Dave Does History

In 1878 Lincoln County, New Mexico, power wasn’t held byelected officials—it was owned by The House, a corrupt monopoly that controlled everything from cattle sales to banking. When John Tunstall arrived to challenge their grip, he paid with his life, sparking the Lincoln County War.

Outlaws, lawmen, and gunfighters clashed in a brutal cycle of revenge, with Billy the Kid rising as both an avenger and a fugitive.

Join Dave Does History on Bill Mick Live as we uncover the corruption, shootouts, and legendary figures that shaped this violent chapter of the Old West. Was Billy the Kid a hero or a criminal? Did those who fought back against injustice break the law—or save their people?

It’s history as it really happened, not the Hollywood version.

Tune in and decide for yourself!

Giordano Bruno, born in 1548, was a radical thinker and heretic whose ideas challenged the Catholic Church's doctrines.

Embracing a boundless universe with countless worlds, he defied traditional views and even rejected core Christian teachings. After fleeing from the Dominican Order, Bruno became a controversial figure across Europe, ultimately leading to his arrest by the Inquisition.

He refused to recant his beliefs, resulting in his execution by burning in 1600—a martyr for the cause of free thought whose legacy endures today.

Henry Wilson’s life was a testament to perseverance, conviction, and an unyielding commitment to justice. Born into poverty and indentured as a child, he rose to become a U.S. Senator, a leading abolitionist, and Vice President of the United States.

A fierce opponent of slavery, Wilson helped shape the Free Soil and Republican parties, fought to end “Slave Power,” and championed civil rights during Reconstruction.

His legacy is one of relentless advocacy for equality and an unwavering belief in American freedom.

The Fairbank Train Robbery of February 15, 1900, was a chaotic clash between Old West outlaws and a determined lawman.

Orchestrated by corrupt deputies-turned-criminals Burt Alvord and Billy Stiles, the robbery aimed to loot a Wells Fargo express car at the Fairbank station. Their gang expected an easy score but instead faced Jeff Milton, a hardened express messenger who, despite being shot, fought back with deadly force.

What unfolded was one of Arizona’s last great train heists.

The fall of the Purépecha Empire in 1530 was a brutal chapter in the Spanish conquest of Mesoamerica. Unlike the Aztecs, who fought fiercely, the Purépecha under Tangáxuan II initially sought peace, only to be betrayed.

After submitting to Hernán Cortés, Tangáxuan found himself at the mercy of Nuño de Guzmán, a ruthless conquistador with a thirst for power. Accused of rebellion, Tangáxuan was tortured and executed, marking the violent end of his empire and the rise of Spanish rule.

The Nashville Sit-ins of 1960, a significant moment in the Civil Rights Movement, emerged amid pervasive racial segregation in the South. Led by activists like James Lawson and supported by the Nashville Christian Leadership Council, students organized a series of nonviolent protests at lunch counters.

The escalating demonstrations faced hostility but garnered public sympathy. Their resilience led to the desegregation of downtown lunch counters in Nashville, setting a precedent for similar actions across the South and reaffirming the power of disciplined nonviolence in enacting social change.

In 1733, James Oglethorpe and a band of settlers arrived on the banks of the Savannah River, laying the foundation for what would become the Colony of Georgia. Unlike its neighbors, Georgia was founded with a unique mission—a blend of philanthropy, military strategy, and economic ambition. Oglethorpe, a British MP and military officer, envisioned a colony that would offer debtors and the impoverished a fresh start while serving as a buffer between Spanish Florida and the prosperous Carolinas. The colony's early days were marked by strict regulations—no slavery, no large landholdings, and no rum—designed to create a society of hardworking, independent farmers. Savannah, Georgia’s first settlement, was meticulously planned and quickly became a vital hub of commerce and culture. But as the years passed, economic pressures forced Georgia to evolve beyond its idealistic beginnings, setting the stage for a complex and often contradictory history that still shapes the state today.

On this episode ofBill Mick Live, it’s Tuesday, which means Dave Does History—and today, we’re taking on one of the most infamous political tricks in American history: gerrymandering. The term was coined on February 11, 1812, when Massachusetts Governor Elbridge Gerry signed off on a redistricting plan that reshaped voting districts to benefit his party. A satirical cartoonist noticed that one district looked like a salamander, and just like that—the “Gerry-mander” was born.

But there’s more to Gerry than just a political scandal. He was a Founding Father, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, and even served as Vice President. So how did his name get tied to a practice both sides love to hate? And more importantly—is gerrymandering actually the problem, or is low voter engagement the real issue?

Join Dave Bowman and Bill Mick as they break down the history, controversy, and lasting impact of gerrymandering—past, present, and future. Listen now!

At the dawn of the 20th century, the world’s great powers were locked in an arms race, each vying for dominance on the high seas. The British Royal Navy, long the master of the oceans, faced a new challenge as rival nations built bigger and more powerful fleets.

Enter Admiral Sir Jackie Fisher, a man who didn’t just anticipate change—he demanded it. Fisher’s vision was bold: a new kind of battleship, faster, deadlier, and more powerful than anything before. The result was HMSDreadnought, launched on February 10, 1906, a ship so advanced that it made every other battleship in the world obsolete overnight.Dreadnought didn’t just change naval warfare; she defined it.

But despite her revolutionary design, she had a surprisingly quiet career, remembered more for a bizarre prank and sinking a submarine than for battle.

Today, we explore the legacy of the ship that rewrote the rules of naval power.

The Election of 1824 wasn’t just another presidential contest—it was a political brawl that exposed the fractures in the so-called “Era of Good Feelings.”

Four candidates, all claiming the banner of the Democratic-Republican Party, fought for control of the White House, but none secured an electoral majority. Enter the House of Representatives, where backroom deals and personal vendettas determined the outcome. Andrew Jackson won the popular vote, but John Quincy Adams took the presidency, thanks to what Jackson’s supporters called a “corrupt bargain.”

Today, we break down the election that changed everything—and set the stage for modern American politics.