Dave Does History

William McKinley, the energetic and beloved President, passes after being shot by an assassain...

Cesare Borgia, born on September 13, 1475, is one of the most enigmatic and controversial figures of the Italian Renaissance, a man whose life of ambition, power, and intrigue captivated his contemporaries and continues to fascinate historians today. As the illegitimate son of Pope Alexander VI, Cesare’s early years were marked by a rise to both ecclesiastical and military power, but his thirst fo...

The Battle at Marathon gives Greece its first victory over Persia, and then enters our modern lexicon to describe a challenging or enduring activity that requires sustained effort, patience and endurance.

The September 11, 1857 attack by Mormons on a peaceful group of travelers leads to high tensions in the Utah Territory between the Mormons and the Government. It also becomes the basis for the first Sherlock Holmes story published in 1887...

On this episode of Dave Does History , Dave Bowman takes us back to the post-Revolutionary War era of America, a time when the new nation was struggling to find its footing. Contrary to the idyllic vision many have of early America, life was far from perfect. Economic chaos, political instability, and the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation left the young country in disarray. From state ta...

Ignited on September, 9, 1739 in South Carolina, the Stono rebellion stands as a reminder that the fight for freedom was difficult, costly and lengthy...

The worst peacetime disaster in US Navy history happens on September 8, 1923, as seven US Navy Destroyers are lost due to a navigational error

The attack by the submersible Turtle on HMS Eagle during the American Revolutionary War

In this episode, we dive into the fascinating discovery of "Portrait of a Girl", a painting that recently sold at auction for over $1.4 million, and which some experts believe may be an unknown Rembrandt original. Found in a dusty attic in Camden, Maine, this mysterious portrait has captured the art world's imagination. We’ll explore the journey of the painting from obscurity to the...

The attack on Israeli Athletes at the 1972 Olympic Games

The life and times of King Louis XIV, the "Sun King" of France who reigned for 72 years...

September 4, 1941 - A Nazi U-boat fires on a US Navy Destroyer for the first time

02 September 44bce - Cicero launches his verbal attacks on Marc Anthony...

September 1, 1939 - Germany invades Poland and begins World War II

The life and times of the Roman emperor Caligula

In the latest episode of “Dave Does History” on *Bill Mick Live*, historian Dave Bowman sheds light on one of the more obscure figures in American presidential history: Benjamin Harrison, the 23rd President of the United States. Often overlooked in the grand tapestry of U.S. history, Harrison’s legacy is much more significant than most realize. Bowman’s deep dive into Harrison’s life and presidenc...

It almost seems like ancient history. But it was just seventeen days ago that the world watched as the opening ceremonies of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris either baffled or offended pretty much every one who isn’t…. well… French. Was it a parody of the Last supper painting – itself an inaccurate distortion of the actual Seder event? Or… was it a reenactment of several paintings of the behavior o...

On the bright morning of August 6, 1945 (Japan time), a solitary B-29 floated gently over the city of Hiroshima. It was not an unusual sight, nor was it unexpected. In many ways Hiroshima had been either lucky or protected during the devastating air raids that had recently set many Japanese cities on fire. There were rumors that Hiroshima had some special protection because of some secret relation...

On this weeks gripping episode of “Dave Does History” on the  Bill Mick Live Show ,  historian Dave Bowman takes us back to the harrowing final voyage of the USS Indianapolis during World War II. We  explore the top-secret mission that led to the ship’s fateful journey, the catastrophic torpedo attack by a Japanese submarine, and the horrific ordeal faced by the surviving crew members in shark-inf...

In this compelling episode of “Bill Mick Live,” Dave Bowman delves into the historical intricacies of political assassinations, focusing on the death of Tiberius Gracchus in 133 BCE. Dave explores the turbulent period of the Late Roman Republic, drawing striking parallels between ancient Rome and contemporary political climates. As he dissects the motives and consequences of Gracchus’ assassinatio...

The story of Charles Guiteau and his attack on President James A. Garfield is a gripping tale of ambition, delusion, and tragedy. Charles Guiteau, a troubled and erratic individual, became fixated on President Garfield and convinced himself that he was destined to play a significant role in American politics. His unrelenting quest for recognition and power culminated in a fateful encounter on  Jul...

On  June 25, 1876 , General George Armstrong Custer and his troops faced a formidable alliance of Lakota Sioux, Northern Cheyenne, and Arapaho warriors led by legendary leaders Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse. This clash, often referred to as “Custer’s Last Stand,” has been etched into the annals of history not only for its dramatic and tragic outcome but also for its profound impact on the course of...

In this episode of Dave Does History on Bill Mick Live, historian Dave Bowman takes listeners on a deep dive into the War of 1812, examining the complex causes and significant consequences of the conflict. The discussion covers the war’s origins, including British impressment of American sailors, trade restrictions, and territorial disputes involving Native American tribes. Bowman explains how the...

On February 22, 1770, eleven year old Christopher Seider was killed in the streets of Boston. He is generally considered by historians to be the first person to die in the American Revolution. The British Taxes imposed in 1767 under the Townsend Acts led a firestorm of Colonial protests, particularly - and to no one's surprise - in Boston. The Colonials had boycotted British imports since the...

The enigma machine was supposed to be Nazi Germany’s unbreakable code machine. It’s network carried the bulk of the German secret communications from the 1920’s through the end of WWII in May of 1945. The machines carried by German Naval units, including U-Boats, were a complex gizmo of gears and wheels and keys, that required the correct plug in board to produce the encrypted messages that contro...