Professor Buzzkill History Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Democracy Dies in Darkness? Philadelphia and Paris in the 1780s Nov 21, 2023

Show notes

As both American and French revolutionaries sought to fashion representative government in the late 1780s, they faced a dilemma. In a context where gaining public trust seemed to demand transparency, was secrecy ever legitimate? In Philadelphia and Paris, establishing popular sovereignty required navigating between an ideological imperative to eradicate secrets from the state and a practical need to limit transparency in government. Unveiling modern democracy’s surprisingly shadowy origins, Professor Katlyn Carter helps us understand how government by and for the people emerged during the Age of Revolutions. Episode 536.

Ben Franklin and the Turkey - Thanksgiving Myths! Nov 20, 2023

Show notes

One of the legendary stories that reappear during Thanksgiving season is that no less a luminary and Founder than Ben Franklin thought that the bald eagle was an improper choice as the national bird and a national symbol. Franklin preferred the more “dignified” turkey, and tried to convince the Founding Fathers to agree. Apparently, they thought Ben was a senile old sentimentalist, and so they ignored him. But is any of this story true? Listen and find out!

Thanksgiving Popcorn - MiniMyth! Nov 17, 2023

Show notes

As the pilgrims pushed their chairs back from the first Thanksgiving table, their stomachs full of turkey and potatoes, Squanto appeared with bushels of popped corn and spilled it out on the tables for the Pilgrims to enjoy. That's how Americans got popcorn, right Buzzkillers? Well, maybe not, but you'll have to listen to this Buzzkill favorite to find out!

Medieval Myths Nov 14, 2023

Show notes

Did medieval people have bad teeth and poor hygiene? Did they all die before they were 40? And what was the actual story about Lady Godiva? Jo Hedwig Teeuwisse, the Fake History Hunter, takes us on a great tour of medieval Europe, busting myths and taking names! A great show about a completely misunderstood era! Episode 535

Gun Country: Gun Capitalism, Culture, and Control in Cold War America Nov 07, 2023

Show notes

In the wake of yet another gun tragedy in Gun Country USA, we interview Dr. Andrew McKevitt, whose new book is a must-read this year. He shows why so many guns flooded onto the American market after World War II, and how this developed into “gun consumerism.” We discuss the various attempts to stem the tide of gun violence in the US since World War II, and why gun capitalism and gun culture have defeated them every time. Essential listening. Episode 534

Halloween Myths Oct 31, 2023

Show notes

Halloween is a demonic holiday chock full of sin, and endangered by razor blades in trick-or-treat candy, right? Wrong. Nothing about the origins of Halloween can be called demonic, satanic, or anti-Christian. And the adulterated candy thing is an urban legend. Get the full story from the Buzzkill Institute.

Dracula in Fiction and History Oct 24, 2023

Show notes

Dracula tales, legends, and myths fly around faster than a vampire fleeing from sunlight. Dr. Gemma Masson explains Bram Stoker’s famous novel, “Dracula,” and then goes on to explain the various histories behind Dracula’s namesake – Vlad Dracula, the Romanian Prince. Along the way, she discusses how attributes from Count Dracula have been attributed to Vlad Dracula ahistorically. But we talk about more than that – including the ways in which fiction helps “create” history. Episode 533

Clement Attlee, 1945, and the Year of Hope in Britain Oct 17, 2023

Show notes

Professor Richard Toye talks about a pivotal year in British history – 1945. The end of the war, a landslide election for the Labour Party under Clement Attlee, and the start of the modern British welfare state. He explains why Labour won the election, why Churchill and the Conservatives lost, and what the Labour government of 1945-1951 tried to accomplish. Episode 532.

Columbus and Taino People Oct 10, 2023

Show notes

The story of Columbus and the Taino people is fascinating, and is made even more fascinating by Kate Messner’s analysis of it in this episode. She explains who the Taino people were, how they discovered Columbus, and what happened during and after their encounter. Kate’s “History Smashers” series is a fantastic way to understand history and how history myths have been embedded in our culture. Episode 531.

Christopher Columbus Myths Large and Small! Oct 03, 2023

Show notes

Sebastian Major, the producer and host of the "Our Fake History" podcast, explains the myths about Christopher Columbus, who “discovered” the New World. Sebastian schools Professor Buzzkill about where the myths came from and about their larger significance for American history. You will learn dozens of new things about the history of Columbus, and about the history of history myths! Episode 530.
Check out Our Fake History here! https://ourfakehistory.com/

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