Welcome to Cutting Edge History, my name is Michael Sandstrom and I will be your host. Cutting Edge History is designed to look into the key questions from the past about the people and moments that shaped our modern world. On this podcast, I interview scholars on the cutting edge of their respective fields to help facilitate answers to these critical questions. As you listen, you can imagine me performing a similar function as an Armchair Quarterback, without throwing any beer cans at the TV, by interviewing the men and women who make history come to life. I hope that you will join me, Michael Sandstrom, on this weekly podcast, as I keep you on the Cutting Edge of History.