Compact History

How did a small Californian settlement become a name recognised around the world? In this episode of Compact History, we trace the history of Hollywood, from its first studios and silent stars to the rise of talking pictures and the golden age of cinema. Discover how censorship, the Hollywood blacklist and television challenged the studio system, before a new generation of filmmakers helped launch the blockbuster era. The story continues through digital effects, global franchises and streaming, exploring the changing balance of creativity, technology and power behind the screen.

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From its wartime roots in the OSS to its creation in 1947, the CIA became one of the most influential and controversial intelligence agencies in the world. This episode follows its Cold War operations in Iran, Guatemala and Cuba, the investigations that reshaped oversight, its role in Afghanistan and the changes that followed 9/11. How did an agency created to coordinate intelligence acquire the power to influence events abroad, and how has the United States tried to hold that power to account?

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Born from the deadlock of the First World War, the tank was designed to cross trenches, crush barbed wire and shield soldiers from enemy fire. Its first appearance on the Somme in 1916 was troubled, but within a generation tanks had become central to Blitzkrieg, the vast battles of the Eastern Front and Allied victory in the Second World War. This episode follows the tank from Little Willie and Cambrai through the Cold War and into an age of missiles, mines and battlefield drones, asking why this heavily armoured machine continues to survive every prediction of its demise.

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Spices have flavoured food for thousands of years, but their influence extends far beyond the kitchen. In this episode, we trace their history from the medicines, rituals and cooking of ancient civilisations to the vast trading networks of the Indian Ocean. We follow Portuguese explorers searching for a direct route to Asia, the violent Dutch campaign to monopolise nutmeg and the transformation of once-precious commodities into everyday supermarket products. It is a story of navigation, commerce, empire and exploitation, all contained within the spice cupboard.

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From two peach baskets in a Massachusetts gymnasium to packed arenas, Olympic tournaments and professional leagues spanning the globe, this episode explores the remarkable history of basketball. Discover why James Naismith created the game, how its rules and equipment evolved, why the NBA became an international spectacle, and how players, clubs and national teams beyond the United States helped turn a simple winter activity into one of the world's most popular sports.

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Curry is not one dish, one recipe or even the product of one country. Its history stretches from ancient South Asian spice traditions to Mughal court kitchens, Portuguese trading ports, British colonial households and migrant communities around the world. In this episode of Compact History, we explore the regional cuisines that existed long before the word "curry" became widely used, discover how chillies and other American crops transformed Indian cooking, and follow curry as it travelled to Britain, the Caribbean, South Africa and Japan. We also examine the rise of the British curry house and the reinvention of dishes such as vindaloo, chicken tikka masala and Japanese curry rice.

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Built across a lagoon and protected by the sea, Venice developed from scattered island settlements into one of the most powerful commercial republics in European history. Its merchants traded across the Mediterranean, its shipyards produced formidable fleets, and its political institutions kept the republic functioning for centuries. Venice also helped redirect the Fourth Crusade, created an extensive maritime empire and became a major centre of Renaissance art, architecture and printing. Yet Ottoman expansion, changing trade routes and the arrival of Napoleon gradually brought Venetian independence to an end. This episode traces the history of Venice from its uncertain origins and the rise of the doges to the fall of the republic in 1797, its incorporation into Italy and the environmental and social challenges facing the city today.

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From the bronze-tipped rams of ancient Mediterranean galleys to the guided missiles and nuclear submarines of the modern era, warships have constantly evolved in response to new weapons, technologies and strategic demands. Discover how the trireme gave way to the ship of the line, how steam and armour ended the age of wooden fleets, why HMS Dreadnought transformed naval power, and how aircraft carriers, submarines and uncrewed vessels changed warfare at sea. This is The History of Warships.

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From medieval monasteries and royal courts to hidden Highland stills, American rebellion and the global revival of premium spirits, whiskey has travelled a remarkable road. Discover how distillation developed, why Ireland and Scotland created different traditions, how taxation encouraged generations of smugglers, and how migrants carried whiskey-making across the Atlantic. We also explore the rise of bourbon, the devastation caused by Prohibition and war, the emergence of Japanese whisky, and the modern industry that turns grain, water, yeast, oak and time into one of the world's most celebrated drinks.

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The metric system is so familiar today that it is easy to forget how radical it once was. Before metres, litres and kilograms, measurement was a confusing patchwork of local customs, regional habits and awkward conversions.

In this episode of Compact History, we trace the story of the metric system from the disorder of old weights and measures to the revolutionary reforms of France, the creation of the metre and kilogram, the slow resistance to metrication, and the rise of international scientific standards. Along the way, we explore why the system spread across much of the world, why some countries still hold on to older units, and why modern science depends on measurements that can be trusted everywhere.

The metric system began as an Enlightenment dream of rational order. Today, it underpins trade, medicine, engineering, space travel, climate science and almost every part of modern technology.

The History of the Metric System, from revolutionary idea to global standard.

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