Threads of History

17 Christmas Truce of 1914

Though known for its horrific and senseless killing of millions, World War I, also known as the Great War, was the scene of a curious and wondrous event: The Christmas Truce. Learn about the prelude to the war, the timeline of events until hostilities began, the propaganda that led the soldiers to kill, and the shared brutality of daily life on the Western Front. That shared experience compelled sworn enemies to see each other as humans again, and gathered in No Man's Land to exchange greetings, have solemn ceremonies, and play football.

Episode 16 Trust-Busting

What happened during Gilded Age America that led the Rough-Riding President Roosevelt to break up the largest corporations in history? Take a look at Vanderbilt, Rockefeller, Carnegie, and Morgan as examples of an economy run by the billionaires. See how their mega-corporations were smashed by legislation and the public's desire for reform.

Episode 15 The Age of Exploration

What about our climate can dictate our lives? How about the desires of European explorers? Come along with us on a journey from the Gulf of Mexico to Western Europe and the rest of the world. In this episode, we discuss the origins of the "Age of Exploration" and how climactic circumstances brought us there.

14 Christmas Customs

Yule Logs, Christmas trees, and December 25th. These all connect to the bright twinkle lights you see on everyone’s houses in December. What might these have to do with the ancient Roman empire? This episode connects the smell of balsam wood and holly with the Pagan roots of northern Europe. In this episode, we find the thread that brings us to the origins of Christmas customs. You can email your comments and suggestions to threads.historypodcast@gmail.com Listen to more threads of History wherever you listen to podcasts. Please come back to listen to more THREADS OF HISTORY. Sources: ⁠https://www.history.com/topics/christmas/history-of-christmas⁠ [https://www.history.com/topics/christmas/history-of-christmas]  ⁠http://thefaithandtheweird.blogspot.com/2012/12/the-origin-of-christmas.html⁠ [http://thefaithandtheweird.blogspot.com/2012/12/the-origin-of-christmas.html]  ⁠https://www.ancient-origins.net/news-general/ancient-roots-christmas-customs-001162⁠ [https://www.ancient-origins.net/news-general/ancient-roots-christmas-customs-001162]  ⁠https://www.history.com/news/christmas-traditions-history⁠ [https://www.history.com/news/christmas-traditions-history]  ⁠https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2014/12/24/why-is-christmas-on-dec-25-it-wasnt-always/⁠ [https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2014/12/24/why-is-christmas-on-dec-25-it-wasnt-always/]  ⁠https://www.almanac.com/content/what-yule-log-christmas-traditions⁠ [https://www.almanac.com/content/what-yule-log-christmas-traditions]  ⁠https://www.getty.edu/news/the-wild-holiday-that-turned-ancient-rome-upside-down/⁠ [https://www.getty.edu/news/the-wild-holiday-that-turned-ancient-rome-upside-down/]

13 Spiritualism and Ghosthunting TV

Have you seen the explosion of ghosthunting shows on TV these days? A dozen networks and online platforms have people going out to scream at things that go "bump in the night". Ever wonder where America's obsession with ghosthunting began? In this episode of Threads of History, we dive into the origin of ghost hunting in America, we discuss a famous magician and escape artist who fought against charlatans and we examine the Victorian spiritualist movement which spawned it all.