Stuff You Missed in History Class

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The Great English Sparrow War Jan 03, 2024

Show notes

In the 19th century, a heated dispute arose over the house sparrow and its introduction into North America. Elliot Coues and Thomas Mayo Brewer held opposing opinions on the matter which they defended their entire lives.

Research:

Mosco, Rosemary. “Meet the Little Brown Bird That Holds a Mirror Up to Humanity.” Audubon. 4/5/2023. https://www.audubon.org/news/meet-little-brown-bird-holds-mirror-humanity
Wills, Matthew. “The Great Sparrow War of the 1870s.” JSTOR Daily. 6/23/2016. https://daily.jstor.org/the-great-sparrow-war-of-the-1870s/
Sterling, Keir B. et al, editors. “Thomas Mayo Brewer.” From Biographical Dictionary of American and Canadian Naturalists and Environmentalists.” Greenwood Press. 1997. https://academicworks.cuny.edu/yc_pubs/9/
Glass, Chris. “The House Sparrow in Boston, Part I.” Boston Public Library Blog. 7/28/2022. https://www.bpl.org/blogs/post/the-house-sparrow-in-boston-part-i/
Glass, Chris. “The House Sparrow in Boston, Part II.” Boston Public Library Blog. 7/28/2022. https://www.bpl.org/blogs/post/the-house-sparrow-in-boston-part-ii/
Glass, Chris. “The House Sparrow in Boston, Part III.” Boston Public Library Blog. 7/28/2022. https://www.bpl.org/blogs/post/the-house-sparrow-in-boston-part-iii/
Ashworth, William B. “Scientist of the Day – Thomas Mayo Brewer.” Linda Hall Library. 11/21/2018. https://www.lindahall.org/about/news/scientist-of-the-day/thomas-mayo-brewer/
Burton, Adrian. “Suffering sparrows.” Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment. doi:10.1002/fee.2632. https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/fee.2632
Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Elliott Coues". Encyclopedia Britannica, 5 Sep. 2023, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Elliott-Coues. Accessed 11 December 2023.
Allen, J.A. “Biographical Memoir of Elliot Coues: 1842-1899.” Read before the National Academy of Sciences, April 1909. https://www.nasonline.org/publications/biographical-memoirs/memoir-pdfs/coues-elliott.pdf
Evening star. [volume], July 28, 1886, Image 1. https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83045462/1886-07-28/ed-1/seq-1/
Coues, Elliott. “Psychic Research” and “Can Ghosts Be Investigated?” The Nation. 12/25/1884. https://books.google.com/books?id=5ixMAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA543#v=onepage&q&f=false
Dearborn, Ned. “How to Destroy English Sparrows.” Government Printing Office. 1910. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc85667/m1/1/
Gurney, J.H. et al. “The House Sparrow.” London, W. Wesley and Son. 1885. https://archive.org/details/housesparrow00gurn/
Cutright, Paul Russell. “Elliott Coues : naturalist and frontier historian.” Urbana : University of Illinois Press. 1981.
Thomas Mayo Brewer. Proceedings of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Vol. 15 (May, 1879 -May, 1880). Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/25138584
Brodhead, Michael J. “Elliott Coues and the Sparrow War.” The New England Quarterly , Sep., 1971, Vol. 44, No. 3 (Sep., 1971). https://www.jstor.org/stable/364783
Anderson, Warwick. “Climates of Opinion: Acclimatization in Nineteenth-Century France and England.” Victorian Studies , Winter, 1992, Vol. 35, No. 2 (Winter, 1992). https://www.jstor.org/stable/3828004
Osborne, Michael A. “Acclimatizing the World: A History of the Paradigmatic Colonial Science.” Osiris , 2000, Vol. 15, Nature and Empire: Science and the Colonial Enterprise (2000). Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/301945
Fine, Gary Allen and Lazaros Christoforides. “Dirty Birds, Filthy Immigrants, and the English Sparrow War: Metaphorical Linkage in Constructing Social Problems.” Symbolic Interaction , Vol. 14, No. 4 (Winter 1991). https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1525/si.1991.14.4.375
Coates, Peter. “Eastenders Go West: English Sparrows, Immigrants, and the Nature of Fear.” Journal of American Studies , Dec., 2005, Vol. 39, No. 3, British Association for American Studies 50th Anniversary (Dec., 2005). Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/27557692
Coues, Dr. Elliott. “The Ineligibility of the European House Sparrow in America.” The American Naturalist. Vol. XII, No. 8 August 1878.
Allen, J.A. “Notes on Some of the Rarer Birds of Massachusetts (Continued).” The American Naturalist , Feb., 1870, Vol. 3, No. 12 (Feb., 1870). https://www.jstor.org/stable/2446674
Robbins, Chandler S. “Introduction, Spread, and Present Abundance of the House Sparrow in North America.” Ornithological Monographs , 1973, No. 14, A Symposium on the House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) and European Tree Sparrow (P. Montanus) in North America (1973). Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/40168051
Coues, Elliott. “On the Present Status of Passer Domesticus in America With Special Reference to the Western States and Territories.” United States Geological Survey. Extracted from the Bulletin of the Survey Vol. V. No. 2.
Barrows, Walter R. and C. Hart Merriam. “The English Sparow (Passer Domesticus) in North America, Especially in its Relations to Agriculture.” United States Department of Agriculture Division of Economic Ornithology and Mammalogy. Bulletin 1. Government Printing Office. 1889. https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=ofwYAAAAYAAJ&pg=GBS.PA1&hl=en
“Thomas Mayo Brewer.” Bulletin of the Nuttall Ornithological Club, Vol. 5, No. 2 (APRIL, 1880). Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/24723261?seq=1
Brewer, T.M. “The European House-Sparrow.” The Atlantic. May 1868. https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/1868/05/the-european-house-sparrow/628410/
“Zoology.” The American Naturalist, Vol. 8, No. 9 (Sep., 1874), pp. 553-565. https://www.jstor.org/stable/2448426?seq=4
“Zoology.” The American Naturalist, Vol. 8, No. 7 (Jul., 1874), pp. 425-441 (17 pages). https://www.jstor.org/stable/2447653?seq=12

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Almanacs and Day Planners Jan 01, 2024

Show notes

People have kept diaries and recorded notes since writing was invented. But planners as we think of them today have their roots in almanacs.

Research:

Atkins, Samuel. “Kalendarium Pennsilvaniense.” W. Bradford. 1685. https://books.google.com/books/about/Kalendarium_Pennsilvaniense_Or_America_s.html?id=wT0wAAAAYAAJ
Nichols, Charles L. “Notes on the Almanacs of Massachusetts.” American Antiquarian Society. 1912. https://www.americanantiquarian.org/proceedings/45647891.pdf
Railton, Stephen. “Anti-Slavery Almanacs.” University of Virginia. https://utc.iath.virginia.edu/abolitn/gallaaaf.html
Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "almanac". Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 Oct. 2023, https://www.britannica.com/topic/almanac
Badian, E.. "fasti". Encyclopedia Britannica, 22 Dec. 2021, https://www.britannica.com/topic/fasti-Roman-calendar
Winlock, H. E. “The Origin of the Ancient Egyptian Calendar.” Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society, vol. 83, no. 3, 1940, pp. 447–64. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/985113
Smith, William, et a. “A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities.” Albemarle Street, London. John Murray. 1890. Accessed online: https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.04.0063:entry=fasti-cn
Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Richard Pynson". Encyclopedia Britannica, 1 Jan. 2023, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Richard-Pynson
Driver, Martha W. “When Is a Miscellany Not Miscellaneous? Making Sense of the ‘Kalender of Shepherds.’” The Yearbook of English Studies, vol. 33, 2003, pp. 199–214. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/3509026
Hockey, Thomas et al. (eds.). “The Biographical Encyclopedia of Astronomers.” Springer Reference. New York: Springer, 2007, pp. 1258-1260 https://islamsci.mcgill.ca/RASI/BEA/Zarqali_BEA.htm
“Diaries and Planners Market Size, Share, Growth, and Industry Analysis by Type (Diaries and Planners) By Application (Premium, and Mass), Latest Trends, Regional Insights, and Forecast From 2024 to 2031.” Business Research Insights. April 2023. https://www.businessresearchinsights.com/market-reports/diaries-and-planners-market-102040
Hubrigh, Joachim. “An almanacke, and prognostication, for the yeare of our Lorde God. 1565. : seruing for all Europia, and also most necessary for all students, marchantes, mariners and trauellers, both by sea and lande, composed and gathered by Ioakim Hubrigh, Doctor in Phisick. Also the most principall fayres in Englande, very necessary for people that doe resorte to the same.” Imprinted by Henry Denham for William Pickring. 1565. Accessed online: https://catalog.folger.edu/record/170062?ln=en
Shank, Michael. "Regiomontanus". Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Jul. 2023, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Regiomontanus
Danforth, Samuel and Royster, Paul (transcriber & editor), "Samuel Danforth's Almanack Poems and Chronological Tables 1647-1649" (1649). Faculty Publications, UNL Libraries. 36. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/libraryscience/36
“History of The Nautical Almanac.” Astronomical Applications Department, U.S. Government. https://aa.usno.navy.mil/publications/na_history
“William Pierce.” Town Memorials, Winthrop, Massachusetts.” https://winthropmemorials.org/great-allotment/pages/william-pierce.html

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Holiday Bonus: Brief History of Gin Dec 31, 2023

Show notes

For New Year's Eve, we're resharing our Sept 2021 episode on the history of gin. Happy New Year to all our listeners, and cheers to you no matter your drink of choice!

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SYMHC Classics: Iroquois Theater Fire Dec 30, 2023

Show notes

In 2014, the show covered the 1903 fire at the new Iroquois Theater. The horrible, incredibly tragic incident was the result of multiple code violations and wrongdoings.

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Behind the Scenes Minis: Mixed Opinions Dec 29, 2023

Show notes

Differing points of view regarding the Stone of Scone are discussed. Tracy also shares thoughts on "Assassins' Creed," its mixed reviews, and the most interesting historical elements in it.

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The Banu Musa Dec 27, 2023

Show notes

The Banū Mūsā were three brothers who lived in Baghdad during the Islamic Golden Age. Among their many achievements, they wrote books on math and science, and created a number of automata.

Research:

1001 Inventions. “Fountains.” https://www.1001inventions.com/fountains/
Abboud, Tony. “Al-Kindi : the father of Arab philosophy.” New York, NY : Rosen Pub. Group. 2006.
Ali, Adam. “The Abbasid Civil War: The War of the Brothers.” Medievalists.net. 9/2022. https://www.medievalists.net/2022/09/abbasid-civil-war-brothers/
Al-Jazeera English. “Pioneers of Engineering Al Jazari and the Banu Musa.” 10/27/2015. https://www.aljazeera.com/program/science-in-a-golden-age/2015/10/27/pioneers-of-engineering-al-jazari-and-the-banu-musa/
"Banū Mūsā." Complete Dictionary of Scientific Biography, vol. 1, Charles Scribner's Sons, 2008, pp. 443-446. Gale In Context: U.S. History, link.gale.com/apps/doc/CX2830900258/GPS?u=mlin_n_melpub&sid=bookmark-GPS&xid=143ea436. Accessed 5 Dec. 2023.
“Banu Musa.” Encyclopedia Iranica. Vol. III, Fasc. 7, pp. 716-717 https://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/banu-musa-the-name-applied-to-three-brothers-abbasid-astronomers-whose-father-was-musa-b
Bir, Atilla. “The Book ‘Kitab al-Hiyal’: Banu Musa bin Shakir Interpreted in Sense off Modern System and Control Engineering.” Studies and Sources on the History of Science Series No: 4. Edited by Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu. 1990.
Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "al-Amīn". Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Mar. 2023, https://www.britannica.com/biography/al-Amin. Accessed 8 December 2023.
Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "al-Mutawakkil". Encyclopedia Britannica, 27 Nov. 2023, https://www.britannica.com/biography/al-Mutawakkil. Accessed 7 December 2023.
Daemmrich, Arthur. “Ingenious Devices.” Smithsonian. 11/2/2020. https://invention.si.edu/ingenious-devices
From: Thomas Hockey et al. (eds.). The Biographical Encyclopedia of Astronomers, Springer Reference. New York: Springer, 2007, pp. 92-24
Gearon, Amon. “The History and Achievements of the Islamic Golden Age.” The Teaching Company. 2017.
Hamarneh, Sami. “Al-Kindi, A Ninth Century Physician, Philosopher and Scholar.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1033530/pdf/medhist00153-0033.pdf
"Harun al-Rashid Establishes the House of Wisdom." Global Events: Milestone Events Throughout History, edited by Jennifer Stock, vol. 5: Middle East, Gale, 2014, pp. 144-147. Gale In Context: Global Issues, link.gale.com/apps/doc/CX3728000720/GPS?u=mlin_n_melpub&sid=bookmark-GPS&xid=4f7cfce7. Accessed 5 Dec. 2023.
"Mathematics." World Eras, edited by Susan L. Douglass, vol. 2: Rise and Spread of Islam, 622-1500, Gale, 2002, pp. 415-418. Gale In Context: World History, link.gale.com/apps/doc/CX3034700173/GPS?u=mlin_n_melpub&sid=bookmark-GPS&xid=cfe1397b. Accessed 5 Dec. 2023.
Sourdel, Dominique. "al-Maʾmūn". Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Jul. 2023, https://www.britannica.com/biography/al-Mamun. Accessed 8 December 2023.
Tasci, Ufuk Necat. Banu Musa: Meet the 9th-century orphaned Muslim brothers who reinvented mechanics.” The New Arab. 7/25/2023. https://www.newarab.com/features/banu-musa-9th-century-brothers-who-reinvented-mechanics
"The Banu Musa Brothers Publish the Book of Ingenious Devices." Global Events: Milestone Events Throughout History, edited by Jennifer Stock, vol. 5: Middle East, Gale, 2014, pp. 152-154. Gale In Context: Global Issues, link.gale.com/apps/doc/CX3728000723/GPS?u=mlin_n_melpub&sid=bookmark-GPS&xid=f0bc972d. Accessed 5 Dec. 2023.

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The Stone of Scone Heist Dec 25, 2023

Show notes

On Christmas day in 1950, the Stone of Scone was removed, heist-style, from Westminster Abbey. Some believed it to be an act of theft, and others, liberation.

Research:

Aitchison, Nick. “Scotland's Stone of Destiny : myth, history and nationhood.” Stroud : Tempus. 2000.
BBC World Service. “The removal of Scotland's Stone of Destiny - BBC World Service.” Via YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fd_FC2zWlOQ
Brocklehurst, Steven. “The students who stole the Stone of Destiny.” BBC. 3/24/2023. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-63130942
George, Stephen C. “What Is the Stone of Destiny?” Discover. 6/5/2023. https://www.discovermagazine.com/the-sciences/what-is-the-stone-of-destiny
Glasgow Police Museum. “THE STONE OF DESTINY – 1950.” https://www.policemuseum.org.uk/crime-casebook/interesting-cases/the-stone-of-destiny-1950/
Historic Environment Scotland. “Research shines new light on the Stone of Destiny.” 4/5/2023. https://www.historicenvironment.scot/about-us/news/research-shines-new-light-on-the-stone-of-destiny/
Historic Environment Scotland. “Stone Of Destiny, Edinburgh Castle.” 3D Scan. https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/stone-of-destiny-edinburgh-castle-4d46d1df627d41a2adc65f6550b2fa9c
London staff. “No trace of missing Stone of Destiny.” The Guardian. 12/27/1950. https://www.theguardian.com/century/1950-1959/Story/0,,105149,00.html
McAleer, Brendan. “When four students in two Fords stole the Stone of Destiny.” Hagerty Media. 9/29/2022. https://www.hagerty.com/media/automotive-history/when-four-students-in-two-fords-stole-the-stone-of-destiny/
Rodwell, Warwick. “The Coronation Chair and Stone of Scone : history, archaeology and conservation.” Oxford, Oxbow Books. 2013.

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Holiday Bonus: Krampus & Friends Dec 24, 2023

Show notes

For Christmas Eve, we’re sharing our 2016 episode about holiday figures from around the world. This one features the Mari Lwyd, which came up on a recent episode.

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SYMHC Classics: John Wilkins and His Moon Plans Dec 23, 2023

Show notes

This 2019 episode covers John Wilkins who planned out what he thought it would take for humans to travel to the moon In the 1600s. Wilkins managed to ride out a rocky time in England's history comfortably.

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Behind the Scenes Minis: Frozen Ice Hedda Dec 22, 2023

Show notes

Tracy talks about not seeing a frozen body of water that could support a person as a kid. Holly discusses how difficult it is to pare down Hedda Hopper's life into an episode.

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