In November 1884, representatives from a dozen European countries met in Berlin. The reason for the meeting was audacious. They were going to carve up the continent of Africa between them. No one from Africa was in attendance at the conference, and no one was even invited. The decisions they made at this conference, and …
Podcast Transcript For generations, families all over the world have attended circuses. Circuses were a collection of animals, acrobats, clowns, and other exotic oddities. In an era before television and the internet, circuses were a major form of entertainment for many people. Over time, however, circuses have changed and evolved into something very different in …
Podcast Transcript We all eat every day. We use English words for the foods and meals we eat without even thinking about it. But where did those words come from, and what did they originally mean? What is the difference between dinner and supper? Were the modern distinctions we have between fruits and vegetables always …
Podcast Transcript A little over 500 years ago, the world underwent massive change. Empires were growing, religious and political institutions were changing, science was advancing, and art was undergoing a revolution. It was the start of what many historians called the Early Modern period. A period that began the slow and painful transition to what …
Podcast Transcript One of the most significant figures in 16th-century Britain was Mary Stuart, aka Mary, Queen of Scots. Mary’s life was one of the most fascinating of the period. Depending on which historian you consult, she was a schemer, a traitor, a pawn, or a victim. According to some, she was all of these …
Podcast Transcript For thousands of years, humans all around the world have coveted gemstones. Gemstones have been used as symbols of authority by kings, queens, and emperors, have been central to religious ceremonies, and have served as adornments for the wealthy. While you may have heard of diamonds, rubies, emeralds, and sapphires, what exactly are …
Podcast Transcript On April 12, 1861, the United States Civil War began when Confederate forces began a bombardment of the Union held Fort Sumter at the mouth of the harbor in Charleston, South Carolina. The battle was not itself a great battle, and the number of casualties was shockingly small, but what it began totally …
Podcast Transcript In any sport, there is always one debate that comes up. It comes up year after year, and it has been around for as long as sport has existed. The debate is about who is the greatest of all time, or in common parlance, who is the GOAT? Every sport has its own …
Podcast Transcript During the Second World War, the United States embarked on one of the greatest science and engineering projects the world had ever seen. Over 125,000 people took part in the program, the vast majority of which had no clue what it was for, and the total cost of the program was over a …