Footnoting History

By Footnoting HistoryHistory

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Footnoting History episodes

May 04, 2019 The Woman Who Signed the Declaration of Independence
(Lesley) The Declaration of Independence has many well-known men's names on it, especially that of John Hancock. But what of the woman whose name appears on the printed version of this auspicious document? In this episode, Lesley explores the life and role of early American printer Mary Katharine Goddard. An important contributor to the fledgling American government, Goddard's name should be better known for politics, journalism, and revolution.
15 min
April 20, 2019 King John and His Dogs
(Kristin) King John is often remembered as one of England’s most inept and disliked rulers. By the time he was forced to sign the Magna Carta in 1215, John lost authority, territory, and a lot of friends. Some, however, did remain loyal. In this week’s episode, Kristin looks at King John and his dogs.
11 min
April 06, 2019 Harlem Renaissance Man: James Weldon Johnson
(Lucy) Diplomat and hymn-writer, Broadway lyricist, activist, and historian, James Weldon Johnson was an early figurehead of the NAACP. This week's episode explores his life and multifaceted legacy.
15 min
March 23, 2019 Henry II and Thomas Becket, Part II: Rivals
(Christine) Not all friendships are meant to last, but some go the extra mile and turn into bitter rivalries. Picking up where we left off at the end of Part I, this episode follows the relationship between King Henry II and Archbishop Thomas Becket to the violent ending that left only one man standing.
19 min
March 09, 2019 Henry II and Thomas Becket, Part I: Friends
(Christine) Being King of England isn't an easy task, but Henry II was aided by his good friend, Thomas Becket, serving as Chancellor. Then, Henry saw an opportunity to place Thomas in the highest position of power in the English church. What could go wrong?
17 min
February 24, 2019 The History of Grading
(Nathan) B-, 3.85, 16/20, upper second--modern methods of gauging a student's performance in a class can vary widely from country to country. But most of these systems are shockingly recent developments, and for much of human history "grades" as such didn't exist. In this episode, we'll look at the history of American systems of educational evaluation from their emergence in the 18th century to their standardization in the 20th.
17 min
February 10, 2019 The End is Nigh! The Apocalypse in the Renaissance
(Lucy) At the dawn of the 1500s, Europe was enjoying more wealth than ever before. Consumption was conspicuous, luxury was accessible… and sin was rife. Preachers like Savonarola foretold the end of the world, and people listened. In this episode of Footnoting History, learn about falling church towers, divine portents, papal curses, and how the European populace dealt with new identities and new opportunities at the opening of the early modern period.
16 min
January 26, 2019 American Indian Prisoners of War
(Elizabeth) Wars between British colonizers and American Indians were a constant part of life in Colonial America. In this episode, Elizabeth explains the myriad ways American Indians became prisoners of war as well as how they were treated, including being sent as slaves to Barbados and other places.
15 min
January 12, 2019 Mao and His Mango
(Lesley) In 1968, an act of diplomacy between the Government of Pakistan and China’s Chairman Mao set off a series of actions that would create a cult around the mango fruit. Chairman Mao did not taste this fruit. Instead, he passed it on to workers as a symbol of his gratitude for their allegiance to him. What followed was a stunning spread of the mango throughout China. Set against the backdrop of famine and the “Four Pests,” the worship of this single fruit created complexity and controversy in 20th century China.
16 min
November 17, 2018 Potosí: The Silver Mine that Changed the World
(Nathan) In 1545, a new Spanish mining town was founded in the Andes mountains of modern-day Bolivia, and for next 250 years, the mines of Potosí would fund the Spanish crown and its imperial ambitions. But what the Spanish did not know is that having too much silver could have disastrous consequences. In this episode, we will examine the history of New World silver and its effect on the world economy, the lives of the people who mined it, and how Bolivian silver contributed to global economic inflation.
14 min

About Footnoting History

From the publisher's feed

Footnoting History is a bi-weekly podcast series dedicated to overlooked, popularly unknown, and exciting stories plucked from the footnotes of history. For further reading suggestions, information…