History Fix

Check out Outer Lore! In January of 1812 a schooner named The Patriot disappeared off the coast of North Carolina's Outer Banks. This dangerous stretch of coastline has claimed some 3,000 ships, earning it the nickname "Graveyard of the Atlantic." Aboard the Patriot was Theodosia Burr Alston, daughter of infamous US vice president Aaron Burr, on her way to visit her father in New Yo...

In 1975, the Khmer Rouge stormed into Cambodia's capital city of Phnom Penh victorious after 5 years of civil war. The people rejoiced. They thought the victors were there to liberate them, to restore peace and order after years of fighting. That couldn't have been farther from the truth. Over the next 4 years, the Khmer Rouge communist regime would force people into the countryside to w...

This episode explores the famed poison, Aqua Tofana, that desperate housewives used to murder their husbands in 17th century Italy. I'll delve into the legend of Giulia Tofana, the apparent namesake behind the poison who was supposedly responsible for the deaths of 600 men in the mid 1600s and do my best to separate fact from fiction to uncover what in the world was going on in Italy and, mor...

Coffee may seem like an innocent breakfast beverage to accompany your bacon and eggs, a mid afternoon office pick me up. But did you know, coffee is so much more than that? Did you know that coffee helped spark human enlightenment, the scientific revolution, the industrial revolution, capitalism, helped build the world as we know it? Let’s fix that.  Sources: Gastropod "Grounds for Revolution...

George Washington - most of you know him as America’s first president, Revolutionary War hero, founding father, face of the one dollar bill, chopped down a cherry tree, wooden teeth, real man’s man if you know what I mean. I think that’s all most people know or think they know about him. But the cherry tree thing, that never happened. The wooden teeth? They weren’t made of wood. I don’t think many...

This episode is all about inventions, techniques, and resources that have been lost or forgotten throughout the ages. From ancient construction techniques to puzzling inventions like the Antikythera mechanism, Greek Fire, and the Archimedes Heat Ray, I'll try to unravel the mysteries of the past and get to the bottom of how advanced technology becomes lost to the ages.   Sources:  Listverse &...

Join the Patreon for exclusive bonus content! Othniel Charles Marsh and Edward Drinker Cope were American paleontologists during the second half of the 19th century. Although they started as friends, they soon turned bitter enemies, competing against one another for 20 years to find and name the most fossils. This duel, often dubbed the “bone wars” led to espionage, sabotage, scandal, backstabbing...

I recently stumbled across a photograph of Confederate president Jefferson Davis with his family. He is sitting on the porch of his Mississippi home bouncing his granddaughter on his knee while a Black woman stands behind him in a servants uniform. I was somewhat shocked to learn that this photo was taken in 1885... 20 years after the Civil War. Davis had been the president of the Confederacy. He...

This week, as promised, I welcomed special guest Lori Davis, host of Her Half of History podcast . Join Lori and me as we chat about the unknown history of laundry. Find out just what has made laundry a complete nightmare throughout pretty much all of history and why few people today are even aware of this millennia old struggle.  For more, check out the Her Half of History podcast episode about l...

Ranavalona I, Queen of Madagascar has a bad reputation, to say the least. Few biographical sources exist about her but they all make their opinions well known in the titles alone: "Ranavalona I: Reign of Terror,” “Female Caligula: Ranavalona the Mad Queen of Madagascar,” “The Terror of Queen Ranavalona I in Madagascar.” But, I see reason to question this reputation. Was Ranavalona really a bl...

Join me as I explore the Nazca lines of Peru, one of the most enduring historical mysteries. We'll talk about the Nazca people including all of the juicy details... like pooping in people's mouths? Yeah. We'll also explore some of the prevailing theories as to why the Nazca put so much effort into etching these gigantic lines, shapes, and pictures into the desert floor, everything f...

PLEASE SHARE! This is the tell all story of how fluoroquinolone antibiotics led to disabling and potentially permanent side effects for my previously healthy 32 year old husband. Since taking Cipro in March of 2021, Joey has suffered from non-stop chronic pain,  weakness, and joint and muscle injuries that do not heal. This particular class of antibiotics is dangerously overprescribed despite comi...

This week, I'll delve into the surprising history of antibiotics. You'll learn how penicillin was discovered by accident and how its development was helped along by a moldy cantaloupe from a Peoria, Illinois farmers market. I'll also uncover how it went on to act as a secret weapon, helping the allied forces to victory during World War II. Plus I'm going to get real personal to...

This week I tell the stories of 9 feral children found surviving alone in the wilderness. Some even appear to have been cared for by wild animals - wolves, bears, dogs, and monkeys. Most walked on all fours, ate raw meat, and could only communicate in grunts, growls, and "wild cries." Some would never gain the ability to speak, burying their backstories in mystery to this day. Feral chil...

Mental health has been one of the greatest mysteries throughout human history. An illness with an invisible cause, no surgery will fix it, no tonic, no bandage. Is it supernatural? Evil spirits? Demonic possession? Our lack of understanding about the human mind and stigmatization of mental health issues has led to untold horrors throughout time. And while, yes, we’ve come a long way, is it possibl...

Uncover the history of Hawaii from its earliest habitation to its illegal overthrow by the US government in 1893. Join me as I discover exactly how the United States sank its claws into this island paradise, erased its native culture, and violently forced its queen to relinquish her throne without the approval of the US government. By the end, I think I'll have you convinced that Hawaii is no...

Join me as I uncover the unknown history of bread and how it has shaped our entire world. From its earliest existence 14,400 years ago, bread has played a major role in the formation of human civilizations. This week, we'll follow the path of bread from ancient Egypt, to ancient Rome, to medieval Europe, revolutionary France, and early America to discover how this universal food staple has be...

Few celebrities have captured the public’s attention like Marilyn Monroe. Mention of her immediately evokes images of platinum blonde curls, beauty marks, and that white dress, flapping in the updraft of a New York City subway grate. But despite being almost universally known, no one knows the real Marilyn Monroe because she never existed. She was less of a person and more of a product, created, i...

Join me as I uncover the history of cannibalism starting with the butchered bones of ancient hominids dating as far back as 780,000 years all the way to the present day. I'll explore examples of ritual cannibalism and delve into four horrifying stories of survival cannibalism. Finally, I'll examine the freaky psychology behind pathological cannibalism. What drives a human to eat another...

Easter is the foundation of the Christian religion. It commemorates the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ and whether or not you believe this story is the difference between being a Christian and not being a Christian. It’s the single defining event of that religion. So Easter is a very religious holiday. But it also has a historical side. In this episode, I dig into the historical side...

This week, I tell the inspiring stories of 6 women who served in the top secret British espionage and sabotage organization, the SOE, during World War II.  In the late 1930s, Hitler's Nazi Germany quickly expanded throughout Europe, grabbing up country after country in its quest for world domination. When France finally fell to the Nazis in 1940, Britain was utterly alone in Europe, a sitting...

This week, I discuss the history of Saint Patrick's Day including who Saint Patrick was, what he did, and how the modern holiday actually got its start with Irish immigrants living in America and not Ireland. This one is packed full of bombshells you won't want to miss!  Sources:  History.com "History of Saint Patrick's Day" History.com "How St. Patrick's Day Too...

In this episode, I discuss the centuries long toxic relationship between Ireland and England that led up to the devastation of the potato famine in 1845. During the 7 year period of "The Great Hunger," one million Irish people died and two million left Ireland. But while the blight that caused the potatoes to rot may be considered a natural disaster, there was nothing natural about the c...

In this episode of History Fix I speak with Sue Burns about her book "A Common Life: A Voice From the Progressive Era." When Sue's great great grandmother's 100 year old diary was discovered disintegrating in an attic, she went to great lengths to help her mother preserve it. Then she took it even further, researching the historical context in which Mary Anne Mosher Briggs live...

In this episode of History Fix, I bring you the story of Mary Richards and Elizabeth Van Lew, two women who worked together to feed Confederate secrets to Union forces during the American Civil War. These daring women put it all on the line, demonstrating  exceptional bravery and above average intellect to do what they thought was right. At a time when women were seen as docile, ignorant, and non-...