Born in the USA: A History of Birth [rebroadcast]
It’s BackStory’s birthday! To celebrate our first year as a weekly show, the American History Guys are going back to where it all begins: birth. From midwives to maternity wards, ideas of sin, and of citizenship, this episode explores what it means to be “Born in the USA.”
Committed: Marriage in America [Rebroadcast]
Marriage–the laws, as well as social conventions, and expectations surrounding it–have long been subject to change. In this hour of BackStory, we commit ourselves to unpacking the history of the institution and its shifting definitions in America.
Love Me Did: A History of Courtship [Rebroadcast]
In this Valentine’s Day special, BackStory delves into the history of courtship. From “bundling” to the back-seat, the History Guys explore three centuries of pre-marital intimacy.
Committed: Marriage in America
Marriage–the laws, as well as social conventions, and expectations surrounding it–have long been subject to change. In this hour of BackStory, we commit ourselves to unpacking the history of the institution and its shifting definitions in America.
Born in the USA
To mark the rebirth of BackStory as a weekly program, the History Guys set out to explore the earliest stages of life in America. They begin with a few of the basic assumptions we have about birth in America today, and spend the hour exploring how those assumptions came into being.
Love Me Did: A History of Courtship
In this Valentine’s Day special, BackStory delves into the history of courtship. From “bundling” to the back-seat, the History Guys explore three centuries of pre-marital intimacy.
Love Me Did: A History of Courtship
In this Valentine’s Day special, BackStory delves into the history of courtship. From “bundling” to the back-seat, the History Guys explore three centuries of pre-marital intimacy.
“Love Me Did” — Further Reading
The following links and documents relate to the BackStory episode “Love Me Did: A History of Courtship.” You can listen to the entire episode here. 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 [...]
“Love Me Did” — Features and Highlights
The following are extended versions of interviews included in the BackStory episode “Love Me Did: A History of Courtship,” broadcast in January/February of 2010. You can listen to the entire episode here. Pam Epstein: 19th Century Personal Ads — Pam Epstein shares some of her favorite 19th century personal ads. Beth Bailey: Origins of Dating [...]
Beth Bailey Extended Interview
The following audio clip is an extended interview of a version aired on the BackStory episode “Love Me Did: A History of Courtship.” You can listen to the entire episode here. SPECIAL WEB EXTRA: Beth Bailey tells Brian about three generations of courtship in her own family… and why there are only two entries for [...]
