Stuff You Missed in History Class

It's time to cover things and stories that were unearthed in the last quarter of 2022. Part one covers a whole bunch of updates, a whole bunch of shipwrecks, and a whole bunch of repatriations.    Research: “Chemical clues to the mystery of what’s coating Stradivari’s violins.” 10/25/2022. https://www.acs.org/pressroom/newsreleases/2022/october/chemical-clues-to-the-mystery-of-whats-coating-stradi...

This 2011 episode from previous hosts Sarah and Deblina covers an attempt to start a Scottish colony in Panama in the late 1600s. But the expedition faced disease, death and poor trade, taking down the settlers -- and, ultimately, Scotland. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tracy and Holly discuss the difficulty of remembering what topics have and haven’t been covered on the show. They also talk about group dynamics during arduous travel, and the miracle of the Hume and Hovell team’s survival. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Hume and Hovell Expedition of 1824 established some of the earliest knowledge that European colonists had about the interior of the Australian continent. It was also a journey filled with peril, frayed nerves, and bickering. Research: “Hume and Hovell.” State Library New South Wales. https://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/stories/hume-and-hovell “THE LATE CAPTAIN HOVELL.” Australian Town and Country Journa...

Kittie Knox was a cyclist during the bicycle boom of the late 19th century. She was biracial and became known not just for participating in a predominantly white sport, but also for the clothes she wore to do it. Research: Adams, Dan. “Ceremony honors cyclist who broke barriers: Kittie Knox showed pluck on wheels.” Boston Globe. 9/30/2013. https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2013/09/29/long-forgotte...

This 2013 episode covers Mildred and Patty Hill's song "Good Morning to All," published in 1893. After the tune was paired with the birthday lyrics, its popularity soared and sparked a tremendous copyright battle.         See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Holly and Tracy cover some of the details that were cut from the Pulitzer two-parter, including more information about his brother, artist George Luks, and a story of the Pulitzer family's home burning down. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Pulitzer’s later years, he became embroiled in a heated legal battle with the U.S. government after his papers printed allegations that Theodore Roosevelt and William Howard Taft were connected to shady dealings regarding the Panama Canal.  Research:  “SUPREME COURT ENDS PANAMA LIBEL SUIT.” New York Times. Jan. 3, 1911. https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1911/01/04/104853177.pdf?pdf_...

Joseph Pulitzer is one of those pivotal figures in history, and his influence continues right on through today. Part one of this two-parter covers his early life, right up through his rivalry with William Randolph Hearst. Research: “SUPREME COURT ENDS PANAMA LIBEL SUIT.” New York Times. Jan. 3, 1911. https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1911/01/04/104853177.pdf?pdf_redirect=true&ip=0...

This 2019 episode covers the story of vodka, which is closely tied to cultural identity for several countries. Where did it originate, and how did it evolve over time? We'll talk a bit about how vodka is made, where it came from, and how it's expanded to a global market. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tracy and Holly talk about the movie "White Christmas" and how it has aged. They also discuss collectible sheet music and the idea of there being no definitive version of a song recording.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This second part of the story of Irving Berlin’s life picks up after WWI, and covers his family life, his rise to fame, and the controversies that were part of his career. Research: Bergreen, Laurence. “Irving Berlin: This Is the Army.” Prologue. Summer 1996, Vol. 28, No. 2 https://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/1996/summer/irving-berlin-1 Carlson, Olivia. “What’s White Christmas without M...

The immeasurably famous Irving Berlin seems like the perfect example of a U.S. immigrant success story. But reality is complicated and imperfect, and so was Berlin’s music-filled life. Research: Bergreen, Laurence. “Irving Berlin: This Is the Army.” Prologue. Summer 1996, Vol. 28, No. 2 https://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/1996/summer/irving-berlin-1 Carlson, Olivia. “What’s White Christ...

This 2012 episode from prior hosts covers King Wenceslas. He's known from a Christmas carol, but was a 10th-century Bohemian prince, known for his kindness to children and promotion of Christianity. But he was murdered at only 22. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Holly and Tracy discuss the disruptive French Republican calendar, banana dishes, the Universal Chopper, and other kitchen implements.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This eponymous foods episode only has two foods in it – and they couldn’t be more different! One is a flaming dessert, and one is a meat patty.  Research: Salisbury, James Henry. “The Relation of Alimentation and Diseases.” New York. J.H. Vail and Company. 1888. Accessed online: https://archive.org/details/relationaliment00saligoog/page/n10/mode/2up “Universal Food Chopper.” John Fitzgerald Kenned...

The new year approaches. But what if you had to learn a completely new calendar for the coming year? For about a dozen years starting in the late 19th century, France abandoned the Gregorian calendar for an entirely different one. Research:  Alfred, Randy. “Sept. 22, 1792: Day One of Revolutionary Calendar.” Wired. Sept. 22, 2011. https://www.wired.com/2011/09/0922revolutionary-calendar/ Suplee, C...

This 2017 episode covers the Wright Brothers, yes, but also other contenders to the title of "first in flight," and each has their own compelling story and list of achievements. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tracy and Holly talk about the artwork of Zinaida Serebriakova and the personal style of Ella Williams. They then discuss the ruthless business practices of John Jacob Astor and his son William.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John Jacob Astor came to the U.S. from Germany not long after the colonies gained their independence as a nation. He made his first fortune in the fur trade, and then diversified his income and built a legendary fortune. Research: Irving, Washington. “Astoria, Or, Anecdotes of an Enterprise Beyond the Rocky Mountains.” G.P. Putnams Sons. 1861. https://www.google.com/books/edition/Astoria/DAzBRmfcZ...

Today’s six impossible episode subjects are all by listener request! Topics include the Iron Mountain baby, Leslie’s Retreat, Lady Hao, Ella Williams, and more. And these are examples of how short tales can sometimes have intense details. Research: “Tale of The Iron Mountain Baby.” Reprinted from the St. Louis Iron Mountain & Southern Railway ALL ABOARD Vol.16. https://washington.mogenweb.org/...

In this 2011 episode, previous hosts Sarah and Deblina recount some of history's most famous fires, Including the Peshtigo Fire, the Great Fire of London, the Great Fire of Meireki, and the Great San Francisco Earthquake and Fire. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tracy and Holly discuss food safety in their own lives, and particularly their comfort levels with various risks. They also discuss the different pronunciations of the name Louis, and Wain's progression as an artist.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Louis Wain’s cat-centric art was extremely popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and some of his later work became an inspiration for the psychedelic movement of the 1960s. Research: Beetles, Chris. “Louis Wain’s Cats.” Chris Beetles and Canongate Books. 2011, 2021. Benge-Abbott, Bryony. “Louis Wain’s Cryptic Cats.” Wellcome Collection. 5/19/2020. https://wellcomecollection.org/articl...

The development of a systematic approach to food safety didn’t happen until the 20th century. And it's tied directly to NASA trying to make sure astronauts didn’t get food poisoning in space. Research: Cronk, Theodore C. “The Historic Evolution of HACCP: Better Questions, Safer Foods.” Food and Drug Law Journal , 1994, Vol. 49, No. 3 (1994). Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/26659230 DiCicco...