Written between 1845 and 1846, the 'mouse eaten manuscripts' that would later be assembled as 'The German Ideology' mark the first in-depth collaboration between Karl Marx and Frederick Engels. Penned primarily as an attempt to clarify their own ideas about history, philosophy, and politics, these writings serve as the jumping off point for their later works. This introductory talk will aim to explain the key features of the 'materialist conception of history,' try to clarify why 'the ruling ideas of any society are the ideas of the ruling class,' and (time permitting) expose attendees to some of Marx and Engels' lesser known polemical zingers scattered throughout the book.