It’s early 1775 and it’s a time for deciding. The American colonies are at a crossroads. Tensions are threatening to boil over. It’s becoming harder and harder to sit on the fence. Some British subjects are choosing to stay loyal to the crown, vowing to do so no matter what comes. Others are preparing toContinue reading “Ben Franklin’s Family Feud”
Tag Archives: history
Leonardo da Vinci’s Giant Horse
Make a giant statue, the duke says. And Leonardo thinks, No problem. After all, Leonardo da Vinci is an artistic genius. If anyone can create a giant bronze statue, he can do it. It’s 1482, and Leonardo da Vinci is on the payroll of the powerful Sforza family. Ludovico Sforza is the Duke of MilanContinue reading “Leonardo da Vinci’s Giant Horse”
Look at Your Fish!
Samuel Hubbard Scudder loves bugs. In fact, he loves them so much that he is prepared to make entomology (that’s the study of insects) his life’s work. That’s why he’s about to embark on a degree program at Harvard’s highly respected school of science. It’s the late 1850s. By the time of his death inContinue reading “Look at Your Fish!”
There’s No Medal for Fourth Place
One afternoon during the Olympics this summer, my wife texted me. “You are missing some AMAZING races.” Amazing was in all caps. That evening, after the kids went to bed, we watched those “AMAZING” races together. Ever since, one of those races has played back in my head many times. I don’t go crazy aboutContinue reading “There’s No Medal for Fourth Place”
Master Plan (replay)
I have a really exciting announcement to share with you, but I’m going to be mean and wait until the end of the episode to tell you about it. Don’t worry though, I’ve got a great story for you to listen to while you wait. We all like to wonder about what might have beenContinue reading “Master Plan (replay)”
Not Convenient (replay)
This time, I’m sharing with you an episode from Season 1 that’s a favorite for lots of Exempla listeners. It’s a hard-to-believe story about a sailor who got stuck trying to perform surgery 120 feet below the surface of the ocean. First aired on November 18, 2021, this is “Not Convenient”. It was September ofContinue reading “Not Convenient (replay)”
Caesar and the Pirates
A young Roman nobleman named Julius Caesar is on his way to the island of Rhodes. There, he plans to study under a man named Apollonius Molon, a man renowned for his wisdom in the area of rhetoric. Caesar is not yet well-known in Rome, but he is eager to broaden his influence and heContinue reading “Caesar and the Pirates”
A Spy’s Warning for Pearl Harbor
J. Edgar Hoover’s face is grim as he braces himself for his next meeting. He knows all about the despicable man about to enter the office and he’s fully prepared to put him in his place. Dušan, or Duško as he is known, is a spy. And he’s not just any spy. Duško Popov isContinue reading “A Spy’s Warning for Pearl Harbor”
Peanut Butter on Trial
In Room 5131 of the Health, Education, and Welfare Building in Washington D.C. sit two groups. On one side, a group of slick corporate lawyers. On the other side, the FDA. At their side, a woman named Ruth Desmond, a woman who will come to be known as the “peanut butter grandma”.
A Dark Pit in the Jungle
Concealed, Ko Dwah peers through the foliage at the strange scene before him. An abandoned pagoda stands in a small clearing, half-swallowed by the jungle. Next to the pagoda, a man is seated, reading a book. As Ko Dwah watches, the man rises, tucks the book under his arm, and begins to pace back andContinue reading “A Dark Pit in the Jungle”
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