Dave Does History

In this episode of Dave Does History, we revisit one of the most overlooked maritime tragedies of the 20th century—the sinking of the RMS Empress of Ireland.

On May 29, 1914, just weeks before the world would plunge into war, the great liner went down in the frigid waters of the St. Lawrence River, taking 1,012 souls with her.

Among the dead were 133 members of The Salvation Army, including many from the Canadian Staff Band, who were on their way to London for an international congress. This was no ordinary loss—it was a blow to the heart of a movement grounded in faith, music, and service.

Today, we tell their story. Not of fame or fortune, but of faith, sacrifice, and remembrance. The tale of a joyous march that ended in silence, and of a mission that lives on in memory, brass, and song.

On this episode of Dave Does History, we journey back to 585 BCE, when a war between the Medes and the Lydians came to a sudden halt. Not by treaty or triumph, but by an unexpected eclipse of the sun.

Ancient sources claim the philosopher Thales of Miletus predicted it. Was it science, sheer luck, or a legend crafted over time?

We will explore what really happened during the Battle of the Eclipse, why it matters to historians, and how one shadow over the battlefield became a symbol of the birth of reason in a world ruled by myth.

On this episode of Dave Does History, Dave Bowman joins Bill Mick Live to explore how molasses, monarchs, and mismanagement helped ignite the American Revolution.

From a failed cobra bounty in colonial India to the British government’s disastrous molasses tax in the 1700s, Dave draws a straight line from economic blunders to revolutionary fervor.

He unpacks the moral rigidity of King George III, the post-war proclamation that enraged the colonies, and the shift from benign neglect to imperial enforcement.

It’s history with bite—and just the right amount of sugar. Join us as Liberty 250 marches on toward 1776.

King Edmund I ruled with courage and clarity during one of England’s most volatile eras. In just seven years, he beat back Viking invasions, secured alliances, and strengthened royal justice—only to die suddenly during mass. Discover the story of Edmund the Magnificent, the king history almost forgot.

On this day, May 25, back in 1738, the American colonies were not fighting Britain. They were nearly fighting each other.

In this episode of Dave Does History, we dig into the wild and often overlooked border war between Pennsylvania and Maryland—Cresap’s War.

Fueled by bad maps, stubborn governors, and one fiery frontiersman named Thomas Cresap, the feud saw barns torched, settlers evicted, and muskets drawn. It took King George II to finally end it.

Join us as we unravel the chaos that gave birth to the Mason-Dixon Line and ask what it really means to draw the line.

On today’s episode of Dave Does History, we journey back to 1688 and the quiet revolution that changed how people worshipped and thought about liberty.

The Toleration Act may not sound like headline news, but it marked the first legal crack in England’s ironclad religious conformity. It gave dissenting Protestants just enough space to breathe—and sparked ideas that would echo across the Atlantic.

From English pulpits to Virginia meetinghouses, this modest law planted the seeds of the First Amendment. Tune in as we explore how toleration, once a reluctant compromise, became the cornerstone of American religious freedom.

On May 23, 1939, the brand-new submarine USS Squalus vanished beneath the waves off the New Hampshire coast during a routine test dive.

What followed was one of the most daring and dramatic rescues in naval history. Thirty-three men were trapped on the ocean floor, their lives hanging by a thread.

In this episode of Dave Does History, we dive into the harrowing story of disaster, heroism, innovation, and redemption.

From the failed valve that doomed the boat to the groundbreaking rescue that saved the survivors, this is the unforgettable tale of the Squalus—and her resurrection as the USS Sailfish.

Today on Dave Does History, we peer into the paradoxical life of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle—the brilliant mind behind Sherlock Holmes, the world’s most logical detective, and a man who passionately believed in fairies and séances.

From the lecture halls of Edinburgh to the foggy streets of Baker Street, from battlefield hospitals to spiritualist temples, Doyle’s journey defied easy labels. He was a doctor, a writer, a justice crusader, and a ghost hunter.

Join us as we explore the man who gave voice to cold reason while chasing the mysteries of the unseen world. This is Arthur Conan Doyle: Unmasked.

Alexander Pope may have been small in stature, but his voice thundered through the English literary world like few others.

In this episode of Dave Does History, we explore the remarkable life of the hunchbacked Catholic poet who rose above religious persecution, chronic illness, and literary enemies to become one of the greatest satirists and craftsmen of verse in the English language.

From The Rape of the Lock to An Essay on Man, Pope's wit was razor-sharp, his pen unflinching. Join us as we examine how this outsider reshaped poetry—and why his couplets still sting today.

In this episode of Dave Does History on Bill MIck Live, we head to 1754—before the shot heard 'round the world—to explore the war that truly started America’s march to independence.

Dave Bowman joins Bill Mick to explain why the so-called French and Indian War was actually the First World War, fought on five continents with global stakes.

From young George Washington’s accidental trigger in the Ohio Valley to Britain’s reluctant entry and colonial frustration, this is the untold backstory of liberty’s long road.

Join us as we uncover how a war for empire became a lesson in identity, obligation, and revolution.