Stuff You Missed in History Class

The Bone Wars: Part 1

31 Dec 2012

Contributed by Lukas

In this two-part podcast, we explore the rivalry between paleontologists Edward Drinker Cope and Othniel Charles Marsh. Marsh was a farmer's son and C...

Unearthed in 2012: Part 1

26 Dec 2012

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, we look back on some of the biggest historical news of 2012s. Tune in to learn how researchers revealed new theories regarding mercur...

Who was Good King Wenceslas?

21 Dec 2012

Contributed by Lukas

King Wenceslas is best known as a Christmas carol, but he was a real 10th-century Bohemian prince. Wenceslas was known for his kindness to children an...

Why was Juana called "la Loca"? Part 2

19 Dec 2012

Contributed by Lukas

In this second part of our series, Juana has become her mother's unlikely heir. Just a few years after inheriting Castile, she is declared insane and ...

Subterranean Cities

17 Dec 2012

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Sarah and Deblina take a world tour of some of the world's most ancient, mysterious and historically influential underground cities. ...

Why was Juana called "la Loca"? Part 1

12 Dec 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Juana of Castile has gone down in history as "Juana la Loca." But Juana's mental state was likely not as bad as it seemed. Was she instead the victim ...

The Johnstown Flood

10 Dec 2012

Contributed by Lukas

On May 31, 1889, the South Fork dam gave way, sending 20 million tons of water rushing toward Johnstown, Pennsylvania. The water swept up everything i...

A Comanche Story: Quanah Parker

05 Dec 2012

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, we tell the story of Cynthia Ann Parker's son, the Comanche war chief Quanah Parker. Quanah led Comanche forces until his defeat at A...

Mutiny on the Bounty (Update)

03 Dec 2012

Contributed by Lukas

In an update to this podcast about the mutiny that took place aboard the HMS Bounty in 1789, we discuss the fate of the replica Bounty made in 1962. D...

A Comanche Story: Cynthia Ann Parker

28 Nov 2012

Contributed by Lukas

A Comanche raiding party kidnapped Cynthia Ann when she was 9 years old. She lived with Comanche parents, marrying a war chief and having children. Bu...

Gertrude Bell: The Uncrowned Queen of Iraq, Part 2

26 Nov 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Part 2 of this series follows Gertrude Bell on her adventures after World War I begins. The British army asked her to help them retain their influence...

The True Story of the Chevalier d'Eon: Part 2

26 Nov 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Upset with the prospect of a demotion, the Chevalier d'Eon published his diplomatic correspondence. Worried that d'Eon might reveal the King's Secret,...

Gertrude Bell: The Uncrowned Queen of Iraq

19 Nov 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Gertrude Bell was the first woman to graduate with a First in Modern History from Oxford. Instead of marrying young, she went to Persia. Inspired, she...

The True Story of the Chevalier d'Eon: Part 1

14 Nov 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Recently, London's National Portrait Gallery acquired a portrait of the Chevalier d'Eon, the first oil painting in its collection to feature a man in ...

Johann Dippel and the Elixir of Life

12 Nov 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Johann Konrad Dippel was born in 1673 at Frankenstein Castle. Originally a theology student, Dippel began dabbling in chemistry, medicine and alchemy....

Who was Tokyo Rose?

07 Nov 2012

Contributed by Lukas

During World War II, Allied troops often listened to Japanese propaganda, and they nick-named the English-speaking, female broadcasters "Tokyo Rose." ...

The Mysterious Disappearance of Agatha Christie

05 Nov 2012

Contributed by Lukas

In December of 1926, Agatha Christie left her home and vanished: Police found her car crashed and abandoned. An 11-day manhunt commenced and speculati...

The Case of the Colorado Cannibal, Alferd Packer

31 Oct 2012

Contributed by Lukas

In the winter of 1873, Alferd Packer led gold prospectors into the Rockies, but harsh conditions soon set them off course. Packer was the only survivo...

Accused by a Ghost!

29 Oct 2012

Contributed by Lukas

In the early 1760s, the so-called Cock Lane Ghost haunted a London home, communicating through knocks. The ghost accused her former partner of poisoni...

What really happened in Salem?

24 Oct 2012

Contributed by Lukas

In 1692, girls in Salem Village experienced fevers, pains and strange behavior. A doctor deemed the affliction supernatural, and the girls pinned the ...

Ghosts of History: A Haunted House Tour

22 Oct 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Whether or not you believe in ghosts, the tragic histories behind some homes are enough to send a chill down your spine. In this episode, we look into...

Mary Frances Creighton: Who was America's Lucrezia Borgia?

17 Oct 2012

Contributed by Lukas

When Mary Frances Creighton was arrested for poisoning her brother, the tabloids went crazy, comparing her to Lucrezia Borgia. Mary was also accused o...

Madame Lalaurie and the Haunting of Royal Street

15 Oct 2012

Contributed by Lukas

In 1834 a fire broke out at the Lalaurie house in New Orleans. Firefighters found mistreated slaves inside, and the family was banished. Wild rumors s...

Jim Bowie: Blades, Battles and the Alamo

10 Oct 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Jim Bowie is known as a hero of the Alamo, but he made his name in a duel-gone-wrong: He came away with several wounds, but also with a reputation as ...

A Brief History of Trick-or-Treating

08 Oct 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Before children went door-to-door, Celts kept out evil spirits during the festival of Samhain. Halloween evolved over time, but trick-or-treating didn...

Bloomers and Beyond: A History of Underwear

03 Oct 2012

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, PopStuff co-host Holly Frey joins in to discuss undergarments through the ages, from the utilitarian shirt to the body-changing corse...

The Surprising Life of Henry Ford: Part 2

01 Oct 2012

Contributed by Lukas

In this second episode with CarStuff's Scott Benjamin, we pick up at the height of Ford's success: The Model T is revolutionizing America. But he also...

Joseph McCarthy and the Red Scare: Part 2

26 Sep 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Senator McCarthy's celebrity skyrocketed after he made his name denouncing spies. Fear and intimidation kept many from speaking out against him, but p...

The Surprising Life of Henry Ford: Part 1

24 Sep 2012

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, CarStuff's Scott Benjamin joins the show for a discussion of Henry Ford's early years, inventions and innovations. Yet as Ford's succ...

Joseph McCarthy and the Red Scare: Part 1

19 Sep 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Wisconsin Senator Joseph McCarthy had a lackluster career - at least, that is, until he claimed the U.S. government was riddled with conspiratorial Co...

Orson Welles and the War of the Worlds

17 Sep 2012

Contributed by Lukas

In 1938 Orson Welles produced a series of radio dramas, including one based on "War of the Worlds." The broadcast caused a mass panic, since many beli...

Codes! Allied Cryptography in World War II

12 Sep 2012

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode co-hosted by TechStuff's Jonathan Strickland, the focus is on the codes and cryptologists of World War II. Tune in to learn more about...

Alan Turing: Codebreaker

10 Sep 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Alan Turing conceived of computers decades before anyone was building one. He also acted as a top-secret code breaker during World War II. Despite his...

Codes! Axis Cryptography in World War II

05 Sep 2012

Contributed by Lukas

In this special episode co-hosted by TechStuff's Jonathan Strickland, the focus is on the codes, cipher machines, and cryptologists of World War II. T...

The Radium Girls

03 Sep 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Between in 1917, hundreds of women got jobs applying radium-treated paint to various products. Many experienced severe health problems. Five former wo...

How the Mayan Calendar Works, Revisited

29 Aug 2012

Contributed by Lukas

In this classic episode, former hosts Candace and Jane explain how the Mayan long count calendar works. We also discuss some other doomsday prophesies...

5 Historical Storms

27 Aug 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Catastrophic storms are almost historical characters in their own right, leaving indelible marks on the places they affect. Here, we cover five of his...

Easter Island (Update)

22 Aug 2012

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, we revisit theories about the statues of Easter Island: the Moai. New evidence suggests that fewer than 20 people "walked" the Moai t...

Pretty Boy Floyd and the Kansas City Massacre

20 Aug 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Pretty Boy Floyd started out doing farm work, but in his late teens he ran off to try his hand at crime. He earned a Robin Hood-like reputation, and b...

Lizzie Borden and her Axe (Update)

15 Aug 2012

Contributed by Lukas

In 1892, a Massachusetts couple was brutally murdered; the only serious suspect was their daughter, Lizzie Borden. Borden was acquitted, but people ha...

The Bloody Benders

13 Aug 2012

Contributed by Lukas

The Bender clan settled in Kansas in 1870, building a combined store and inn. They weren't popular. Only the comely Kate Bender drew admirers. When pe...

How the Titanic Worked

08 Aug 2012

Contributed by Lukas

2012 marks the 100th anniversary of the Titanic's sinking. In our own memorial to the Titanic's sinking, we revisit a classic episode from Candace and...

A Medici Marriage: Marguerite-Louise d'Orléans

06 Aug 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Marguerite-Louise d'Orléans was the grandchild of the King of France, cousin of Louis XIV and eventually betrothed to Cosimo III de Medici. Her marri...

The Nazi Games and Jesse Owens

01 Aug 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Most people associate the 1936 Berlin Olympics with African-American sprinter Jesse Owens. Yet the games were successful in terms of Nazi propaganda: ...

The Match of Death

30 Jul 2012

Contributed by Lukas

After the Nazis invaded Kiev, a bakery owner asked some Ukrainian soccer players to form a team. Their team was pitted against occupying powers. Many ...

The Strangest Games: The 1900 Paris Olympics

25 Jul 2012

Contributed by Lukas

In 1900 Paris Olympics are considered some of the strangest. Some sport historians don't even consider them true Olympic Games. Many of the events wer...

The First Olympics, Revisited

23 Jul 2012

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, we revisit a podcast on the first Olympics. The first Olympics featured familiar events, but also some lethal exhibitions. Married wo...

Listener Mail Roundup: Collector's Edition

18 Jul 2012

Contributed by Lukas

In a recent episode on George Arents, we asked listeners what kind of book collections they keep. We heard from people with interests ranging from mix...

The Amelia Earhart Mystery (Update)

16 Jul 2012

Contributed by Lukas

In this classic episode, former hosts Candace and Katie explore the events surrounding Amelia Earhart's mysterious disappearance in 1937, and possible...

What happened to the lost colony at Roanoke? (Update)

11 Jul 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Of all the mysteries we've covered, the lost colony at Roanoke is one of the strangest. In this classic episode, former hosts Candace and Josh recount...

The Prisoner Princess: Sophia Dorothea of Celle

09 Jul 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Sophia Dorothea of Celle married her cousin, George I of Great Britain. Sophia had an affair with a Swedish count, and her in-laws decided to stop the...

The Bombardment of Baltimore

04 Jul 2012

Contributed by Lukas

After a night of shelling in the War of 1812, Baltimore was unsure if its fort had survived. At dawn, observers saw an American flag over the fort. Fr...

Ma Barker and the Barker Gang

02 Jul 2012

Contributed by Lukas

During the Gangster Era, many believed Ma Barker led the Barker Gang. In the late 1800s, Barker had four sons, two of whom joined the infamous Barker ...

Deblina and Sarah's Renaissance Adventure

27 Jun 2012

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Sarah and Deblina visit the Georgia Renaissance Festival. Interviews with musician Luca Callo and TechStuff's Jonathan Strickland giv...

John James Audubon: American Woodsman, Part 2

25 Jun 2012

Contributed by Lukas

After John James Audubon finished his book, he sought out a publisher. While his image turned off Philadelphia's intellectuals, he charmed Great Brita...

Who wore the Pink Triangle?

20 Jun 2012

Contributed by Lukas

When Hitler came to power in Germany, gays and lesbians were continually persecuted. Soon, homosexual men also faced prison time. Thousands were event...

John James Audubon: American Woodsman, Part 1

18 Jun 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Though John James Audubon was the son of a French planter, he cultivated the image of an American frontiersman. In this episode, New York Public Libra...

The Death of Poe

13 Jun 2012

Contributed by Lukas

In 1849, Edgar Allan Poe disappeared for five days before he was found semi-conscious outside of a saloon. He died four days later, presumably from al...

William Kidd: A Pirate's Rep for Me

11 Jun 2012

Contributed by Lukas

William Kidd had settled down by 1695, but privateering was still in his blood. He struck up a plan to attack pirates plaguing English ships and enlis...

Nikola Tesla and the War of the Currents, Part 2

06 Jun 2012

Contributed by Lukas

By 1887, Nikola Tesla secured seven patents for components of his alternating current system. In 1888, George Westinghouse offered to hire Tesla to de...

Laura Bridgman's Education

04 Jun 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Laura Bridgman was the first deafblind person to be educated -- a feat accomplished by Samuel Gridley Howe in the 1830s. People from around the world ...

Nikola Tesla and the War of Currents, Part 1

30 May 2012

Contributed by Lukas

In 1857 Nikola Tesla began work on direct current motor issues. In 1884, he approached Thomas Edison with ideas about alternating current, but Edison ...

P.T. Barnum's Biggest Stars

28 May 2012

Contributed by Lukas

P.T. Barnum worked with many performers. Perhaps the most famous was the diminutive General Tom Thumb. Barnum also promoted Swedish singer Jenny Lind,...

Operation Mincemeat, Part 2

23 May 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Operation Mincemeat aimed to relay false information to the Nazis by dropping a corpse where they would find it, along with fake documents. The Britis...

A Visit to Clybourne Park

21 May 2012

Contributed by Lukas

The Pulitzer-winning play "Clybourne Park" took inspiration from Lorraine Hansberry's "A Raisin the Sun." In this episode, we talk to Clybourne Park's...

The Prince of Humbug: P.T. Barnum

16 May 2012

Contributed by Lukas

P.T. Barnum is best known as a circus man, but he spent most of his career running a curiosity museum and staging freak shows. Barnum attracted people...

Operation Mincemeat, Part 1

14 May 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Once the Allies invaded North Africa, the Nazis began planning. Both sides knew Sicily was the obvious choice for the next Allied invasion, so the All...

Freya of Arabia

09 May 2012

Contributed by Lukas

After a childhood spent roaming Europe, Freya Stark began saving money to take Arabic lessons. Once fluent, she traveled into areas few outsiders had ...

The Battle of Sekigahara

07 May 2012

Contributed by Lukas

After the Japanese ruler Toyotomi Hideyoshi died, regents and bureaucrats scrambled for power. The rivals Tokugawa Ieyasu and Ishida Mitsunari rallied...

Who was the real Professor Moriarty? Part 2

02 May 2012

Contributed by Lukas

When Adam Worth stole a portrait of the Duchess of Devonshire, he fell in love with the painting. But a botched theft in Belgium landed him in prison,...

Horace Wells and the Gas War

30 Apr 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Dentist Horace Wells set up shop in Hartford in 1836, before the discovery of anasthesia. At an exhibition in 1844 he became certain that nitrous oxid...

Who was the real Professor Moriarty? Part 1

25 Apr 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Professor Moriarty was based on a real man: Adam Worth. After being falsely reported as dead during the Civil War, Worth began a life of crime. When W...

Four Flights of Female Aviators

23 Apr 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Amelia Earhart is the most well-known female aviator, but there were several notable female aviation pioneers. This episode talks about Raymonde de La...

Ferdinand Waldo Demara: Who was the Great Imposter?

18 Apr 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Ferdinand Demara took on several bogus personas throughout his imposter career -- everything from a professor to a monk. Demara stole the identities o...

Who was the real Indiana Jones?

16 Apr 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Although Lucas and Spielberg claim Indiana Jones was only inspired by adventure movies and pulp fiction, people have still suggested real-life inspira...

Westward Bound: Beryl Markham's Transatlantic Flight

11 Apr 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Beryl Markham was Africa's first female licensed racehorse trainer, but by the 1920s she'd found a new passion: flying. She went on to become Kenya's ...

The Heiress Explorer: Louise Boyd and the Arctic

09 Apr 2012

Contributed by Lukas

When gold mine heiress Louise Boyd staged her first Arctic expedition in the 1920s, she hunted polar bears with aristocrats. Yet she also met other ex...

George Arents: Hobbies and the Heathenish Weed

04 Apr 2012

Contributed by Lukas

How did advice from his great uncle inspire tobacco businessman George Arents to become one of the great contemporary bibliophiles? Listen in as Sarah...

Belle Starr: A Bad Rap for the Bandit Queen, Part 2

02 Apr 2012

Contributed by Lukas

After Jim Reed's death, Belle eventually married Sam Starr. Rumors circulated: Was Belle a barfly or a mom? In 1883, Belle and Sam served 9 months in ...

Charles Dickens Takes America

28 Mar 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Charles Dickens is best known for chronicling life in London, but he also wrote about the United States - and not in a flattering light. When touring ...

Belle Starr: A Bad Rap for the Bandit Queen

26 Mar 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Belle Starr is often remembered as a notorious outlaw who spent her free time carousing in saloons. But new accounts suggest that, while she wasn't a ...

From Diplomacy to Black Diaries: Roger Casement

21 Mar 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Roger Casement was an Irish-born British diplomat. He eventually became an Irish nationalist. After his arrest, he was sentenced to die. To stifle sup...

Frida Kahlo: An Introspective Life, Part 2

19 Mar 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Frida Kahlo took pride in caring for her husband Diego. In 1930, the couple went to the United States. When they returned to Mexico, their rocky relat...

From Brontë to Bell and Back Again

14 Mar 2012

Contributed by Lukas

The Brontë sisters quickly rose from obscurity to notoriety after their three novels were published under the Bell pseudonym. Join Sarah and Deblina ...

Frida Kahlo: An Introspective Life, Part 1

12 Mar 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Frida Kahlo contracted polio at the age of 6. Undeterred, she went on to have an active childhood and adolescence. After a tragic accident left her be...

Growing Up Brontë

07 Mar 2012

Contributed by Lukas

The Brontë sisters are considered some of the best writers of the 19th century but their past may surprise you. Join Sarah and Deblina as they discus...

Mary Anning, Princess of Paleontology

05 Mar 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Mary Anning started hunting for fossils in Lyme Regis in the early 1800s. Around 1811, she uncovered the complete skeleton of an ichthyosaurus. She ma...

Evliya Çelebi: World Traveler and Companion to Mankind

29 Feb 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Evliya Çelebi grew up in 17th century Istanbul as the "boon companion" of Sultan Murad IV. In his 20s, Evliya had a prophetic dream and spent decades...

The Fairy Tale Life of Hans Christian Andersen

27 Feb 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Hans Christian Andersen is often considered the father of the modern fairy tale, but his life was not the quiet existence depicted in his photos. His ...

Bessie Coleman: Daredevil Aviatrix

22 Feb 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Bessie Coleman knew that becoming a pilot was her dream. Because she was a black woman, no American flight schools would admit her. Despite the obstac...

Leading the Charge: The Massachusetts 54th

20 Feb 2012

Contributed by Lukas

A 1792 law prevented African Americans from taking up arms in the Civil War. As attitudes against blacks serving changed, black regiments were formed....

Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning in Love

15 Feb 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Robert Browning's early work wasn't as well-received as Elizabeth Barrett's poetry. Yet Barrett mentioned his work in one of her poems, and they start...

Who was the real Lone Ranger?

13 Feb 2012

Contributed by Lukas

The Lone Ranger has traditionally been portrayed by white actors, but many believe this character is based on an African-American named Bass Reeves. A...

The Booth Conspiracy

08 Feb 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Most people know the story of President Lincoln's assassination, but what happened afterward? In this podcast, we cover John Wilkes Booth's escape, hi...

Jack Johnson and the Fight of the Century

06 Feb 2012

Contributed by Lukas

During Jack Johnson's time, the heavyweight championship was unofficially a whites-only title. Despite discrimination, he fought title-holder Tommy Bu...

Sir Stamford Raffles and the Conquest of Java

01 Feb 2012

Contributed by Lukas

By the early 19th century, the Dutch controlled of most of the East Indies. Sir Thomas Stamford Bingley Raffles fought to oust the Dutch from the area...

There's Always a Seat for Queen Nzinga

30 Jan 2012

Contributed by Lukas

The warrior queen Nzinga used wily tactics to maintain her kingdom's independence during colonization. Born in the Ndongo Kingdom, Nzinga staged a cou...

H.H. Holmes and the Mysteries of Murder Castle, Part 2

25 Jan 2012

Contributed by Lukas

In the first part of this episode, Deblina and Sarah covered Herman W. Mudgett's early life, including how he first became known as H.H. Holmes. But h...

H.H. Holmes and the Mysteries of Murder Castle, Part 1

23 Jan 2012

Contributed by Lukas

As a student, Herman W. Mudgett used corpses to commit insurance fraud. In 1886, he moved to Chicago under the alias H.H. Holmes. In 1888, Holmes star...

Fridtjof Nansen and the Fram: Part 2

18 Jan 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Norwegian Fridtjof Nansen was an expert skier, zoologist and artist: By combining these skills, he became one of Norway's earliest heroes. Listen in a...