Stuff You Missed in History Class

They dig into a lost letter and why research sometimes hits dead ends. They challenge claims that recent immigration and detention actions are unprecedented. They examine how modern video and racial bias shape public outrage. They revisit historical precedents for mass detentions and deportations. They reflect on Anthony Burns' writings, moral struggles, and small acts of agency.

A dramatic retelling of Anthony Burns' capture, the legal wrangling that followed, and the tense standoff between federal law and Massachusetts abolitionists. Listeners hear plans to storm a courthouse, a deadly confrontation, and the costly military escort that made Burns a national symbol. The later sale, rescue purchase, and push for stronger personal liberty laws are also highlighted.

A gripping historical story about a man born into slavery, his self-education, and a risky plan to escape. The narrative follows his secret voyage north, life in Boston, and a letter that exposes his whereabouts. Listeners learn how the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 and legal maneuvers led to his arrest and the high stakes for free Black communities.

A lively tour through Samuel Pepys's life, from his naval career and administrative reforms to his vivid accounts of plague, the Great Fire, and naval warfare. The hosts unpack his turbulent marriage, health crises, scandals, and society ties. They also trace the diary’s shorthand, censorship, later restoration, and the quirky daily anecdotes that bring 17th-century London to life.

They dig into John Evelyn's Fumifugium and a quirky plan to mask London’s foul air with fragrant gardens. Conversation ranges from historical and modern air pollution impacts to memories of green spaces. Lively tales include a daring horseback escape in Central Park and debates over women in early international sport.

A lively look at the first women to compete at the modern Games and the sports that admitted them in 1900. Stories include a pioneering sailor who raced for Switzerland and a teenage equestrian barred from competition. The episode follows the rise of organized women's sport through Alice Milliat and the pressure that forced Olympic bodies to expand opportunities.

A lively dive into a 1661 tract that blamed coal smoke for London’s filthy air. The hosts trace one writer’s push to reshape royal image while diagnosing soot, ruined fabrics, and breathing harms. They outline curious fixes like moving polluting trades and planting fragrant belts around the city. The episode follows the pamphlet’s reception and its surprising echoes in later pollution debates.

They laugh over bizarre historic illustrations of fetuses and how art style can mislead medical reading. They compare artistic conventions to real cases of rickets and discuss Medici children and indoor lifestyles. Anecdotes about George Stephenson reveal his mechanical tinkering, surprising sewing skills, and reflections on literacy and kindness.

A quirky origin story about the discovery of phosphorus from boiled urine. The hosts trace alchemical beliefs, distillation rituals, and the bizarre lab details that led to glowing white phosphorus. They follow how the discovery spread across Europe, sparked industrial production and medicinal fads, and eventually ties into modern concerns like fertilizer demand and recycling ideas.

A rags-to-riches inventor tale that traces a coal miner’s self-taught rise into steam engineering. They explore early locomotive builds like the Blücher and the game-changing steam blast. The story covers railway design challenges, the Stockton & Darlington line, Chat Moss engineering, and the Rainhill Trials that propelled the Rocket to fame.