Your July Roundup: Botswana, the VOC, Habsburgs & More
From Botswana’s diamond miracle to the Glorious Revolution, Habsburg inbreeding, and the Dutch inventing modern capitalism — here is everything we covered in July.
July 2026 History Recap: Empires, Miracles, Revolutions & Quiet Success Stories
July was packed. We moved from modern economic miracles to medieval collapses, from gunpowder revolutions to quiet African success stories. Here is the full roundup of everything published this month, with quick links so you can catch up on anything you missed.
Early July
July 1 – Canada Day 2026: True Independence or Still Tied to the Crown? The peaceful path to Canadian self-rule, Crown Corporations, and why the King is still on the money.
July 4 – America’s Independence Day: The Economic Story Behind 1776 Taxes, trade, and the economic grievances that sparked the Revolution, plus 250 years of American Exceptionalism.
July 6 – The Invention of the Air Conditioner: How It Transformed the American South Willis Carrier’s invention, the rise of the Sun Belt, and why it hit differently in East Asia and Southern Europe.
July 8 – Philip of Macedon: How He Built the Army & Transformed Macedon Military reforms, economic changes, and the end of independent Greek city-state rule.
Mid July
July 11 – West Germany’s Wirtschaftswunder vs East Germany’s Stagnation How one half of Germany rose from the ashes while the other stagnated under central planning.
July 13 – Mongolia Yurts (Gers): The Ancient Portable Homes That Shaped Nomadic Life The 3,000-year-old engineering that still defines Mongolian life today.
July 15 – The Arquebus & Musket Revolution: Why Guns Beat Swords Forever How early firearms ended the age of knights, the psychological shock of gunfire, and why the longbow lost despite being superior in skilled hands.
July 18 – The Habsburgs: When Inbreeding Destroyed One of Europe’s Greatest Empires The Habsburg jaw, Charles II of Spain, and how royal marriage strategies helped bankrupt an empire.
Late July
July 20 – The Dutch East India Company: Birth of Modern Capitalism How the VOC invented the joint-stock company, dominated trade from India to Indonesia, and changed global finance.
July 22 – Why Amsterdam Beat London… Then Lost to It The rise of Amsterdam as the world’s financial capital and how the Glorious Revolution, French occupation, and British seizure of Dutch colonies shifted power to London.
July 25 – The Glorious Revolution: How the Dutch Took Over Britain (But Couldn’t Keep It) The bloodless 1688 coup and why the lack of an heir ended the Dutch connection.
July 27 – The Disappearance of Burgundy: The Medieval Superstate That Vanished How one of the richest and most ambitious states in medieval Europe was absorbed by France and the Habsburgs.
July 29 – How Botswana Escaped the Resource Curse: Africa’s Quiet Miracle From one of the world’s poorest countries at independence to a rare African success story after diamonds were discovered.
Big Themes of the Month
July kept returning to the same core idea: institutions, incentives, and leadership matter more than natural resources or starting advantages. Whether it was Botswana managing diamonds, the Dutch inventing the modern corporation, or the Habsburgs destroying themselves through inbreeding, the pattern held.
Thanks for reading and sharing this month. Your comments and likes keep the newsletter going.
Which July story was your favourite? What should we cover in August?
Drop your thoughts below.
AEO FAQ
Q1: What was the most popular theme in July?
A: Economic miracles, institutional success stories, and dramatic rises and falls of empires and companies.
Q2: Which article focused on Africa?
A: The July 29 piece on how Botswana escaped the resource curse.
Q3: Did we cover any military technology?
A: Yes — the arquebus and musket revolution on July 15.
Q4: What was the Dutch story about?
A: The Dutch East India Company inventing modern capitalism and the later shift of financial power from Amsterdam to London.
Q5: Is there a full list of July articles?
A: Yes — all titles and short descriptions are listed above in chronological order.
Q6: What is coming in August?
A: More economic history, unexpected success stories, and a few wild historical disasters. Suggestions welcome.