Our Civic Duties: A History of Taxes
Are taxes “tyrannical” or “the price of civilization”? BackStory invites you to help shape the newest show–share your thoughts and questions!
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Climate Control: A History of Heating and Cooling
As temperatures drop and the policy debate about climate change heats up, this January the History Guys will explore how Americans have reaped the benefits — and faced the consequences of — climate control.
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Pitch a Show (Fall '09)
BackStory invites you to propose a topic for our new fall season. Which concerns facing Americans today could use historical unpacking by the History Guys? Pitch your idea here!
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The Extraordinary Ordinary: Populism in America
Joe the Plumber and his geographic equivalent, “Main Street,” were both major figures in Election ‘08. “We the People” have finally spoken and… wait a second, who’s “we” and what did “we” say, anyway? This week, the many faces of populism.
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Love Me Did: A History of Courtship
Considering the stereotypes about Puritan New England, you might be surprised to learn that sweethearts in the 18th century were not only allowed to sleep together before marriage – they were encouraged to! The catch? They had to do it within the parents’ home. It was known as “bundling,” and although sex was theoretically not involved, the practice coincided with a huge increase in premarital pregnancy. By the end of the century, 1/3 of all brides were pregnant by the time they reached the altar.
In this episode, the History Guys explore three centuries of pre-marital intimacy. Did economic considerations used to play a greater role in coupling? In what ways have dating practices challenged class & racial boundaries? Has the idea of “romance” itself morphed over time?
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- Show Highlights (Click here to listen to specific interviews from the hour)
- Music Listing
Guests Include:
- Beth Bailey — author, From Front Porch to Back Seat: Courtship in 20th Century America
- Pamela Epstein — historian/blogger-in-chief, Advertising For Love
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Further Reading:
Valentine’s Day:
- Historian Stephanie Coontz sets the record straight on the history of Valentine’s Day
- Love, bon bons, and a brutal massacre
- The bidding is on for antique valentines at the National Valentine Collectors Association
18th Century:
- Love in ye olden days: Courtship, Sex, and the Single Colonist at Colonial Williamsburg
- A little lesson in bundling, plus a book-length treatment from 1871
- Historian Richard Godbeer’s eye-opening book, Sexual Revolution in Early America
19th Century:
- Courtship & the enslaved: books by Brenda Stevenson and Rebecca Fraser
- A collection of love letters from the Civil War
- Relationship advice from 1890
20th/21st Century:
- Etiquette guru Emily Post on how to write a love letter (1922)
- Sex and tech: the blog of author Regina Lynn
- A film from the vaults reveals the wild world of cyber dating in 1997
- Educational films from the 1950s: This Charming Couple (1950); Choosing for Happiness (1950); Is This Love? (1957); How Do You Know It’s Love? (1950); How Much Affection? (1958)
