Podcast Transcript The Roman Empire, at its height, was a juggernaut. However, during the third century, almost everything fell apart. In fact, for a brief period of time, it arguably did. It suffered from invasions, plagues, a collapsing economy, lower agricultural productivity, and numerous political assassinations. They eventually solved their problems, but in the process, …
Podcast Transcript The Allied invasion of Normandy was one of the most complex military operations ever conducted. Thousands of ships and planes had to work in conjunction with tens of thousands of soldiers who had to do one of the most difficult things in warfare: an amphibious landing. In addition to all of the planning …
Podcast Transcript Every day, whether or not you even realize it, you are subject to a host of unwritten rules. These are rules that are not written down and are not part of any formal law, but they are fundamental to the functioning of any society. These unwritten and often unspoken rules differ from place …
Podcast Transcript Italy as we know it today is a relatively recent invention. Ever since the collapse of the Western Roman Empire, the Italian Peninsula had been a patchwork of city-states, dutchies, kingdoms, and lands controlled by the pope. It wasn’t until the 19th century that a group of idealistic Italians sought to unify the …
Podcast Transcript Each of the fifty US states is like a separate country. Its area, population, and economy are comparable to those of other independent nations. Yet, the histories of each state, while different, all share broad commonalities. However, one state has a history that is totally different from all the rest. Learn more about …
Podcast Transcript If you’ve been around long enough, and by that, I only mean a couple of years, you have probably observed the one fundamental truth about computers: they always get faster. While games and web browning might seem faster, the average person’s computer usage doesn’t necessarily express just how much more powerful computers have …
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 …