164. How the West was Won: The Truth Behind the Westerns

The podcast explores the final stages of American continental settlement, focusing on the Southwest and the displacement of indigenous peoples, featuring Karl Jacoby, author of "Shadows at Dawn." It examines the ecological and social transformations spurred by the introduction of horses and the resulting conflicts between groups like the Lakota, Sioux, and Apache. The discussion covers the U.S. annexation of Texas and subsequent war with Mexico, leading to the acquisition of vast territories and increased tensions with Native American tribes. The conversation also sheds light on the brutal realities of settler violence, the scalp policies, and the exterminationist rhetoric prevalent during that era, contrasting it with the often-romanticized narratives of the Wild West.