Stuff You Missed in History Class

Latest Episodes:

James Strang: The King of Beaver Island Jun 13, 2011

Show notes

In 1850, James Strang was crowned king of Michigan's Beaver Island. He got the opportunity to lead after meeting Joseph Smith and converting to Mormonism. After Smith's death, Strang tried to step in as his successor. Tune in to learn what happened next.

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Cahokia: North America's First City? Jun 08, 2011

Show notes

Most people have heard of great South and Central American empires, but Mississippian civilizations are more obscure. At its peak, the Mississippian city known as Cahokia was bigger than London. So how did it get so big -- and why was it abandoned?

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Paul Morphy: Who was the pride and sorrow of chess? Jun 06, 2011

Show notes

Bobby Fischer called Paul Morphy "the greatest chess genius in history," By age 20, he earned recognition as America's best player after winning the nation's first chess championship tournament in 1857. So why did his career end after only two years?

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Princess Caraboo: Imposter from Javasu Jun 01, 2011

Show notes

When a mysterious woman sporting a turban showed up in England, people took her for a foreign beggar. But she claimed to be a princess who had been kidnapped by pirates! Eventually, however, the truth proved stranger than fiction. Tune in to learn more.

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History's Unforgettable Fires May 30, 2011

Show notes

After covering the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire, Deblina and Sarah return to the topic of disastrous fires in history. Listen in as they recount some of history's most famous fires, comparing and contrasting the factors leading to these catastrophes. Including the Peshtigo Fire, the Great Fire of London, the Great Fire of Meireki, and the Great San Francisco Earthquake and Fire.

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An Interview with David McCullough May 25, 2011

Show notes

In this episode, Pulitzer Prize-winning author David McCullough discusses his book "The Greater Journey: Americans in Paris," which follows the experiences of American expats in the French capital. Tune in to learn more about McCullough's work.

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Queen Victoria and Abdul Karim May 23, 2011

Show notes

Queen Victoria loved two men: Prince Albert, and after his death, her servant, John Brown. Late in life, the Queen had a third partner, a Muslim man named Abdul Karim. So why did Victoria's children want the records of this relationship destroyed?

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Fire at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory May 18, 2011

Show notes

In the early 1900s, New York City's Triangle Shirtwaist factory was one of the largest blouse factories in the city. It was also incredibly unsafe. Learn how a fire at this factory triggered a national change in attitudes surrounding workplace safety.

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Sink the Bismarck! May 16, 2011

Show notes

The German battleship Bismarck was the most feared warship in the world - a powerful complement to U-boats. But when she sank the pride of the British fleet, the battle cruiser Hood, in a matter of minutes, her fate was sealed. Tune in to learn more.

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A Pure Food Father and His Poison Squad May 11, 2011

Show notes

In the late 1800s, no one really monitored food additives. After Congress refused to regulate food safety, Harvey Wiley had groups of healthy men ingest poisons for six months. Tune in to learn how these "Poison Squads" shed new light on Wiley's cause.

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