The Hidden Treasure of the Cairo Genizah

(Host: Ted) On April 19th, 1775, colonial militia battled the British regulars at Lexington and Concord in Massachusetts in what would become the first conflict of the American Revolution. But what if I were to tell you that the first shots were actually fired months before, in December 1774? And not in Massachusetts at all, but in New Hampshire. Join me in this episode of Footnoting History, as we dive into the capture of Fort William and Mary, and the first shots of the American Revolution not heard round the world.

(Host: Kristin) A hidden storeroom in the Ben Ezra Synagogue in Cairo was the repository for old, worn out manuscripts.  For centuries, a wide variety of writings were deposited and then lay untouched. Explore a medieval time capsule and learn why historians are so excited about a trash heap this week on Footnoting History!     For further reading suggestions and more, please visit: https://www.footnotinghistory.com

(Host: Lucy)  Alexander was heir to a small kingdom, and became ruler of multiple worlds, uniting the Greek archipelago with the territories of Persia, and creating an empire that spanned continents, reaching across the Mediterranean into Egypt as well as to the edge of the Himalayas. Now. How did the eastern Mediterranean – and central Asia – transform from the world of Athens and Persia to the world of Alexander?   For further reading suggestions and more, please visit: https://www.footnotinghistory.com

(Host: Samantha) Over the past nine millennia, people have made beer out of rice, berries, barley, wheat, hops, corn, honey, and even bananas. Join us on Footnoting History as we skim over the evolving and fascinating history of beer from its origins straight into the modern period.   For further reading suggestions and more, please visit: https://www.footnotinghistory.com

(Hosts: Christine, Lucy, Kristin) Celebrate the end of 2025 with our annual selection of historical stories about the holiday season!  

(Host: Kristin) You know it and love it, but did you realize who was responsible for bringing macaroni and cheese into your life? Learn about James Hemings, the enslaved man who traveled to France and trained in French cuisine, this week on Footnoting History!  For further reading suggestions and more, please visit: https://www.footnotinghistory.com

(Host: Samantha) In 1847, the idea that a woman could be a medical doctor was absurd. Some thought it couldn’t be done. Others accepted the premise that a woman could learn to be a physician, but suggested such a woman would need to disguise herself as a man and go study far away where no one would recognize her – France, perhaps. But for Elizabeth Blackwell that defeated the purpose. Her goal was to prove that a woman could do anything a man could do. And once she got her medical degree, she set to work helping other women, starting with her sister Emily, follow in her footsteps.    For further reading suggestions and more, please visit: https://www.footnotinghistory.com

(Hosts: Christine, Lucy, Sam, and Kristin)  ​It's the spookiest time of the year and we are here with your annual dose of historical Halloween tales!   For further reading suggestions and more, please visit: https://www.footnotinghistory.com

(Host: Lucy) Giant turkey legs, fried food, implausible costumes… and counterculture? This episode explores the roots of Renaissance Faires in the US, and how this originally hippie-centric phenomenon was linked to other forms of medievalism in the ‘60s and ‘70s. Communes, folk music, particolored tights, and a reimagined past turn out to be more closely linked than you might imagine. This episode also examines how Ren Faires have evolved and continued to thrive, and why you still — if you’re lucky — might hear Steeleye Span covers at your nearest one.   For further reading suggestions and more, please visit: https://www.footnotinghistory.com

(Host: Kristin)  In 1612, nine-year-old Jennet Devize accused her mother in court of witchcraft. Her testimony led  to the conviction of 11 people, 10 of whom were sent to the gallows. Find out about the most famous witchcraft event in English history that you may never have heard about in this episode of Footnoting History!   For further reading suggestions and more, please visit: https://www.footnotinghistory.com