Stuff You Missed in History Class
Episodes
Fridtjof Nansen and the Fram: Part 1
16 Jan 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Fridtjof Nansen was an artist, skier, zoologist and one of Norway's earliest heroes. The first part of this episode covers his early adventures, while...
W.C. Minor: Madness, Murder and a Dictionary, Part 2
11 Jan 2012
Contributed by Lukas
When we last left the story of W.C. Minor, he'd fatally shot a man in London. In the conclusion of this episode, Sarah and Deblina look at the events ...
Public Enemies: 5 Gangsters to Know
09 Jan 2012
Contributed by Lukas
For every Al Capone, there was a cast of lesser-known men who were often just as dangerous. In this episode, Sarah and Deblina explore the lives of ga...
Ötzi: Everyone's Favorite Copper Age Man
04 Jan 2012
Contributed by Lukas
In 1991, two hikers in the Alps found a mysterious body. The frozen mummy turned out to be a 5,300-year-old man -- a discovery that's given researcher...
W. C. Minor: Madness, Murder and a Dictionary, Part I
02 Jan 2012
Contributed by Lukas
In the first part of this episode, we look at the early days of William Chester Minor. Minor originally studied medicine and served and practiced surg...
Unearthed in 2011: Part 2
28 Dec 2011
Contributed by Lukas
In part two of this episode, we continue to uncover some of the most interesting historical discoveries of 2011, from the world's oldest winery to Fra...
Unearthed in 2011: Part 1
26 Dec 2011
Contributed by Lukas
In this two-part episode, we take a look at some of the most interesting historical finds of 2011, from one of Captain Henry Morgan's pirate ships to ...
The Christmas Truce
21 Dec 2011
Contributed by Lukas
During the first Christmas of World War I, British and German soldiers laid down their weapons and celebrated the holiday together. They sang carols, ...
The Halifax Explosion
19 Dec 2011
Contributed by Lukas
The Halifax Explosion was one of history's worst man-made, non-nuclear explosions. The disaster killed about 2,000 people, and part of the city was co...
Rosalind Franklin: DNA's Dark Lady
14 Dec 2011
Contributed by Lukas
The men who are usually credited with discerning DNA's structure won the Nobel Prize in 1962, but they used Rosalind Franklin's research. In 1952, she...
The Kaiser's Chemist: Fritz Haber
12 Dec 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Fritz Haber has a mixed legacy. The Nobel-Prize-winning Father of Chemical Warfare was responsible for fertilizers that fed billions, as well as poiso...
Civil War Medicine: Angels of the Battlefield
07 Dec 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Women weren't initially welcome in the Civil War armies, but thousands eventually ended up serving as nurses. We feature five here. Listen in to learn...
John Dillinger: Public Enemy Number One
05 Dec 2011
Contributed by Lukas
John Dillinger robbery career began when he was paroled in 1933. Several escaped inmates joined Dillinger, and they were arrested in 1934. Dillinger e...
Sisi: The Empress of Austria and Her Cult of Beauty
30 Nov 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Empress Elisabeth of Austria, better known as Sisi, is often considered the public's "favorite" member of the Habsburgs. She only reluctantly carried ...
Mug Shot! Alphonse Bertillon and Criminal Identification
28 Nov 2011
Contributed by Lukas
In the 19th century, Alphonse Bertillon standardized the mug shot and came up with a system of organizing police records; he also conceived a new way ...
The Death of Stonewall Jackson
23 Nov 2011
Contributed by Lukas
As a Confederate surgeon, Dr. MacGuire's first assignment was under the command of Lieutenant General Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson, who became his mo...
Polio: The Dread Disease
21 Nov 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Polio was a terrifying threat in the early 20th century: It often left victims paralyzed or dead. Yet two vaccines caused an immediate drop in polio c...
How Vincent van Gogh Worked
16 Nov 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Today, Vincent van Gogh has come to fit our idea of the tortured artist. Aside from his art, he's best known for cutting off his ear and committing su...
Maximilian, Mexico's Habsburg Prince
14 Nov 2011
Contributed by Lukas
For a time, Mexico was ruled by a Habsburg prince: Ferdinand Maximilian. While Maximilian was unwelcome, he upheld liberal reforms and modernized the ...
The Gunpowder Plot, Part 2
09 Nov 2011
Contributed by Lukas
In Part 2 of The Gunpowder Plot, we discuss how a group of English Catholics attempted to carry out their plan. Yet the Plot was discovered days befor...
Bloodwork, Part 2
07 Nov 2011
Contributed by Lukas
In part two of this interview series, Dr. Holly Tucker discusses the research methods behind her new book, "Blood Work: A Tale of Medicine and Murder ...
The Gunpowder Plot, Part 1
02 Nov 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Under Queen Elizabeth I, English Catholics were subject to discriminatory laws. When King James I took the throne, Catholics unsuccessfully petitioned...
Blood Work, Part I
31 Oct 2011
Contributed by Lukas
In part one of a special author interview, Dr. Holly Tucker talks about her new book, "Blood Work: A Tale of Medicine and Murder in the Scientific Rev...
Civil War Medicine: Mary Edwards Walker
26 Oct 2011
Contributed by Lukas
When the Civil War began, Mary Edwards Walker sought work as a surgeon. When the Union refused to give her an appointment, she worked as a volunteer. ...
Secret Science: Alchemy!
24 Oct 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Many think of alchemy as a fool's pursuit, but alchemy has a rich history closely tied to medicine and metallurgy. Additionally, techniques developed ...
Who was the real Dr. Frankenstein?
19 Oct 2011
Contributed by Lukas
It's no secret that Mary Shelley's infamous novel has influenced generations of writers, but is completely based on fiction, or was Shelley inspired b...
Why would you put a cadaver on trial?
17 Oct 2011
Contributed by Lukas
In 897, Pope Stephen VI had his deceased predecessor Formosus exhumed and put on trial. The corpse was found guilty, but this desecration disgusted Ro...
The Sisters Fox: They Talked to Dead People
12 Oct 2011
Contributed by Lukas
In 1848, the Fox family began hearing strange noises, and sisters Maggie and Kate started communicating with spirits. They built a career as mediums, ...
Admiral Yi Sun-sin and the Turtle Ships
10 Oct 2011
Contributed by Lukas
When Japan invaded Korea in 1592, the Korean forces were unprepared for Japan's troops. The Korean navy, however, was a different story. Commanding Ad...
John Dee: Her Majesty's Secret Sorcerer
05 Oct 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Born in 1527 to a Welsh family, John Dee grew to become one of Queen Elizabeth's most memorable advisors. Join Sarah and Deblina as they delve into th...
Who is D.B. Cooper?
03 Oct 2011
Contributed by Lukas
In 1971, a man calling himself Dan Cooper hijacked Northwest Orient Airlines flight 305. He received a ransom of $200,000 -- and then jumped out in mi...
The Belle Gunness Episode: Who was the Mistress of Murder Hill?
28 Sep 2011
Contributed by Lukas
In 1908, a fire leveled the Indiana home of Belle Gunness. Four bodies were found in the cellar, and it seemed possible that Gunnes might have escaped...
The Freedom Rides: Australia Takes Note
26 Sep 2011
Contributed by Lukas
The final part of this series takes place in Australia, where students were inspired by the Freedom Rides and protested discrimination against Aborigi...
Not Ned: Bushrangers in Later Years
21 Sep 2011
Contributed by Lukas
After 1853, many bushrangers were native-born. Ben Hall seemed on track for a peaceful life until two wrongful arrests put him on different path. And ...
The Freedom Rides: Nashville Steps Up
19 Sep 2011
Contributed by Lukas
When Nashville college students picked up where CORE riders stopped, they were eventually incarcerated in Mississippi. Yet more riders kept coming. Tu...
Not Ned: Early Australian Bushrangers
14 Sep 2011
Contributed by Lukas
While Ned Kelly may be the most famous bushranger, he's certainly not the only one. Join Deblina and Sarah as they explore the lives of early bush ran...
The Freedom Riders: CORE's First Wave
12 Sep 2011
Contributed by Lukas
In 1961, buses and terminals in the South were illegally segregated. The Civil Rights group CORE sent riders to test the law, riding from D.C., to New...
The Radium Girls
07 Sep 2011
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...
5 War Dogs of History
05 Sep 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Dogs have been used in war for a long time and are still used today. In this episode, Sarah and Deblina look at five war dogs known for their strength...
A Sampling of Historic Spirits, Part 2
31 Aug 2011
Contributed by Lukas
The second episode of this two-part podcast covers historic alcohol that's still (mostly) drinkable. Tune in to learn more about the world's oldest Ch...
Tamerlane and the Battle of Ankara
29 Aug 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Timur the Lame (that's Tamerlane to the Westerners) conquered areas from Persia to Russia throughout the late 1300s. His last great battle was in Anka...
A Sampling of Historic Spirits, Part 1
24 Aug 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Ancient alcohol can tell us a lot about a society. In this episode, Sarah and Deblina cover millennia-old residues left behind in Chinese pottery, Egy...
The White Ship and Empress Matilda
22 Aug 2011
Contributed by Lukas
In 1120, the heir to the throne, three of the king's other children, and many of the kingdom's youths drowned at sea. This left a woman named Matilda ...
5 Historical Hoaxes
17 Aug 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Historical hoaxes are surprisingly common. For example, a N.Y. cigar maker once commissioned a gypsum skeleton to pass off as a 10-foot-tall petrified...
Orson Welles and the War of the Worlds
15 Aug 2011
Contributed by Lukas
In 1938, Orson Welles produced a series of radio dramas, including one based on "War of the Worlds." The broadcast aired the night before Halloween an...
Nikolai Vavilov: Who was the Indiana Jones of Botany?
10 Aug 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Nikolai Vavilov traveled to 64 countries gathering seeds and plants and established the first seed bank. Stalin had the botanist sentenced to death, b...
More with David McCullough
08 Aug 2011
Contributed by Lukas
In the second portion of their interview with author David McCullough, Sarah and Deblina, focus specifically on their favorite parts of his new book "...
The Trial of Leo Frank
03 Aug 2011
Contributed by Lukas
In 1913, 13-year-old Atlanta factory worker Mary Phagan stopped in for her pay -- and was never seen alive again. Authorities charged Jewish superinte...
Marian Anderson - The Lady from Philadelphia
01 Aug 2011
Contributed by Lukas
An acclaimed African-American contralto, Marian Anderson was barred from singing in Constitution Hall in 1939. She sang at the Lincoln Memorial instea...
How the Bayeux Tapestry Works
27 Jul 2011
Contributed by Lukas
The Bayeux Tapestry is considered the one of the most important images of the Medieval Age. It's a stunning piece of art, and it covers a crucial even...
A Tale of False Dmitry
25 Jul 2011
Contributed by Lukas
The false Dmitriy was actually one of three imposters claiming to be the son of Ivan the Terrible. So what made his story seem more believable to the ...
The Rise and Fall of Carthage
20 Jul 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Carthage was a trading hub of the ancient world, challenging the budding Roman Republic. In 264 B.C., Rome and Carthage began the Punic Wars, which co...
The White Rajahs of Sarawak
18 Jul 2011
Contributed by Lukas
In the 1830s, James Brooke sailed toward the Malay Archipelago and ended up becoming the Rajah of Sarawak. Brooke governed Sarawak until the 1860s and...
Civil War Spies: Mary-Elizabeth Bowser
13 Jul 2011
Contributed by Lukas
After her father died, Elizabeth Van Lew freed the family slaves, including a girl named Mary. When the Civil War began, sources say Mary became an ag...
The Darien Disaster
11 Jul 2011
Contributed by Lukas
In the late 1600s, a financier tried to start a Scottish colony in Panama. Despite English roadblocks, the Scots successfully raised funding. But the ...
Victoria and Albert
06 Jul 2011
Contributed by Lukas
She's one of Britain's best-loved queens, but Victoria's parentage made her an unlikely heir. When she became queen at 18, she rebelled from her upbri...
Civil War Spies: Belle Boyd
04 Jul 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Belle Boyd got her start as a spy in Martinsburg, Virginia, at the age of 17. In 1862, the "Cleopatra of the Secession" obtained - and risked her life...
The Rite of Spring Riot
29 Jun 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Riots are a distressingly common part of human history, and the strangest events can trigger widespread violence. In this episode, Deblina and Sarah t...
Civil War Spies: Allan Pinkerton
27 Jun 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Allan Pinkerton fell into detective work when he discovered a gang of counterfeiters in Illinois. In 1861, he helped thwart a plot to assassinate Abra...
Alan Turing: Codebreaker
22 Jun 2011
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 hi...
Ned Kelly's Last Stand
20 Jun 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Bushrangers, a type of bandit, troubled Australia until the late 1800s. Ned Kelly, the most famous bushranger, became an outlaw in 1878, and his gang ...
Huguette Clark: The Copper Kings and the Recluse Heiress
15 Jun 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Recently deceased heiress Huguette Clark was reclusive -- she hadn't been photographed since 1930. Her father was the wealthy William Andrews Clark, w...
James Strang: The King of Beaver Island
13 Jun 2011
Contributed by Lukas
In 1850, James Strang was crowned king of Michigan's Beaver Island. He got the opportunity to lead after meeting Joseph Smith and converting to Mormon...
Cahokia: North America's First City?
08 Jun 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Most people have heard of great South and Central American empires, but Mississippian civilizations are more obscure. At its peak, the Mississippian c...
Paul Morphy: Who was the pride and sorrow of chess?
06 Jun 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Bobby Fischer called Paul Morphy "the greatest chess genius in history," By age 20, he earned recognition as America's best player after winning the n...
Princess Caraboo: Imposter from Javasu
01 Jun 2011
Contributed by Lukas
When a mysterious woman sporting a turban showed up in England, people took her for a foreign beggar. But she claimed to be a princess who had been ki...
History's Unforgettable Fires
30 May 2011
Contributed by Lukas
After covering the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire, Deblina and Sarah return to the topic of disastrous fires in history. Listen in as they recount s...
An Interview with David McCullough
25 May 2011
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Pulitzer Prize-winning author David McCullough discusses his book "The Greater Journey: Americans in Paris," which follows the experi...
Queen Victoria and Abdul Karim
23 May 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Queen Victoria loved two men: Prince Albert, and after his death, her servant, John Brown. Late in life, the Queen had a third partner, a Muslim man n...
Fire at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory
18 May 2011
Contributed by Lukas
In the early 1900s, New York City's Triangle Shirtwaist factory was one of the largest blouse factories in the city. It was also incredibly unsafe. Le...
Sink the Bismarck!
16 May 2011
Contributed by Lukas
The German battleship Bismarck was the most feared warship in the world - a powerful complement to U-boats. But when she sank the pride of the British...
A Pure Food Father and His Poison Squad
11 May 2011
Contributed by Lukas
In the late 1800s, no one really monitored food additives. After Congress refused to regulate food safety, Harvey Wiley had groups of healthy men inge...
The 300th Episode: The Real
09 May 2011
Contributed by Lukas
It's the three-hundredth episode of your favorite history podcast, and what better way to celebrate than to take a closer look at real story behind th...
More Shipwreck Stories: Battleships!
04 May 2011
Contributed by Lukas
In this all-listener-suggested episode, Deblina and Sarah take a look at why four different warships from around the world went down, and why they wer...
Jimmy Winkfield: Derby Pioneer
02 May 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Jimmy Winkfield won the Kentucky Derby twice, and he was also the last African-American jockey to win the race. Winkfield moved abroad in 1904 to cont...
5 Shipwreck Stories
27 Apr 2011
Contributed by Lukas
From the sinking of Black Sam's Wydah to the Medusa's disastrous accident off the African coast, history is rife with tales of shipwrecks. Listen in a...
The Tussaud Test of Popularity
25 Apr 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Although Madame Tussaud's museum is world-famous, the story of Marie Tussaud herself is less well-known. So who exactly was she, and how did she creat...
Westminster Abbey: Royal Wedding Edition
20 Apr 2011
Contributed by Lukas
This year, Prince William and Kate Middleton will be getting married at Westminster Abbey. Listen in to learn more about royal weddings as Sarah and D...
The Disappearance of the Lindbergh Baby
18 Apr 2011
Contributed by Lukas
On March 1, 1932, 20-month-old Charles Augustus Lindberg Jr. disappeared. The kidnappers left several clues at the crime scene, authorities eventually...
Alexander Selkirk: Who was the real Robinson Crusoe?
13 Apr 2011
Contributed by Lukas
In 1695, Alexander Selkirk ran away and joined a band of buccaneers. In 1704, after a fight with his captain, Selkirk was put ashore on an uninhabited...
How the New York Draft Riots Worked
11 Apr 2011
Contributed by Lukas
To recruit troops for the U.S. Civil War, the Federal Congress passed the Union Conscription Act in 1863, which drafted able-bodied men between the ag...
The Amistad Mutiny
06 Apr 2011
Contributed by Lukas
In 1839, Africans held captive by slavers revolted and ordered the Amistad's crew to return to Africa. However, the ship was captured in Long Island a...
The Oneida Utopia
04 Apr 2011
Contributed by Lukas
In 1848, a preacher named John Humphrey Noyse founded the Oneida community. In this episode, Deblina and Sarah recount the rise and fall of the Oneida...
Five Real-life Amazons
30 Mar 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Amazons are a well-known element of mythology, but are there any historical figures that could be considered real-life Amazons? Listen in as Deblina a...
Victoria Woodhull: Little Queen for President
28 Mar 2011
Contributed by Lukas
In 1872, the Equal Rights Party nominated Victoria Woodhull for president, but her radical views and an personal scandal caused her to lose many suppo...
Dr. Livingstone, I presume?
23 Mar 2011
Contributed by Lukas
David Livingstone was a missionary working in Africa, and for six years he lost contact with the western world. In this episode, Deblina and Sarah rec...
Lakshmi Bai: Who is India's Joan of Arc?
21 Mar 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Lakshmi Bai was born into wealthy family in 1830, but she was far from the typical aristocrat. In this episode, Deblina and Sarah recount the life and...
Lambert the Pretender, Irish-crowned King
16 Mar 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Lambert Simnel was born into a humble position, but over the course of his life he became both a pretender to the throne and an imposter. Tune in to l...
The Mystery of Saint-Ex: Antoine de Saint-Éxupery
14 Mar 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Since its publication in 1934, The Little Prince has become one of the world's most well-known children's books -- and the story of its author, Antoin...
Don't Cross the Dragon Lady, Cheng I Sao
09 Mar 2011
Contributed by Lukas
When people think of pirates, they usually picture male, western scoundrels flouting the law throughout the Caribbean. However, piracy is not a solely...
The Riotous Life of Caravaggio
07 Mar 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Michelangelo da Caravaggio may not be as well-known as Leonardo da Vinci, but this amazing painter has been receiving more and more attention in recen...
The Best Mardi Gras Ever
02 Mar 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Mardi Gras has been a legal holiday in New Orleans since 1875, and the annual Fat Tuesday celebration has become a legendary part of the city's cultur...
Sarah Breedlove Walker & Sarah Rector: Who was America's first black millionairess?
28 Feb 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Often, when people discuss America's first black female millionaire, they're talking about a women named Sarah Breedlove Walker, also known as Madame ...
How the Stono Rebellion Worked
23 Feb 2011
Contributed by Lukas
In September of 1739, a slave rebellion shook the foundations of the colony in South Carolina. But how did it happen? Tune in to learn more about the ...
Phillip V, Reluctant King
21 Feb 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Some historians think Phillip V of Spain was mad, but why? Listen in as Sarah and Deblina recount the strange rule of Phillip V, who abdicated the thr...
The Crafts' Escape to Freedom
16 Feb 2011
Contributed by Lukas
When Ellen and her husband William made their escape from a life of slavery in Georgia, they traversed over 1,000 miles to reach freedom. In this epis...
The St. Valentine's Day Massacre
14 Feb 2011
Contributed by Lukas
During Prohibition, the US was awash in booze-fueled crime. Gangsters feuded savagely to control their turf, especially in Chicago. On Feb. 14th, 1929...
Who was the last French Bourbon?
09 Feb 2011
Contributed by Lukas
The story of the House of Bourbon is pretty complicated. Luckily, Deblina and Sarah are here to examine the web of people and events leading to the fa...
How Tulip Mania Worked
07 Feb 2011
Contributed by Lukas
A funny thing happened to the Dutch during the 17th century: They went nuts for tulips, paying exorbitant amounts for a single bulb. But what exactly ...
The Last Emperor of Ethiopia
02 Feb 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Haile Selassie wasn't just the last emperor of Ethiopia -- he is also hailed as a messiah. In this episode, Deblina and Sarah explore the astonishing ...