Stuff You Missed in History Class

In the 19th century, a heated dispute arose over the house sparrow and its introduction into North America. Elliot Coues and Thomas Mayo Brewer held opposing opinions on the matter which they defended their entire lives.  Research: Mosco, Rosemary. “Meet the Little Brown Bird That Holds a Mirror Up to Humanity.” Audubon. 4/5/2023. https://www.audubon.org/news/meet-little-brown-bird-holds-mirror-hu...

People have kept diaries and recorded notes since writing was invented. But planners as we think of them today have their roots in almanacs.  Research: Atkins, Samuel. “Kalendarium Pennsilvaniense.” W. Bradford. 1685. https://books.google.com/books/about/Kalendarium_Pennsilvaniense_Or_America_s.html?id=wT0wAAAAYAAJ Nichols, Charles L. “Notes on the Almanacs of Massachusetts.” American Antiquarian...

For New Year's Eve, we're resharing our Sept 2021 episode on the history of gin. Happy New Year to all our listeners, and cheers to you no matter your drink of choice! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 2014, the show covered the 1903 fire at the new Iroquois Theater. The horrible, incredibly tragic incident was the result of multiple code violations and wrongdoings. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Differing points of view regarding the Stone of Scone are discussed. Tracy also shares thoughts on "Assassins' Creed," its mixed reviews, and the most interesting historical elements in it.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Banū Mūsā were three brothers who lived in Baghdad during the Islamic Golden Age. Among their many achievements, they wrote books on math and science, and created a number of automata.  Research: 1001 Inventions. “Fountains.” https://www.1001inventions.com/fountains/ Abboud, Tony. “Al-Kindi : the father of Arab philosophy.” New York, NY : Rosen Pub. Group. 2006. Ali, Adam. “The Abbasid Civil W...

On Christmas day in 1950, the Stone of Scone was removed, heist-style, from Westminster Abbey. Some believed it to be an act of theft, and others, liberation.  Research: Aitchison, Nick. “Scotland's Stone of Destiny : myth, history and nationhood.” Stroud : Tempus. 2000. BBC World Service. “The removal of Scotland's Stone of Destiny - BBC World Service.” Via YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

For Christmas Eve, we’re sharing our 2016 episode about holiday figures from around the world. This one features the Mari Lwyd, which came up on a recent episode.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This 2019 episode covers John Wilkins who planned out what he thought it would take for humans to travel to the moon In the 1600s. Wilkins managed to ride out a rocky time in England's history comfortably. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

 Tracy talks about not seeing a frozen body of water that could support a person as a kid. Holly discusses how difficult it is to pare down Hedda Hopper's life into an episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Though she started out acting, what really made Hedda Hopper famous was her work in newspapers. For several decades, she could make or break a movie career with her gossip column, sending statements to print regardless of whether there was any actual proof of what she claimed. Research:  Collins, Amy Fine. “The Powerful Rivalry of Hedda Hopper and Louella Parsons.” Vanity Fair. April 1997. https:/...

The London Frost Fairs, were festivals held out on the ice when the River Thames froze over. Most of these fairs were in January or February, and the last of them took place in 1814. Research: Andrews, William. “Famous Frosts and Frost Fairs in Great Britain: Chronicled from the Earliest to the Present Time.” G. Redway. 1887. https://archive.org/details/famousfrostsand00andrgoog Davis, George. “Fr...

This 2016 episode was inspired by our trip to the Royall House & Slave Quarters. It's about Belinda Sutton and her petitions to be compensated for her enslavement to the Royall family. Here is the link to the video we recorded for HowStuffWorks at Royall House & Slave Quarters: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdE7ravZvas&list=PLNrBwGzpymDJwMDZeUI939TpVViLOKHpy See omnystudio.com/listen...

Holly and Tracy share formative experiences with math classes. Then Tracy discusses a spinning bee, Lafayette in Medford, and her historical fanfiction. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sarah Bradlee Fulton is sometimes called the Mother of the Boston Tea Party. But available information about her is basically a series of anecdotes, and can’t really be corroborated. Research: "The Boston Tea Party, 1773," EyeWitness to History, www.eyewitnesstohistory.com (2002). “Boston Gazette Account.” http://www.boston-tea-party.org/account-boston-gazette.html Albus, Brenda Ely. “’A Woman Fea...

Two men, working separately but simultaneously, are each cited as the originator of the idea of the metric system depending on what source you read. But it took more than 100 years to implement the ideas they suggested. Research: Alder, Ken. “The Measure of All Things.” Simon & Schuster. 2003. Benham, Elizabeth. “Busting Myths About the Metric System.” National Institute of Standards and Techn...

This 2019 episode looks at a few of the moments in traffic light history that got us to where we are today, as well as what made them a necessity in the first place See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Holly and Tracy discuss Advent calendars in their own lives. They also discuss some of their experiences in Barcelona.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Montjuïc Castle is a fortress in Barcelona that dates back to the 17th century. And it has been involved in both the defense of Barcelona and its repression – repeatedly, over the course of centuries. Research:  "Catalonia." Britannica Library, Encyclopædia Britannica, 8 Jun. 2023. libraries.state.ma.us/login?eburl=https%3A%2F%2Flibrary.eb.com&ebtarget=%2Flevels%2Freferencecenter%2Farticle%2FC...

The religious observation of Advent has shifted and changed through the years. But how did we get to a point where an Advent calendar is also a non-religious Christmas countdown with chocolates or other treats? Research: Allen, Scott. “A Brief History of Advent Calendars.” Mental Floss. Dec. 1, 2010. https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/26522/brief-history-advent-calendars “A Look Back at the Adven...

Holly and Tracy talk about the blackout that happened during the recording of their live show in Los Angeles. They then discuss their different activities during their time visiting Montserrat.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Montserrat is a culturally important place with a lot of stories. This episode focuses on three to show its importance as a religious center, as a strategic military location, and finally, as a place that has been home to political protest. Research: Buttery, Helen. “The Dark Queen.” National Post. March 31, 2001. https://www.newspapers.com/image/513661243/?terms=madonna%20montserrat&match=1 “...

This episode was recorded (mostly) live at the AC Hotel Los Angeles South Bay, where we talked about Collinses, the Bees Knees, and a man who is iconic in bartending history. Research: Brown, Jared, and Anistatia Miller. “Is the Bee’s Knees Cocktail Making a Comeback?” Imbibe Live. Feb. 22, 2022. https://live.imbibe.com/en-gb/blog/spirits-and-cocktails/bees-knees-cocktail-comeback.html “The Gourd...

This 2018 episode covers the four Mirabal sisters, who are national heroes in the Dominican Republic. But they weren't very well-known elsewhere until 20 or so years ago when they became the subject of a historical novel. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Holly and Tracy discuss Bertillon's influence in the practice of people carrying ID cards. Tracy talks about how much she loves historical uprisings that include smashing things.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.