Signs of the Times: Protest in America
In this episode, we’ll explore political protest in its American forms, and ask how the protest tactics we’re familiar with today came into being. From the Tea Party of 1773 to its contemporary namesake, what strategies have proven the most successful?
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The Athlete, the Amateur, & the Academic
College sports have provided some of this year’s biggest controversies, leading some to ask why sports even exist at “higher-ed” institutions. In this episode, we’ll explore the ways schools have attempted to answer that question.
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Sweet and Dangerous: A History of Sugar
In this episode, the History Guys will explore sweetness in American history. How has our national sweet tooth shaped our political and economic priorities?
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Going Postal: A History of the U.S. Mail
In this episode, the History Guys will explore some of the intricate connections between the nation’s history and the history of its postal system.
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Naughty & Nice: A History of The Holiday Season
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Christmas may be the big kahuna of American holy days, but it wasn’t always so. It used to be a time of drunken rowdiness, when the poor would demand food and money from the rich. The Puritans banned Christmas altogether. It wasn’t until the 1820s that the holiday was re-invented as the peaceful, family-oriented, and consumeristic ritual we celebrate today.
In this episode, the History Guys examine the history of the “holiday season” in America. Has Christmas grown more or less religious? How has the holiday evolved and changed here? To what extent was Hanukkah a reaction to Christmas, and how have American Jews shaped and reshaped their own wintertime rituals?
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Guests include:
- Stephen Nissenbaum, historian and author of The Battle for Christmas
- John Gibson, host of Fox News Radio and author of The War on Christmas: How the Liberal Plot to Ban the Sacred Christian Holiday is Worse than You Thought
- Rabbi Laura Baum, founder of ourjewishcommunity.org
- Tyrone Jones, Santa Claus impersonator at Cheltenham Square Mall
Show Highlights
Listen to individual excerpts from the show, including interviews with historian Stephen Nissenbaum, Rabbi Laura Baum, and Santa impersonator Tyrone Jones.Web Exclusive
Listen to more of historian Stephen Nissenbaum’s conversation with 18th century guy Peter Onuf. Here, they discuss the history of Christmas in the slave south.Further Exploration
Click here for a comprehensive list of online resources on the history of Christmas, Hannukah, and Kwanzaa.Even Further…
- See a listing of the music used in this episode.
- Read the full transcript of “Naughty & Nice.”
