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iHeartPodcasts

Join Holly and Tracy as they bring you the greatest and strangest Stuff You Missed In History Class in this podcast by iHeartRadio.

Stuff You Missed in History Class

In 17th century France a group of nuns described some unsettling visitations at their convent, which developed into a story of possession, political intrigue, and a moment in time that was rife with social tensions.
 
Research:
 
 • The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. "Wars of Religion". 
Encyclopedia Britannica • , 11 Mar. 2025, https://www.britannica.com/event/Wars-of-Religion
 • “Hawthorn.” National Institute of Health. https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/hawthorn
 • Cameron, Teagan. “A Diabolical Martyrdom: Urbain Grandier, the Transgressive Outsider, and the Surrogate Victim in The Possession at Loudun.” Constellations. Vol. 13, no. 2. Aug. 2022, doi:10.29173/cons29475
 • deCerteau, Michel. “The Possession at Loudun.” University of Chicago Press. 2000.
 • Dumas, Alexandre, Pere. “Urbain Grandier – 1634.” 1910. https://www.gutenberg.org/files/2746/2746-h/2746-h.html
 • Ferber, Sarah. “Demonic Possession and Exorcism in Early Modern France.” Routledge. 2013.
 • Hunter, Mary Kate. “Loudun Possessions: Witchcraft Trials at The Jacob Burns Law Library.” Newsletter of the Legal History & Rare Books Special Interest Section of the American Association of Law Libraries. Volume 16 Number 3. Hallowe’en 2010. https://www.aallnet.org/lhrbsis/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/01/lhrb-16-3.pdf
 • Huxley, Aldous. “The Devils of Loudun.” London. Chatto & Windus. 1952. Accessed online: https://ia601400.us.archive.org/3/items/in.ernet.dli.2015.469712/2015.469712.The-Devils_text.pdf
 • Niau, Des and Edmund Goldsmith (tr.) “The history of the devils of Loudun; the alleged possession of the Ursuline nuns, and the trial and execution of Urbain Grandier, told by an eye-witness.” Edinburgh. Private Printing. 1887. Accessed online: https://archive.org/details/historyofdevilso00desn/page/n31/mode/2up
 • Sluhovsky, Moshe. “The Devil in the Convent.” The American Historical Review , Vol. 107, No. 5 (December 2002), pp. 1379-1411. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Historical Association. https://.www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/532851
 • Soth, Amelia. “A Mother Superior’s Demons.” JSTOR Daily. Oct. 31, 2024. https://daily.jstor.org/a-mother-superiors-demons/
 
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Loudun Possessions

This 2016 episode covers a haunting story from the early 1800s. Many narratives have blossomed from the Bell Witch story, but when you really try to look at the facts, they're few and far between.

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SYMHC Classics: Bell Witch

Tracy shares a story about getting poor directions from GPS. Holly talks about her theory regarding William Outlaw's confession, and both hosts discuss the spiders in their yards.

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Behind the Scenes Minis: Ticks and Spiders

Alice Kyteler's witchcraft trial shocked 14th century Ireland. Today, the charges against her are seen largely as nonsense, and more about personal vendettas and struggles for power. 
 
Research:
 
 • Bailey, Michael D. “HISTORICAL DICTIONARY of WITCHCRAFT.” Scarecrow Press. 2003.
 • Callan, Maeve Brigid. “The Templars, the Witch, and the Wild Irish: Vengeance and Heresy in Medieval Ireland.” Cornell University Press. 2015.
 • “Dame Alice Kyteler.” Historic Kilkenny. https://www.historickilkenny.com/alice-kyteler
 • Iribarren, Isabel. “Black Magic to Heresy: A Doctrinal Leap in the Pontificate of John XXII.” Church History , Mar., 2007, Vol. 76, No. 1 (Mar., 2007), pp. 32-60. Cambridge University Press on behalf of the American Society of Church History. https://www.jstor.org/stable/27644923
 • “Kilkenny Witch Trials.” Kilkenny Heritage Forum and Kilkenny Heritage Plan. https://kilkennyheritage.ie/2024/12/kilkenny-witch-trials/#:~:text=On%203rd%20November%201324%2C%20Petronilla,world%20for%20centuries%20to%20come.
 • Pavlic, Brian A. “Lady Alice Kyteler Is Found Guilty of Witchcraft.” EBSCO. 2022. https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/law/lady-alice-kyteler-found-guilty-witchcraft
 • Ledrede, Richard. “A contemporary narrative of the proceedings against Dame Alice Kyteler, prosecuted for sorcery in 1324.” London. Printed for the Camden Society, by John Bowyer Nichols and Son. 1843. https://archive.org/details/b33096831/page/n11/mode/2up
 • “A Medieval History.” Kyteler’s Inn. https://www.kytelersinn.com/history-of-the-inn/
 • Murphy, Mrs. C.J. “Alice Kyteler.” Old Kilkenny Review. 1953. https://kilkennyarchaeologicalsociety.ie/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/OKR1953-09-Claire-Murphy-Alice-Kyteler.pdf
 • Neary, Anne. “The Origins and Character of the Kilkenny Witchcraft Case of 1324.” Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy: Archaeology, Culture, History, Literature , 1983, Vol. 83C (1983), pp. 333-350. https://www.jstor.org/stable/25506106
 • Riddell, William Renwick. “First Execution for Witchcraft in Ireland.” Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology. Vol. 7, Issue 6. 1917. https://scholarlycommons.law.northwestern.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?params=/context/jclc/article/1500/&path_info=83_7JAmInstCrimL_Criminology828_May1916toMarch1917_.pdf
 • Seymour, John Drelincourt. “Dame Alice Kyteler the Sorceress of Kilkenny A.D. 1324 (Folklore History Series).” Read Books. 2011.
 • Walsh, James. “The Popes and Science: THE HISTORY OF THE PAPAL RELATIONS TO SCIENCE DURING THE MIDDLE AGES AND DOWN TO OUR OWN TIME.” NEW YORK

 • FORDHAM UNIVERSITY PRESS. 1915. Accessed online: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/34019/34019-h/34019-h.htm
 • Williams, Bernadette. “The Sorcery Trial of Alice Kyteler.” History Ireland, vol. 2, no. 4, 1994, pp. 20–24. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/27724208
 
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Alice Kyteler and the Kilkenny Witch Trials

These diseases - West Nile Virus, Lyme disease, and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever - are named for the places where outbreaks happened. But they're also all things you get from being bitten by mosquitoes or ticks.
 
Research:
 
 • Balasubramanian, Chandana. “Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF): The Deadly Tick-borne Disease That Inspired a Hit Movie.” Gideon. 9/1/2022. https://www.gideononline.com/blogs/rocky-mountain-spotted-fever/
 • Barbour AG, Benach JL2019.Discovery of the Lyme Disease Agent. mBio10:10.1128/mbio.02166-19.https://doi.org/10.1128/mbio.02166-19
 • Bay Area Lyme Foundation. “History of Lyme Disease.” https://www.bayarealyme.org/about-lyme/history-lyme-disease/
 • Caccone, Adalgisa. “Ancient History of Lyme Disease in North America Revealed with Bacterial Genomes.” Yale School of Medicine. 8/28/2017. https://medicine.yale.edu/news-article/ancient-history-of-lyme-disease-in-north-america-revealed-with-bacterial-genomes/
 • Chowning, William M. “Studies in Pyroplasmosis Hominis.("Spotted Fever" or "Tick Fever" of the Rocky Mountains.).” The Journal of Infectious Diseases. 1/2/1904. https://archive.org/details/jstor-30071629/page/n29/mode/1up
 • Elbaum-Garfinkle, Shana. “Close to home: a history of Yale and Lyme disease.” The Yale journal of biology and medicine vol. 84,2 (2011): 103-8.
 • Farris, Debbie. “Lyme disease older than human race.” Oregon State University. 5/29/2014. https://science.oregonstate.edu/IMPACT/2014/05/lyme-disease-older-than-human-race
 • Galef, Julia. “Iceman Was a Medical Mess.” Science. 2/29/2012. https://www.science.org/content/article/iceman-was-medical-mess
 • Gould, Carolyn V. “Combating West Nile Virus Disease — Time to Revisit Vaccination.” New England Journal of Medicine. Vol. 388, No. 18. 4/29/2023. https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp2301816
 • Harmon, Jim. “Harmon’s Histories: Montana’s Early Tick Fever Research Drew Protests, Violence.” Missoula Current. 7/20/2020. https://missoulacurrent.com/ticks/
 • Hayes, Curtis G. “West Nile Virus: Uganda, 1937, to New York City, 1999.” From West Nile Virus: Detection, Surveillance, and Control. New York : New York Academy of Sciences. 2001. https://archive.org/details/westnilevirusdet0951unse/
 • Jannotta, Sepp. “Robert Cooley.” Montana State University. 10/12/2012. https://www.montana.edu/news/mountainsandminds/article.html?id=11471
 • Johnston, B L, and J M Conly. “West Nile virus - where did it come from and where might it go?.” The Canadian journal of infectious diseases = Journal canadien des maladies infectieuses vol. 11,4 (2000): 175-8. doi:10.1155/2000/856598
 • Lloyd, Douglas S. “Circular Letter #12 -32.” 8/3/1976. https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/departments-and-agencies/dph/dph/infectious_diseases/lyme/1976circularletterpdf.pdf
 • Mahajan, Vikram K. “Lyme Disease: An Overview.” Indian dermatology online journal vol. 14,5 594-604. 23 Feb. 2023, doi:10.4103/idoj.idoj_418_22
 • MedLine Plus. “West Nile virus infection.” https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/007186.htm
 • National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease. “History of Rocky Mountain Labs (RML).” 8/16/2023. https://www.niaid.nih.gov/about/rocky-mountain-history
 • National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease. “Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.” https://www.niaid.nih.gov/diseases-conditions/rocky-mountain-spotted-fever
 • Rensberger, Boyce. “A New Type of Arthritis Found in Lyme.” New York Times. 7/18/1976. https://www.nytimes.com/1976/07/18/archives/a-new-type-of-arthritis-found-in-lyme-new-form-of-arthritis-is.html?login=smartlock&auth=login-smartlock
 • Rucker, William Colby. “Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.” Washington: Government Printing Office. 1912. https://archive.org/details/101688739.nlm.nih.gov/page/
 • Sejvar, James J. “West Nile virus: an historical overview.” Ochsner journal vol. 5,3 (2003): 6-10. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3111838/
 • Smithburn, K.C. et al. “A Neurotropic Virus Isolated from the Blood of a Native of Uganda.” The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. Volume s1-20: Issue 4. 1940.
 • Steere, Allen C et al. “The emergence of Lyme disease.” The Journal of clinical investigation vol. 113,8 (2004): 1093-101. doi:10.1172/JCI21681
 • Steere, Allen C. et al. “Historical Perspectives.” Zbl. Bakt. Hyg. A 263, 3-6 (1986 ). https://pdf.sciencedirectassets.com/281837/1-s2.0-S0176672486X80912/1-s2.0-S0176672486800931/main.pdf
 • World Health Organization. “West Nile Virus.” 10/3/2017. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/west-nile-virus
 • Xiao, Y., Beare, P.A., Best, S.M. et al. Genetic sequencing of a 1944 Rocky Mountain spotted fever vaccine. Sci Rep 13, 4687 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-31894-0
 
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Three More Eponymous Diseases: Arthropod Bites

This 2014 episode covers the collision of the S.S. Arctic with another ship in a fog in 1854. The resulting panic led to the deaths of most of the passengers.

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SYMHC Classics: S.S. Arctic

Holly talks about the many survivor accounts of the Medusa shipwreck, which were questioned regarding bias and intent. There's also a follow-up on what happened to Géricault's son.

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Behind the Scenes Minis: The Grisly Shipwreck

In the aftermath of the shipwreck, France was scandalized by what had happened as the details emerged. And artist Théodore Géricault became obsessed with it.
 
Research:
 
 • Amigo, Ignacio. “How a biologist turned amateur sleuth to solve a century-old art riddle.” The Guardian. Oct. 23, 2023. https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2023/oct/27/how-a-biologist-turned-amateur-sleuth-to-solve-a-century-old-art-riddle
 • Barran, Julian. “Théodore Géricault, Illustrations to Alexandre Corréard’s ‘Le Naufrage de La Méduse.’” The Burlington Magazine, vol. 119, no. 889, 1977, pp. 311–310. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/878824
 • Baudelaire, Charles. “WHAT IS ROMANTICISM?” The Salon of 1848. https://writing.upenn.edu/library/Baudelaire-Salon-1848.pdf
 • Burgos, Javier S. “A new portrait by Géricault.” The Lancet Neurology, Volume 20, Issue 2, 90 – 91. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laneur/article/PIIS1474-4422(20)30479-8/fulltext
 • Burgos, Javier. S. “In search of Théodore Géricault’s lost monomanias.” Metode. June 3, 2024. https://metode.org/issues/article-revistes/in-search-of-theodore-gericaults-lost-monomanias.html
 • Dard, Charlotte Adelaide Picard. “The sufferings of the Picard family after the shipwreck of the Medusa, in the year 1816.” Constable and Co. Edinburgh, Scotland. 1827. Accessed online: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/22792/22792-h/22792-h.htm
 • Dione, Babacar and Mark Banchereau. “France withdraws from Senegal, ending its permanent military presence in West Africa.” AP. July 17, 2025. https://apnews.com/article/senegal-france-military-withdrawal-57d150687e18cd20ac6a6d7194821208
 • The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. "Treaties of Paris". Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 May. 2025, https://www.britannica.com/event/Treaties-of-Paris-1814-1815
 • “The Frigate Medusa … “ The Raleigh Minerva. Nov. 4, 1816. https://www.newspapers.com/image/58081420/?match=1&terms=medusa
 • “Gericault.” The Illustrated Magazine of Art, Vol. 2, No. 11 (1853), pp. 282-283 Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/20538136
 • Géricault, Théodore. “Cuirassier blessé, quittant le feu.” 1814. Louvre. https://collections.louvre.fr/ark:/53355/cl010059200
 • Géricault, Théodore. “Race of the Riderless Horses.” 1817. Getty Museum. https://www.getty.edu/art/collection/object/103RH8
 • Géricault, Théodore. “Race of the Riderless Horses at Rome, Study.” 1817. The Met. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/665793
 • Huet, Marie-Hélène. “The Face of Disaster.” Yale French Studies, no. 111, 2007, pp. 7–31. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/20479368
 • “Loss of the French Frigate Medusa.” Hartford Courant. Oct. 29, 1816. https://www.newspapers.com/image/1105494685/?match=1&terms=medusa
 • Miles, Jonathan. “The Wreck of the Medusa.” Atlantic Monthly Press. 2007.
 • Savigny, Jean Baptiste Henri, and Alexandre Correard. “Narrative of the Voyage to Senegal.” London : Printed for Henry Colburn. 1818. https://archive.org/details/narrativeofvoyag00savirich/page/xiv/mode/2up
 • Smith, Roberta. “Art Review: Oui, Art Tips From Perfidious Albion.” New York Times. Oct. 10, 2003. https://www.nytimes.com/2003/10/10/arts/art-review-oui-art-tips-from-perfidious-albion.html
 
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Géricault and the Raft of the Medusa (Part 2)

The first episode of this two-parter covers the French mission to Senegal that the frigate Medusa led in 1816. Soon, the mission fell disastrously apart. 
 
Research:
 
 • Amigo, Ignacio. “How a biologist turned amateur sleuth to solve a century-old art riddle.” The Guardian. Oct. 23, 2023. https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2023/oct/27/how-a-biologist-turned-amateur-sleuth-to-solve-a-century-old-art-riddle
 • Barran, Julian. “Théodore Géricault, Illustrations to Alexandre Corréard’s ‘Le Naufrage de La Méduse.’” The Burlington Magazine, vol. 119, no. 889, 1977, pp. 311–310. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/878824
 • Baudelaire, Charles. “WHAT IS ROMANTICISM?” The Salon of 1848. https://writing.upenn.edu/library/Baudelaire-Salon-1848.pdf
 • Burgos, Javier S. “A new portrait by Géricault.” The Lancet Neurology, Volume 20, Issue 2, 90 – 91. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laneur/article/PIIS1474-4422(20)30479-8/fulltext
 • Burgos, Javier. S. “In search of Théodore Géricault’s lost monomanias.” Metode. June 3, 2024. https://metode.org/issues/article-revistes/in-search-of-theodore-gericaults-lost-monomanias.html
 • Dard, Charlotte Adelaide Picard. “The sufferings of the Picard family after the shipwreck of the Medusa, in the year 1816.” Constable and Co. Edinburgh, Scotland. 1827. Accessed online: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/22792/22792-h/22792-h.htm
 • Dione, Babacar and Mark Banchereau. “France withdraws from Senegal, ending its permanent military presence in West Africa.” AP. July 17, 2025. https://apnews.com/article/senegal-france-military-withdrawal-57d150687e18cd20ac6a6d7194821208
 • The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. "Treaties of Paris". Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 May. 2025, https://www.britannica.com/event/Treaties-of-Paris-1814-1815
 • “The Frigate Medusa … “ The Raleigh Minerva. Nov. 4, 1816. https://www.newspapers.com/image/58081420/?match=1&terms=medusa
 • “Gericault.” The Illustrated Magazine of Art, Vol. 2, No. 11 (1853), pp. 282-283 Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/20538136
 • Géricault, Théodore. “Cuirassier blessé, quittant le feu.” 1814. Louvre. https://collections.louvre.fr/ark:/53355/cl010059200
 • Géricault, Théodore. “Race of the Riderless Horses.” 1817. Getty Museum. https://www.getty.edu/art/collection/object/103RH8
 • Géricault, Théodore. “Race of the Riderless Horses at Rome, Study.” 1817. The Met. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/665793
 • Huet, Marie-Hélène. “The Face of Disaster.” Yale French Studies, no. 111, 2007, pp. 7–31. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/20479368
 • “Loss of the French Frigate Medusa.” Hartford Courant. Oct. 29, 1816. https://www.newspapers.com/image/1105494685/?match=1&terms=medusa
 • Miles, Jonathan. “The Wreck of the Medusa.” Atlantic Monthly Press. 2007.
 • Savigny, Jean Baptiste Henri, and Alexandre Correard. “Narrative of the Voyage to Senegal.” London : Printed for Henry Colburn. 1818. https://archive.org/details/narrativeofvoyag00savirich/page/xiv/mode/2up
 • Smith, Roberta. “Art Review: Oui, Art Tips From Perfidious Albion.” New York Times. Oct. 10, 2003. https://www.nytimes.com/2003/10/10/arts/art-review-oui-art-tips-from-perfidious-albion.html
 
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Medusa Shipwreck (Part 1)

This 2013 episode covers the years after the Industrial Revolution and the Civil War when the oyster supply became so scarce that people turned to oyster piracy.

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SYMHC Classics: Chesapeake Bay Oyster Wars

Humans have been writing in abbreviated ways as long as writing has existed. In the 19th century, Isaac Pitman developed – and marketed – a system of shorthand that became widely adopted.
 
Research:
 
 • Baker, Alfred. “The Life of Sir Isaac Pitman.” London. Pitman. 1919. Accessed online: https://archive.org/details/centenlifeofsiri00bakeuoft/page/34/mode/2up
 • Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Sir Isaac Pitman". 
Encyclopedia Britannica • , 8 Jan. 2025, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Isaac-Pitman
 • Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Pitman shorthand". 
Encyclopedia Britannica • , 18 Apr. 2016, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Pitman-shorthand
 • Miller, Genesie. “A Brief on Shorthand.” Utah Division of Archives and Records. April 11, 2023. https://archives.utah.gov/2023/04/11/a-brief-on-shorthand/
 • “Sir Isaac Pitman.” The Vegetarian. 1895. https://archive.org/details/vegetarianmonthl00unse_0/page/122/mode/2up?q=sir+isaac
 • Pitman, Benn. “Sir Isaac Pitman, His Life and Labors.” Cincinnati. C.J. Krehbiel. 1902. https://archive.org/details/sirisaacpitmanhi00pitmuoft/page/48/mode/2up
 • Pitman, Isaac. “Phonotypic Journal, for the Year 1845.” Vol. 4. Phonographic Institution. 1845. https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=K-gOAQAAIAAJ&pg=GBS.PP7&hl=en
 • Russon, Allien R.. "shorthand". 
Encyclopedia Britannica • , 10 Nov. 2023, https://www.britannica.com/topic/shorthand
 • Triggs, T. (2009, October 08). Pitman, Sir Isaac (1813–1897), deviser of a system of shorthand writing. 
Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. • https://www.oxforddnb.com/view/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-22322
 
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Isaac Pitman’s Shorthand

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