Historically High

This week Professor Adam is bringing out a true crime hall of fame story. The death of Brian Wells/the Pizza Bomber/the Collar Bomber, is one of the most puzzling crimes ever committed. It has everything a true crime story could ever want. A serial killer, a bank robbery, a scavenger hunt, a creepy love story, a conspiracy, and a healthy dose of mental illness. Brian Wells delivered a pizza to a TV tower building on Peach Street in Erie, PA. The next time Brian was seen he was wearing a bulky collar entering the local PNC Bank. He would rob that bank and try to evade police as he followed a scavenger hunt given to him. The hunt was suppose to give him all of the pieces to safely take the explosive collar off of his neck. What he didn't know was the freaks who placed the collar on him never intended on him completing his task. Wells was intercepted by police and ultimately expired under their watch. The hunt for the conspirators would take longer than anyone expected. The cast of creatures who concocted this evil plan would end up turning on each other, but not without a few surprises for the police. Join us as we get Historically High on the Pizza Bomber Brian Wells. Support the show

The year was 1985, Freddy Mercury was bringing down the house at Wembley, Rocky Balboa won the Cold War by defeating Ivan Drago, and the Nintendo Entertainment System was release in the United States. It took the country by storm on the overall clad back of an Italian plumber named Mario. Nintendo ruled the home video game market until 1989 when a new player joined the game. The Sega Genesis' step onto the scene wasn't a home run right away. Sega decided to bring in a legend of the toy industry, a man named Tom Kalinske. This guy had his hands all over your childhood (not in the bad way) . Flintstone Vitamins? He created them. Barbie? He's the reason she's around today. Matchbox Cars? Who amongst us hasn't smashed one with a hammer when they no longer rolled properly. Tom and his team decided the only way to fight Nintendo's death grip on the market was to appeal to an older more mature and rebellious audience, teenagers. Sega became MTV to Nintendo's Disney Channel. Their battle took place in the stores, at the conventions, and on your TV. It had everything, corporate sabotage, defection to the competition, Joey Lawrence, Japanese rent-by-the-hour hotels, and a Hedgehog with attitude who's still doing his thing today. Get ready for the nostalgia fueled ride that is The Console Wars: Round 1.Support the show

During the 4 1/2 months it was fought, the Battle of the Somme took the crown as the deadliest battle of World War 1. This battle had it all, trench warfare, so many artillery pieces it created mountains of spent casings, fighter aircraft, and the introduction of the tank to the world as a weapon. The battle was the meeting of old world tactics and new world technology, never a good thing. The first day of the battle was the stuff of nightmares for the British. Once the 7 day artillery bombardment was finished, the Brits went over the top of their trench into No-Man's Land to charge what they believed to be an already decimated German front line. Unfortunately the metal storm unleashed over the German position for the last week was ineffective due to using the wrong type of artillery and also a pesky little leak of the British plans which gave the Germans a heads up to hunker down. As the shells stopped falling the Germans reoccupied the front line and waited for the British. What followed was the biggest loss of life in a single for the British in their history. And thats just the appetizer folks, tune in to get the full story. Support the show

The history of Basketball begins in the unassuming town of Springfield, Massachusetts. Canadian born James Naismith is trying to keep his group of students at the YMCA busy during a cold New England winter. It took 2 peach baskets, a soccer ball, and a few simple rules to create the game of basketball... sort of. The first thing Naismith created was chaos. Eventually, out of the chaos came basketball. The popularity of the game spread much like other sports. Barnstorming teams like the New York Rens and the world famous Harlem Globetrotters popularized the game in small towns all over the country. On a professional level some leagues came and went, but eventually found their way to the NBA and ABA merger. These two leagues would form the modern NBA today. There is so much more to the story though. Don't miss a second as we get Historically High on Basketball and the NBASupport the show

The United States was brought into WW2 with the Japanese surprise attack at Pearl Harbor on Dec 7 1941. The U.S. was shook, fear of an invasion of the west coast was at an all time high with nothing standing between us and Japan. The moral of the nation wasn't good and in the weeks after Pearl Harbor more Japanese victories did nothing to reassure the country we could win this war. The U.S. needed a win, it needed to be something bold and unexpected. Something to break the aura of the invulnerability of Japanese held about their home islands. FDR wanted bombs on Tokyo and it fell to Jimmy Doolittle to make it happen. Now if you're gonna plan and execute a top secret raid on Japan's capital where success relies on doing things never before done, Jimmy's your guy. Doolittle Raid aside James Doolittle was one of the most famous aviators in American History, a doctorate in Aviation Engineering from M.I.T., the first of it's kind lends credit to his understanding off all thing aircraft. What Jimmy and his boys were able to do helped show the United States they were still in the fight and showed Japan they weren't safe at home. Find out how they pulled it off here. Support the show

Leonardo Da Vinci started his artistic journey at the age of 14, beginning as a studio boy to Andrea del Verrocchio. Verrocchio taught Leo the ropes in sculpting, painting, casting, leather work, amongst other things, until Da Vinci stepped in to paint a couple angels in a mostly complete "The Last Baptism". Verrocchio looked at his work, looked at Da Vinci's and legend has it he set down his brush for good at that point, seeing himself surpassed already by Da Vinci's talent. Achieving the status of Master at age 20, Da Vinci would embark upon a lifetime of creating Art, developing machines and mechanical theories, studying and documenting human anatomy, building weapons and more. The very definition of a Renaissance Man in every way, join us as we go deep into Da Vinci. Support the show

The Black Plague or Black Death as its also known really put it to Europe, Asia and Africa from 1346 through 1353. In just 7 years it killed off up to 60% of Europe's population. 20-50 million dead due to a little bacteria called Yersinia Pestis, the cause of the Plague. It wasn't just effective in the way it hitched a ride on fleas, which then hitched on rats, which hitched a ride on everything else. But in the way that it could attacked the body on multiple fronts. It wasn't like there hadn't been other outbreaks of Plague in the world, so why is this one so significant. Well it showed up with perfect conditions in a world completely unprepared on what to. Find out what makes the Black Death such a pivotal moment in human history this week on dun dun dun......Historically High. Support the show

What good would a history podcast be without some sports history? Babe Ruth feels like he should be on the Mount Rushmore of sports history. Born in the Pigtown part of Baltimore, he defied the odds to become the most well-known baseball player of all time. He dazzled fans on the field, on the silver screen, and on every sports page in the country. His trade from the Red Sox also cursed the organization for the next 86 years. As a Yankee he was a pivotal part of many World Series contenders. He was the anchor of the famed Murderers Row batting line up. For all his success on the field, his life in the clubhouse and outside the stadium was more flawed than most people know. Join us as we get Historically High on Babe Ruth.Support the show

Who doesn't love a good Heist? Now throw in the most valuable diamond in the world at the time, the Millennium Star. Still not convinced? Well let's put this thing right in the middle of London at the Millennium Dome's De Beers exhibit. In November of the year 2000, a crew of career criminals attempted one of the ballsiest, most brazen robberies in history. And they would've probably gotten away with it too if it wasn't for those nosey specialist at Scotland Yard called The Flying Squad. Months prior the future heist-ers had attempted not one but two separate armored truck robberies that were both met with failure in different but wildly entertaining fashion.  Not to be deterred these guys might have figured their methods were sounds, just maybe they weren't aiming high enough. Find out how it all goes down here.Support the show

As far as American Icons go it probably doesn't get much bigger and recognizable than Henry Ford and Ford Motors. Not the inventor of the automobile, that credit goes to Carl Benz (go back and listen to that episode) but Henry developed what would become the modern automotive industry as we know it. Assembly lines were a thing, just not with cars until Henry decided to use them to mass produce the Model T. His first mass produced car took the nation by storm and at one point 1/2 of all individuals who learned how to drive did so on a Model T. Where Henry excelled at making affordable reliable vehicles he fell short on personal skills, treatment of his workers, and being a father. He even almost caused the downfall of his company by not being able to tear himself away from his precious Model T and modernize with companies like General Motors who came along and challenged Ford for the top spot and for a while took the crown. Through the "Pony Wars" where each manufacturer took turns one upping each other on Horsepower, to the battle to make the most economical car when the gas shortages hit. The story of Ford is fascinating to say the very least.Side note: Prof Chris was battling through a sinus infection which is why he sounds so sexy. Support the show

History sometimes has a habit of framing cultures as either heroes or villains, depending on the source. When it comes to Greek sources Herodotus "The Father of History", is kinda the go to when it comes to the period of antiquity. Every story needs a bad guy or a great evil to overcome, and when it comes to Herodotus his history was many times more fiction than fact. For the Greeks it was the vast and powerful Persian Empire coming to snuff out the light of the greek world. Weeeellllll...the Greeks were already doing a decent job of that themselves to be honest. While the first Persian Empire, established by the Acheamenid (Ack-a-men-id) Dynasty was central to the story of Greece "uniting", the Persians were across the Aegean doing some pretty incredible things. Founded by Cyrus the Great the Achaemenid Dynasty became the largest empire in the world during its time. Religious Tolerance, establishment of great road systems to carry trade and culture, the first mail system, a standardized monetary system based on the gold and silver, and a common language just to name a few. We owe a surprising amount of things in our modern world to this Empire. Tune in a find out just who were the Achaemenids and why maybe the Greeks kinda had it coming... Support the show

The line between cult and religion is sometimes blurred by the leader of the movement. Bonnie Nettles and Marshall Applewhite blurred the lines of new age religion and a cult by introducing aliens and UFOs. Nettles and Applewhite set out to bring their message of leaving the worldly distractions behind to ascend to the next level. The next level became more complicated when Nettles passed away. It's hard to pitch the idea of being an alien when you die of earthly sickness. Applewhite becoming the sole leader of flock, decided to take them in a direction that would put them in front of the world for all to see as the "spaceship" guided by Nettles passed the earth. Join us as we get Historically High on Heaven's Gate.Support the show

Russian history is pretty wild. Tsarist Russia was in a league by itself. There were two main dynasties, The Rurikids and The Romanovs. Today we'll be discussing the "patriarch" of the Romanov Dynasty and the guy who brought Russia into the modern age. Peter Alekseyevich Romanov had decided he was going to drag Russia into the future whether they wanted to or not. Now Peter wasn't the kinda of dude to send out envoys or ambassadors to do his business, he wanted to stretch his legs around Europe personally. Learning the crafts of ship building from the Dutch to build Russia's first navy. Seeing how artillery worked Prussia to development a modern army. Studying the systems of governance used by other European powers all while his "Grand Embassy" drank and partied their way across the continent. His accomplishments can still be felt today however, there's always another side to the story, and Peter's gets pretty dark. Join us as we discuss the life and times of Peter the Great. Support the show

The 761st Tank Battalion, known as the Black Panthers, was a segregated unit created during World War 2. Regardless of the fact that African Americans had participated in every major conflict dating back to before the United States even existed, a report from the War College labeled African Americans as "not fit for service" in World War 2. The 761st was created and kept stateside until the need for more tanks was too great. The Black Panthers would accompany Gen. Patton's 3rd Army as they fought the retreating Germans. They helped during Bastogne, broke through the Seigfried Line, and even liberated a concentration camp. The hope of returning to a more accepting United States wouldn't match the reality as the 761st would return to no acclaim. Their fight for equal recognition is still going on to this day. Join us as we get Historically High on the 761st Tank Battalion. Support the show

At a certain point in human history, mundane spices like pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, the stuff you have shoved in the back of your cabinet right now, made one company so much money it is still considered one of the valuable to ever exist. Not only were they extremely successful at running spice, they almost served as a country unto themselves. The Dutch government had granted the VOC (the acronym for the company in its native Dutch and so much easier to type) a monopoly on the spice trade from the Indies for 21 years. Combine that with permission to establish new colonies or outposts, dispense its own justice, make treaties with other rulers or governments, and operate its own Navy and soldiers. The VOC was a nation in more ways than some actual nations were. Other advantages the VOC had in ship building, it includes windmills, and the ability to raise capital with the advent of the stock exchange. The creation of shares in voyages would make its way to New Amsterdam in North America, soon to become New York City, you know, where the New York Stock Exchange is....seeing the connection here. Any way you slice it the VOC was huge, but as always, success does not come without a cost and boy did a lotta people pay for it. If you're still reading you can stop now and start the episode. Support the show

The 1848 discovery of gold in California didn't just change the lives of those that rushed across the country to strike it rich. It also shaped the development of the early United States in a big way. California being the 31st state in the union may seen kinda odd being that's its about as far west as you can get and there's a lotta area in between. Well that's all thanks to the thousands and thousands of people who braved the California Trail or the sea voyage around South America for months heading west to seek their fortunes. A majority never struck pay dirt in the Golden State but those 49er's and also a pretty sizable group of international gold seekers set down roots to establish the unique culture of the San Francisco area. It's not all sunshine and nuggets though, when you get a ton of people all rushing to one area to fight for wealth it's gonna get messy. All that and more on this week's exciting episode of Historically High. Support the show

When you think of World War 2, France is usually not one of the first countries you think about. That's partly because they spent a good majority of the war under occupation. Moreso the newly formed Vichy Government agreed to an armistice with the Germans putting them under occupation. There was one man who didn't surrender. That man became Free France, Charles De Gaulle. The veteran of World Wars 1 and 2 called upon himself to lead a country under occupation. De Gaulle was known for having a very high opinion of himself and his country. When no one else stepped up for France, De Gaulle stood up for France. During World War 1, World War 2, reconstruction of Europe, a potential French Civil War, and a student revolt, Charles stepped up. No matter how big of a pain De Gaulle was to the rest of the Allied leadership, he was crucial to the fight against the Germans. His love for France knew no bounds. Whether on the field of battle or the battle within the government. Join us as we get Historically High on Charles De GaulleSupport the show

In the course of human history wars have been waged primarily over two things, land and religion. Sometimes for both of those reasons at the same time. Sometimes you do it 8 times. The Crusades are the best example of using the "will of god" as an excuse to do what the Europeans did best, conquer and kill. The Church (you know the one) decreed the man up stairs wanted Jerusalem and the Holy Land back and lo and behold, if you went and fought you would be absolved of all your sins. Now for the ruling classes of Europe who were pretty much sin factories, this was music to their ears. Now coincidentally this whole reclamation of one of JC's hangouts also happened to bring the crusader armies through the Byzantine Empire. The Byzantines were kinda like the Holy Roman Empire's hot ex who they fucked it up with and wanted them back. The Pope thought if they could help them out with the issues they were having on their borders with the Islamic peoples in the Middle East, maybe they would see how the H.R.E. had grown and matured and come back to them, and by come back, I mean start sending their money. And thus the Crusades, an almost 200 year mission for christianity to take back their shit when they really didn't have the shit to begin with. This one has it all folks. More Popes that you can shake his pope stick thing at, kings, knights, castles, battles, severe dysentary, friendship, betrayal. Why are you still reading this? Stop, just hit play. Support the show

A major if not the most important key to victory in World War 2 Europe was the Allied Bombing Campaign against Nazi Germany. World War 2 wasn't just a collections of campaigns fought in different theaters but also campaigns specific to the land, sea, and air. After WW1 introduced the concept of air power, the end of the conflict saw every country invest into this new frontier of war to varying degrees. Pre-WW2 saw most major powers developing bomber aircraft to extend their projection of power and hit the enemy far behind their lines, and fighter aircraft to shoot down the bombers. WW2 in Europe saw the first occurrences of terror and strategic bombing. Hundreds of planes dropping thousands of tons of explosive on cities in a single day attempting to destroy enemy resources and moral. To be a bomber pilot or crew you had to have smarts, skills, and frankly balls because you had a 50% chance of being killed when this was said and done. These men (some in their teens) in their Boeing Flying Fortresses and Avro Lancasters kept the allies in the war until it could be won on the ground. Almost a full 5 years before the allies set foot in France, the bomber aircrews of the British Bomber Command and soon after the U.S. Air Force flew missions over France and Germany to keep the pressure on the Nazis and prevent them from solidifying their hold. Flying miles above occupied Europe without fighters to protect them, the bomber crews of the allies were constantly under attack by enemy explosive shells (Flak) from the ground or the deadly Germany fighters strafing them at double their speed. Okay I'm rambling, sorry I love this shit and I hope you will too, hit play already.Prof Chris.Support the show

In 1961, at the height of the Cold War, the fight against communism was in full swing. The CIA was deep into the politics of Central America, having already assisted some dictator-ish guys staying in power. The U.S. felt like it couldn't lose when it decided to "intervene". America was friendly with the current regime of Cuba, and it probably had nothing to do with all of the American corporations controlling most of Cuban industry. When Fidel Castro came into power as a result of one of the many Cuban revolutions, the U.S. was panicking because we didn't know which way he was leaning, Capitalist or Communist. With Cuba only being 90 miles from Florida, this was a cause for concern (not at all escalated by the Nukes we put in Turkey aimed at Russia). When the U.S. botched the first interactions with Fidel and issued economic sanctions, to be fair he seized a bunch of American corporation property in Cuba, he decided to just get what he needed from Russia, and boy were they excited, a communist friendly country 90 miles from the United States, oh the possibilities. Well because of this Uncle Sam decided Fidel had to go, so you do what any rational government would do. You find a bunch of exiled Cubans, train them as guerrilla fighters, teach them to pilot WW2 era bombers, secure them ships, and supply them with everything they need to invade Cuba and start a revolution to topple Castro. Can't miss plan...right?. Yeah not so much, find out how the JFK and the braintrust at the CIA oversaw one of the most embarrassing failures in recent history. Support the show

When you're considered the world's oldest fraternal order and one of the oldest continuous organizations in history, you're probably gonna develop some secrets or at the very least the suspicion that you're hiding something. Enter the Freemasons. The Freemason origin is kind of like a choose your own adventure book where there's an option for all, depending on what you're into. You can go the biblical route, the conspiratorial route, or the one that just makes common sense. Regardless, Masonic Lodges exist in nearly every country on the planet. Their use of symbols alone is enough to drive any conspiracy theorist mad, not to mention the use of code words, secret handshakes, and the rituals. Some of the most influential men (it's a fraternal order so it's all dudes...mostly) have been known Freemasons. 8 signers of the Declaration of Independence, 13 of the 39 to sign the Constitution, 14 U.S. Presidents, Churchill, Mozart, Mark Twain, Charles Lindbergh and Henry Ford just to name a few. I mean with a roster like that there's gotta be something going on with these guys right? Why does the Catholic Church have a papal ban against them? Tune in as we attempt to unravel the mystery that is the Freemasons. Support the show

Mussolini has a general reputation as the bumbling idiot of the axis powers. While he does appear to be at a glance, history should not sleep on Mussolini. The man actually founded Facism. That word that seems to still be prevalent in our world today, yeah he created the Facist Party. The Father of Facism started from humble beginnings and through a combination of radical ideas, his trademark oration, and basically flip flopping political beliefs whenever he felt the wind blowing in a new direction, he found himself as the de facto dictator of Italy. Now this whole Facism thing actually started before the Nazi party got into power, and provided a solid blueprint for Hitler to follow during his rise. Without Benito, I don't think we get Hitler running wild all over Europe. Now from a military standpoint, yeah maybe the bumbling idiot moniker is more fitting, but we get to that and everything else on this weeks Historically High. Historically High is sponsored by Flintt's Mouthwatering Mints. Don't let dry mouth ruin a good time. Go to www.Flintts.com and use promo code HHPod for 15% off your entire purchase. Support the show

Vatican City is the smallest country in the world. At only 109 acres, it packs a ton of history in a small space. The Catholic Church is headquartered within their own nation. Vatican City proper was created through a Treaty signed by Benito Mussolini and Pope Pius XI establishing the sovereign nation in 1929. Some of the world's most beautiful buildings reside inside the walls of the tiny nation. Some of those buildings are packed with works of art from everywhere the church touches. Others may be packed with secrets that will never see the light of day. Join us today as we explore the history, architecture,  and more than a few secrets while getting Historically High on Vatican City. Historically High is sponsored by Flintt's Mouthwatering Mints. Don't let dry mouth ruin a good time. Go to www.Flintts.com and use promo code HHPod for 15% off your entire purchase. Support the show

In December 1944 World War 2 in Europe was at a tipping point. It just so happened the way it was leaning was for the Allies. The Eastern front saw the Russians forcing the Nazis out of Poland and advancing toward the Fatherland itself. In the west the combined Anglo-American forces of the USA, Great Britain, Canada and others had broken out from Normandy, liberated Paris and a good chunk of northern France. The advance from the west was slowed by supply issues when the troops in front started to outrun their supply lines. Hitler decided in his meth'd up mind that all it would take was one big swing and hit to stagger the Allies and bring them to the table for a negotiated armistice at which point he could turn all his attention back to Stalin. That big swing was called Operation Watch on the Rhine, or the Ardennes Offensive or to most The Battle of the Bulge. Unfortunately for the allies, the area ol Adolf was gonna send his mass of soldiers and tanks through just happened to be the spot the allies thought unlikely. So much so in fact this was the place they pulled battle weary units and green replacement troops to rest and acclimate to their new units. What occurred over the next few weeks would come to be the shining moment for the United States forces in Europe during the war. Historically High is sponsored by Flintt's Mouth Watering Mints, purveyors of delicious, drymouth destroying little miracles. Get yours with 15% off by using code HISTORICALLYHIGHER at www.Flintts.com Support the show

Is anybody really safe? You see the storyline in every form of entertainment, "Arrested for a crime they didn't commit", but what if it wasn't just a storyline? For Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin, and Jessie Misskelley it's the story of their lives. The West Memphis Three, as they have come to be known, were convicted of the murders of three 8-year-old boys who were killed on May 5th, 1993. Christopher Byers, Michael Moore, and Stevie Branch were found in a creek the next day, and one thing was on everyone's minds. Satanic Panic. Beliefs of the boys being sacrificed to Satan led investigators to accused Satanist, Damien Echols. The only problem was Damien wasn't a Satanist. That didn't stop the Arkansas justice system from sentencing him to death, Jason to Life imprisonment, and Jessie to Life+ for a crime they didn't commit. Join us as we get Historically High on The West Memphis Three.Historically High is sponsored by Flintt's Mouth Watering Mints, purveyors of delicious, drymouth destroying little miracles. Get yours with 15% off by using code HISTORICALLYHIGHER at www.Flintts.com Support the show

"Trouble in the Suez...." Billy Joel sang about it in We Didn't Start the Fire and until researching this episode I had no idea what trouble he was talking about. The Suez Canal is a man-made waterway connecting the Red Sea (that little stretch of sea nestled between Africa and the Middle East) and the Mediterranean Sea. Basically it connects the Indian Ocean to the Med eliminating that lengthy and dangerous trip around the south of Africa. Well I'm sure you can imagine the kind of money you could make charging ships for taking your shortcut. Located in Egypt, designed by a Frenchman, funded by the Ottomans, and coveted by the British. The construction of the canal was on another level. and if that wasn't enough it played a big role in both World Wars, and even an armed conflict most don't know about...we're looking at you Britiain and France and Israel. The Suez isn't a one trick pony either, it's grown with the times and is still an important aspect of world trade today. Historically High is sponsored by Flintt's Mouth Watering Mints, purveyors of delicious, drymouth destroying little miracles. Get yours with 15% off by using code HISTORICALLYHIGHER at www.Flintts.com Support the show

Try putting together a guy's/girl's night when no on has a phone. Where do you meet, when, where? Imagine trying to move thousands of troops and resources around without constant communication. Well that whole thing had been figured out way before WW2. But what do you do when that life line of communication starts to work against you because your enemy is listening in and knows everything you're doing. The Pacific Theater was basically a series of islands being fought over at different times. Coded communication from ships to shore, and on the battlefield were being intercepted by the Japanese and decoded almost as fast as the codes could be created. One code went the entire war never being broken. The Navajo Code. The Navajo soldiers at the center to our episode were men that during childhood in white-run Indian schools were punished for using their native language. We pretty much did everything we could to kill their culture. Well once WW2 rolled around a man with knowledge of the Navajo Language recommended it to the U.S. Marine Corp due to its insane complexity, small number of people fluent, and the fact it didn't have written counterpart that made it indecipherable to the Japanese. Find out about the Navajo men who created the code and fought on the front lines providing the communications that helped win the war in the Pacific.  Historically High is sponsored by Flintt's Mouth Watering Mints, purveyors of delicious, drymouth destroying little miracles. Get yours with 15% off by using code HISTORICALLYHIGHER at www.Flintt's.com Support the show

If you had to compare the ancient Silk Road to something we're all familiar with today, it would be the internet. The Silk Road was a network of travel routes that spanned across Asia through India, the Middle East, Africa, the Mediterranean and all the way to Europe. This route was the main mode of transportation not just for the all the goods (silk being just one of many) being traded 4,000 miles away, but for technology being sourced from different countries, not to mention the ideas and intellectual advancement that spread from those traveling the road. Kings, Khans, and Emperors came and went, countries fell and rose, but the road remained. It's not an exaggeration when we say the world would look much different if not for the Silk Road. Historically High is sponsored by Flintt's Mouth Watering Mints, purveyors of delicious, drymouth destroying little miracles. Get yours with 15% by using code HISTORICALLYHIGHER at www.Flintt's.com Support the show

We finish off the Big 3 of Ancient Meso/South American civilizations with The Aztecs. Originally hailing from what is now the southern United States, the Mexica would enter the Valley the Mexico to find the place pretty crowded already. The only real spot left was a swampy marshy island in the middle of Lake Texcoco. Through innovation and engineering they created floating gardens to grow crops and sustain their growing population. The island that was once their disadvantage had now help them to grow and become valley's dominant peoples, ruling from their city of Tenochtitlan . Grand palaces, magnificent temples of sacrifice and enormous outdoor markets had the newly arrived Spanish Conquistadors in shock and awe. Well it wasn't long before Hernan Cortez and his Spanish troops started trying to take over the place. Find out what happened to the civilization that Mexico was literally built on. This episode is sponsored by Flintt's Mints. Don't be a victim of evil dry mouth, get yourself some Flintt's. Go to www.Flintts.com and use code HistoricallyHigh at checkout for 15% off your order.Support the show

The Berlin Wall is, for most, one of those historical topics you're aware of, but probably don't know a ton about. Well don't freak out because that's what we're here for. Post WW2 Germany was divided into zones with the U.S., U.K. and "France" taking stewardship of West Germany and the Soviet Union taking East Germany. Now this was right at the start of the Cold War,  East Berlin and West Berlin, which were also divided basically become a 24/7, 365 side by side comparison of Western Capitalism vs. Soviet Communism. Things got pretty bad in East Germany and East Berlin as their neighbors to the West thrived with the influx of western culture and that sweet sweet money. Well eventually J. Stalin got fed up with the embarrassment suffered due to the mass exodus of young talented people from East to West and decided to put a stop to that. How did he do it you ask, well he started building a wall. But it was what was happening on the East side of the wall that's really the story. Support the show

Jim Jones....Jim Jones....what can we say about Jim Jones? Early on young James found he had two things going for him, his newfound love of religion and his ability to memorize sermons and scripture. What started out as lil Jimmy preaching to the other kids in town, took a slight detour in dealing monkeys (not a euphemism) before he finally performed enough bullshit faith healing to start a church of his own. It didn't take long for Jim to find his own brand of religion which if we're being honest here, sounded pretty damn good in the beginning. But then the doomsday dreams started happening, combined with the power that came with being worshipped, and add in some drugs cause why not. Jim did what any sane person would do, he made himself the Messiah, kidnapped a kid, and took a bunch of his followers to the jungles of Guyana, normal shit. Well I wish I could say that was the end of it, but it gets tragic when Jones' god complex results in the death of over 900 people in a mass cult suicide. Support the show

Everyone take your seats because it is time for the sweet story of Milton Hershey and Hershey Chocolate. Milton grew up needing direction in life which he found in candy making. He started with caramel and failed more than once before eventually becoming the Caramel King of Pennsylvania. That wasn't enough for Milt because he had bigger dreams. From building a town to creating his own sugar distribution in Cuba, Milton Hershey was a fascinating man. Was he kind of a dick? Oh yeah. Did he change the world for quite a few people? You better listen to find out!SponsorFlintts Mintshttps://www.flintts.com/Use code HistoricallyHigh for 15% offSupport the show

April 19th 1995 was a pretty dark day for the United States and to the people of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma in particular. Here in The States if you mention terrorism most people tend to think of the International variety, but domestic terrorism seems to be just as prevalent albeit with usually less of a bang, but not in this instance. Timothy McVeigh was a Gulf War Veteran who became disillusioned with the U.S. Government and decided he needed to send a message. Now he didn't just wake up one morning and decided to blow up a building, this was a slow burn that started in adolescence, slowly becoming radicalized over time. He didn't commit this heinous act on his own either, he had a few friends he would bounce ideas off of and also assist in building his bomb. What transpired left the country shocked and saddened. We've got you covered on the whole story. SponsorsFlintts Mintshttps://www.flintts.com/ Promo code: HistoricallyHigh for 15% offSupport the show

In 1492 this freakin guy Christopher Columbus took his ass across the ocean blue looking for a western sea route to the lands of Asia and India (which he actually thought were the same place and same people). What transpired saw the Nina, the Pinta, the Santa Maria (Boats and Hoes) sail across the Atlantic, which granted hadn't really been attempted too often, and hit landfall in the Caribbean. Now this clown never set foot on the land that would become the United States, yet we have a city in Ohio, and had a recently renamed National Holiday in his honor. The guy had no idea he wasn't in India which is why Indigenous Peoples got saddled with the Indian moniker for so damn long. So he basically stumbles onto landfall and like a good colonizer it didn't take him long to make the locals life hell... Welcome to the Columbus episode. Sponsors: Flintts Mintshttps://www.flintts.com/ Promo code HISTORICALLYHIGH for 15% offAlso if you want to support the show there's a link below, or don't, whatever is cool with us, but it'd be a lot cooler if you did.Support the show

We left off with the shot heard round the world and we ate coming back into Lexington and Concord. While it is sorta known as the opening salvo of the Revolutionary War, it really wasn't. We had to have 2 continental congresses before we decides to declare independence. That is what started the Revolutionary War. A strongly worded letter to a pre-crazy King George III known as the Declaration of Independence. From then on the revolution was on. It didn't start out so hot, but eventually the Continental Army would find their footing under Washington&Co. Along with an assist by the French and Spanish the Colonies won their independence. Join us for part 2 as we get Historically High on The American Revolution.Support our Sponsors at https://www.flintts.com/Promo code: HISTORICALLYHIGH for 15% off

By the mid 1700's the British in North America had established 13 colonies and a large population some of which were 2nd or 3rd generation British Americans, having never set foot on the home islands. Being separated from Great Britain by 3,000 miles, taking 6-8 weeks to cross the Atlantic, the colonies began to feel isolated or maybe a little independent (see what I did there) from the King and Parliament. What didn't help make the colonists feel seen was the total lack of any representation in Parliament, meaning the colonies had no say in how they were being governed and how they were being taxed. British appointed Governors oversaw each colony independently, and ensured the will of His Majesty was enforced. Well fast forward to another war with France, this one inadvertently started in North America by a very familiar future American Founding Father. The 7 years war left Britain victorious but financially devastated, Parliament's solution was to tax the colonist, figuring they should start paying their way for Britain's war expenses. Now as you can imagine the Colonists were pissed, understandably so being they didn't have any voice in the matter but at the same time, I mean come on, we kinda started this particular war with France. This Taxation without Representation was just one of many greivances brewing in the colonies, there were a couple situations in Boston, one involving some redcoats firing into a hostile crowd and another involving making a nice spot of tea using the harbor as the kettle. These events and many more culminated in a standoff between British soldiers and Colonial Militia at a little town called Lexington where a "shot heard round the world" changed the course of world history forever. Join us for Part 1 of the American Revolutionary War. 

Surprise Surprise Prof Chris is taking us back to the Pacific Theater of World War 2. This week were discussing the IJN, the Imperial Japanese Navy from its formation to it's warm up wars against China, Russia, and then China yet again to it's role in pulling the United States into WW2 at Pearl Harbor. We cover how WW1 shaped what Naval Warfare would become in WW2 and why Japan was so dominant in the early years of the conflict. How they were able to construct the world's largest Battleships and Aircraft carriers in secret. How they revolutionized Naval Warfare and ushered in the era dominated by naval air power. And how their reach ended up exceeding their grasp as the war ground on leading to their defeat. Tune as we get High on the High Seas. 

This is Sparta! Spartan Race, Sparty the Spartan, god knows how many CrossFit gyms. The culture of ancient Sparta has inspired a certain amount of worship or at least been idolized by numerous modern civilizations. But how much of their legend is fact and how much fiction. How did they gain the reputation as THE elite warriors of Ancient Greece? Did 300 of them really hold back 1,000,000 Persian soldiers? Why aren't they a world power if their culture was so strong. Well it turns out there's some pretty bananas answers to these questions. From the founding of Sparta to it's zenith as the savior of Greece to its eventually decent into legend. This is Historically High.

The Automobile is one of those inventions that we tend to take for granted. Most people can't explain how an internal combustion engine works let alone design and build one. Well that's where the subjects of our episode come in, Carl Benz and Gottlieb Daimler. Now I know what you're thinking, it's MERCEDES Benz. You're right and there's a pretty cool story behind the name, but what's even more incredible is how Carl and Gottlieb were independently and at the same time developing a "Horse-less Carriage" within 60 miles of one another in Germany in the late 1800's. Both went about their design of the first Automobile from different directions and it was Carl who made it to the finish line first, creating what is recognized as the first modern automobile. But how did these pioneers do it? How did they design and build combustions engines when steam engines were all humans had known? What happened to the German automaker when the Nazi's came to power and how did the company get to where it is today? We got ya covered. 

A more apt title for this should be The Battle for Stalingrad, because that exactly what this was in every sense of the word. After the Nazi invasion of Russia during Operation Barbarossa failed to capture Moscow, Hitler needed a win and decided to pivot and capture Russia's oil fields in the south, fueling his war machine and starving the Russian Army. Stalingrad, named after ol' J Stalin himself just happened to be in the area. Now if you've listened to our episodes on Hitler you know that Dolph was not a fan of Stalin, and taking over the city with his name attached was too sweet of a treat to pass up. What the Nazi did not anticipate was the next 6 1/2 months. Stalingrad was the origination of Urban Warfare. The Nazi bombings had reduced the city to rubble, rubble where snipers, guerrilla fighters, and the Red Army were lying in wait to make them pay for every inch of ground. Join us as we discuss the deadliest battle this planet has ever seen.

Even if you don't know what the man's about you've probably heard the name Charles Darwin. At the very least you've seen one of those Jesus Fish car decals with legs and the name Darwin in the middle. Well Mr. Darwin was kind of a jack of all trades when it came to the fields of science. What started as a childhood passion for insects grew into a love for the natural sciences of the world, geology and biology primarily. What cemented Charles Darwin as a revolutionary of science would be his introduction of the theory of evolution in a world where religion and divine creation were fact. He challenged the very belief in where we come from and how we came to be here. What inspired Darwin to pursue this theory came about during a five year voyage around the world to study, collect, catalogue and sometimes eat literally anything and everything he came across in these strange lands he traveled. Join us as we discuss the Father of Evolution. 

Reaching the moon is arguably humanity's greatest accomplishment. When Kennedy promised we would reach the moon by the end of the decade, it sounded like a big commitment considering we had only just got a man into orbit some 3 days earlier. NASA used programs Mercury and Gemini to build towards the Apollo Program. The promise would be fulfilled in 1969 by the trio of Michael Collins (we got ya here Mike), Neil Armstrong, and Buzz Aldrin. Neil's footsteps were propelled to the moon off of the effort of each and every ground crew member that made the dream a reality. Join us we get Historically High on Apollo 11. 

Back in good ol 1803 a little transaction occurred that saw the newly christened United States of America doubled in size, adding a chunk of land stretching from the west bank of the Mississippi River and covering 15 current states in the USA. Effectively this meant the U.S. territory stretched about 2/3 across the continent. Now land transfers have happened throughout ancient and modern history, however this one is special. This one is universally known as the greatest deal in human history, with the U.S paying France only $15 million dollars for a 1/3 of our nation. Now I know what you're thinking, weren't we under British control until that whole Declaration of Independence/American Revolution thing? Well yeah we were, but the area right in our backyard was under the "ownership" of the French. This extremely pivotal point in our history only happened due to the alignment of so many events it's nearly a miracle this thing was pulled off. Tune in now to find out how. 

In what still stands as the worst nuclear disaster to take place on this planet, the explosion at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine on April 26 1986 was the catalyst that led to the downfall of the Soviet Union. Poor materials, rushed construction, and a staggering amount of ineptitude regarding the design and operation of the nuclear reactors were the main factors in this shit show we're about to dig into. What exactly happened that night? What kind of impacts are still being dealt with today? How the hell does a nuclear reactor even work? Oh you bet your sweet ass we'll cover it, all you gotta do is press that play button. Sponsor: Mini Museumhttps://shop.minimuseum.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_campaign=historicallyhigh

In a land far to the East and at a time not all that long ago Britain decided it needed a whole bunch of stuff that only China could provide, silks, fine porcelain, and oh yeah TEA. You know how they are about Tea. Well trouble was Britain really didn't have China wanted. What they did want was silver. The Brits didn't have silver, but they did have a ton of opium they grew in the newly colonized India. Funny thing about Opium, it was illegal in Britain. So what do you do, well you smuggle it into China where it's also very much illegal and use the silver earned to buy all the stuff you want from China. Effectively Britain pumped China full of drugs, then paid them for other stuff with the illegal funds earned from said drug sales. Well eventually China had enough and this is where we come to the Opium Wars. I'm not going to give you anymore information, you're gonna have to just listen to the episode. It's good I swear. 

Disney...a name that can stir emotions, excite the senses, and bring memories flooding back from anyones childhood. Walter Elias Disney was a man from humble beginnings who, through his love for animation, storytelling, and sheer determination, created an entertainment empire that spans the globe. Mickey Mouse is one of the most recognizable symbols in the modern world. "I'm going to Disneyland" is what every Super Bowl MVP shouts after winning the game. And today the Mouse House has become more than Walt could have ever dreamed. But how did this whole thing start? How did Mickey come about? How did Walt and his team of animators revolutionize animation and the movie making industry forever. Tune in and find out. Sponsor Mini Museum https://shop.minimuseum.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_campaign=historicallyhighWalt Disney Carpet Specimen https://shop.minimuseum.com/products/disneyland-cranberry-room-carpet?utm_source=podcast&utm_campaign=historicallyhigh

After ol Robert Bruce takes a dirt nap, Scottish Independence is threatened before his body's even cold. The English wolves are at the door yet again. We'll fine out what happens when all of that Scottish/English martial mingling results in the King of Scotland being the next closest relative when the Monarch of England dies? Who was Mary, Queen of Scots? A dude named Bonnie Prince Charlie throws his hat in the rulership ring. And we finally get to talk about that most beautiful of all Scottish exports, the game of Golf. Join us as we put a bow on our two part class on the History of Scotland. 

There's something about Scotland that holds a special place in our hearts here at the Institute of Higher Learning. The Highlands, the moors, the lochs, the rolling hills, the accent, scotch whiskey, the people who date back more than 8,000 yrs before Britain's recorded history. A land constantly trying to fight for its independence against pretty much one enemy to the south (England). Scotland's history is so vast and rich we need two episodes to attempt to do it justice. 

Charles Manson was a monster. Spending over half of his first 32 years on the planet in an institution did not reform him. If anything it made him what he was. A smooth talking con man who used his influence over impressionable young people leading to horrifying results. Oh and he sucked at the guitar. Activated by a drastic misinterpretation of The Beatles message, Charles tried to start what he called "Helter Skelter", the race war. We don't know how many victims the Mason Family had, but we do know the Tate-LaBianca murders weren't the only ones. Join us as we get Historically High on Charles Manson.

Some things are bigger than sports. Every once in awhile that phrase is used to describe an event that means more than the score on the board. The relationship Larry Bird and Magic Johnson share with history is one of those things. Sure we will talk about their stellar achievements on the court, but there is so much more to Magic vs Bird. Michigan State vs Indiana State, Los Angeles vs Boston, Lakers vs Celtics, black vs white, introvert vs extrovert, Hollywood vs. French Lick. What ended up stronger than any rivalry was friendship. Join us as we get Historically High on Magic vs. Larry. 

The Italian American Mafia was born out of the Castellamarese War. The Mafia was very much a thing in the United States prior to the war. The difference was the leadership. Old Sicilian Mafia men were called Mustache Petes. These were the guys in charge before the war. They were actually the guys that went to war. The generation of mobsters that grew up in America saw the world of organized crime differently. The new guard ended up whacking the old guard after the war, and the Italian American Mafia was born. Join us as we get Historically High on the Beginning of the Italian American Mafia