Category: History

Georgetown Classics Professor: ‘Rome Is a Cautionary Tale’

Josiah Osgood, one of the leading scholars on the subject of ancient Rome, is a professor of classics at Georgetown University and has written extensively on the subject of the fall of the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire. While on “The Sons of History” podcast, he discussed his latest book, “Uncommon Wrath: How Caesar…


Michael Livingston: What We Misunderstand About the Hundred Years War | The Sons of History Ep5

Michael Livingston is the secretary-general for the United States Commission on Military History, a history professor at The Citadel, and the author of several works, including his latest “Crécy: Battle of Five Kings.” The Sons of History will be discussing his book on the famous medieval battle and what we misunderstand about it and the…


Profiles in History: Jimmy Durante: The Man With a Nose for Show Business

Jimmy Durante (February 10, 1893–January 29, 1980) When Jimmy Durante was born into an Italian immigrant family in Manhattan’s Lower East Side, he was cursed and blessed with a physical curiosity: a bulbous nose. In his early years, he hated his nose because it was often the center of ridicule. One day, several bullies beat…


The Hidden Message on Ben Franklin’s Fugio Cent

Perhaps the United States wouldn’t have become so politicized had we all followed a good piece of advice from Benjamin Franklin. In Franklin’s 1737 book, “Poor Richard’s Almanac,” he stated what would be his literal and figurative idea behind money: “A penny saved is two pence clear.” Contrary to popular belief, Franklin, who was known for his…


How 2 Famous Authors Started the Thanksgiving Turkey Tradition

George Washington noted that it was “the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly implore his protection and favor.” This was stated at the beginning of his Thanksgiving Day proclamation, which he issued on October 3, 1789. Through the…


Religious Liberty and the Freedom to Do Good: The Story of Casimira Kaupas

Discussions of the history of religious liberty in America tend to focus on the struggles of various religious minorities with oppression in their native lands. This tends to make the overall outlook one-sided, placing the focus on how these groups won civil liberties, whether in American society itself, or as a result of leaving behind religious…


First Lady Abigail Adams Was a True Helpmate to America’s First Vice President and Second President

Abigail Adams has been lauded by historians and at least one president, Harry Truman, for her grit and keen insight. As the second of the first ladies, Abigail experienced firsthand the fight for a nation and the establishment of America. In fact, it was perhaps the Revolutionary War that shaped who she would become as…


Mark Boonstra: A Judicial View on America’s Decline

Mark Boonstra has been on the Third District of Michigan’s Court of Appeals for the past decade. He is also the author of “In Their Own Words,” a study into the words of the Founding Fathers and what they would think of the current status of America. We discuss his thoughts on the history of…


Grumman Engineering Had to Get 30,200 Pounds of Apollo Spacecraft to Moon and Back

In the fall of 1962, a little airplane manufacturer on Long Island, Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation, beat out seven competitors for the lunar module contract. How did this happen? The story begins when Leroy Grumman, the company’s founder, struck out on his own in 1929. Working out of a rented garage, he began developing some…


How the Union Army’s Lt. William Cushing Defeated the Seemingly Invincible Ironclad, the CSS Albemarle

In October 1864, Union officer Lt. William Cushing became an instant hero for his leadership and daring that resulted in the destruction of CSS Albemarle, a ship which, at the time, seemed unsinkable. Back in early 1862, Union Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside had conquered the North Carolina Sounds. This action stunned the Confederacy. The capture…