The Planet Uranus

The Planet Uranus

Podcast Transcript Located approximately 1.8 billion miles or 2.9 billion kilometers from the sun, 19 times the distance from the Earth to the sun, is the seventh planet in the solar system, Uranus……or Uranus.  Uranus is unlike any other planet in the solar system in several important ways, and its discovery was unlike the discovery …

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The Opium Wars

The Opium Wars

Podcast Transcript In the 19th century, the British and the Chinese went to war on two separate occasions—the reasons why they went to war are both simple and complicated.  The more complicated reason has to do with the trade policies of the British Empire and centuries-old entrenched attitudes on the part of the Qing dynasty.  …

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French Overseas Departments

French Overseas Departments

Podcast Transcript Back in the 19th and early 20th centuries, several European countries had colonies all around the world.  Today, all of the empires have broken up, but some countries still have tiny remnants that can be found overseas. One of those countries is France. However, France’s overseas possessions are organized very differently from those …

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The Donner Party

The Donner Party

In the Spring of 1846, a group of intrepid pioneers set out from Independence, Missouri, to cross the Oregon Trail to seek a better life in the fertile Oregon Territory.  However, almost nothing went according to plan for this group. They got a late start, took a devastating wrong turn, and were delayed by many …

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A History of the Turkey

A History of the Turkey

Podcast Transcript For about a month, from the end of November to the end of December, every year, one of the most popular animals in North America is the turkey.  Turkeys are the traditional meal served at Thanksgiving and Christmas. However, it is a tradition that is found almost nowhere else in the world.  This …

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The Monroe Doctrine

The Monroe Doctrine

Podcast Transcript When the United States became independent in the late 18th century, it didn’t have much of a foreign policy. Their primary concern was creating the framework of a country that hadn’t existed before.  However, after a few decades, the United States grew in confidence and eventually asserted its own unique foreign policy objectives.  …

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All About the Element Mercury

All About the Element Mercury

Podcast Transcript Since the dawn of human history, humans have been aware of a seemingly miraculous substance. It was a substance that had the same color as silver, but unlike silver, it wasn’t a solid. It was a liquid.  Ancient people used this substance as a medicine and as an elixir for long life, something …

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How the Roman Army Worked

How the Roman Army Worked

Podcast Transcript For centuries, the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire were able to conquer and force their will on other people around the Mediterranean Sea. The success of Rome was built on its army, and its army was able to sustain its dominance for so long because of its system of superior organization and …

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The History of Parachutes

The History of Parachutes

Podcast Transcript Centuries ago, someone decided jumping from a great height and trying to land without being injured would be a good idea.  …and in a few cases, it actually worked….although in many more cases, it didn’t.  Once humans actually figured out how to fly, they realized that there might be an actual use for …

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