Archive for 2009
Naughty & Nice: A History of The Holiday Season
The History Guys trace the evolution of Christmas in America from a public festival of rowdy excess to a child-centered celebration of church and family.
Call of the Week: Jennifer from DC
On each “Call of the Week,” we feature one of our favorite listener phone calls.This week, it’s from Jennifer in Washington, DC.
American as Pumpkin Pie: A History of Thanksgiving
When we sit down to Thanksgiving dinner, we think we know what we’re commemorating. But if an actual Pilgrim were to attend your Thanksgiving, chances are he’d be stunned, and a little disgusted, by what transpired there.
Call of the Week: Abe from Montreal
On each “Call of the Week,” we feature one of our favorite listener phone calls.This week, it’s from Abe in Montreal.
Coming Home: A History of War Veterans
Rambo, Elvis Presley, and former Surgeon General Jocelyn Elders have one important thing in common: military service. So who are America’s veterans? Soldiers travel far away to risk their lives, but how easy is returning home?
Body Politics: A History of Health Care
Recent fights about health care reform have landed several people in the hospital. So who foots the bill? Historically, what’s been the government’s role in keeping Americans healthy?
School Days: A History of Public Education
The statistics look grim, but is America’s educational system any worse off than it’s ever been? Why have schools been the sites of so many social movements?
Looking for Work: A History of Unemployment
With unemployment at its highest level in 25 years, we’re taking on the history of Americans between jobs. When did the concept of “unemployment” arise in the first place? Are people more or less attached to their jobs than they used to be?
Independence Daze: A History of July Fourth
In the early days of our nation, July Fourth wasn’t an official holiday at all. In fact, it wasn’t until 1938 that it became a paid day-off. So how did the Fourth become the holiest day on our secular calendar? Historian Pauline Maier offers some answers, and explains how radically the meaning of the Declaration [...]
Grave Matters: A History of Death and Mourning
How present is death in American culture? Have improvements in public health and medicine removed death from our everyday lives? Join the History Guys in this Memorial Day episode of BackStory.
