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Histories of the Unexpected — History
Histories of the Unexpected

Histories of the Unexpected explores the past in ways that you never dreamt possible. Surely there’s nothing unexpected about the past? About History? Aha, well Histories of the Unexpected adopts a new approach to exploring our past. Gone is the traditional linear plotting of battles, monarchs and political movements. Histories of the Unexpected argues that everything has a history, even the most unexpected of subjects. Like SLIME. Or COURAGE. or APPLAUSE…. Presented by Dr Sam Willis and Professor James Daybell.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Latest Episodes:

Falcons! Jan 31, 2021

Show notes

In this BONUS episode, the Histories of the Unexpected duo, James and Sam, tackle the expected history of FALCONS! Which is all about medieval and Tudor society, from Kings to knaves via The Book of Hawking, Hunting, and Blasing of Arms; it's also all about Barry Hines' 1968 novel, A Kestrel for a Knave, and it includes a SPECIAL INTERVIEW with Paul Manning, the falconer at Beaulieu, the first official falconer at the house from three centuries! This is living history - and the role of the falconer hasn't changed in over 700 years! Who knew!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Birds: The Return Flight Jan 30, 2021

Show notes

In this BONUS episode, the Histories of the Unexpected duo, James and Sam, once again take to the skies to swoop upon the expected history of BIRDS! Which in this episode is all about it's also all about homing pigeons in WWI and WWII, the Dickin Medal and honouring of animals during the Second World War, including super pigeon hero William of Orange. It's also all about Viking culture, which fluttered with birds from the evidence of osteoarchaeology (the study of animal bones from archaeological sites) which shows us that birds were a common feature of the Viking diet; use of birds for navigation; and mythological birds, including perhaps the most famous birds in Norse legend, Huginn and Muninn, which perched on the shoulders of the god Odin, and flew all over the world gathering information for him. Who knew!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Birds! Jan 29, 2021

Show notes

In this episode, the Histories of the Unexpected duo, James and Sam, take to the skies to swoop upon the expected history of BIRDS! Which is all about the Battle of Waterloo and plumed helmets, costume feathers, hats, the American Ornithologists Union and cruelty to birds; it's also all about canary resuscitators, John Scott Haldane and the use of canaries down mines and in the trenches during the First World War. Who knew!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bathtubs! Homeschooling Prohibition in the USA! Jan 28, 2021

Show notes

In this Homeschooling History episode, the Histories of the Unexpected duo, James and Sam, explore the fascinating history of BATHTUBS!. From discussions of the 'eureka' moment of Archimedes in Ancient Greece and the discovery of displacement and bathtubs in ships to H.L. Mencken's fictitious tales of bathtubs in the White House, Sam and James rampage around history of bathtubs before settling on the fascinating history of Prohibition in the1920 and 1930s in the USA until it was ended by President Roosevelt in 1933. It starts by looking at the production of bathtub liquor, before looking at why prohibition was introduced, the social problems caused by prohibition, and the rise of gangsters such as Al Capone. As always, at the end there is a quiz and a writing task to look at the effects of prohibition on American people!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

LEAVING HOME!: Homeschooling the Viking Invasions! Jan 27, 2021

Show notes

In this Homeschooling History episode, the Histories of the Unexpected duo, James and Sam, explore the fascinating history of LEAVING HOME. From discussions of seventeenth-century boys leaving home to attend school and university (and letters home to mothers), going off to war and travelling around the world to the exact opposite, staying at home, lockdown and being under house arrest, Sam and James rampage around history of leaving home before settling on the fascinating history of the Viking Invasions. It starts by looking at sources that describe Viking raids, before discussing who the Vikings were, when and where the invasions took place, and what motivated them to leave Scandinavia. As always, at the end there is a quiz and a task to produce your own map of the Viking invasions!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

HACKING!: Homeschooling Codebreakers and WW2 Jan 25, 2021

Show notes

In this Homeschooling History episode, the Histories of the Unexpected duo, James and Sam, fathom the mind-numbingly difficult history of HACKING. From Guglielmo Marconi and magician and inventor Nevil Maskelyne, the history of Rene Carmille, who in 1943 was the first ethical hacker for sabotaging the computerization of data about French Jews during World War II to Joe "Joybubbles" Engressia, a blind 7-year-old boy with perfect pitch who was able to hack AT&T's telephonic system in 1957, Sam and James rampage around history of hacking before settling on the fascinating history of codebreaking during WW2. It starts by looking at an example of an encrypted German Codes, before discussing the intricacies of the Enigma machine, and early attempts by Polish codebreakers to crack the German codes. We then discuss, the role of Alfred Dillwyn "Dilly" Knox, Alan Turing and the team at Bletchley Park and the invention of the Bombe machine; the precise methods for cracking codes, and the impact of the course of the war on land, in the air and at sea. As always, at the end there is a quiz and a task to construct your own secret code, and send a message written it!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

BLING!: Homeschooling Stuart Costume Jan 21, 2021

Show notes

In this Homeschooling History episode, the Histories of the Unexpected duo, James and Sam, investigate the flamboyant history of BLING. From the history of opulence, luxury and ostentation via subjects as wide-ranging as HIP HOP and the Palace of Versailles, Sam and James rampage around history of bling before settling on the fascinating history of Stuart clothing. It starts by looking at Samuel Pepys's diary and his attitudes to clothing, before considering Tudor Sumptuary laws in the sixteenth century, the attitudes of Oliver Cromwell and the Puritans towards dress, and the impact of the Restoration on costume. The episode also looks at how the Tudors and Stuarts would have washing their clothing. As always, at the end there is a quiz and a task to compile a timeline of sixteenth- and seventeenth-century costumes!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Micro-Histories 5: Fun! Jan 20, 2021

Show notes

This is fifth episode in our new micro history series - where we take an historic subject and try to demonstrate how it has a history in just 15-20 minutes!! And without just talking at supersonic speed. Think of it as the historicaI equivalent of speed chess or speed dating. In this fifth foray into historical brevity the histories of the unexpected duo of James Daybell and Sam Willis tackle the intriguing subject of FUN, which is inspired by their book on the VIKINGS. Taking that as their starting place, the boys tackle topics of the archaeology of fun, gaming pieces, the status of fun, drowning matches and pillow fights, the viking ball game and female fun, before tackling the subjects of fun rhymes and children's nonsense poems in Britain in the 1950s and wagers in the second half of the eighteenth century! Who knew?

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rats!: Homeschooling the Black Death Jan 18, 2021

Show notes

In this Homeschooling History episode, the Histories of the Unexpected duo, James and Sam, investigate the unnerving history of Rats. From the history of infestation, pets, the medieval tale of the Pied Piper of Hamelin and the honoured position of rats in eastern culture, Sam and James rampage around history of rats before settling on the fascinating history of the Black Death. It looks at the three different forms of plague (Bubonic,Pneumonic and Septisemic) and their symptoms, before looking at descriptions of the plague in Messina from 1347, the spread of the plague from the Gobi dessert in Africa along trade routes to the east and in Europe. It also looks at how the plague was perceived by contemporaries, and the impact it had on society, the economy and culturally. As always, at the end there is a quiz and a couple of writing tasks, including writing a plague diary!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Shopping 2! Back for more bargains! Jan 17, 2021

Show notes

In this special BONUS episode, the Histories of the Unexpected duo, James and Sam, return to the high street of history and navigate their way around the boutiques and emporia of the historical archives to rampage once again like a bull in a china shop for more frenzied discussion of the expected history of SHOPPING! Which is all about early modern gloves, his and hers consumption, sixteenth-century Italianate gentlemen, it's about proxy shopping, the haptic experience of retail, and the underbelly of Roman society (via dishonest shop keepers, predatory peddlars, dodgy Roman bars, and the dregs of society). Did we also mention that it's also all about.... buying and selling early modern gloves? Who knew!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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