Shows / History Unplugged Podcast
History Unplugged Podcast
For history lovers who listen to podcasts, History Unplugged is the most comprehensive show of its kind. It's the only show that dedicates episodes to both interviewing experts and answering questions from its audience. First, it features a call-in show where you can ask our resident historian (Scott Rank, PhD) absolutely anything (What was it like to be a Turkish sultan with four wives and twelve concubines? If you were sent back in time, how would you kill Hitler?). Second, it features…
Episodes
History Unplugged PodcastHow Archeologists Decide What We Remember—Chris Webster, Archeology Podcast Network
Chris Webster is a cultural resource management archeologist. That means when the National Registry of Historic Places is thinking about adding a mining town…
History Unplugged PodcastWhen Weather Wipes Out Civilization -- Four Cases of Climate Killing Empires
The deadliest army on earth can't top the weather for its destructive potential. History's mightiest empires have fallen for no more of a reason than climate…
History Unplugged PodcastGeorge Washington's Guide to Greatness, As Told by His Great Nephew —Austin Washington
George Washington—widely considered a man of honor, bravery and leadership. He is known as America’s first President, a great general, and a humble gentleman…
History Unplugged PodcastMedieval Health Care: Bloodletting, Primitive Surgery, and How Surprisingly Good Doctors Could Be Despite Knowing Almost Nothing
The Middle Ages were a terrible time to get sick. There was no sanitation inside cities and hardly any in rural areas. The common way to relieve pain amongst…
History Unplugged PodcastA First-Hand Account of the Battle of Ramadi, Iraq – Maj. Scott Huesing
From the winter of 2006 through the spring of 2007, two-hundred-fifty Marines from Echo Company, Second Battalion, Fourth Marine Regiment fought daily in the…
History Unplugged PodcastMesopotamian Civilization (2): Everyday Life of Merchants, Temple Priests, and Prostitutes
Welcome to part two in our series on Mesopotamia. The last installment covered the lives of the elites; now let's go several steps down the social ladder. We…
History Unplugged PodcastOne Nation Under (the Influence of) Alcohol: Drinking During the Civil War—Mark Will-Weber
Bloody battles, lionhearted leaders, valiant victories, and lamentable losses—the history of the Civil War has been told time and again. Yet, one monumental…
History Unplugged PodcastMesopotamian Civilization: Gilgamesh, Sargon, and Why 1 GB of Information on Cuneiform Tablets Weights as Much as a 747
Welcome to the first episode in a two-part series on Mesopotamian civilization. In this episode we are going to be covering four topics: 1) The origins of…
History Unplugged PodcastRace to the Top of the World: Richard Byrd and the First Flight to the North Pole—Sheldon Bart
In the age of adventure, when dirigibles coasted through the air and vast swaths of the Earth remained untouched and unseen by man, one pack of relentless…
History Unplugged PodcastPositive Legacies of the Mongolian Empire: International Trade, Religious Tolerance, Career Opportunities, and Horse Milk
The Mongolian Empire has a well-deserved reputation for its brutality (it did, after all, kill 40 million in the 12th century, enough people to alter planetary…
History Unplugged PodcastAmerica's Utopian Communities: From Plymouth Colony's Failed Experiments in Collective Farming to 60s Hippie Communes—Timothy Miller
One of the oldest traditions in America is trying (and failing) to set up a utopian community. French Enlightenment thinkers such as Jean-Jacques Rousseau…
History Unplugged PodcastThe Reasons the Mongolian Army Was Unstoppable
Mongols were fierce on horseback, but so were the many other steppe nomads who tried and failed to conquer the walled cities of China, Persia, and Rome. Yet…
History Unplugged PodcastHorse and Bow- A Mongol's Two Best Friends
Steppe nomads plagued the ancient world with their cavalries, but nobody perfected this form of warfare like the Mongols. A horse archer had such a deep…
History Unplugged PodcastThe Rise of Genghis- From Temujin to the Great Khan
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
History Unplugged PodcastThe Mongols Killed So Many People They Lowered the Global Temperature
Welcome to part one of Mongol Week(s). In this multi-part series, we will look at the Mongolian Empire from multiple perspectives, including its unprecedented…
History Unplugged PodcastChester A. Arthur's Presidency Was a Colossal Accident...And a Huge Success
Chester A. Arthur, America's 21st president, lands on the lists of the most obscure chief executives. Few know anything about him besides his trademark…
History Unplugged PodcastThe Vietnam War Was About...Stealing Asia's Tin?
Fighting over scarce resources have fueled wars back to the Sumerian city-states squabbling over water-use rights of the Euphrates river. Did the same drive…
History Unplugged PodcastAbout 70-90 Percent of a Society Needs to Die Before It Completely Collapses
Some disasters hurt society (Hurricane Katrina in 2005). Bigger ones permanently alter it (the Black Death in the 1300s; Mao's Great Leap Forward). The worst…
History Unplugged PodcastWhy The Black Plague is Partially (But Not Completely) Responsible For the Renaissance?
The death of thirty percent of Europe's population in the fourteenth century permanently altered the medieval social order, and many scholars credit the Black…
History Unplugged PodcastDid Mussollini Really Make the Trains Run on Time?
Fascism is loved by few, but many at least credit Mussolini's heavy-handed rule for making Italy's notoriously disastrous train system operate effectively. Was…
History Unplugged PodcastHow Teddy Roosevelt Became The Man He Was in the Badlands—William Hazelgrove of “Forging a President”
Teddy Roosevelt wasn’t born as the rough riding, big-game-hunting, Amazon-exploring legend that America has come to love. So how did he become the larger-than-…
History Unplugged PodcastThe Origin of the High Five
The origins of some cultural practices are lost to the mists of time. Not so the high five. We can trace it back to a specific day at a specific baseball game…
History Unplugged PodcastNobody in the Middle Ages Thought the Earth Was Flat
One of the most widespread and pernicious bits of common knowledge about the Middle Ages that is incorrect is the idea that everyone believed the world to be…
History Unplugged PodcastWhich Leader Had the Best Shot at World Domination?
Which world leader or dictator had the best chance at world domination? (i.e. Hitler, Napoleon, Alexander the Great). In this episode I discuss whether such a…
History Unplugged PodcastPinetti, the 18th-Century Illusionist and Forerunner of Chris Angel and David Copperfield—Brian Earl from the Illusion Podcast
Giussepe Pinetti: You might not know the name, but he's considered the guy who made magic into a respected theatrical art form. Before him, it was practiced…
History Unplugged PodcastThe Origin of the Military Salute
The simple military salute is a symbol whose meaning goes back centuries earlier than most any soldier would suspect. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy…
History Unplugged PodcastWould Somebody from 1000 BC Transported to 1000 AD Notice the Difference?
Did technological and social change happen fast enough in the 2,000-year period between 1000 BC and AD that a time traveller would notice he were transported…
History Unplugged PodcastThe English Channel—The 26-Mile Strait That Has Stopped Armies For Millenia
Why has a puny strip of sea stopped invading armies almost as effectively as the Atlantic Ocean has for America? Because staging a successful amphibious…
History Unplugged PodcastThe Richest Man in History Was the 14th c. King of Mali
Learn about King Musa, the man so rich he crashed the value of gold in Egypt by giving away too many gifts while on an extended vacation. See…
History Unplugged PodcastCanines in Combat: How the 8125th Sentry Dog Detachment Saved Countless Lives in the Korean War—Rachel Reed
The Korean War is widely misunderstood in the 21st century. Most have a sepia-toned nostalgia of the bravery of World War Two, or the less black-and-white…
History Unplugged PodcastEurope's Military Quantum Leap (1350-1650)—Patrick Wyman From Tides of History
Want to conquer Europe in the Middle Ages? You need plenty of knights mounted on steeds to launch a full cavalry charge. Once they take out their enemies in…
History Unplugged PodcastChristmas Special: Fr. Longenecker on Why The 3 Wise Men Were Real...But They Weren't From the Orient or Kings (Rebroadcast)
How do we separate myth from fact in ancient history? How do we do this when it comes down to one of the most beloved and well-known stories of all time: The…
History Unplugged PodcastBringing Abraham and Mary Todd to Life in Steven Spielberg's “Lincoln”—Historical Consultant Catherine Clinton
Being a historical consultant for movies is never easy. How do you get the period details right while keeping it contained within an interesting narrative? But…
History Unplugged PodcastMeet Nathaniel Clark Smith, the Melchizedek of Jazz—Bill McKemy
Jazz is the most American of musical genres. But its origins are shrouded in mystery. Some like to think that Louis Armstrong and his bluesmen friends were…
History Unplugged PodcastThe Story of Human Language, From Proto Indo-European to Ebonics English—John McWhorter
Language not only defines humans as a species, placing us head and shoulders above even the most proficient animal communicators, but it also beguiles us with…
History Unplugged PodcastThe Causes of World War 2
In the wreckage of World War 1, Germany was slapped with a war reparations bill worth billions and the loss of much of its land. This and many other reasons…
History Unplugged PodcastThe Causes of World War 1
The reasons for the Great War go way beyond the assassination of Franz Ferdinand. Learn about the causes of one of humanity's most vicious wars. See…
History Unplugged PodcastIs There Any Hard Evidence Hannibal Took Elephants Over the Alps?
Hannibal's crossing of the Alps with war elephants is considered one of the most daring move of the Punic Wars. But is it professionally accepted among…
History Unplugged PodcastThe Greek Military Owned The Ancient World. Why Did They Roll Over For the Romans?
When did the ancient Greeks stop making armies or supplying fighting men? One moment they're beating up the the Persian empire and conquering the known world…
History Unplugged PodcastWhy Food Tells Us More About a Culture Than Anything Else—Ken Alba
You and your ancestor from 1,000 years ago have almost nothing in common. Your clothes are different. Your worship rituals are different. Your thoughts about…
History Unplugged PodcastThe Electoral College Isn't an Outdated 18th-Century Relic; It Keeps America From Falling Apart—Tara Ross
The Electoral college is one of the most confusing—and, after the 2016 election, contentious—parts of American democracy. After losing two of the past five…
History Unplugged PodcastArabic Numerals Took Over 600 Years To Spread Across the West
Western scholars first encountered "Arabic" numerals in the seventh century, making mathematics and accounting much easier. But Roman numerals stubbornly stuck…
History Unplugged PodcastA Short History of the War of the Roses
The Wars of the Roses were a series of battles that were fought between the supporters of the House of Lancaster (Lancastrians) and the supporters of the House…
History Unplugged PodcastRichard Francis Burton—The Man Who Knew the Most Languages in History
Richard Francis Burton was an explorer, translator, and contender for the 19th-century's world's most interesting man. He was also functional in dozens of…
History Unplugged PodcastThe Scopes Monkey Trial, HL Mencken, and Religion in Public Life—Darryl Hart
If you’ve seen the 1960 Spencer Tracy movie Inherit the Wind, you know about the Scopes Monkey Trial. In this real-life 1925 case, John Scopes was accused of…
History Unplugged PodcastThe Reformation Happened 500 Years Ago, But It's More Timely Than Ever—Benjamin Wiker
Secularism, radical Islam, and nationalism all sound like buzzwords pulled straight from today’s headlines. But you might be surprised to know that 500 years…
History Unplugged PodcastHow Did You Call the Police Before the Phone Was Invented?
Dialing 9-1-1 is a new innovation (at least in the sense of the scope of human history), but the need for emergency services goes back to the earliest…
History Unplugged PodcastAll the Presidents Who Owned Slaves and How They Treated Them
A whole bunch of presidents owned slaves considering they took an oath to uphold the rights of their citizens. But how many of the pre-Civil War presidents…
History Unplugged PodcastWho Were Worse—The Spanish Conquistadors or the Aztecs?
The Spanish conquistadors have rightly been called out for their brutal treatment and enslavement of native populations. But did they behave worse than the…
History Unplugged PodcastThe Lives of Slaves, Heretics, Cave-Dwellers, and Other People Ancient History Never Tells You About—Robert Garland
The 19th-century historian Thomas Carlyle wrote, “The history of the world is but the biography of great men.” In a sense that's true. We have plenty of…
History Unplugged PodcastWhat Did Entertainment Do To The Romans?
You can point to hundreds of factors that led to the decline and fall of the Roman Empire (which Edward Gibbon and many others have been doing for centuries)…
History Unplugged PodcastSyriac-The Best Language for Conquering The Ancient World
If you were transported to the ancient world, there's only one language that could be used in Roman Briton and China alike. It was Syriac: the lingua franca of…
History Unplugged PodcastThe Most Valuable Lost Treasure That Still Exists
As Imperial Spain transported literal tons of gold from the New World to the motherland, hurricanes sunk much of it to the bottom of the Atlantic. Find out…
History Unplugged PodcastDid Vikings Have Tattoos?
Vikings left behind nearly no writings, except for Runic scripts on rocks. New burial site excavations show they also left them behind on their bodies. TO HELP…
History Unplugged PodcastCall of Duty: WW2's Historical Advisor Marty Morgan on Bringing the War to Life
Call of Duty is top best-selling first-person shooter series based on real events, but lately it has veered into futuristic sci-fi country. Call of Duty: World…
History Unplugged PodcastThe Codpiece—The Worst Fashion Trend in History
A wealthy man in the 1500s wore a large flap on the front of his trousers to accentuate his "credentials," which looked like an exterior athletic cup. How did…
History Unplugged PodcastWhy Almost No Medieval Peasant Cottages Survive Today
Archeological findings have led to breakthroughs in our understand of the Roman and ancient Near Eastern worlds, but little survives from the 500s-900s. Why…
History Unplugged PodcastHow a Nikita Khruschev Mistranslation Threatened Nuclear War
When Nikita Khruschev pounded his shoe on a podium, declaring "We will bury you!" many feared imminent nuclear war. Turns out a better translation of his…
History Unplugged PodcastBritish Girl, Nazi German POW—A Love Story
Were there any British women who fell in love with German POWs living in England in the mid-1940s? Despite the extreme cultural taboo, the answer is yes. Love…
History Unplugged PodcastAssassin's Creed's Resident Historian Maxime Durand on Mixing Fact with Fiction
Like it or not, far more millennials will learn about Renaissance and medieval history through Assassin's Creed than they ever will through a history book…