Stuff You Missed in History Class

Explore the fascinating and often violent history of nutmeg, from its native roots in Indonesia to its pivotal role in colonial trade. Discover the dark consequences of its allure during European expansion and the devastating impact on the Banda Islands. Learn about the cultural significance of nutmeg in American traditions and its unexpected health risks. Uncover the tale of wooden nutmegs, a metaphor for deceit in commerce, alongside delightful anecdotes and modern trends related to this beloved spice.

Dive into the mystical world of Madame Blavatsky, the founder of the Theosophical Society, and explore her adventurous life filled with intrigue and controversy. Discover her role in the spiritualist movement of the 1870s and the unique beliefs she brought to the table. Uncover her tumultuous early years, including her fascination with the occult and the political influences that shaped her. Her quest for ancient wisdom and complex relationships left a lasting legacy on contemporary spirituality, making her a pivotal figure in Western spiritual thought.

Discover the fascinating yet complex world of Joaquín Torres-García, a pivotal Latin American artist, and the artistic societies he created. The discussion dives into the often overlooked contributions of non-European artists in history. Additionally, gain insight into the SL-1 nuclear reactor incident, the first major nuclear failure in the U.S., showcasing a disturbing lack of safety planning. The contrast between military safety measures post-accident sheds light on decision-making and its impact on both technology and indigenous communities.

Discover the tragic tale of the SL-1 reactor, the U.S.'s only fatal nuclear disaster. This podcast unveils its Cold War origins, highlighting design flaws and safety issues. Explore the chaotic moments of the catastrophic steam explosion and the heroic yet perilous emergency responses. Learn about the challenging decontamination efforts that followed, revealing the profound risks faced by workers. Listener memories add a personal touch, reflecting on the broader implications of nuclear safety and how historical lessons resonate today.

Joaquín Torres-García was Uruguayan-born artist who wanted to bring Constructivism and Modernism to Latin America, and worked for much of his life promoting the idea that Latin-American voices should be part of the Modernist art movement.  Research: ·     Bollar, Gorki. “Primitive Paintings: Connections to Realism and Constructivism.” Leonardo, vol. 17, no. 1, 1984, pp. 17–19. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/1574851 ·     Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Joaquín Torres-García". Encyclopedia Britannica, 4 Aug. 2024, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Joaquin-Torres-Garcia ·     Duncan, Barbara. “Exploring New Horizons in Latin American Contemporary Art.” Revista: Harvard Review of Latin America. Dec. 30, 2001. https://revista.drclas.harvard.edu/exploring-new-horizons-in-latin-american-contemporary-art/ ·     Grimson, Karen. “JOAQUÍN TORRES-GARCÍA’S CREATIVE PARADOX.” INTI, no. 83/84, 2016, pp. 261–65. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/26309985 ·     Jimenez, Maya, Dr. “Joaquin Torres-Garcia, Inverted America.” Smart History. Aug. 9, 2015. https://smarthistory.org/Torres-Garcia-inverted-america/ ·     “Joaquín Torres-García.” Art Collection. https://artcollection.io/artist/5ce4801004726600179036b4#:~:text=He%20worked%20on%20the%20first,la%20Sagrada%20Familia%20in%20Barcelona. ·     “Joaquín Torres García.” Centro Cultura Regoleta. http://cvaa.com.ar/04ingles/04biografias_en/torres_garcia_en.php ·     “Joaquín Torres-García.” Guggenheim. https://www.guggenheim.org/artwork/artist/joaquin-Torres-Garcia ·     “Joaquin Torres Garcia (1874-1949).” National Museum of Visual Art. https://mnav.gub.uy/cms.php?a=4 ·     “Joaquín Torres-García.” National Gallery of Art. https://www.nga.gov/collection/artist-info.2518.html ·     “Joaquín Torres-García.” Hutchinson Modern & Contemporary. https://hutchinsonmodern.com/artists/40-joaquin-Torres-Garcia/biography/Medina, Alvaro. “Torres-García and the Southern School.” ArtNexus. https://www.artnexus.com/en/magazines/article-magazine-artnexus/5ebf04481ae60a0ea57baa18/3/Torres-Garcia-and-the-southern-school ·     Museo Torres Garcia. “bio.” https://www.torresgarcia.org.uy/bio.php ·     ROMMENS, AARNOUD. “Latin American Abstraction: Upending Joaquín Torres-García’s Inverted Map.” Mosaic: An Interdisciplinary Critical Journal, vol. 51, no. 2, 2018, pp. 35–58. JSTOR, https://www.jstor.org/stable/90021965 ·     Torres, Celia de. “Constructing Abstraction with Wood: Joaquín Torres-García.” Literal. Issue 18. April 18, 2012. https://literalmagazine.com/constructing-abstraction-with-wood-joaquin-Torres-Garcia/  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dive into the chilling history of the Demon Core, a plutonium sphere that played a pivotal role in World War II and led to fatal criticality accidents. Discover the precarious choices scientists made during nuclear experiments and the tragic stories of Louis Slotin and Harry Dallion Jr. Uncover the lasting impact of these incidents on safety protocols and worker training in nuclear facilities. The narrative highlights the evolution of safety measures that emerged from these dark events, shedding light on the risks of nuclear research.

The podcast delves into the multifaceted legacy of Ely S. Parker, a complex figure in 19th-century history. It explores his role in indigenous assimilation, shedding light on the implications for modern descendants. The discussions highlight pivotal moments like the Appomattox surrender and his connections with Ulysses Grant. Additionally, the speakers reflect on the nuances of leadership within indigenous affairs, emphasizing the importance of understanding historical complexities. Celebration of holiday traditions also weaves its way into the conversation, bringing joy to modern experiences.

While working for the Treasury Department, Ely S. Parker met someone who would become a big part of much of the rest of his life – Ulysses S. Grant. It was through this connection that Parker gained a good deal of power, and cemented a controversial legacy. Research: ·       Adams, James Ring. “The Many Careers of Ely Parker.” National Museum of the American Indian. Fall 2011. ·       Babcock, Barry. “The Story of Donehogawa, First Indian Commissioner of Indian Affairs.” ICT. 9/13/2018. https://ictnews.org/archive/the-story-of-donehogawa-first-indian-commissioner-of-indian-affairs ·       Contrera, Jessica. “The interracial love story that stunned Washington — twice! — in 1867.” Washington Post. 2/13/2019. https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2019/02/13/interracial-love-story-that-stunned-washington-twice/ ·       DeJong, David H. “Ely S. Parker Commissioner of Indian Affairs (April 26, 1869–July 24,1871).” From Paternalism to Partnership: The Administration of Indian Affairs, 1786–2021. University of Nebraska Press. (2021). Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctv2cw0sp9.29 ·       Eves, Megan. “Repatriation and Reconciliation: The Seneca Nation, The Buffalo History Museum and the Repatriation of the Red Jacket Peace Medal.” Museum Association of New York. 5/26/2021. https://nysmuseums.org/MANYnews/10559296 ·       Genetin-Pilawa, C. Joseph. “Ely Parker and the Contentious Peace Policy.” Western Historical Quarterly , Vol. 41, No. 2 (Summer 2010). Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.2307/westhistquar.41.2.0196 ·       Genetin-Pilawa, C. Joseph. “Ely S. Parker and the Paradox of Reconstruction Politics in Indian Country.” From “The World the Civil War Made. Gregory P. Downs and Kate Masur, editors. University of North Carolina Press. July 2015. ·       Ginder, Jordan and Caitlin Healey. “Biographies: Ely S. Parker.” United States Army National Museum. https://www.thenmusa.org/biographies/ely-s-parker/ ·       Hauptman, Laurence M. “On Our Terms: The Tonawanda Seneca Indians, Lewis Henry Morgan, and Henry Rowe Schoolcraft, 1844–1851.” New York History , FALL 2010, Vol. 91, No. 4 (FALL 2010). https://www.jstor.org/stable/23185816 ·       Henderson, Roger C. “The Piikuni and the U.S. Army’s Piegan Expedition.” Montana: The Magazine of Western History. Spring 2018. https://mhs.mt.gov/education/IEFA/HendersonMMWHSpr2018.pdf ·       Hewitt, J.N.B. “The Life of General Ely S. Parker, Last Grand Sachem of the Iroquois and General Grant's Military Secretary.” Review. The American Historical Review, Vol. 25, No. 4 (Jul., 1920). Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/1834953 ·       Historical Society of the New York Courts. “Blacksmith v. Fellows, 1852.” https://history.nycourts.gov/case/blacksmith-v-fellows/ Historical Society of the New York Courts. “Ely S. Parker.” https://history.nycourts.gov/figure/ely-parker/ ·       Historical Society of the New York Courts. “New York ex rel. Cutler v. Dibble, 1858.” https://history.nycourts.gov/case/cutler-v-dibble/ ·       Hopkins, John Christian. “Ely S. Parker: Determined to Make a Difference.” Native Peoples Magazine, Vol. 17 Issue 6, p78, Sep/Oct2004. ·       Justia. “Fellows v. Blacksmith, 60 U.S. 366 (1856).” https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/60/366/ ·       Michaelsen, Scott. “Ely S. Parker and Amerindian Voices in Ethnography.” American Literary History , Winter, 1996, Vol. 8, No. 4 (Winter, 1996). https://www.jstor.org/stable/490115 ·       Mohawk, John. “Historian Interviews: John Mohawk, PhD.” PBS. Warrior in Two Worlds. https://www.pbs.org/warrior/content/historian/mohawk.html ·       National Parks Service. “Ely Parker.” Appomattox Court House National Historical Park. https://www.nps.gov/people/ely-parker.htm ·       Parker, Arthur C. “The Life of General Ely S. Parker: Last Grand Sachem of the Iroquois and General Grant’s Military Secretary.” Buffalo Historical Society. 1919. ·       Parker, Ely S. “Report of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs.” December 23, 1869. Parker, Ely. Letter to Harriet Converse, 1885. https://teachingamericanhistory.org/document/letter-to-harriet-converse/ PBS. “A Warrior in Two Worlds: The Life of Ely Parker.” https://www.pbs.org/warrior/noflash/ ·       Spurling, Ann, producer and writer and Richard Young, director. “Warrior in Two Worlds.” Wes Studi, Narrator. WXXI. 1999. https://www.pbs.org/video/wxxi-documentaries-warrior-two-worlds/ ·       Vergun, David. “Engineer Became Highest Ranking Native American in Union Army.” U.S. Department of Defense. 11/2/2021. https://www.defense.gov/News/Feature-Stories/Story/Article/2781759/engineer-became-highest-ranking-native-american-in-union-army/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ely S. Parker was instrumental in the creation of President President Ulysses S. Grant’s “peace policy." Parker was Seneca, and he was the first Indigenous person to be placed in a cabinet-level position in the U.S. and the first Indigenous person to serve as Commissioner of Indian Affairs. Research: ·       Adams, James Ring. “The Many Careers of Ely Parker.” National Museum of the American Indian. Fall 2011. ·       Babcock, Barry. “The Story of Donehogawa, First Indian Commissioner of Indian Affairs.” ICT. 9/13/2018. https://ictnews.org/archive/the-story-of-donehogawa-first-indian-commissioner-of-indian-affairs ·       Contrera, Jessica. “The interracial love story that stunned Washington — twice! — in 1867.” Washington Post. 2/13/2019. https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2019/02/13/interracial-love-story-that-stunned-washington-twice/ ·       DeJong, David H. “Ely S. Parker Commissioner of Indian Affairs (April 26, 1869–July 24,1871).” From Paternalism to Partnership: The Administration of Indian Affairs, 1786–2021. University of Nebraska Press. (2021). Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctv2cw0sp9.29 ·       Eves, Megan. “Repatriation and Reconciliation: The Seneca Nation, The Buffalo History Museum and the Repatriation of the Red Jacket Peace Medal.” Museum Association of New York. 5/26/2021. https://nysmuseums.org/MANYnews/10559296 ·       Genetin-Pilawa, C. Joseph. “Ely Parker and the Contentious Peace Policy.” Western Historical Quarterly , Vol. 41, No. 2 (Summer 2010). Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.2307/westhistquar.41.2.0196 ·       Genetin-Pilawa, C. Joseph. “Ely S. Parker and the Paradox of Reconstruction Politics in Indian Country.” From “The World the Civil War Made. Gregory P. Downs and Kate Masur, editors. University of North Carolina Press. July 2015. ·       Ginder, Jordan and Caitlin Healey. “Biographies: Ely S. Parker.” United States Army National Museum. https://www.thenmusa.org/biographies/ely-s-parker/ ·       Hauptman, Laurence M. “On Our Terms: The Tonawanda Seneca Indians, Lewis Henry Morgan, and Henry Rowe Schoolcraft, 1844–1851.” New York History , FALL 2010, Vol. 91, No. 4 (FALL 2010). https://www.jstor.org/stable/23185816 ·       Henderson, Roger C. “The Piikuni and the U.S. Army’s Piegan Expedition.” Montana: The Magazine of Western History. Spring 2018. https://mhs.mt.gov/education/IEFA/HendersonMMWHSpr2018.pdf ·       Hewitt, J.N.B. “The Life of General Ely S. Parker, Last Grand Sachem of the Iroquois and General Grant's Military Secretary.” Review. The American Historical Review, Vol. 25, No. 4 (Jul., 1920). Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/1834953 ·       Historical Society of the New York Courts. “Blacksmith v. Fellows, 1852.” https://history.nycourts.gov/case/blacksmith-v-fellows/ Historical Society of the New York Courts. “Ely S. Parker.” https://history.nycourts.gov/figure/ely-parker/ ·       Historical Society of the New York Courts. “New York ex rel. Cutler v. Dibble, 1858.” https://history.nycourts.gov/case/cutler-v-dibble/ ·       Hopkins, John Christian. “Ely S. Parker: Determined to Make a Difference.” Native Peoples Magazine, Vol. 17 Issue 6, p78, Sep/Oct2004. ·       Justia. “Fellows v. Blacksmith, 60 U.S. 366 (1856).” https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/60/366/ ·       Michaelsen, Scott. “Ely S. Parker and Amerindian Voices in Ethnography.” American Literary History , Winter, 1996, Vol. 8, No. 4 (Winter, 1996). https://www.jstor.org/stable/490115 ·       Mohawk, John. “Historian Interviews: John Mohawk, PhD.” PBS. Warrior in Two Worlds. https://www.pbs.org/warrior/content/historian/mohawk.html ·       National Parks Service. “Ely Parker.” Appomattox Court House National Historical Park. https://www.nps.gov/people/ely-parker.htm ·       Parker, Arthur C. “The Life of General Ely S. Parker: Last Grand Sachem of the Iroquois and General Grant’s Military Secretary.” Buffalo Historical Society. 1919. ·       Parker, Ely S. “Report of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs.” December 23, 1869. Parker, Ely. Letter to Harriet Converse, 1885. https://teachingamericanhistory.org/document/letter-to-harriet-converse/ PBS. “A Warrior in Two Worlds: The Life of Ely Parker.” https://www.pbs.org/warrior/noflash/ ·       Spurling, Ann, producer and writer and Richard Young, director. “Warrior in Two Worlds.” Wes Studi, Narrator. WXXI. 1999. https://www.pbs.org/video/wxxi-documentaries-warrior-two-worlds/ ·       Vergun, David. “Engineer Became Highest Ranking Native American in Union Army.” U.S. Department of Defense. 11/2/2021. https://www.defense.gov/News/Feature-Stories/Story/Article/2781759/engineer-became-highest-ranking-native-american-in-union-army/  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Scurvy, a disease caused by vitamin C deficiency, has a fascinating history tied to sailors during the Age of Exploration. Symptoms like fatigue and bleeding gums took a toll on long voyages until citrus fruits emerged as a cure. The story dives into early outbreaks, the evolution of our understanding of nutrition, and the pivotal role that vitamin C plays in health. From the British Navy’s nutritional changes to landmark figures in naval medicine, the historical journey of scurvy is both intriguing and enlightening.