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The Past and The Curious: A History Podcast for Kids and Families podcast

The Past and The Curious: A History Podcast for Kids and Families

A History Podcast for Kids! Parents love us, Teachers love us, and most importantly, kids do too! History can be amazing, inspiring and relevant to anyone. We love to share the stories of Spies, funny foods, George Washington's foibles, early advancements in cartooning and ballooning and much more! A professional music score and important songs accompany nearly every themed episode. Proud Kids Listen Member @pastandcurious

A History Podcast for Kids! Parents love us, Teachers love us, and most importantly, kids do too! History can be amazing, inspiring and relevant to anyone. We love to share the stories of Spies, funny foods, George Washington's foibles, early advancements in cartooning and ballooning and much more! A professional music score and important songs accompany nearly every themed episode. Proud Kids Listen Member @pastandcurious

 

#97

Episode 76: Wright Brothers and Sister and a Smithsonian Spat

The Wright Brothers became the first to fly a controlled powered aircraft with a pilot onboard, but just a few days before, Smithsonian Secretary James Langley almost beat them. His failure didn't stop the Smithsonian from claiming the first flight. But Orville and Wilber weren't the only two who fought for their place in history. Their sister Katharine did too. ... Read more

27 Feb 2023

32 MINS

32:55

27 Feb 2023


#96

Episode 75 Underwear Roundup with Benedict Arnold, Abram Spanel and the Playtex Space Suit

Here's two more underwear stories that aren't in the the book I See Lincoln's Underpants (which is now available!) First Benedict Arnold betrays the American Army but gets caught thanks to something hiding in someone's underwear. Also When NASA planned to get someone to the moon, they needed a special Space Suit, and the only designers and makers up to the challenge had only made underwear for Playtex before the marvelous work of technology. ... Read more

30 Jan 2023

30 MINS

30:31

30 Jan 2023


#95

Underwear Chronicles Fourteen: Al Capone

The last installment of The Underwear Chronicles - to celebrate the release of I See Lincoln's Underpants now available from booksellers! Al Capone grew up somewhere in the middle of a big family. Hand me downs were a way of life, so it makes sense that as an adult he was eager to have not just his own underpants, but his own fancy underpants. After arriving in Chicago from his native Brooklyn, he worked his way up to being the most powerful mob boss in town. He was famous all over the country, but he never really worried about going to jail.  In the end he brought down by some salesmen, including the man who sold him underwear. ... Read more

17 Jan 2023

17 MINS

17:46

17 Jan 2023


#94

Episode 74: Eggs!

In the 2000s an anonymous American man found an egg worth millions. It was a Faberge Imperial Egg and it's story is fascinating. This episode traces the origin of the Faberge Eggs, and also the story of how it wound up in a kitchen in America’s Midwest. Also, as the Gold Rush boomed in the 1800s there were not enough actually, edible eggs to feed all the new faces in California. As a result, an Egg War developed over unusual eggs laid by murres on an island chain off the the coast of San Francisco ... Read more

29 Dec 2022

28 MINS

28:14

29 Dec 2022


#93

Episode 73: Video Games!

Ralph Baer fled Nazi Germany and settled in America where he eventually created the first home video game console, known as the Magnavox Odyssey. Not long after Ralph's creation, Jerry Lawson, a Black computer engineer, built on that idea and lead the team that created the first video game cartridge. Both men have very interesting lives, and are a huge part of gaming history. Things they did changed your life! ... Read more

28 Nov 2022

30 MINS

30:19

28 Nov 2022


#92

Underwear Chronicles Thirteen Garrett Morgan

The penultimate episode of The Underwear Chronicles (soon to be the book I See Lincoln's Underpants) revisits inventor and leader Garrett Morgan. We've covered Garrett Before, but not like this! The Paris, Kentucky-born man would change the world in profound ways! He was absolutely amazing. Be sure to check thepastandthecurious.com for details about the I See Lincoln's Underwear book. ... Read more

20 Nov 2022

17 MINS

17:29

20 Nov 2022


#91

Episode 72: Rufus vs. Poe

Edgar Allan Poe is about as famous as an author can be, but that might be owed largely to Rufus Wilmot Griswold. Rufus didn't really like Poe and wrote a scathing obituary and biography on the man, creating the dark figure many of us think Poe to be. In addition the story of Poe and Rufus, Mick does a dramatic reading of "The Raven" a poem which made Edgar Allan Poe a literary superstar. ... Read more

27 Oct 2022

30 MINS

30:08

27 Oct 2022


#90

Underwear Chronicles Twelve: Buzz Aldrin

Episode twelve of the Fourteen episode series features Buzz Aldrin. Buzz had a great nickname and pair of underwear to match it, but things didn't work out the way they were supposed to when he became the second man to walk on the moon - and the first to pee there. Please consider filling out the Kids Listen Survey to help creators who focus on the kids and family categories. Find it at KidsListen.org ... Read more

16 Oct 2022

17 MINS

17:59

16 Oct 2022


#89

Episode 71: Houdini and Grandma Moses

Harry Houdini almost quit and sold his tricks and secrets in 1899. It was good that he didn’t because in the 1900s he became a household name as the greatest escape artist in the world. It was a chance encounter that changed it all. Likewise, Anna Mary Moses was 78 years old when her life changed and set her on a path to becoming one of the most famous painters in America. During her 80s and 90s she created art that wound up in hundreds of thousands of homes! ... Read more

30 Sep 2022

33 MINS

33:21

30 Sep 2022


#88

Underwear Chronicles Eleven: John Wesley Powell

A scientist who lost his arm in the American Civil War wants to conquer The Grand Canyon. He needs a life-saving assist from his friends underwear. From the Upcoming Book "I See Lincoln's Underpants" due in the winter of 2022-23. ... Read more

19 Sep 2022

15 MINS

15:45

19 Sep 2022


#87

Episode 70: Matthew Henson and Some Bananas

Slipping on banana peels was really a thing! Even Theodore Roosevelt got involved! Also, Black explorer Matthew Henson was quite possibly the first man to step on the North Pole. He also crossed paths with Mr. Roosevelt. ... Read more

30 Aug 2022

30 MINS

30:31

30 Aug 2022


#86

Underwear Chronicles Ten: Queen Victoria

From Mick's upcoming book (end of 2022) "I See Lincoln's Underpants," this chapter focuses on Queen Victoria's life, preferred underwear, and also a pesky boy who takes to breaking and entering in Buckingham Palace. ... Read more

17 Aug 2022

16 MINS

16:30

17 Aug 2022


#85

Episode 69 Sled Dogs (A Mashup Special)

A special mashup with our friends from Cool Facts About Animals. Mick tells the tale of the Great Serum Run of 1925 in two parts. When a Diphtheria epidemic threatens the small and far-off town of Nome Alaska, the only hope to get medicine to the sick is dogs. Many help, but two Siberian Huskies named Togo and Balto are most remembered by history. In between part one and part two of the story, the crew from Cool Facts About Animals shares ten interesting facts about sled dogs. ... Read more

30 Jul 2022

38 MINS

38:26

30 Jul 2022


#84

Underwear Chronicles Nine: Otzi the Iceman

Who knew an ancient man frozen in his underwear could trigger international conflict? Otzi's accidental discovery was quite a find for science, and many are grateful that a glacier gobbled him up thousands of years ago! ... Read more

13 Jul 2022

13 MINS

13:18

13 Jul 2022


#83

Episode 68: Lost And Found

Two kids, at two time and two places, find two remarkable things. One starts the first Gold Rush in America and the other leads to a Cold War spy ring! The stories of Conrad Reed and Jimmy Bozart - and more! ... Read more

29 Jun 2022

28 MINS

28:48

29 Jun 2022


#82

Underwear Chronicles Eight: Amelia Bloomer

Despite being the namesake of an article of clothing that we commonly think of as underwear, Amelia Bloomer did not invent bloomers. To further the cause of Women’s Rights and to fight for the right to vote (in addition to prohibition), Amelia Bloomer ran a newspaper called The Lily.  When one of her friends showed up for a visit in a new outfit one day, history was made. Tired of the restrictive and oppressive clothing women were expected to wear in the 1800s, Amelia fell head over heels for the “tunic and pantalette combo,” as it was known. When she published the instructions to make them in The Lily, her subscriptions went through the roof.   Soon, the knee-length skirt and leg coverings underneath allowed for a new range of motion and freedom for women all over. One of the most remarkable things this allowed women to do was ride bicycles, which Susan B Anthony herself said, did “more to emancipate women than any one thing in the world.” Bloomers didn’t lead directly to the 19th Amendment, but the underwear played a strong supporting role. ... Read more

16 Jun 2022

15 MINS

15:20

16 Jun 2022


#81

Underwear Chronicles Seven: Annette Kellerman

Annette Kellerman was a swimmer from Australia who rose to stardom for her speed and grace, but also changed the world of swimsuits. She once performed in front of England's Royal family, thanks to some clever underwear re-engineering. ... Read more

29 May 2022

17 MINS

17:35

29 May 2022