Footnoting History
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footnotinghistory.bsky.social
Footnoting History
@footnotinghistory.bsky.social
710 followers 110 following 140 posts
The podcast where historians pluck lesser-known stories from the past and serve them to you one episode at a time. New episodes every other Saturday. Est. 2013.
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footnotinghistory.bsky.social
New! Elizabeth Blackwell's goal was to prove that a woman could do anything a man could do. And once she got her medical degree, she set to work helping other women follow in her footsteps. Learn more:

www.footnotinghistory.com/home/dr-blac...

YouTube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=swiR...
Dr. Blackwell. Host: Samantha. Image: Portrait of Elizabeth Blackwell holding a book.
November 9, 2025 at 2:15 AM
footnotinghistory.bsky.social
A dozen years of History for Halloween!? You bet! Our newest installment of creepy historical tales for the spookiest time of the year is out now:

www.footnotinghistory.com/home/history...

YouTube version: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zcys...
History for Halloween XII. Image: Black skeleton holding a scythe sitting on a clock on yellowed paper.
October 25, 2025 at 7:56 PM
footnotinghistory.bsky.social
Out now! Lucy explores the roots of Renaissance Faires in the US, and how communes, folk music, particolored tights, and a reimagined past turn out to be more closely linked than you might imagine.

www.footnotinghistory.com/home/ren-fai...

YouTube version: www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LCG...
Ren Faire History: From Folk Music to Fried Food. Lucy. Image: Photograph of Lucy in Ren Faire clothing, smelling a flower
October 12, 2025 at 7:48 PM
footnotinghistory.bsky.social
New! In 1612, nine-year-old Jennet Devize accused her mother in court of witchcraft. Her testimony led to the conviction of 11 people, 10 of whom were sent to the gallows. Find out about this infamous event now:

www.footnotinghistory.com/home/the-pen...

YouTube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBS_...
The Pendle Witches. Kristin. Image: Black and white drawing of two presumed witches being glared at by onlookers.
September 27, 2025 at 4:36 AM
footnotinghistory.bsky.social
New Episode! In the 19th century, George Leopold von Reisswitz and Georg Heinrich Rudolf Johann von Reisswitz brought strategic gaming to a whole new level with profound results. Learn more:

www.footnotinghistory.com/home/playing...

YouTube: youtube.com/watch?v=fjMQeQg9p2Y&feature=youtu.be
Playing War: The development and early use of Kriegsspiel. Samantha. Image: Photograph of the game of Kriegsspiel set up for play
September 13, 2025 at 5:17 PM
footnotinghistory.bsky.social
We are looking for one (or two!) folks to join our team of rotating historian hosts. If you have an MA (or higher!) in history and an interest in becoming one of us, please check out FootnotingHistory.com/Apply for details and how to contact us with questions. We'd love to hear from you!
Flyer containing a photograph of a microphone and headphones on a pale yellow background between two dark brown banners. The text on the flyer reads: Want to join Footnoting History? Become a host. We are looking to add a host (or two!) to our rotation of historians. If you have an MA (or higher) in history and are interested in podcasting, please consider applying. For more information, please visit: footnotinghistory.com/apply
September 8, 2025 at 12:53 PM
footnotinghistory.bsky.social
Napoleon wasn't the only Bonaparte who lived a fascinating life. This episode tells the stories of his three sisters, looking at their personalities, rise to prominence, and how they handled their brother's fall.

www.footnotinghistory.com/home/a-brief...

YouTube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zbou...
A Brief History of Napoleon Bonaparte's Sisters. Christine. Image: The top of three portraits, showing Elisa, Caroline, and Pauline Bonaparte from the chest up
August 30, 2025 at 7:20 PM
footnotinghistory.bsky.social
Fun news! We just learned our shop now carries lounge shorts. Who doesn't enjoy a new way to show your history love?

www.teepublic.com/stores/footn...
Black lounge shorts with Footnote Everything written on the left leg in white Cream lounge shorts with Because the best stories are in the footnotes written on the left leg in black and green. Military green lounge shorts with the circular Footnoting History est. 2013 logo on the left leg Heather grey lounge shorts with the Footnoting History name and quill on the left leg in black and green
August 16, 2025 at 1:34 AM
footnotinghistory.bsky.social
We may be on hiatus, but we are still working behind the scenes! Check out our updated Teach page, which features new downloadable PDFs on classroom discussion questions and understanding primary sources, as well as our searchable episode spreadsheet:
FootnotingHistory.com/Teach
White text on a dark brown background, next to a collage of six overlapping images from 2025 Footnoting History episodes, including Tales from the Tower of London II and William and Caroline Herschel: Astronomer Siblings. Text: Updated. Teach with Footnoting History. All episodes that aired in the first half of 2025 have been added to our searchable database. We have also created downloadable resources for classroom discussion questions and understanding primary sources. Visit: FootnotingHistory.com/Teach
June 21, 2025 at 7:17 PM
footnotinghistory.bsky.social
We have new merch designs (including The Georgian Star, based on our most recent episode and seen below) and our entire shop is on sale! They are some of the best prices we have, especially for t-shirts, so check it out:

www.teepublic.com/stores/footn...
A grid of four images with the text New Merch + Big Sale. It shows four designs on different pieces. The top left design says Henry VII did it in white and red text on a black hoodie for $32. The top right design says The Georgian Star next to the astronomical symbol for Uranus. It is shown with white text on a royal blue sticker for $2.50. The bottom left design says Footnote Everything. It is shown with white text on a black background on a t-shirt for $15. The bottom right design says historian in light green with a microphone for the first i. It is shown on a tote with a black background for $14.
June 17, 2025 at 2:21 AM
footnotinghistory.bsky.social
New episode! We return to the Tower of London with two new tales. First, Jewish connections to the medieval Tower. Second, the scandalous murder of Sir Thomas Overbury.

www.footnotinghistory.com/home/tales-f...

YouTube version: www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6Zi...
Tales from the Tower of London 2. Kristin and Christine. Image: Black ink drawing of Sir Thomas Overbury, a white man with a high forehead and small mouth wearing a high neck collar and Stuart-era robes. He sits at a desk writing with his right hand while his left elbow rests on a book and his left hand is on his cheek.
February 22, 2025 at 5:22 PM
footnotinghistory.bsky.social
New episode! How do we know what it was like to come home from war in Ancient Greece? Lucy looks at The Illiad, The Odyssey, the modern film The Return, and more to explain:

www.footnotinghistory.com/home/coming-...

YouTube version: www.youtube.com/watch?v=kk7i...
Coming home from war in Ancient Greece. Lucy. Image: Photograph of an ancient Greek vase. It is black with an orange figure of a man in profile shooting an arrow to the right.
February 8, 2025 at 8:07 PM
footnotinghistory.bsky.social
Black History Month is here! We've got episodes on epic people like Bass Reeves, Jane Manning James, Yolande Du Bois, and James Weldon Johnson waiting for you:

www.footnotinghistory.com/black-histor...

YouTube playlist version: www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...
February is Black History Month. FootnotingHistory.com/black-history Image: A collage of images from Black history episodes, featuring people like Bass Reeves and Lorenzo Dow Turner.
February 2, 2025 at 4:41 AM
footnotinghistory.bsky.social
Podcasts can be a great addition to any lesson! If you're considering using our episodes, check out our page for educators, which features a spreadsheet sorting episodes by era, location, and keywords:

www.footnotinghistory.com/teach.html
Use Footnoting History to teach. Visit FootnotingHistory.com/Teach. The text is white on a black horizontal bar in front of a collage of images from FH episodes including Lorenzo Dow Turner, Lady Godiva, and Napoleon.
January 28, 2025 at 3:50 AM
footnotinghistory.bsky.social
We're back! We're kicking off 2025 with an episode about Hummel and Howe, a pair of infamous criminal attorneys from Gilded Age New York. Listen now:

www.footnotinghistory.com/home/hummel-...

YouTube version: www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZ95...
New. Hummel and Howe – Attorneys at Crime. Side-by-side images of Hummel and Howe. Both are in black and white, and both men are older white men with large mustaches, wearing dark suits. Hummel's is a photograph while Howe's is an artist's rendering.
January 25, 2025 at 6:51 AM
footnotinghistory.bsky.social
Wishing all the happiest of 2025s! We are excited to come back with new episodes on January 25th (check footnotinghistory.com/calendar to see that topic). Thank you for supporting us in this wild podcasting world.

Image: Waiting for Calls on New Year's Day, from Harper's Bazar, January 2, 1869
Black and white pencil-style drawing of a group of 7 white women in fancy, bustled dresses sitting in an ornate room or looking out the window waiting for visitors
January 1, 2025 at 9:17 PM
footnotinghistory.bsky.social
Sale season continues! Every single item we have is marked down, just in time for your holiday purchases (or treats for yourself). Plus, you may notice, hats are a new addition to our shop!

www.teepublic.com/stores/footn...
Sale now. Collage of 6 images of FH merchandise: A green and black sticker that says Footnoting History, est. 2013, with a quill and microphones. A Grey hoodie that says Historian, with a microphone for the first i. A black hat that says Footnote Everything. A black tote back with white and green text that says Because the Best Stories are in the Footnotes. A black mug with white text that says Don't Drink the Water in the middle of a white ship's wheel. A black long-sleeved shirt with white and red text that has Richard III, Buckingham, and Margaret crossed out so that it reads Henry VII did it.
December 1, 2024 at 8:47 PM
footnotinghistory.bsky.social
Happy December! We have ONE more new episode left for this year...History for the Holidays IV, coming December 7th!

Visit FootnotingHistory.com/Calendar for more info or check out the History for the Holidays playlist on our YouTube channel for past installments: www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxMl...
White and green text on a black background saying December topic beneath a black and white image of a quill. At the very top is a half-moon image depicting an early 20th-century artwork of a young blond boy carrying a small Christmas tree and walking with a young blond girl. They both wear red hats.
December 1, 2024 at 5:25 AM
footnotinghistory.bsky.social
Get ready for the holidays...or treat yourself! T-shirts are $16 and everything else, from stickers to totes, is up to 35% off in our shop right now.

www.teepublic.com/stores/footn...
Sale! Six photographs of footnoting history merch. A black mug with white and green text saying Because the best stories are in the footnotes. A black tote with green text saying Historian. A black and white baseball tee that says History. It's complicated. A navy blue tee with white and yellow text that says Alan and Daphne and Christopher and Pooh. A green mug with the Footnoting History quill logo. A black tote that says Richard III did it.
November 15, 2024 at 2:52 AM
footnotinghistory.bsky.social
New episode! Before Dante took us on a tour through the afterlife, there was Thurkill, an English peasant from the 13th c who described his journey into hell and the edge of paradise. Hear the story now:

www.footnotinghistory.com/home/thurkil...

YouTube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qtzx...
Thurkill's Excellent Adventure: A Medieval English Peasant's Tour of Hell. Host: Kristin. Image: A medieval illuminated image of layers of hell featuring tortured souls.
November 10, 2024 at 12:35 AM
footnotinghistory.bsky.social
New episode! Not everyone who received the death penalty in medieval England was actually killed. Here, Samantha explores two more methods of avoiding execution: gaining sanctuary and buying pardons.

www.footnotinghistory.com/home/how-to-...

YouTube version: www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zNR...
How to avoid the death penalty in medieval England, part II. Host: Samantha. Image: Artist's rendition of the layout of a medieval cathedral
October 12, 2024 at 5:13 AM
footnotinghistory.bsky.social
New episode! In medieval England, just because you received the death penalty for your crimes didn't mean you necessarily had to actually die. Learn two methods of avoiding having your sentence carried out.

www.footnotinghistory.com/home/how-to-...

YouTube version: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zu6s...
September 28, 2024 at 11:05 PM
footnotinghistory.bsky.social
New episode! Let's talk about the time a disgruntled general tried to take control of France's government by spreading the lie that Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte had died...

www.footnotinghistory.com/home/napoleo...

YouTube version: youtu.be/GPzgbuDFOxQ?...
Napoleon Bonaparte and the Malet Coup. Christine. Image: Painting of a cold Napoleon atop a white horse in the snow in Russia. He is surrounded by cold soldiers and several dead bodies.
August 31, 2024 at 5:40 AM
footnotinghistory.bsky.social
New episode! In 1527, Cabeza de Vaca was on an expedition to conquer Florida. It ended in disaster. As a result, he spent the next 8 years wandering what is now the Southwestern United States. Come learn about it.

www.footnotinghistory.com/home/the-adv...

YouTube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqqx...
The Adventure of Cabeza de Vaca. Josh. Image: Yellow and brown artist's rendition of Cabeza de Vaca. He has a long face with a beard and mustache and wears a typical 16th-century hat
August 17, 2024 at 4:43 AM
footnotinghistory.bsky.social
New episode! Thanks to listener requests for more episodes about medieval occupations, Lucy is teaching you all about midwives in the Middle Ages here:

www.footnotinghistory.com/home/medieva...

YouTube version: www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WYV...
Medieval Midwives beyond Myths. Lucy. Image: Illuminated manuscript depiction of a midwife examining a baby next to a woman who has just given birth
August 3, 2024 at 5:43 AM