Stuff You Missed In History Class

This 2020 episode covers the first protest march on Washington, D.C., led by Jacob Sechler Coxey in the 1890s. His plan was job creation for the nation's unemployed population with projects that would build the country's infrastructure.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Holly talks about how impossible it is to build a spite house now, thanks to municipal building codes. She also shares some uncertain stories of the childhood of Robert Morris.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Robert Morris is one of the lesser-mentioned founding fathers of the U.S. When he is mentioned, he is called the financier of the Revolutionary War. But his story is more complicated than that. Research: “18th Century Currency.” Valley Forge National Historical Park. National Park Service. https://www.nps.gov/media/photo/gallery.htm?id=42877E64-155D-451F-67DACC05A2515349 Bill of Rights Institute. “Stamp Act Resistance.” https://billofrightsinstitute.org/essays/stamp-act-resistance Currot, Nicholas A, and Tyler A. Watts. “WHAT CAUSED THE RECESSION OF 1797?” Studies in Applied Economics, No.48. February 2016. Johns Hopkins Institute for Applied Economics, Global Health, and Study of Business Enterprise. https://sites.krieger.jhu.edu/iae/files/2017/04/Curott_Watts_Recession_of_1797.pdf Dencklau, Jason. “Robert Morris.” George Washington’s Mount Vernon. https://www.mountvernon.org/library/digitalhistory/digital-encyclopedia/article/robert-morris The Editors o

A spite house is a structure that is built by one party to irritate another, or to cause some sort of difficulty or even damage. And there have been a lot of them built over the years, though there aren’t a huge number remaining.  Research: Bailey, Steve. “A Tiny, Beloved Home That Was Built for Spite.” New York Times. Feb. 29, 2008. https://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/29/travel/escapes/29away.html “Charles A. Froling, Local Contractor, Passes Away.” Alameda Times Star. June 2, 1924. https://www.newspapers.com/image/1097386049/?match=1&terms=%22Charles%20Froling%22 Deschenes, Steven. “Spite House in Rockport Maine: Garden Papers and Correspondence.” Maine Historical Society. April 5, 2018. https://mainehistory.wordpress.com/2018/04/05/spite-house-in-rockport-maine-garden-papers-and-correspondence/ “Detailed Property Description: 523 QUEEN ST, ALEXANDRIA, VA.” City of Alexandria Virginia. https://realestate.alexandriava.gov/detail.php?accountno=1

This 2020 episode covers direct action demonstrations and protests that have some similarities to the sit-in movement.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Holly talks about her gardening efforts and an amusing machine reading error. Tracy talks about her expectations of researching the epizootic of 1872, and My Little Pony toys turning 40. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The epizootic of 1872 was a massive outbreak of a flulike illness primarily among horses in North America, Central America, and some islands in the Caribbean. Research: "WHEN A FLU REINED IN NEW YORK." States News Service, 28 Apr. 2020. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A622209555/GPS?u=mlin_n_melpub&sid=bookmark-GPS&xid=2bf7de71. Accessed 3 Feb. 2025. Andrews, Thomas G. “Influenza’s Progress: The Great Epizootic Flu of 1872-73 in the North American West.” Utah Historical Quarterly. Vol. 89. No. 1. Andrews, Thomas G. “The Great Horse Flu of 1872-1873.” The Bill Lane Center for the American West. Stanford University. https://west.stanford.edu/events/great-horse-flu-1872-1873 Andrews, Thomas. “The Great Horse Flu of 1872-1873.” Bill Lane Center for the American West Stanford Department of History. 5/4/2023. https://west.stanford.edu/events/great-horse-flu-1872-1873 Bierer, Bert W. “History of Animal Plagues of North America.” USDA. 1939.

The practice of growing plants in water rather than soil isn't new, though early examples are difficult to substantiate. In the 1930s, hydroponic plant culture made headlines, but the field also had conflict among researchers. Research: Bacon, Francis. “Sylva sylvarum; or, A natural history, in ten centuries. Whereunto is newly added the History natural and experimental of life and death, or of the prolongation of life.” London. 1670. https://archive.org/details/sylvasylvarumorn00baco/page/116/mode/2up Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Hanging Gardens of Babylon". Encyclopedia Britannica, 13 Jan. 2025, https://www.britannica.com/place/Hanging-Gardens-of-Babylon Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "chinampa". Encyclopedia Britannica, 26 May. 2017, https://www.britannica.com/topic/chinampa Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Julius von Sachs". Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Sep. 2024, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Julius-von-Sachs. Ebel, Roland. "Chinampas:

This 2021 episode covers William Montague Cobb, who was the first Black person in the U.S. to earn a PhD in physical anthropology. He was also an activist and an anatomy professor at Howard University. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tracy discusses the inherent challenge of talking about topics that relate to current events. She also shares more information about Emma Reynolds that didn't really fit into the Dr. Daniel Hale Williams episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Daniel Hale Williams is often described as the first person to successfully perform an open-heart surgery. That's not entirely accurate, but he was still a surgical innovator, and he was also a huge part of the Black Hospital Movement. Research: "Daniel Hale Williams." Contemporary Black Biography, vol. 2, Gale, 1992. Gale In Context: U.S. History, link.gale.com/apps/doc/K1606000260/GPS?u=mlin_n_melpub&sid=bookmark-GPS&xid=c4ae7664. Accessed 28 Jan. 2025. "Daniel Hale Williams." Notable Black American Men, Book II, edited by Jessie Carney Smith, Gale, 1998. Gale In Context: U.S. History, link.gale.com/apps/doc/K1622000479/GPS?u=mlin_n_melpub&sid=bookmark-GPS&xid=80e75e7e. Accessed 28 Jan. 2025. Buckler, Helen. “Doctor Dan: Pioneer in American Surgery.” Little, Brown and Company. 1954. Cobb, W M. “Daniel Hale Williams-Pioneer and Innovator.” Journal of the National Medical Association vol. 36,5 (1944): 158-9. COBB, W M. “Dr. Daniel Hale Williams.” Journa

The 1898 supreme court case called United States vs. Wong Kim Ark had affected enforcement of the Chinese Exclusion Act, because the court found that people born in the U.S. to Chinese parents were U.S. citizens. Research: Graber, Mark A. "United States v. Wong Kim Ark." American Governance, edited by Stephen Schechter, et al., vol. 5, Macmillan Reference USA, 2016, pp. 228-230. Gale In Context: U.S. History, link.gale.com/apps/doc/CX3629100710/GPS?u=mlin_n_melpub&sid=bookmark-GPS&xid=73795502. Accessed 22 Jan. 2025. "United States v. Wong Kim Ark." Gale U.S. History Online Collection, Gale, 2024. Gale In Context: U.S. History, link.gale.com/apps/doc/EXXRWP999307394/GPS?u=mlin_n_melpub&sid=bookmark-GPS&xid=c225358c. Accessed 22 Jan. 2025. "United States v. Wong Kim Ark." Great American Court Cases, edited by Mark Mikula and L. Mpho Mabunda, vol. 3: Equal Protection and Family Law, Gale, 1999. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints, link.gale.com/apps/doc/EJ2303200443/GPS?u=mlin_n_melpub&sid

This 2021 episode covers the Chinese Exclusion Act, the United States’ first major immigration law. As its name suggests it specifically targeted people from China, and it led to Supreme Court cases that set the stage for later restrictions.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tracy shares how much she loves the work of Helen McNicoll and how the gaps in her biography posed a challenge during research. Holly talks about Harry Craddock and his efforts to combat prohibition in Britain.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ada Coleman was head bartender at the American Bar at the Savoy Hotel in London in the early 20th century. She created a cocktail that is still served today, and she's an enduring icon of the bartending industry.  Research: The Ada Coleman Project. https://theadacolemanproject.com/about/ Allison, Keith. “Spies at the Savoy Part One.” Alcohol Professor. Oct. 5, 2016. https://www.alcoholprofessor.com/blog-posts/blog/2016/10/05/spies-at-the-savoy-part-one Allison, Keith. “Spies at the Savoy Part Three.” Alcohol Professor. October 14, 2016. https://www.alcoholprofessor.com/blog-posts/blog/2016/10/14/spies-at-the-savoy-part-three “American Bar.” Savoy London. https://www.thesavoylondon.com/restaurant/american-bar/#:~:text=The%20American%20Bar%20first%20opened,World's%2050%20Best%20Bars%202017. Bell, Emily. “Ada Coleman: One Of History’s Most Famous Female Mixologists.” Vinepair. March 17, 2016. https://vinepair.com/wine-blog/ada-coleman/ Bryant, Miranda.

Helen McNicoll was a Canadian painter who had a significant influence on the rise of Impressionism in that country. McNicoll, who lost her hearing in childhood, was quite successful as an artist, though her career and life were short.  Research: Anderson, Jocelyn. “William Brymner: Life & Work.” Art Canada Institute. https://www.aci-iac.ca/art-books/william-brymner/biography/ Atanassova, Katerina. “Helen McNicoll: In Search of Light.” National Gallery of Canada. 5/4/2023. https://www.gallery.ca/magazine/your-collection/helen-mcnicoll-in-search-of-light Babbs, Verity. “Painting Bought for $2,700 Revealed to Be $390,000 Masterpiece.” Artnet. 10/23/2024. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/fake-or-fortune-helen-mcnicoll-painting-2557012 Burton, Samantha. “Helen McNicoll: Life and Work.” Art Canada Institute. https://www.aci-iac.ca/art-books/helen-mcnicoll/biography/ Canadian Women Artists History Initiative. “MCNICOLL, Helen Galloway.” https://c

This 2016 episode looks at the beginning of Denmark's monarchy and its link to two large rune stones at Jelling. Is it possible that the stones were part of an effort on Harald Blátand's part to revise the history of his parents, Gorm and Thyre?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tracy talks about the way she usually handles names in episodes, and how Icelandic naming conventions changes that. Holly discusses the way that one leader’s petulance can lead nations into unnecessary conflict.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Isles of Scilly were part of one of the longest wars in human history, but the main reason for the length of the very mild conflict was lagging paperwork. Research: “335-year-old War Ends for Scilly Isles.” Star Tribune. April 18, 1986. https://www.newspapers.com/image/188704902/?match=1 “The breakdown of 1641-2.” UK Parliament. https://www.parliament.uk/about/living-heritage/evolutionofparliament/parliamentaryauthority/civilwar/overview/the-breakdown/ Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Isles of Scilly". Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 Dec. 2024, https://www.britannica.com/place/Isles-of-Scilly-islands-England-United-Kingdom Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Bishops’ Wars". Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Jun. 2019, https://www.britannica.com/event/Bishops-Wars Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Long Parliament". Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Jun. 2019, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Long-Parliament Daniel Lysons, Samuel Lysons, 'The Scilly Isl

Jón Arason was the last Catholic bishop in Iceland before it became a Lutheran country. His story involves a lot of gory details in this story including a pretty gruesome beheading. Research: Buck, Thomas. “An Icelandic Martyr: Jón Arason.” Studies: An Irish Quarterly Review, vol. 46, no. 182, 1957, pp. 213–22. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/30103574. Accessed 8 Jan. 2025. Cunningham, Jack. “Jón Arason, ‘the last Icelander’ and the Coming of the Reformation to Iceland,” Reformation & Renaissance Review, 11:3, 245-273, DOI: 10.1558/rrr.v11i3.245.” Gunnarsson, Gisli. “Question: Is it really true that all Icelanders are descended from Jón Arason, the last Catholic bishop of Iceland, who was executed in 1550?” The Islandic Web of Science. 3/5/2005. https://www.why.is/svar.php?id=4789 Ker, W.P. “JÓN ARASON.” Saga-Book, 1913-1914, Vol. 8 (1913-1914), pp. 149-171. Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stabl