Histories of the Unexpected explores the past in ways that you never dreamt possible. Surely there’s nothing unexpected about the past? About History? Aha, well Histories of the Unexpected adopts a new approach to exploring our past. Gone is the traditional linear plotting of battles, monarchs and political movements. Histories of the Unexpected argues that everything has a history, even the most unexpected of subjects. Like SLIME. Or COURAGE. or APPLAUSE.... Presented by Dr Sam Willis and Professor James Daybell. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
https://www.historiesoftheunexpected.com
Gesamtlänge aller Episoden: 8 days 23 hours 54 minutes
Temper Tantrums: Homeschooling Henry II and the murder of Thomas Beckett
An episode we can all identify with! It's about the history of being able to control your temper - it's about feet kicking, shouting, waving, stamping, WILD anger. James and Sam explore the various ways you can think about the history of ange...
Clouds!
In this glorious summer of endless blue skies Sam and James turn their attention to the sky, and the fascinating history of...CLOUDS! Who knew they were so interesting? The history of clouds is all about Captain Cook and cannibalism, the devil, urine, ...
Big Heads! Homeschooling Henry VIII
James and Sam get to grips with the history of BIG HEADS...it's all about a touch of arrogance, wanting to be seen to be in charge, securing your place in history...it allows us to think about all sorts of fascinating characters...Caesar, Napoleon...
Shadows!
James and Sam come to grips with the elusive history of SHADOWS! And it's fascinating; It's all to do with the very structure of history itself, telling the time, Chinese Emperors, entertainment, advertising in 1950s America, messages from Go...
Unfairness! Homeschooling Chartism and Electoral Reform
James and Sam tackle the history of things being SO NOT FAIR! From the French Revolution to the massacres of Aborigines and the theft of land from Native Americans to the Suffragettes Sam and James rampage around historical unfairness before settling o...
Beards Part 2!
Sam and James continue their fascinating history of BEARDS! They're all about the reformation, horror stories, health, surrealism, preachers and their stentorian tones....Who Knew?
Beards Part 1!
Inspired by the beard-growing that was taken up by so many of us all in Coronavirus lockdown, Sam and James tackle the unexpected history of BEARDS...which is all about the Crimean War, Ottoman pirates and 'Turning Turk, Peter the Great, gas masks...
Lunchboxes! Homeschooling WW1 and Life in the Trenches Part 1
It's a packed lunch of fun! James and Sam explore the extraordinary history of lunchboxes, which are all about the industrial revolution and nomads and Elizabeth I, before moving on to looking at lunchboxes in relation to WW1 and life in the trenc...
Playing Chicken! Homeschooling the Cuban Missile Crisis!
This special HOMESCHOOLING episode is about PLAYING CHICKEN! James and Sam explore the Unexpected history of PLAYING CHICKEN, which is all Henry VIII's Great Matter, Appeasement prior to WWII, and the Crusades! Most of all though it's about ...
Sharing! Homeschooling Karl Marx and the Communist Manifesto
This special HOMESCHOOLING episode is about SHARING! James and Sam explore the Unexpected history of SHARING, which is all the Great Depression, the EU, the League of Nations, early modern marriage and working-class communities in Victorian London. Mos...