.
And the collision between them is only beginning.
🎧 New episodes every Saturday
📲 YouTube, Spotify & Apple Podcasts | @AncientToRecent
#Lakota #Sioux #LittleBighorn #AmericanWest #NativeAmericanHistory #IndigenousHistory #GreatPlains #AmericanHistory #USHistory #AmericanRevolution #LakotaHistory #HistoryPodcast #HistoryDocumentary
More from Ancient to Recent
France is facing growing political divisions, social unrest and economic challenges. In this episode of Ancient to Recent, Joseph Parkinson speaks with Louis Sarkozy about the recent riots in France, the history of public protest, immigration and integration, and the future of French politics. With the 2027 French presidential election approaching, they discuss Marine Le Pen's chances of winning, the frustrations driving French politics, and the wider implications for Europe. They also explore France's relationship with Russia and the security challenges facing the continent. Is France approaching a turning point and what could happen next? Subscribe to Ancient to Recent for more conversations with authors and experts on history, politics and current affairs. #France #LouisSarkozy #FrenchPolitics #FranceRiots #FrenchHistory
As a child he saw his uncles empire collapse, as a young man he was consumed by dreams of glory and as an adult he turned those dreams into reality. This is the story of Louis Napoleon, the last Emperor of France. A story of intrigue and delusion, of ambition and deceit of honour and shame as a man with nothing but his name rises to an imperial throne. In this episode Joseph Parkinson is joined by renowned historian Edward Shawcross, author of The People's Emperor, the Unlikely Rise and Spectacular Fall of Louis Napoleon. We discover how he seizes power, tried to heal Frances social ills and restore France as the premier nation of Europe. How Louis Napoleon embarks on an ambitious program of social change at home, transforming Paris into one of the world capitals. And also how he embarked on reckless adventures in Mexico and Italy that brought disaster for France. How, against all the odds he made and lost an Empire. Episodes of Ancient to Recent are out every Saturday and are available on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcast. #france #louisnapoleon #history #prussia #frenchhistory
With peace comes a new policy direction from Washington.
As the United States descends into civil war the Lakota continue their expansion.
In the middle years of the 19th century the Lakota reach ever greater heights of power.