History Unplugged Podcast

Michael Jarvis, a historian and archaeologist known for his extensive work on Bermuda, reveals the island's surprising significance in colonial America. He discusses how Bermuda became England’s first profitable plantation by pioneering tobacco cultivation and using enslaved labor. With insights from his 14 years of archaeological work, he highlights Bermuda's role in supplying Jamestown and its influence on early colonial practices. Jarvis argues that far from being a mere footnote, Bermuda is a crucial cornerstone of America's origin story.

Jennifer Bennie, host of the Walk With History podcast, dives into the infamous Hatfield-McCoy feud, which erupted over a stolen pig. The conversation reveals how a simple argument spiraled into violent confrontations that nearly escalated into regional war. Bennie highlights the pivotal moments, including the brutal New Year's Day massacre and the deeper cultural implications of the conflict. Listeners also learn about the feud's legacy, its reflection of rural justice during a lawless era, and its lasting impact on American folklore.

Padraic Scanlan, author of "Rot: An Imperial History of the Irish Famine," delves into the catastrophic Irish Potato Famine of 1845. He explains how a biological blight resulted in an unprecedented human tragedy, uniquely devastating Ireland while other regions fared better. The discussion reveals the complex interplay of British imperial policies that exacerbated the famine, transforming Ireland into a nation reliant on potatoes and critiquing the inadequate governmental response. Scanlan highlights the legacy and modern implications of this historical crisis.

Caleb Franz, author of 'The Conductor', dives into the life of Reverend John Rankin, a pivotal yet often overlooked figure in the abolitionist movement. He highlights Rankin's role as a 'conductor' on the Underground Railroad, providing refuge for escaping slaves while facing violent opposition. The discussion sheds light on Rankin’s ability to present abolitionism as a centrist cause, bridging divides among fervent abolitionists and more moderate supporters. Franz also explores Rankin’s enduring legacy and influence on prominent figures like Harriet Beecher Stowe.

Joyce Chaplin, author of "The Franklin Stove: An Unintended American Revolution," discusses Benjamin Franklin’s ingenious stove invention designed to combat the Little Ice Age. She reveals how Franklin blended science with practicality, addressing heating challenges and deforestation. The conversation highlights the global spread of the stove and its influence on early American life. Chaplin also draws parallels to today's climate crises, emphasizing the relevance of Franklin's innovations in contemporary environmental debates.

For much of Christian history, the Church had little involvement in marriage, which was primarily a contract between families. It wasn’t until the fourth century that church weddings emerged, and even then, they were mostly reserved for the elite. Fast forward to the High Middle Ages, and marriage became a sacrament of the Roman Catholic Church. Since then, the church has been seen as inseparable with matrimony. What changed over the centuries? To explore this dynamic is today’s guest, historian Diarmaid MacCulloch, author of “Lower Than the Angels: A History of Sex and Christianity.” We explore how Christianity’s views on sex, marriage, and gender evolved over time; that early Christian marriage was not a universal sacrament but a social institution governed by authority figures. He highlights how for much of history, the Church was more concerned with celibacy than marital sexuality. The Reformation reshaped these ideas, introducing new roles for women in religious life, from pastor’s wives to Quaker preachers. We uncover how Christianity’s past can inform its present and future.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the night of September 5, 1942, the USS Gregory (APD-3), a converted destroyer turned high-speed transport, was caught in a deadly ambush near Guadalcanal. The ship had been supporting U.S. Marine forces, ferrying troops and supplies, when it was mistaken for a larger threat by a group of Japanese destroyers. Outgunned and unable to escape, Gregory was hammered by shellfire, set ablaze, and ultimately sank in Ironbottom Sound. Lieutenant Commander Harry F. Bauer, refusing to abandon his men, fought to the end and was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross. As the surviving crew struggled in the water, Mess Attendant Charles J. French emerged as an unlikely hero, tying a rope around his waist and towing wounded shipmates for hours through shark-infested waters to safety. Against overwhelming odds, he kept them together until they were finally rescued. Join us as we uncover this harrowing tale of sacrifice, heroism, and the unbreakable spirit of the USS Gregory’s crew. To discuss this story is today’s guest Carole Avriett, author of “Midnight in Ironbottom Sound: The Harrowing WWII Story of Heroism in the Shark-Infested Waters of Guadalcanal.”See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Henry Gee, author of "The Decline and Fall of the Human Empire," dives into the precarious state of humanity's future. He discusses the alarming slowdown of population growth and its potential consequences, including resource depletion and ecological threats. Highlighting the urgency for space colonization, he argues we have a mere 10,000 years to adapt or face extinction. With insights from paleontology, Gee underscores the need for cooperation and innovation to navigate these challenges. Can we change our course in time?

The determined attempt to thwart Ottoman dominance was fought by Muslims and Christians across five theaters from the Balkans to the Mediterranean and the Indian Ocean, from Persia to Russia. But this is not merely the story of a clash of civilizations between East and West. Europe was not united against the Turks; the scandal of the age was the alliance between King Francis I of France and Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent. Meanwhile, the resistance of the Saadi dynasty of Morocco to Ottoman encroachment played a critical role in denying Constantinople direct access to the Atlantic Ocean. By the same token, though religious imperatives were critic al to the motivations of all the key actors involved, these in no way fell neatly along the Christian Muslim divide.  The Holy Roman Emperor Charles V desired nothing more than to eradicate the Protestant heresy metastasizing throughout his domains, but the threat of Turkish invasion forced him to stay his hand and indulge his Lutheran subjects to ensure a common defense. Nevertheless, the collective effort to constrain the expansion of the Ottoman superpower did succeed with the ultimate victory in 1571 the tipping point in reordering the trajectory of history. To explore these facets of medieval and early modern European history is today’s guest, Si Sheppard, author of “Crescent Dawn: The Rise of the Ottoman Empire and the Making of the Modern Age.” See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After a series of military defeats over the winter of 1776–1777, British military leaders developed a bold plan to gain control of the Hudson River and divide New England from the rest of the colonies. Three armies would converge on Albany: one under Lieutenant General John Burgoyne moving south from Quebec, one under General William Howe moving north from New York City, and a third under Lieutenant Colonel Barrimore St. Leger cutting east from Lake Ontario along the Mohawk River Fort Stanwix lay directly on the path of St. Leger's force, making it a key defensive position for the Continental Army. By delaying St. Leger's troops and forcing a retreat, the garrison's stand at Fort Stanwix contributed to Burgoyne's surrender at the Battles of Saratoga a month later, a major turning point in the course of the war. To look at this battle, we are joined by today’s guest William Kidder, author of Defending Fort Stanwix: A Story of the New York Frontier in the American Revolution. He offers an account of life in and around the fort in the months leading up to the siege, detailing the lives of soldiers and their families, civilians, and the Haudenosaunee peoples with a focus on both the mundane aspects of military life and the courageous actions that earned distinction.  We discuss the stories of local men and women, both white and Indian, who helped with the fort's defense before, during, and after the siege and showcases an overlooked story of bravery and cooperation on New York's frontier during the American Revolution.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.