History Dispatches

In the 1980s, the United States video game industry was in a golden age. Arcades and home consoles were making billions of dollars and the market was full of incredible titles. And then overnight, it would all come tumbling down. This is the story of the video game crash of 1983. Sources "Before the Crash: Early Video Game History" edited by Mark J.P. Wolf "The Ultimate History of Video games" by Steven Kent Image: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Atari-2600-Wood-4Sw-Set.jpg The Explorers Podcast is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com Interested in advertising on the Explorers Podcast? Email us at advertising@airwavemedia.com

In the mid-1800s, Great Britain fought two wars against China. The reason was not to conquer territory. Or get gain valuable resources. No, this was to force Chinese officials to allow British-grown opium to be imported into their country. So perhaps we can call this the story of the ruthless English drug lords. Sources "Imperial Twilight: The Opium War and the End of China's Last Golden Age" by Stephen R. Platt "The Opium Wars in China" = https://asiapacificcurriculum.ca/learning-module/opium-wars-china Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opium_Wars Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Destroying_Chinese_war_junks,_by_E._Duncan_(1843).jpg The Explorers Podcast is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com Interested in advertising on the Explorers Podcast? Email us at advertising@airwavemedia.com

On September 7, 1695, English pirate Henry Avery led one of the most daring pirate attacks - and most lucrative - in history. And to top it all off - he got away with it. Sources Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Every "Enemy of all Mankind" by Steven Johnson Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Henry_Every.gif The Explorers Podcast is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com Interested in advertising on the Explorers Podcast? Email us at advertising@airwavemedia.com

In 1719, Daniel Defoe published the book, “The LIfe and Surprising Adventures of Robinson Crusoe.” The story is about a sailor who is stranded on an island for more than 20 years. It has gone on to be one of the most popular novels in western literature. In this episode, we tell the story of Alexander Selkirk, the man many believe to be the inspiration for Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe. Sources "The Real Robinson Crusoe" - https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-real-robinson-crusoe-74877644/ Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Library_of_Alexandria Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Selkirk_reading_his_Bible.png The Explorers Podcast is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com Interested in advertising on the Explorers Podcast? Email us at advertising@airwavemedia.com

More than 2,000 years ago, in Alexandria Egypt, Ptolemy II had a dream - to establish the greatest library the world had known. What emerged was one of the grandest institutions ever built, and the forerunner to all modern libraries. This is the story of the Library of Alexandria.  Sources "Libraries in the Ancient World" by Lional Casson Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Library_of_Alexandria Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ancientlibraryalex.jpg The Explorers Podcast is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com Interested in advertising on the Explorers Podcast? Email us at advertising@airwavemedia.com

In 1933, a small brass plate was discovered near San Francisco - not far from where famed English privateer Francis Drake had supposedly landed back in 1579. It fit the description of a plate reportedly left by Drake - making it potentially one of the great relics of North American Exploration.  Sources Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drake%27s_Plate_of_Brass Science Beat: Drake's Plate -- the end of the mystery? https://www2.lbl.gov/Science-Articles/Archive/NSD-Drakes-plate.html" Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:1583_portrait_of_Sir_Francis_Drake.jpg The Explorers Podcast is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com Interested in advertising on the Explorers Podcast? Email us at advertising@airwavemedia.com

On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks would have enough. Sitting on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama, she was told to give up her seat. She said no. Sick and tired of decades of segregation, racism and oppression, she would sit defiantly. This would lead into some of the most pivotal moments in the American civil rights movement. Sources Montgomery Bus Boycott - https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/montgomery-bus-boycott "The Rebellious life of Rosa Parks" by Jeanne Theoharis Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rosa_Parks_in_watercolour.png The Explorers Podcast is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com Interested in advertising on the Explorers Podcast? Email us at advertising@airwavemedia.com

On January 30, 1661, Oliver Cromwell, one time Lord Protector and ruler of the English Commonwealth, was hanged for treason. After being cut down, his head was chopped off, and placed on a 20-foot pole above Westminster Hall. While that sounds nasty, the truly weird thing is that Oliver Cromwell had died three years earlier. In this episode, we take you on the story of the Head of Oliver Cromwell. Sources "The macabre tale of Oliver Cromwell's head" - https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0j8vn2ne70o Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oliver_Cromwell%27s_head Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Narrative_relating_to_the_real_embalmed_head_of_Oliver_Cromwell,_now_exhibiting_in_Mead-Court,_in_Old_Bond-Street_Fleuron_T135438-1.png The Explorers Podcast is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com Interested in advertising on the Explorers Podcast? Email us at advertising@airwavemedia.com

In the boiling summer of 1518 in Strasbourg, France, one women started to dance in the street. But this was no ordinary dance. She continued until her feet were bloody And soon, she was joined by hundreds of other dancers, dancing until they passed out from exhaustion or death. Sources "A Time to Dance, a Time to Die" by John Waller Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Die_Wallfahrt_der_Fallsuechtigen_nach_Meulebeeck.jpg The Explorers Podcast is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com Interested in advertising on the Explorers Podcast? Email us at advertising@airwavemedia.com

On May 16, 1975, Japanese mountaineer Junko Tabei reached the summit of Mount Everest - and in the process became the first woman to ever climb the highest point on earth. Sources Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Junko_Tabei Women in Exploration: https://womeninexploration.org/timeline/junko-tabei/ Junko Tabei, first to summit Everest in 1975: https://www.jobradshaw.co.uk/blog/junko-tabie-pioneering-mountaineer-and-first-women-to-summit-everest" Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Junko_Tabei_85_(3to4).jpg The Explorers Podcast is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com Interested in advertising on the Explorers Podcast? Email us at advertising@airwavemedia.com

In 1941, an exiled Polish army would find itself in Iran. There it would adopt an orphaned bear cub who would go on to serve the army as their mascot, fellow soldier, and their friend. Sources "The bear who was a private in the Polish army" - https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy4nd3n33yeo Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wojtek_(bear) Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_badge_of_the_22nd_Artillery_Support_Company_of_the_2nd_Polish_Corps.jpg The Explorers Podcast is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com Interested in advertising on the Explorers Podcast? Email us at advertising@airwavemedia.com

In 1932, the Australian army began a military campaign to take on a horde of menacing invaders. These swarms of great beasts threatened the nation’s food supply, and the livelihoods of thousands of decent Australians. This is the Great Emu War.  Sources "The Great Emu War: When Australians Lost to Flightless Birds: https://www.thecollector.com/great-emu-war/ The Real Story Behind Australia’s Great Emu ‘War’ Of 1932 (And Why They Lost—Twice): https://www.forbes.com/sites/scotttravers/2024/12/26/the-real-story-behind-australias-great-emu-war-of-1932-and-why-they-lost-twice/ Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emu_War" Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Natural_History,_Birds_-_Emu.jpg The Explorers Podcast is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com Interested in advertising on the Explorers Podcast? Email us at advertising@airwavemedia.com

Saint Patrick holds the honor of being one of the most celebrated saints in history. But behind all of the celebration, shamrocks and myths, there is a real person. A man who lived 1,500 years ago and forever changed the history of Ireland, and the world. Sources "Saint Patrick Retold" by Roy Fletchener Britannica: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Patrick Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lá_Fhéile_Pádraig_Sona_Duit_-_Happy_Saint_Patrick%27s_Day.jpg The Explorers Podcast is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com Interested in advertising on the Explorers Podcast? Email us at advertising@airwavemedia.com

History Dispatches debuts Monday, March 17. History Dispatches is a daily history show hosted by father and son duo Matt and McKinley Breen. The show covers people, places, events and even objects from throughout history. While any topic is fair game, Matt and McKinley hold a soft spot for the offbeat and wacky stories that most people don’t know about.