In The Past Lane - The Podcast About History and Why It Matters

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Latest Episodes:

008 How America Got Cool Apr 03, 2016

Show notes

This week In The Past Lane looks into the little known and yet hugely significant development of the ice and refrigeration industries in US history. 1) first we tell the story of Frederick Tudor, the "Ice King," who single-handedly invented the ice industry way back in 1806. This development radically redefined the American life, especially the American diet. 2) Then we check in with historian Jonathan Rees, the nation's leading authority on all things related refrigeration, to learn how mechanical refrigeration and machine-made ice accelerated this transformation of everyday life. 3) Finally, we take just a few minutes to visit a unique bar in New York City. It's called Minus 5 and with the exception of the floor and ceiling, it's made entirely of ice and kept at a temperature of Minus 5 centigrade (minus 19 F). Yeah, I know ...

Episode 008 notes and credits

Further Reading about the history of ice and refrigeration

Oscar Edward Anderson, Jr. Refrigeration in America: A History of a New Technology and Its Impact (Princeton University Press, 1953).

Mariana Gosnell, Ice: The Nature, the History, and the Uses of an Astonishing Substance (Knopf, 2005)

Jonathan Rees, Refrigeration Nation: A History of Ice, Appliances, and Enterprise in America (John Hopkins University Press, 2013)

Jonathan Rees, Refrigerator (Bloomsbury, 2015)

Carl Seaburg and Stanley Paterson, The Ice King: Frederic Tudor and His Circle (Massachusetts Historical Society and Mystic Seaport, 2003).

Gavin Weightman, The Frozen-Water Trade: A True Story (Hyperion, 2003)

Music:

Jay Graham, ITPL Intro (courtesy, JayGMusic.com)

Kevin McCleod, "Impact Moderato" (Free Music Archive)

Lee Rosevere, "Going Home" (Free Music Archive)

Andy Cohen, "Trophy Endorphins" (Free Music Archive)

The Bell, "I Am History" (Free Music Archive)

The Bell, "On The Street" (Free Music Archive)

Jason Shaw, "Jenny's Theme (Free Music Archive)

007 Irish Terrorists and Spies in America & More Mar 17, 2016

Show notes

With St. Patrick's Day (March 17) being celebrated this week, In The Past Lane takes a look at some fascinating Irish American history. 1) We start with a feature piece on why Americans in the late 19th century associated Irish immigrants with terrorism. That's right, long before 9/11, the Irish inspired fear among Americans as a dangerous immigrant group that committed acts of terrorism. 2) Next, we present a feature on Hercules Mulligan, the Irish immigrant who served as a trusted spy against the British during the American revolution. You might recognize his name if you've seen "Hamilton, The Musical," or listened to the soundtrack. 3) Then we turn to The History Skinny, the segment where we talk about news stories that relate to history. This week we chat it up with In The Past Lane's Senior Historical Correspondent, Stephanie Yuhl. 4)and finally, it's on to a short piece on the dozens of American slang terms (47 to be precise) that start with the word "Irish." Ever hear of Irish confetti? Show notes and credits at: www.InThePastLane.com

Episode 007 notes and credits

Further Reading about the Irish and the Fenian Movement

Terry Golway, For the Cause of Liberty: A Thousand Years of Ireland's Heroes (2000).

Shane Kenna, Jeremiah O'Donovan Rossa: Unrepentant Fenian (2015)

K.R.M. Short, The dynamite war: Irish American bombers in Victorian Britain (1979).

Peter Vronsky, Ridgeway: The American Fenian Invasion and the 1866 Battle That Made Canada (2011)

Patrick Freyne, "'O'Dynamite' Rossa: Was Fenian leader the first terrorist?" The Irish Times, Aug 1, 2015 http://www.irishtimes.com/culture/heritage/o-dynamite-rossa-was-fenian-leader-the-first-terrorist-1.2303447

Niall Whelehan, "Scientific warfare or the quickest way to liberate Ireland': the Brooklyn Dynamite School," History Ireland, Nov/Dec 2008.http://www.historyireland.com/18th-19th-century-history/scientific-warfare-or-the-quickest-way-to-liberate-ireland-the-brooklyn-dynamite-school/

Music:

Jay Graham, ITPL Intro (courtesy, JayGMusic.com)

Kevin McCleod, "Impact Moderato" (Free Music Archive)

Lee Rosevere, "Going Home" (Free Music Archive)

Andy Cohen, "Trophy Endorphins" (Free Music Archive)

The Bell, "I Am History" (Free Music Archive)

Howie and Ann Mitchell, "Irish Washerwoman" (Free Music Archive)

006 Why Do We Hold Political Primaries? Mar 02, 2016

Show notes

This week at In The Past Lane, the American history podcast, we take a look at the history behind something that's dominating the news these days: political primaries. Their origin dates not to 1787 and the Constitutional Convention, but rather to ca. 1900 and the efforts of Progressives to reduce political corruption and increase the voice of the people in elections. Here's the lineup: 1) The origin and history of the political primary 2) History Skinny segment where we discuss how history has made headlines in recent days, everything from Donald Trump relating a story about an incident from the Spanish American War that never happened, to Mississippi declaring April Confederate Heritage Month. 3) Mercy Street Rewind - ITPL's Senior Correspondent, historian Megan Kate Nelson, provides her insightful assessment of Episode 6 of "Mercy Street." Note - to avoid spoilers, Mercy Street Rewind appears as a separate segment in this podcast feed. Show notes and credits at www.InThePastLane.com

Episode 006 credits:

Suggested Readings about the History of Political Primaries:

Geoffrey Cowan, Let the People Rule: Theodore Roosevelt and the Birth of the Presidential Primary (2016)

David W. Moore and Andrew E. Smith, The First Primary: New Hampshire's Outsize Role in Presidential Nominations (2015)

Alan Ware, The American Direct Primary: Party Institutionalization and Transformation in the North (2002)

Links for stories Discussed in The History Skinny segment:

Donald Trump and the Pig Blood Myth Donald Trump cites dubious legend about Gen. Pershing, pig's blood and Muslims

Mississippi Declares April Confederate Heritage Month Historian Kevin Levin weighs in via his blog, Civil War Memory

New data shows declining American interest in historic sites http://humanitiesindicators.org/content/indicatordoc.aspx?i=101

National Geographic –Science Helps Trace Slaves to Their African Homelands

"What if Washington, Hamilton, Lincoln and Kennedy had Twitter?"http://flip.it/.gMmL

Music:

Jay Graham, ITPL Intro (courtesy, JayGMusic.com) Kevin McCleod, "Impact Moderato" (Free Music Archive)

Lee Rosevere, "Going Home" (Free Music Archive)

Andy Cohen, "Trophy Endorphins" (Free Music Archive)

The Bell, "I Am History" (Free Music Archive)

005 Where Have You Gone, Robert F. Kennedy? Feb 16, 2016

Show notes

This week at In The Past Lane, the podcast about history and why it matters, we take a close look at Robert F. Kennedy. Here's the lineup: 1) First up, it's a short feature on the basics of the life of RFK. 2) Next, I speak with author Larry Tye about his new book, Bobby Kennedy: The Making of A Liberal Icon (2016, Random House). Tye is the author of many best-selling biographies and he's at his best in this new look at RFK. One of the myths he's eager to dispel is the notion that there were two, polar opposite Bobby Kennedys - the bad boy in the 1950s who worked for Sen. Joseph McCarthy and later waged war on organized labor and the saintly good guy in the mid-1960s who fought for social justice. 3. And we bring you two remarkable audio clips from the 1960s. First, an excerpt from RFK's 1968 speech, "The Mindless Menace of Violence" and second, Ted Kennedy's eulogy for RFK two months later. Show page with notes and credits http://inthepastlane.com/005/

004 The Abolitionist Movement & More Feb 13, 2016

Show notes

This week at In The Past Lane, the American history podcast, we focus on the movement to abolish slavery. We start with a thinkpiece titled, "The Daunting Challenge the Abolitionists Faced in Taking on Slavery." Abolitionism is one of the most remarkable movements in United States history. And yet, few Americans can name more than one or two abolitionists – maybe William Lloyd Garrison, or Frederick Douglass, or Sojourner Truth. Why is that? And why is it also true that few people remember any key events of the abolitionist movement? Why do we remember only one bare fact: that the abolitionists ultimately won their struggle?The main reason, is that to people living in the 21st-century, slavery is so self-evidently wrong and evil, they can't imagine the abolitionist movement failing. But this sense that abolitionists were destined to succeed because they were right is not only false – slavery might have lasted many more decades – but it also serves to undermine and diminish the extraordinary efforts of the men and women who fought against incredible odds to end slavery. What do I mean by incredible odds? Well, you'll have to listen to this segment and to my interview with Historian Manisha Sinha about her new book, "The Slave's Cause: A History of Abolition." It's a masterful, far-reaching new interpretation of the movement to abolish slavery. Finally, we end this episode with a History Heads Up with historian Stephanie Yuhl (history-related events to keep an eye out for) and some fun with the upcoming President's Day holiday.

Show credits and links

More information about historian Manisha Sinha

Manisha Sinha's new book: Manisha Sinha, The Slave's Cause: A History of Abolition (Yale University Press, 2016)

Episode 004 credits:

Music: Jay Graham, ITPL Intro (courtesy, JayGMusic.com) Kevin McCleod, "Impact Moderato" (Free Music Archive) Lee Rosevere, "Going Home" (Free Music Archive) Andy Cohen, "Trophy Endorphins" (Free Music Archive) The Bell, "I Am History" (Free Music Archive)

003 Prohibition and Other Prohibitions in US History Feb 05, 2016

Show notes

This week's episode focuses on American prohibitions. That's right, Prohibitions in the plural. Even though Americans think of themselves as a people who have always prized individual liberty, history shows that there are MANY examples where one group of Americans tried to stop another group of Americans from engaging in a particular behavior. So here's the lineup: 1. First, a feature on a little-known prohibition crusade from the early 20th century that tried to ban cigarettes. 2. Then I interview historian Lisa McGirr about her new book, The War on Alcohol: Prohibition and the Rise of the American State.

Show notes and credits at www.InThePastLane.com

Episode 003 credits:

002 The Statue of Liberty & Immigration History Jan 30, 2016

Show notes

In this episode of In The Past Lane, the American history podcast, we look at a little-known aspect of American immigration history - the story behind the Statue of Liberty and how it came to symbolize America's tradition of welcoming immigrants. Next, I speak with historian Vincent Cannato about why immigration is now - and seemingly always has been - a hot-button political issue; Finally, it's The History Skinny, the segment where historian Stephanie Yuhl and I examine how history has made the headlines in recent days. Show page and credits at www.InThePastLane.com

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