Historically Speaking

China's "reunification" plans have been in the news a lot lately and nowhere are they in the spotlight more than in Taiwan, an island 100 miles off the coast of mainland China that became home to resistance forces after China's communist revolution in 1949.  This week history teachers Matt Linden and Katherine Ratledge speak with their colleague Dr. Cody Bahir about the complicated history between these two nations and how the history may be telling as we look to what may happen next in the region. 

We're back! After a much needed summer break, History teachers Ms. Ratledge and Mr. Linden are back on the mic discussing the history behind the news. This week we unpack the constitutionality of abortion in America and the strange judicial gymnastics of a recent Texas law which makes abortion unlawful after six weeks of pregnancy. 

This week co hosts Mr. Linden and Ms. Ratledge discuss the history behind College Board's AP program. If you've taken an AP this month, or plan to, tune in! You may feel a little better when you hear about Ms. Ratledge's AP French score or Mr. Linden's meandering trivia on #2 pencils. You may also learn a little about why the AP program has such a stronghold in the world of college acceptances.  

Last week soccer fans all over the world erupted over several European club teams decision to make an exclusive league to usurp the power of the Champions League. Co hosts Mr. Linden and Ms. Ratledge discuss how this came to be and how it fell apart so quickly. Just as importantly, the duo talk about Mr. Linden's Chelsea fandom, a brief history of soccer, and how this global game differs so distinctly from American football traditions. 

After nearly 20 years involved in what many call "The Forever War", President Biden has announced troops will be leaving that country on September 11th 2021. Co hosts Ms. Ratledge and Mr. Linden discuss the reasons why the United States invaded Afghanistan two decades ago and how we subsequently couldn't figure out how to leave. A few history lessons from the British or the Soviets may have helped the US realize there is a reason Afghanistan is sometimes called "the graveyard of empires". Special thanks to our students Matan, Sophie, Avi, Eli, and Rachel and our colleague, Mr. G, for helping us put together this show. 

The death of Prince Philip last week got us thinking about the British monarchy, and well, all things royal. We could have focused on Prince Philip, who at 99 had a lengthy and interesting life, but instead chose to look a little deeper into the history of the recent British monarchy by examining the life of the woman with the 2nd longest reign in Britain, Queen Victoria.  (The current queen, Elizabeth II, has the longest reign.) It turns out that Queen Victoria was the mother, grandmother, great grandmother, great aunt, great great ....to most of the European monarchs at one point (including, of course, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip.). At any rate--this is getting complicated--join us to learn more about Victoria, her role in making a tiny nation into a global empire and how her descendants mucked up their fortunes with a global war in WWI. 

In other news, this is our 20th episode! Thank you for being a loyal listener. If you've got any new podcast names give us a holler. It turns out there is another Historically Speaking on the podcast channels (sigh) and we've go to find a new name! 

This episode co hosts Mr. Linden and Ms. Ratledge are joined by Mr. Randy Ribay, the Coordinator of Diversity, Equity, and Belonging at their school, to discuss the recent spate of anti Asian crime in the United States and a long history of discrimination.  Mr. Ribay also gives some compelling advice on how to dismantle structural racism. It's a good episode, an important one. We hope you listen! 

This week history teacher hosts Mr. Linden and Ms. Ratledge consider the recent protests after the murder of Sara Everard, a 33 year old female who seems to have been targeted merely because she was a female walking alone through London at night. After what felt like another series of 'you should' lists from the police to women about their safety, activists have been on the street calling for a reckoning with a society that scolds women but doesn't school men against violence. Though women have always been involved in protest movements, and certainly in activism advocated for equal rights, this time feels a little different. Ms. Ratledge and Mr. Linden talk about some historical precedents for these conversations and about how important it is that the conversation is going beyond what it has before. Perhaps that is what will impact real change.

On the year anniversary of the pandemic and remote schooling, history teachers Ms. Ratledge and Mr. Linden discuss the unprecedented and precedented nature of school closures. It turns out, in some ways, we've done this before.  Listen for more on moments in history where students found themselves learning from home, from the radio, from the newspaper, and sometimes not at all. To all the teachers and students how there who've been facing this challenge heads up, we can do this! Here is to hoping the end is sight too. 

Recorded on March 9th.

Perhaps you were wondering why the timeliness of a phone call between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Joe Biden was all the talk in newspapers a few weeks ago? You may also have speculated,  couldn't they just have been hanging out on Snapchat, instead?  We were too. So we invited two special guests on the show, Israeli resident and alum Sarah Martinson and an expert teacher on contemporary Israel, Robert Smith, to discuss the complex relationship between these two nations. Join co hosts Katherine Ratledge and Matt Linden to learn more about the history behind that relationship and where it may be going next. 

(Reposted: originally aired on February 25th.)This week history teachers Mr. Linden and Ms. Ratledge discuss the creation of Black History Month and why it is so important to have a focused lens in American history. In the episode they tell the stories of some well known though not well studied people such as George Washington Carver, Ruby Bridges, and Ida B Wells, individuals whose herculean efforts have had an extraordinary impact on American history.

This week history teachers Mr. Linden and Ms. Ratledge banter a bit about their own Valentine's history while simultaneously discussing the legends behind the holiday, the modernity of romance, and where the original image of a heart shape comes from. If you're interested in some light hearted celebration of the holiday this week, this episode is for you! 

In this episode, Mr. Linden is joined by esteemed guest host Dr. Dooley to talk about connections between modern Reddit-driven stock market craziness and Dutch Golden Age collectors. In the process, they manage to touch on Beanie Babies, financial bubbles, Carnival Cruise Line, and, of course, a healthy dose of plague.

This week History teachers Mr. Linden and Ms. Ratledge discuss President Biden's decision to revoke the prior ban on transgender service in the military,  and some of the history behind progress on civil rights in the military.  

On this week's podcast History teachers Mr. Linden and Ms. Ratledge discuss the history behind the Presidential cabinet. Tune in for a good civics primer on the functions of the executive branch, how we came to have 15 executive departments, and what that means about the needs of the country.  Ms. Ratledge also gets schooled on the subject of superheroes, though you have to listen to the end to learn why. 

High school history teachers Ms. Ratledge and Mr. Linden explore the three possibilities --the 25th amendment, impeachment, and censure -- for a public reprimand of the President after his actions involving the Capitol siege on January 6th. As predicted on the podcast, President Trump was officially impeached (for the second time) on January 13th, a day after our recording.  Nonetheless, tune in for some intrigue into Ms. Ratledge's own political history, some queries into why indict and convict are not pronounced the same way, and, of course, the history behind it all. We take a look at why the 25th amendment was created, who in the heck has ever been censured by the Senate (it has only happened once!), and how many federal officials have been impeached by the House of Representatives.

*This podcast was recorded on Tuesday January 12th, a day before President Trump was impeached.

In light of the 5th year anniversary of the Paris Climate Agreement on December 12, History teachers Matt Linden and Katherine Ratledge sit down to discuss the history of climate action and inaction in the United States over the past half century. 

High school History teachers Ms. Ratledge and Mr. Linden talk to their colleague and Science department chair, Mr. Stewart, about how the new vaccine for Covid-19 generates an immune response. The trio are pro vaccine and clarify this by discussing their own vaccination stories as well as the history of smallpox and polio in America.  They're also very intrigued by Mr. Stewart's teenage experience working in an egg lab and some speculation on covert egg farms in America. Listen to learn more! 

History teachers Ms. Ratledge and Mr. Linden discuss the soccer phenom Diego Maradona and his role in the oft forgotten Falklands War between Argentina and Great Britain in 1982. 

High school history teachers Ms. Ratledge and Mr. Linden discuss the presidents from 1900 until 2019 who won a first term in office and ran for a second term, but were defeated: William Howard Taft, Herbert Hoover, Jimmy Carter, and George H.W. Bush. The duo try to make sense of how each was defeated, while also unearthing some truths about one host's own political career...

High School History teachers Ms. Ratledge and Mr. Linden discuss the history behind Veteran's Day and why it falls on November 11th every year. 

History teachers Ms. Ratledge and Mr. Linden discuss the history of political parties in the US. Mr. Linden provides some historical context on what is normal in Great Britain and what happened with political parties during the Roman Empire. 

During this election season, history teachers Katherine Ratledge and Matt Linden discuss the history behind one of America's quirkiest features--the electoral college. 

Recorded October 30, 2020. 

History teachers Matt Linden and Katherine Ratledge provide some historical context on the US government's decision to sue Google over anti trust law. 

Recorded on October 23, 2020. 

High School History teachers Katherine Ratledge and Matt Linden discuss recent news in the Supreme Court--a decision to stop the census and the confirmation hearings of Amy Coney Barrett. 

October 16, 2020