Channel History Hit

On 18 January 1871 as the Siege of Paris raged a couple of miles away King Wilhelm I of Prussia was proclaimed Emperor of the German empire in the Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles. It was the most dramatic possible beginning to a new imperial project in the heart of Europe. The German Empire was instantly a major power on the continent and quickly developed global ambitions. Dan talked to Katja Hoyer about the events leading up to its founding and what it meant for German and the world.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this Homeschooling History episode, the Histories of the Unexpected duo, James and Sam, investigate the unnerving history of Rats. From the history of infestation, pets, the medieval tale of the Pied Piper of Hamelin and the honoured position of rats in eastern culture, Sam and James rampage around history of rats before settling on the fascinating history of the Black Death. It looks at the three different forms of plague (Bubonic, Pneumonic and Septisemic) and their symptoms, before looking at descriptions of the plague in Messina from 1347, the spread of the plague from the Gobi dessert in Africa along trade routes to the east and in Europe. It also looks at how the plague was perceived by contemporaries, and the impact it had on society, the economy and culturally. As always, at the end there is a quiz and a couple of writing tasks, including writing a plague diary!  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this special BONUS episode, the Histories of the Unexpected duo, James and Sam, return to the high street of history and navigate their way around the boutiques and emporia of the historical archives to rampage once again like a bull in a china shop for more frenzied discussion of the expected history of SHOPPING! Which is all about early modern gloves, his and hers consumption, sixteenth-century Italianate gentlemen, it's about proxy shopping, the haptic experience of retail, and the underbelly of Roman society (via dishonest shop keepers, predatory peddlars, dodgy Roman bars, and the dregs of society). Did we also mention that it's also all about.... buying and selling early modern gloves? Who knew!  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

He's made history. Donald Trump has become the only President in US history to be impeached not once but twice. Three years ago Dan talked to Joshua Matz, an attorney and constitutional scholar in Washington DC and author of "To End a Presidency." He explained to Dan the history of impeachment and discussed how it works in practice. Not long after we all got a practical demonstration of impeachment and Joshua Matz played a key role. He served among the counsel for the impeachment and trial of President Trump. Following Trump's second impeachment we decided to re-release this podcast. Some of it has aged, but it has aged pretty well!   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We're very pleased to bring you this special 'Lockdown Learning' episode of the podcast, featuring the brilliant Dr Anna Whitelock on the Tudor period. Anna is Director of the London Centre for Public History and Heritage and head of history at Royal Holloway, she's written extensively on the Tudors and in this episode she gives us a general view right across the period.Thank you also to Simon Beale, a history teacher in our community, who has put together the accompanying worksheet, you can download the PDF here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1E4XPAhTiIRHnQsqEC6fqkEJSVk81ZWZO/view?usp=sharing  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this Homeschooling History episode, the Histories of the Unexpected duo, James and Sam, investigate the fascinating history of Sludge. From the history of travel, festivals and Saxon house-building, Sam and James rampage around history of sludge before settling on the fascinating history of the trenches in WWI. It looks at the failure of the Schlieffen Plan August-September 1914, the digging of trenches and the creation of the Western Front, the nature of trench warfare and life in the trenches!  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode, the Histories of the Unexpected duo, James and Sam, hit the streets, and leisurely consider the expected history of SHOPPING! Which is all about ancient street vendors in Pompeii, peddlars, William Shakespeare's character Autolycus and The Winter's Tale, trade cards and the material culture of retail, extravagance and would you believe it.....early modern gloves! Who knew!  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Constitutional law and legal history scholar Carlton Larson talked to Dan during Christmas about treason in the American legal system. How is it defined in the US constitution and how has it been used by prosecutors over the centuries? The chat took place before the insurrection at the Capitol but we thought we would broadcast it anyway. We believe it has become even more relevant given the events of the last week.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tash Walker and Adam Zmith join me to talk about The Log Books Podcast, a history of LGBTQ+ life in the UK.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode, the Histories of the Unexpected duo, James and Sam, investigate the unexpected history of Adolf Hitler, the leader of the Nazi Party, and the Third Reich in Germany. After a rampage around the history of the Führer and Nazi Germany, Sam interviews leading expert on Hitler and the Third Reich, the wonderful Professor Frank McDonough, about his new book, The Hitler Years, Volume 2: Disaster 1940-1945 (2020).  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In 1814 a British expeditionary force landed in Maryland, marched on Washington, brushed aside an American army and stormed into the US capital. The British looted and burnt the Capitol, then moved on to the White House, ate President Madison's dinner and then torched the White House. Even members of the British force described it as 'barbaric.' Two hundred years later Peter Snow, Dan's dad, wrote an account of the raid. He seemed like the obvious guy to talk to as The Capitol was once again attacked this year.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

James and Sam tackle the fascinating history of BACKSTABBERS! From the politics of Tudor England to the assassination of Julius Caesar by Brutus, Sam and James rampage around history of backstabbing before settling on the fascinating history of the Bolsheviks seizure of power in October 1917, the leadership of Lenin, his testament, the rise of Joseph Stalin and the assassination of Leon Trotsky.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Jamie Bartlett joined me on the podcast to talk about the history of the Bitcoin.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This is fourth episode in our new micro history series - where we take an historic subject and try to demonstrate how it has a history in just 15-20 minutes!! And without just talking at supersonic speed. Think of it as the historicaI equivalent of speed chess or speed dating. In this third foray into historical brevity the histories of the unexpected duo of James Daybell and Sam Willis tackle the intriguing subject of KEYS, which is inspired by their book on the VIKINGS. Taking that as their starting place, the boys tackle topics of Viking power, control, access, the Viking housewife, treasure, weapons and symbolic female power before tackling the subjects of Exeter Cathedral, the Exeter Book and the keys of St Peter, as well as latchkey children and WWII! Who knew?  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

James and Sam tackle the touching history of Ribbons in this homeschooling history episode! From the fashion, commemoration, funerals, war heroes and causes, Sam and James rampage around history of ribbons before settling on the moving history of the Foundling Hospital, founded by philanthropist Thomas Coram in 1739 on his return to London to care for and educate some of London’s most vulnerable citizens. Ribbons connect to the tokens left by mothers with their babies that they left in the care of the hospital. The episode also looks at the social problems faced in Victorian Britain.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

John Geddes joined the Parachute Regiment as a teenager in the late 1970s. Within a couple of years he was plunged into the Falklands War and the bloodiest battle the British Army had fought since the Korean War. In this podcast John talks to Dan about his experience in the army, his memories of the Battle of Goose Green and subsequent Falklands actions. His recollections are remarkable and sometimes harrowing.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This is third episode in our new micro history series - where we take an historic subject and try to demonstrate how it has a history in just 15-20 minutes!! And without just talking at supersonic speed. Think of it as the historicaI equivalent of speed chess or speed dating. In this third foray into historical brevity the histories of the unexpected duo of James Daybell and Sam Willis tackle the artistic subject of FACES, which is inspired by their book on the TUDORS. Taking that as their starting place, the boys tackle topics of Tudor portraiture, royal portraits, Anne Boleyn, pregnancy portraits and ageing in the sixteenth century, before tackling the subjects of face masks and face coverings, both of which have a long and complex history! Who knew?  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Dan speaks to economic historian Adam Tooze for the tenth anniversary of Lehman Brothers' collapse in this special podcast.Subscribe to History Hit and you'll get access to hundreds of history documentaries, as well as every single episode of this podcast from the beginning (400 extra episodes). We're running live podcasts on Zoom, we've got weekly quizzes where you can win prizes, and exclusive subscriber only articles. It's the ultimate history package. Just go to historyhit.tv to subscribe. Use code 'pod1' at checkout for your first month free and the following month for just £/€/$1.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

As an armed mob broke into the US Capitol, Dan talked long into the night to his friend and star blogger known only as the Angry Staff Officer. He is a serving officer in the US military and is unable to use his own name for broadcasting. During the course of a long conversation they talked about the American constitutional experiment, the history of insurrection in America, the battle of Gettysburg, the meaning of the word militia and, yes, Star Wars.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

James and Sam tackle the shocking history of BETRAYAL! From the Austrian army officer Alfred Redl who sold secrets about the Austrian army during WWI and British commander Paul Cole, who sold out the French Resistance during WWII to Judas Iscariot and his 30 pieces of silver, Sam and James rampage around history of betrayal before settling on the fascinating case of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, two US citizens convicted of spying for the Russians, and revealing nuclear weapons secrets, which led to them being condemned to death in 1953.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.