Hysterical History

Have you ever felt like you just had to dance? What about without music and until your feet bled? Or until you died? In this episode, Alexis teaches Hailey about the Dancing Plague of 1518, and how this town makes the town in Footloose almost seem reasonable.Sorry for the continued weird audio, this will be the last episode hopefully!Special thanks to Swing Whale for our music! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Peter the Great had a big impact on Russia's history and development. But was he really as great as people say he was? Or was he just a weird party animal who stole people's wigs? Or....both? Tune in this week, as Hailey teaches Alexis about the Russian royal who was desperate to be European. Sorry for the continuation of odd audio, hopefully, it'll be better next time we record! (in a few weeks) Special thanks to Swing Whale for our music! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Louis Le Prince invented the single lens video camera and recorded the first film, but if you've heard of him, it's probably because of his disappearance. Right before he was scheduled to unveil his invention to the world, Le Prince didn't arrive on the train his brother saw him leave on. In this episode, Alexis teaches Hailey about how cool of a guy he was, goes over the theories on his disappearance, and uncovers a sketchy source with a possible answer! Once again, sorry for the audio! Two more weeks of weirdness, and then it should be better! Special thanks to Swing Whale for our music! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

What should you do when rats are crawling up your toilets and giving you the plague? Not listen to Paul Doumer, that's what. Tune in this week, as Hailey teaches Alexis about why extermination orders don't work.Sorry about the sound quality, especially for Alexis. We tried a new mic set up right before she went on vacation, and so these eps are backlogged and the next few episodes will be a little weird sounding. Thanks for being patient!Special thanks to Swing Whale for our music! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tesla and Edison were the ultimate bitter rivals during the Current War. Nikola Tesla, a poet of science, against Thomas Edison, the greatest proponent of the experimental method. In this episode, Alexis teaches special guest, Lane, about the greatest electrical scientist who ever lived...and Edison. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Got a lot of money and nothing to do? How about building a house for 38 years straight? In this episode, Alexis teaches Hailey about the Winchester House and how grief can make you do some weird things. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Nero is a famous Emperor of Rome for a lot of reasons, most of them fire related. But are they true? Or did historians give him a bad name? Tune in this week, as Hailey teaches Alexis about how Nero may or may not have been the worst.Special thanks to Swing Whale for our music! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The Masons are a secretive club today, but in the 1700s, there were a whole bunch! Tune in this week, as Alexis teaches Hailey about her favorite one, The Hellfire Club.Special thanks to Swing Whale for our music! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

You all know Joan of Arc is Alexis's favorite lady, but who is Hailey's? In this episode, Hailey teaches Alexis about Hatshepsut, a female pharaoh who ruled Egypt intelligently and peacefully.Special thanks to Swing Whale for our music! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

As a child, Joan of Arc just wanted to weave, dodge, and be a good future wife. But God burdened her with a glorious purpose to save France as a teenager. This week, Alexis teaches Hailey about her favorite historical lady, Joan of Arc. Special thanks to Swing Whale for our music! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Many religions preach a God in Heaven blessing the people down below on Earth. But do the blessings usually come as physical cargo in boxes? In today's episode, Hailey teaches Alexis about people in Oceania worshipping military men in cargo cults.Special thanks to Swing Whale for our music! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Chevalier D'Eon lived life as a spy, a diplomat, and a man. But returned to France a woman. In this episode, Alexis teaches Hailey about a decorated war hero who might have been a woman all along. Special thanks to Swing Whale for our music! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Do you have a persistent cough and think you might have consumption? If you're in America between 1700 and the 1910s, you might have a vampire on your hands! Tune in this week as Hailey teaches Alexis about the much less famous vampires of the US and how to take care of them, as told by different New England states.This is the full version of an episode of ours that somehow got edited wrong!Special thanks to Swing Whale for our music and Lane for pointing out that it was messed up! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

What did 13-year-old boys do before video games? They became absolute monarchs and lost their minds! Join Hailey this week as Alexis teaches her about an emperor who starved his harem, tried to tame tigers and had an alter ego who was a General. Special thanks to Swing Whale for our music! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Germany didn't have enough resources, soldiers, or money to even hope to win World War 2 when it started. What did they have? Drugs! This week, Hailey teaches Alexis about the Third Reich and how they hated all drugs, expect meth! Special thanks to Swing Whale for our music! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The Archduke Franz Ferdinand's assassination kicked off the first World War. But, despite careful planning, it very nearly didn't happen. Tune in this week as Alexis teaches Hailey all about how a wrong turn and a sandwich shop lead to his demise. Special thanks to Swing Whale for out intro music and LyricWulf on youtube for our outro music! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Happy New Year! But was it always? This week Hailey teaches Alexis about ancient celebrations of the new year, when they celebrated, how they celebrated and how people in America celebrate now. Special thanks to Swing Whale for our music! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Fidel Castro may be dead now, but for decades he was a thorn in America's side. One the CIA tried quite a few times to remove. This week, Alexis teaches Hailey about a few of the apparent 638 attempts on Fidel Castro's life by the CIA. Special thanks to Swing Whale for our music! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The Bible is long and filled with different books and stories...but some of them didn't make the cut. Tune in this week as Hailey, the atheist, teaches Alexis, the Christian, about Jesus making people blind, blowing up snakes and literally murdering children. Special thanks to Swing Whale for our music! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

America was built on the foundations of punk rock, those being anti-establishment sentiments and the need to rebel against the man. And no one exhibits these themes in pre-U.S. history more than Anne Hutchinson. Join us this week, as Alexis teaches Hailey about the queen of free thinking and punk rock, Anne Hutchinson. Special thanks to Swing Whale for our music! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.