Category Archives: Society & Culture: History

Were people vying to become slaves in the Ottoman Empire?

Posted on May 6, 2009 by antidictatura

Under a loophole of Muslim law, a sultan could take one-fifth of the spoils of war, including slaves. Learn how the sultan began a slave army — and why would someone would want to be a soldier-slave — in this … Continue reading →

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Was Manhattan traded for nutmeg?

Posted on April 29, 2009 by antidictatura

It’s hard to believe that anyone would trade the thriving island of Manhattan for a spice, but history is full of surprises. Find out why — and how — the Dutch traded Manhattan for nutmeg in this podcast from HowStuffWorks.com.

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Were ancient Egyptians the first feminists?

Posted on April 27, 2009 by antidictatura

When Herodotus explored Egypt, he was startled by the contradictory gender roles — women were doing tasks the Greeks restricted to males. Does this mean the Egyptians were the first feminists? Learn more in this podcast from HowStuffWorks.com.

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How Joan D’Arc Worked

Posted on April 22, 2009 by antidictatura

Joan of Arc was a startling, larger-than-life figure, and she had a very strange trial. Learn why the Joan of Arc trial is so contentious — along with much more — in this podcast from HowStuffWorks.com.

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Charlemagne’s Coronation

Posted on April 20, 2009 by antidictatura

On Christmas Day in 800 AD, Charlemagne became the emperor of Rome in a coronation headed by none other than Pope Leo III. Learn more about the growth of the Holy Roman Empire in this podcast from HowStuffWorks.com.

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How the Marshall Plan Worked

Posted on April 15, 2009 by antidictatura

During a Harvard commencement speech, Secretary of State George Marshall outlined a plan to assist Europe after World War II. Listen in and learn how this 12 minute speech changed the future of Europe in this HowStuffWorks.com podcast.

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How Archimedes’ Death Ray Worked

Posted on April 13, 2009 by antidictatura

Archimedes’ death ray is one of history’s most fabled legendary weapons — but what was it? Was it even real? Listen in as Candace and Jane sift through the legends and find the facts behind the ancient death ray in … Continue reading →

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How did a shipwreck double the size of the US?

Posted on April 8, 2009 by antidictatura

Originally, Spanish silver was meant to stabilize the Louisiana territory — but the ship carrying the necessary funds sank in the Gulf of Mexico. Find out more about the El Cazador shipwreck in this podcast from HowStuffWorks.com.

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How the Terracotta Army Works

Posted on April 1, 2009 by antidictatura

Approximately 7,000 clay soldiers guard the burial site of Qin Shi Huangdi, China’s first emperor. Learn more about the emperor’s mysterious army in this podcast from HowStuffWorks.com.

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How did the East India Company change the world?

Posted on March 30, 2009 by antidictatura

From the Opium Wars to the Boston Tea Party, the British East India Company had a profound effect on the course of history. Tune in and learn more about the influence of the British East India Company in this podcast … Continue reading →

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