Fabric of History
Activity Overview
Episode publication activity over the past year
Episodes
The Life and Legacy of Theodore Roosevelt
07 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Although Theodore Roosevelt’s energetic personality is remembered today by most Americans as almost larger than life, who really was Roosevelt the p...
The Spell of a Good Story: Harry Potter's Magical Universe
24 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
As Emma Watson says in the HBO special “Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts,” “there’s something about Harry Potter that makes...
The Oregon Trail: The Game vs. Reality
04 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
What happens when a pop culture depiction of history is better known than the history itself? The well-known Oregon Trail computer game created in the...
Was the Revolutionary War America's First Civil War?
19 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
As an American in the 21st century, it’s incredibly easy to look back on the Revolutionary War and joke about the "redcoats," but would yo...
What Are NFTs and How Can They Impact Our Lives?
05 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Question: What do a piece of art, a medical record, and a top 40 song have in common? Answer: They can all be NFTs. In this episode, Mary, Kirk, and H...
Hollywood: The Origins, the Image, & the Legacy
17 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
What is Hollywood to you? Is it watching a movie that transports you to another world, a tabloid full of colorful celebrity stories, or the larger-tha...
The Highest Court in the Land: How Has the Supreme Court Evolved Through History?
09 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It’s uncommon to look at the front page of any newspaper and not see an article about impending Supreme Court nominations and debates. But was this ...
Lawless Piracy & the Struggle for Power in North America
22 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Lawless bandits, high sea adventure, and buried treasure! When we dress up as pirates on Halloween, do our humorous sayings and elaborate costumes bea...
Remembering Gary Colletti
04 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
BRI Staff share their memories of Gary Colletti, cherished friend and colleague, who passed away on November 5, 2021.In Memory of Gary Colletti 1975-2...
Lizzie Borden: The Murders, the Trial, & the Media Frenzy
14 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Lizzie Borden, the famous woman from Fall River, Massachusetts, who went to trial for brutally murdering her father and step-mother, was acquitted, so...
Take Me Out to the Ball Game! How Does Baseball Mirror History?
02 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Baseball has always been a central part of American culture, but did you know that it has an integral part in American history as well? From civil rig...
What's the Significance of the First Thanksgiving Today?
17 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
How much of the Pilgrims' story is a myth, and what exactly is important to remember about the meal they shared with local Native Americans? Mary...
How Do the Freemasons Fit into U.S. History?
02 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We keep hearing about the Freemasons in pop culture movies and books, but how much do we actually know about how they fit into U.S. history? This epis...
Hero to Traitor: Benedict Arnold & Vice
12 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
They always say “learn from the past,” but looking at the vastness of history, this is a daunting task. This week, Gary is joined by guest Kirk Hi...
Ghost Stories in American History
30 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Do you believe in ghosts? To kick off season four with spirit, Mary and Gary examine some of America's most haunting tales—both fiction and n...
School, Students, & Speech: A Constitution Day Special w/ Civics 101's Nick Capodice
01 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Do your rights end at the schoolhouse door? In a special episode of Fabric of History, Mary and Gary are joined by Nick Capodice, co-host and Educatio...
Why Is Leisure Time So Important?
15 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
They say all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, and they are probably right. Join Gary, Eryn, and guest Kirk as they explore the many varieties o...
Journalism: The First Draft of History
01 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Is yesterday history? What about last week? At some point, the past eventually becomes history, but where exactly do we draw the line? Join Mary, Gary...
Spies: Good, Bad, or In-Between?
20 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
From James Bond to Jason Bourne, we are culturally obsessed with spies. But are our perceptions of American spies and intelligence agencies true to li...
Ye Olde Publick House & Dialogue
04 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
If you lived around the time of the Revolutionary War, where would you go to stay informed? Odds are it would have been the local pub. Join Mary, Gary...
Yellow Journalism, Sensationalism, and Media Tycoons
20 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
While “fake news” has become a concern in recent years, America has seen its periods of untrustworthiness in media before. In this episode, Mary, ...
Prohibition and the Role of Government
06 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
What does prohibition tell us about the balance between personal freedom and regulation? Join Mary, Gary, and Eryn as they discuss how one of the Co...
Remember the Ladies: Women's Right to Vote
23 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
What was the seminal moment in the votes for women movement? Join Mary and special guest Dr. Emily Krichbaum, History Department Chair at the Columbus...
Democracy and War Profiteering
10 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
They say to “never let a crisis go to waste,” but does that include war? Embodied in characters like “Daddy Warbucks” from the musical Annie, ...
Boss Tweed, New York City, and the Political Machine
23 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Does democracy always foster moral success, or can the systems in place actually help those with devious intentions? To kick off our first episode of ...
Disney: Walt's World
17 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Disney World, Disney+, Donald Duck. The legacy of Walt Disney is all around us, but what do we actually know about the creator of the multi-industry e...
Technology: Progress or Pain?
01 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In a world of Zoom, Netflix, and automation, technology is all around us. This week, Mary, Gary, and Eryn take a look at the most significant technolo...
Remember the Lusitania
17 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Why do certain moments in time stand out to us? Today, Mary, Gary, Eryn, and special guest Joshua Schmid explore this question by tracing the sinking ...
Election Special Now Out on YouTube!
02 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Why do we still need an Electoral College, has America ever come close to not having a peaceful transition of power? Election 2020 has brought many co...
Selma, Montgomery, and "Good Trouble"
22 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Gary, Mary, and Eryn reflect on a particularly important moment in the civil rights movement, the march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama in 1965. The...
Why Educate?
25 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The start of the school year prompts Mary, Gary, and Eryn to reflect on the broader concept of education and how schooling has evolved throughout hist...
The Pox and the Covenant
08 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
For our first ever Fabric of History interview, Mary brings fellow BRI staff member Tony Williams on to discuss his book The Pox and the Covenant, a f...
The Two Marys
25 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
To continue our celebration of the 19th Amendment's ratification, Mary, Gary, and Eryn discuss the seminal works of Mary Wollstonecraft and her d...
Caucuses to Conventions
11 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
With the Democratic and Republican National Conventions fast approaching, Mary, Gary, and Eryn take a look at the history behind these pivotal elector...
The Vanderbilts and the American Dream
28 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
We hear the phrase "The American Dream" all the time, but what does it actually mean? In this episode of Fabric of History, Mary, Gary, and ...
Amelia Earhart: The Legend and the Person
16 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Join Mary, Gary, and Eryn as they celebrate and reflect on the fascinating life of Amelia Earhart, a true American trailblazer. They’ll delve into t...
Why Do We Celebrate the Fourth of July?
30 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The 4th has many different meanings for many different groups in America. Some see it as a time to celebrate with barbecues, others ask deep questions...
1960s: Songs for a Generation
21 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In the final episode of season one, Mary, Gary, and Eryn travel back in time to the 1960s and listen to some of the most iconic songs from the period....
Beyond the Beard
07 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Mary, Eryn, and guest Kirk will discuss who exactly the bearded presidents of the late 1800s were and why they are largely forgotten today. They'...
Space and Beyond
24 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Join Mary, Gary, and Eryn as they choose to go to the moon. They'll discuss the true motivations behind the famous "space race," the fu...
Malleus Maleficarum: The Salem Witch Trials
10 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In our first episode, Mary, Gary, and Eryn break down the frenzy in a colonial Massachusetts town that left nineteen people dead. Approaching the subj...
Fabric of History Trailer
26 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to Fabric of History! Join Mary, Gary, and Eryn on Tuesday, March 10th, for our first episode and come back every two weeks for brand new cont...