Have To Know History

Italian City-States and the Rise of the Renaissance | Part 2 of 3

What if the Renaissance wasn’t just about great artists, beautiful paintings, and famous sculptures? What if it was also about cities? In this episode of Have To Know History, we continue our three-part series, From the Silk Road to the Renaissance. Part 2 focuses on the Italian city-states: places like Venice, Genoa, Milan, and Florence. During the Renaissance, Italy was not one united country yet. Instead, it was a collection of powerful city-states that made their own deals, fought their own wars, competed with each other, and became incredibly wealthy through trade, banking, textiles, shipping, luxury goods, and political ambition. We’ll talk about why these cities mattered, how wealth helped create opportunity, why Florence became such an important center of art and learning, and how the Renaissance grew out of a world of merchants, bankers, artists, scholars, and powerful families trying to make their cities richer, stronger, and more impressive. The Renaissance didn’t appear out of nowhere. Goods moved. Money moved. Ideas moved. And in the cities of Italy, those forces helped create one of the most creative periods in history. This is Part 2 of 3 in the series: Part 1: Marco Polo and the Silk Road Part 2: Italian city-states and the Renaissance Part 3: The Medici, money, art, and the road toward the Reformation Watch the video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/w748zVjLzYw [https://youtu.be/w748zVjLzYw] This is Have To Know History — history you just have to know.

Marco Polo, the Silk Road, and the Journey to the Renaissance | Part 1 of 3

What if the Renaissance didn’t begin with a painting, a sculpture, or a famous artist? What if part of the story begins with the Silk Road? In this episode of Have To Know History, we begin a three-part series called From the Silk Road to the Renaissance. Part 1 follows Marco Polo, the Silk Road, and the world of trade, travel, stories, inventions, and ideas that helped open Europe’s imagination after the Middle Ages. We’ll talk about Europe after the fall of Rome, the Crusades, the Black Death, Mongol rule, Kublai Khan, Venice, China, the Old Man of the Mountain and the Assassins, and how Marco Polo’s book helped Europeans imagine a much larger world. The Renaissance didn’t appear out of nowhere. Goods moved. Ideas moved. Stories moved. And eventually, Europe began to change. This is Part 1 of 3 in the series: Part 1: Marco Polo and the Silk Road Part 2: Italian city-states and the Renaissance Part 3: The Medici, money, art, and the road toward the Reformation Watch the video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/dMhZr40HBfQ [https://youtu.be/dMhZr40HBfQ] This is Have To Know History — history you just have to know.

Mansa Musa: Gold, Trade, and the Richest Man in History

When people hear the name Mansa Musa, they usually hear one claim right away: the richest man who ever lived. But how did someone become unimaginably wealthy in the middle of the Sahara Desert? In this episode of Have To Know History, we explore the real story behind Mansa Musa — not just his gold, but the systems that made his wealth possible. From silent barter and the salt trade to camel caravans, trans-Saharan routes, and the rise of the Mali Empire, this is the story of how West Africa became one of the most connected regions in the medieval world. We’ll look at: * How silent barter worked and why it depended on trust * Why salt was just as valuable as gold * How trade crossed the Sahara using camel caravans * The fall of the Ghana Empire and the rise of Mali * How Mansa Musa controlled trade rather than mining gold himself * Islam as a global cultural and economic network * Mansa Musa’s famous pilgrimage to Mecca * The rise of Timbuktu as a center of learning * How Greek ideas were preserved and expanded through Islamic scholarship Mansa Musa wasn’t rich because of legend or exaggeration. He was rich because he understood geography, trade, and global connections. This is Have To Know History — history you just have to know. Thanks for being here.

Beowulf — Monsters, Dragons, and the First English Epic

Imagine a story so old it was told long before it was ever written down… A story of monsters, warriors, revenge—and one hero who decides to fight a creature with his bare hands. That’s Beowulf. In this episode of Have to Know History, we dive into one of the oldest surviving stories in the English language—a tale of Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and a final battle with a dragon that comes many years later. But this isn’t just a monster story. It’s about fame. It’s about legacy. And it’s about what happens when even the greatest hero grows old. Along the way, we explore how this ancient story connects to Viking culture, medieval beliefs, and even later works like those of J. R. R. Tolkien. Whether you're a student, a history fan, or just love a great story, this is one you have to know. 🎧 Have to Know History is also available on YouTube for full video episodes.

The Hidden History of Baseball: It Didn’t Start Where You Think

Baseball feels as American as summer nights, hot dogs, and a game of catch in the backyard… but the real story of how it began is far more surprising. In this episode of Have To Know History, we go beyond the familiar myths and uncover the true origins of baseball—from ancient stick-and-ball games played in Egypt, Greece, and Rome… to chaotic medieval games… to the rise of professional teams in places you might not expect. Was baseball really invented by Abner Doubleday in Cooperstown? Why was the first professional team the Cincinnati Red Stockings… and not a team from New York or Boston? And how did small Midwestern teams like the Fort Wayne Kekiongas help shape the game we know today? This episode explores how baseball evolved—not from a single moment, but over time—and how it became something much bigger than just a game. Because in the end, baseball isn’t just about rules or teams… It’s about something humans have always done: Pick up a stick. Hit something. And see what happens next. 🎙️ Have To Know History — history you just have to know. #JasonFreewalt #HaveToKnowHistory #BaseballHistory