Dive into the weirdness of American history each week with Jordan & Jeremy Rausch as they explore the crazy stories that shaped America into the beautiful weirdo she is today.
We discuss the life story of Norma McCorvey, the woman famously known as Jane Roe in the historic Roe v. Wade case, and her journey of becoming the face of the pro-choice movement and then her switch to becoming a prominent activist for pro-life groups.
Congress passes legislation to bomb the sky in an effort to make some rain.
Gordon Hirabayashi refused to comply with America's Japanese Relocation order to an internment camp. Instead, he fought all the way to the Supreme Court and when ordered to prison, hitchhiked all the way from Seattle to Tucson because the government didn't have the money to send him.
America the Bizarre will return with new episodes on March 11th. Until then, answer this week's presidential trivia for a chance to win a free t-shirt. Submit your answer to bizarreusa@gmail.com or through the contact form at americathebizarre.com
An enslaved man named Onesimus gave Cotton Mather information to create America's first smallpox inoculation, however, it was immediately met with push back and conspiracy theories.
In 1839, a group of slave captives revolted against the slave ship's crew in an effort to secure their freedom which ultimately led to a fight in the Supreme Court.
A 19th-century spiritualist believed that he could trap the second-coming of christ in a machine in order to save humanity.
The Willie Dee had the worst luck of any battleship during WWII that led to them almost blowing up FDR.
During World War II, some conscientious objectors chose to serve their country by signing up as human guinea pigs in scientific trials that starved them, infested them with lice, and gave them hepatitis.
Colonel Duckworth bet a bunch of British pilots that he could fly his single-engine plane in and out of a hurricane. The loser had to buy the winner a cocktail.
David S. Terry was a judge that had a reputation for having a hot temper and occasionally slashing at witnesses with his bowie knife. His second wife liked to do the same with a loaded pistol and they got into some trouble with US Supreme Court Justice Stephen Fields.
We discuss Dr. Lytle S. Adams, a dentist and part-time inventor that was inspired by his New Mexico vacation to use bats in his revenge plot against Japan for Pearl Harbor.
In this episode, we go back to the time that America tried to both bomb the moon and then store nuclear weapons on the moon.
John Colter was a true American mountain man. One day he found himself caught by 800 Blackfeet warriors and had to run for his life. Oh, and he was completely naked.
Professor Buettner-Janusch was one of the first Americans to study lemurs and was very successful until he started using his research lab to make party drugs.
We discuss the history of Squanto, why he spoke perfect English when the Pilgrims arrived at Plymouth, and his continuing relationship with the Pilgrims.
Martha "Mouth of the South" Mitchell was taken hostage and drugged in order to keep her quiet about Nixon's involvement with Watergate.
Victoria Woodhull was a clairvoyant and the first woman to run for president in the United States.
The reason America doesn't use the metric system is a combination of pirates and the French snubbing us.
Major Rathbone failed to save Lincoln's life during his assassination. Rathbone carried the guilt with him until it took over with lethal consequences.
Join us during our 1 year birthday to discuss how the pledge of allegiance was written by a socialist nationalist in order to sell flags to children.
In April of 1815, the volcano Mount Tambora erupted and caused a massive ash cloud that cooled the entire Earth. Americans dealt with snowstorms that occured all throughout 1816 and struggled to grow crops and keep their animals alive.
During prohibition, people still drank a lot. In order to combat this, the government began to poison industrial alcohol that ended up killing around 50,000 Americans.
Guam was never aware that the Spanish-American War was happening until America showed up to take over.
At the turn of the 20th century, America was facing a massive meat shortage. The solution? Hippo farms in Louisiana
General Patton once threatened to level Phenix City, Alabama which was once dubbed "The Wickedest City in America"
Premature babies had extremely high mortality rates until a showman doctor opened up his incubator baby exhibit on Coney Island, attracting visitors and desperate parents from all over the world to marvel at this new technology.
President John Tyler threw a huge party on the USS Princeton to celebrate the future annexation of Texas. Then tragedy struck.
Carl Akeley revolutionized taxidermy while also becoming a prolific inventor, hunter, and conservationist. There was also that time he killed a leopard with his bare hands.
In 1914, Rockefeller ordered to have strikers in his mining company shot and their homes burned to the ground.
When the Sultana steamboat exploded on the Mississippi River, it killed around 1,800 people. In comparison, 1,500 people died when the Titanic sank 47 years later.
We discuss the congressman that spied for the USSR, who they nicknamed "Crook"
Lou Pearlman created both Backstreet Boy and NSYNC, while also swindling hundreds out of their life savings.
Patty Cannon made a living kidnapping freed black Americans and selling them into slavery in the South, a system that is now known as the reverse underground railroad.
Joe Medicine Crow completed all four tasks to become a Crow War Chief during World War II, including stealing some Nazi's horses.
In 1949, MIT fed students in a school for mentally-disabled children oatmeal covered in radioactive tracers.
When MacArthur returned from the Phillippines to become the Army Chief of Staff, he brought home a mistress, 16-year-old Isabel "Dimples" Cooper.
There is a stereotype that Southerners are dumb and lazy. One scientist went on a mission to discover why. Support America The Bizarre: https://www.patreon.com/americathebizarre Sources & Merchandise: https://www.americathebizarre.com/
Patrick Murphy was hired by Mexican rebels to bomb Mexican federal forces. The problem was he ended up bombing Arizona instead. Support America The Bizarre: https://www.patreon.com/americathebizarre Sources & Merchandise: https://www.americathebizarre.com/
We discuss the day that a wagon-full of meat mysteriously rained down on a farm in Kentucky. Support America The Bizarre: https://www.patreon.com/americathebizarre Sources & Merchandise: https://www.americathebizarre.com/
It's Jeremy's turn to tell the story this week and he chose the history of the black buffalo soldiers that formed the Army's first bicycle corps. America The Bizarre: https://www.patreon.com/americathebizarre Sources & Merchandise: https://www.americathebizarre.com/
Cassius M. Clay was an outspoken abolitionist and won several gunfights with a bowie knife. Learn about the man that Muhammad Ali was originally named after. Support America The Bizarre: https://www.patreon.com/americathebizarre Sources & Merchandise: https://www.americathebizarre.com/
In the second part of this story, Dr. Brinkley starts the biggest radio station in the world and uses it to advertise his goat testicle surgery, speak about his love for Nazis, and make country music popular. Support America The Bizarre: https://www.patreon.com/americathebizarre Sources & Merchandise: https://www.americathebizarre.com/
Dr. John R. Brinkley became famous and rich in the 1920's for sewing goat testicles into men's bodies. But was he even a real doctor? Support America The Bizarre: https://www.patreon.com/americathebizarre Sources & Merchandise: https://www.americathebizarre.com/
In 1969, 3,000 college students came to party in the tiny town of Zap, North Dakota. Then the town ran out of beer, the students rioted, and the National Guard had to be called in. Support America The Bizarre: https://www.patreon.com/americathebizarre Sources & Merchandise: https://www.americathebizarre.com/
When Ruth Norman's husband died, she took over his space cult and turned into a glittery fashion public access tv show. Support America The Bizarre: https://www.patreon.com/americathebizarre Sources & Merchandise: https://www.americathebizarre.com/
In 1955, the largest department store in Portland, Oregon was bombed. The detectives only had one suspect, Clarence Peddicord. The only problem was that Clarence was blind. Support America The Bizarre: https://www.patreon.com/americathebizarre Sources & Merchandise: https://www.americathebizarre.com/
Robert E. Lee was Montgomery Meigs's friend and idol until Lee became a traitor to the Union. Meigs decided the best revenge was to bury a bunch of soldiers around Lee's house. Support America The Bizarre: https://www.patreon.com/americathebizarre Sources & Merchandise: https://www.americathebizarre.com/
Flying was way nicer in the 60's than it is now, the food was amazing and there was tons of legroom. There was also a lot of hijackings. Between 1968 and 1972, 130 American planes were hijacked and many of them ended up in Havana, Cuba. Support America The Bizarre: https://www.patreon.com/americathebizarre Sources & Merchandise: https://www.americathebizarre.com/
This story has it all: jetpacks, Nazis, James Bond, Michael Jackson, murder, kidnapping and more. It doesn't get cooler or crazier than jetpacks. Support America The Bizarre: https://www.patreon.com/americathebizarre Sources & Merchandise: https://www.americathebizarre.com/
We discuss the white race riot of Wilmington, also known as the Wilmington coup of 1898 and the Wilmington massacre. After the Civil War, Wilmington, North Carolina was a mecca for newly freed slaves who found financial freedom and political power there until white supremacists were tired of seeing them succeed. Support America The Bizarre: https://www.patreon.com/americathebizarre Sources & Merchandise: https://www.americathebizarre.com/
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