Stuff You Missed in History Class

The Rebecca Riots took place in Wales in the 1830s and 1840s. While these events are often described as a protest against heavy road tolls, that was only a small part of the story.  Research: Age of Revolution. “Rebecca and her daughters.” https://ageofrevolution.org/200-object/rebecca-and-her-daughters/ Age of Revolution. “Tollhouse designed by Thomas Telford.” https://ageofrevolution.org/200-obj...

Bertillon developed a system of identification via body measurements that was designed to identify whether crime suspects had an existing criminal history. But his contributions to police work have been occluded by some terrible missteps.  Research:  Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Alphonse Bertillon".  Encyclopedia Britannica , 19 Apr. 2023, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Alphons...

This 2019 episode covers Sarah Josepha Hale's well-known poetry, and her publication Godey's Lady's Book, the most popular magazine in the U.S. in the middle of the 19th century, See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tracy and Holly discuss elementary school experiences with Mourning Dove's work, and Tracy ponders whether her story intersected with other topics from the show.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 1916, Mourning Dove gave an interview that described the book she had written as soon to be published, but it turned out to still be years away. Part two covers the years it took to get that book published, and her life after it.  Research: American Folklore Society. “Mourning Dove (Hum-ishu-ma / Christine Quintasket).” https://notablefolkloristsofcolor.org/portfolio/mourning-dove-hum-ishu-ma-c...

Mourning Dove was an activist, ethnographer and novelist, and one of the first, if not the first, Indigenous women in the U.S. to publish a novel. Part one covers the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation and her early career. Research: American Folklore Society. “Mourning Dove (Hum-ishu-ma / Christine Quintasket).” https://notablefolkloristsofcolor.org/portfolio/mourning-dove-hum-ishu-m...

This 2015 episode examines that humans have always longed to explore underwater, but need to breathe air. From as far back as the 4th century B.C.E., clever inventors have been designing technology to give us face time with the creatures of the sea. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tracy shares her cat’s input on the Empress of Ireland outline. She and Holly also discuss the relatability of Mary Somerville’s writing.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mary Somerville was dubbed the Queen of Science, a title earned through a lifetime of learning all she could about various math and science subjects and then parsing those concepts out in her writing for more general audiences. Research: Collins, Helen. “Mary Somerville: Her Legacy for Women in Science.” Oxford Scientist. Feb. 11, 2022. https://oxsci.org/mary-somerville-her-legacy-for-women-in-sci...

The shipwreck of the Empress of Ireland happened just before the start of World War I and was the worst maritime disaster in Canadian history to happen during peacetime. Research: Blatchford, Andy. “Empress of Ireland, ‘Canada’s Titanic,’ finally getting its due after 100 years.” Globe and Mail. 5/23/2014. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/empress-of-ireland-canadas-titanic-finally-get...

This 2017 episode examines the practice of British and French monarchs laying on hands to cure sick people from the medieval period to the 18th century. One disease was so often "cured" it came to be known as the King's Evil. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Holly discusses the strange reassurance she finds in examining historical crime stories. Tracy talks about the way Lenormand cartomancy decks differ from tarot. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lenormand was a fortune-teller in France in the 19th century. She was hugely influential, because despite her work being illegal, very important and powerful people consulted her for cartomancy readings. Research:   "Marie Anne Lenormand." Encyclopedia of World Biography Online, vol. 38, Gale, 2018. Gale In Context: U.S. History, link.gale.com/apps/doc/K1631010818/GPS?u=mlin_n_melpub&sid=bookm...

The story of what happened to Pearl Bryan is horrifying and frightening. The scandalous particulars of the events that led to her murder captivated the attention of the U.S. in the late 1800s, but Pearl gets sort of lost in the shuffle. Research: “An Awful Find.” Cincinnati Enquirer. Feb. 2, 1896. https://www.newspapers.com/image/30900213/?terms=%22body%20found%22&match=1 Associated Press. “Yo...

This 2019 episode notes that the Catacombs contain the bones of an estimated 6 to 7 million people, and explains that their history is really two interconnected stories of mines and human remains. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Holly and Tracy talk about pumpkin carving traditions and techniques. They also discuss Pearl Curran's life and the writing output of Patience. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Patience Worth was a popular writer in the early 20th century. But she was a 17th-century ghost, using Pearl Curran as her conduit from spirit realm to printed page. Research: Braude, Stephen E. “Dissociation and Latent Abilities.” Journal of Trauma & Dissociation. June 2000. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/233449262_Dissociation_and_Latent_Abilities Cory, Charles. “Patience Worth.” P...

Jack-o’-lanterns have become one of the most iconic symbols of Halloween. Their origin story isn’t exactly well documented, so tracing their roots involves some folklore, some agriculture, and literary influence.  Research: Bachelor, Blane. “ The twisted transatlantic tale of American jack-o’-lanterns.” National Geographic. Oct. 27, 2020. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/the-twist...

This 2018 episode covers an uninhabited Italian island that has come to be called all manner of scary things, including, "plague island," "island of ghosts," and "the Venetian island of no return." See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tracy and Holly talk about the bummer story that didn't make it into Unearthed!, kids who discover things, and Indiana Jones. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Part two of our autumn 2023 edition of Unearthed! includes potpourri, repatriations, shipwrecks, art, and a few perfect October entries. Research:  “Early humans deliberately made mysterious stone 'spheroids'.” PhysOrg. 9/10/2023. https://phys.org/news/2023-09-early-humans-deliberately-mysterious-stone.html Alutiiq Museum. “Archaeologists Recover 3,000-year-old Weavings from Ancestral Alutiiq Sett...

In part one of our Autumn 2023 edition of Unearthed!, we have some oldest things, books and letters, projects specifically related to gender, edibles and potables, and animals.  Research:  “Early humans deliberately made mysterious stone 'spheroids'.” PhysOrg. 9/10/2023. https://phys.org/news/2023-09-early-humans-deliberately-mysterious-stone.html Alutiiq Museum. “Archaeologists Recover 3,000-year...

This 2016 episode covers the Crescent Hotel of Eureka Springs, Arkansas. A colorful part of the hotel's history involves a man who claimed that doctors couldn't be trusted, and that he had the cure for cancer. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tracy and Holly talk about the sloppy nature of the William Weare murder. They also discuss ghost stories that may have inspired other media, and Tracy's childhood memories of the Maco light story.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

October seemed like a good time for an installment of Six Impossible Episodes all about ghosts and hauntings. A lot of these are very well-known in the places where they originated, but maybe not outside of those places.  Research: Campbelltown Visitor Information Centre. “Frederick Fisher and the Legend of Fisher’s Ghost.” https://indd.adobe.com/view/8e2d788d-56b7-43a7-bf4b-a5c3620ee345 Dictionar...