Stuff You Missed in History Class

As Carstair's speedboat racing career faltered, the heiress traveled the world and found other diversions, until she decided to purchase an island in the Bahamas. Then she turned Whale Cay into a kingdom of her own design. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Marion Carstairs, who preferred the name Joe, was an early 20th-century heiress who bucked traditional gender roles and for a time, hid her wealth from even her closest friends. She also became a very successful speedboat racer. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

During the Cold War, the CIA and KGB were in a constant game of cat and mouse to steal each other's secrets. David E. Hoffman talks with us about the work of one incredibly important spy, who is the subject of his latest book. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The podcast delves into the mysterious disappearance of the USS Cyclops in 1918 as it journeyed from Rio de Janeiro to the United States. The hosts explore the unscheduled stop in Barbados and the various theories surrounding its vanishing, including German involvement, a giant octopus, and the Bermuda Triangle. They also discuss mutiny and the unresolved fate of the ship.

Explore the history and lives of the fierce female warriors of the Kingdom of Dahomey, known as the Amazons. Learn about their rise as palace guards, their transformation into a fearsome fighting force, and their unique perception of gender. Discover their impact on the transatlantic slave trade and the decline of the Dahomean Kingdom. Also, meet Nawi, the last living Amazon of Dahomey.

Like other artifacts that defy deciphering, this clay disk, found on Crete in the early 1900s, has puzzled researchers and stirred up controversy for decades. Is it a religious incantation, a calendar, a spell? Or is it all a pictogram hoax? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the mid-1800s, Mary Ann Cotton is believed to have poisoned as many as 21 people with arsenic, many of them her own children. She left a trail of bodies behind her everywhere she went, but it was her cavalier remarks that finally drew suspicion. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Explore the fascinating life of Calamity Jane, a historical figure whose reputation has overshadowed her true story. Discover her unconventional behavior in Piedmont and her subsequent journey with Wild Bill and Colorado Charlie. Learn about her various jobs, reputation, and burial, as well as the ongoing Black Hills fighting and the call for the return of Native American lands.

Discover the Royal Palaces of Abomey in Benin, their cultural importance, and the dark history of their construction funded by the Atlantic slave trade. Explore the rich history and traditions of the Kingdom of Dahomey, including the legendary King Hujibaja and the all-female fighting force, the Amazons. Learn about the impact of the Atlantic slave trade and European colonization on Dahomey's power, and the efforts to preserve the culture and history through French colonization. Delve into the layout and design of the impressive palaces and the significance of bas relief sculptures in documenting the kingdom's history.

Diogenes of Sinope was the father of the Cynicism school of philosophy. He was also an incredibly eccentric figure who spoke out against pretense, and he used humor to convey his ideals. Read the show notes here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.