Places and Profiles Podcast with Adam Camac

Margaret George, author of "The Autobiography of Henry VIII: With Notes by His Fool, Will Somers: A Novel," joins host Adam Camac to discuss the life, legacy, controversies, accomplishments, wives, advisors, and kids of King Henry VIII of England.  The show notes page for this episode can be found at placesandprofiles.com/22.   1:26 - The guest’s interest in King Henry VIII and her decision to write a book about him 3:19 - Overview of how King Henry VIII’s character changed over time and of just how complicated he was as a person 5:50 - War of the Roses, the rule of Henry VII, the death of Henry VII’s oldest son Arthur, and other pieces of context in England and with the English monarchy prior to Henry VIII becoming king in 1509 9:22 - Henry VIII’s involvement in wars and how that shaped his time on the throne 11:37 - Overview of Henry VIII’s six wives and the significance of him wanting to have a male heir to succeed him on the throne 22:29 - Changes in the religious makeup of England and in Henry VIII’s views on religion, how Henry VIII went from defending the Catholic faith early in his reign to later splitting with the Catholic Church and establishing the Church of England 26:26 - Seizing monasteries and land, the Pilgrimage of Grace of 1536-1537, Henry VIII’s moves to further distance England from the Catholic Church and responses and reactions to these moves 29:27 - Key advisors to King Henry VIII, including Thomas Cromwell, Thomas Wolsey, Thomas Cranmer, and Thomas More 35:57 - Who Will Somers was and why he played such a key role in the guest’s book about King Henry VIII 38:46 - Henry VIII’s relationships with his three kids who eventually became monarchs: the future Edward VI, Mary I (Bloody Mary), and Elizabeth I; how Henry VIII’s legacy and influence shaped each of their reigns 44:32 - The power and authority associated with Henry VIII’s reign, how royal power expanded during the 38 years of Henry VIII’s rule 46:41 - How Henry VIII was viewed during his own time, how we should view Henry VIII’s life and legacy today 48:31 - Anything we missed, Henry VIII’s abilities and talents as a musician, what the guest has written that listeners should read

Salvador Rueda, Director of the National Museum of History at Chapultepec Castle in Mexico City, joins host Adam Camac to discuss key figures, issues, and events from the history of Mexico.  The show notes page for this episode can be found at placesandprofiles.com/21.   1:26 - The history of Chapultepec Castle 5:43 - What is covered at the National Museum of History at Chapultepec Castle in Mexico City 6:05 - The Spanish Empire’s conquest of the Aztecs and of Mexico 10:18 - Life during the years when the Spanish ruled Mexico 12:49 - Problems during Spanish rule that led to Mexicans wanting to become independent from Spain 15:44 - Father Hidalgo, the Grito de Dolores, and the start of the Mexican War of Independence 19:29 - How Mexico eventually won the war with Spain and gained their independence 21:34 - Agustín de Iturbide as the first leader of Mexico and briefly as Emperor of Mexico, who he was and his significance during the early years of Mexico 24:29 - The dictatorship of Santa Anna and how Santa Anna’s time in power led to reforms and calls for change in Mexico 27:47 - How the Mexican people reacted to Santa Anna’s time in power, what changes the Mexican people wanted because of Santa Anna 29:58 - The second French invasion in Mexico, what happened with it, why Benito Juarez became important during that time 36:11 - Emperor Maximilian and Empress Carlotta living at Chapultepec Castle during the second French invasion 37:39 - Mexican Revolution of 1910-1920, what caused the Mexican Revolution, what the Mexican people were upset about 44:02 - Pancho Villa’s role in the Mexican Revolution 46:22 - Other people and groups of people to know from the Mexican Revolution 47:12 - Who Emiliano Zapata was 49:27 - Why people should visit Mexico City and Chapultepec Castle in particular  

Peter Alter, Chief Historian at the Chicago History Museum, joins host Adam Camac to discuss key figures, issues, and events from the history of Chicago.  The show notes page for this episode can be found at placesandprofiles.com/20.   1:15 - The origins of the city of Chicago, where the name Chicago comes from, the founding of the city of Chicago 5:03 - The initial growth of Chicago, what Chicago looked like as of 1871 when the Great Chicago Fire occurred 9:12 - Truths and myths about the Great Chicago Fire 15:32 - Chicago World’s Fair of 1893 (World's Columbian Exposition) 18:57 - 1886 Haymarket Affair, 1894 Pullman Strike, Union Stockyards and the Chicago meatpacking industry, Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle, labor history of Chicago and working class struggles 25:01 - European immigrant groups to Chicago, including Poles, Serbs, Greeks, etc., the Great Migration within the US beginning in the 1910s 30:34 - Jane Addams and the establishment of Hull House in 1889, Chicago’s initial development as a transportation and railroad hub in the 1800s 37:42 - How the Great Migration affected Chicago, race riots, the development of the South Side of Chicago, the Chicago Black Renaissance 43:20 - Chicago during Prohibition and the 1920s, Chicago as a center for illegal activities and gangster violence during the Prohibition era, Al Capone and Bugs Moran and their association with Chicago, St. Valentine’s Day Massacre of 1929 49:04 - Chicago’s connection to the Manhattan Project and role during World War II 52:13 - The Daley family and the Democratic Party machine in Chicago, the 1968 Democratic National Convention 1:00:34 - The role of professional sports in Chicago and how professional sports have affected the way Chicago has been viewed (including the Cubs breaking their World Series curse in 2016, the 1985 Bears, the Michael Jordan/Scottie Pippen championship teams of the 1990s, and more) 1:04:25 - Willis Tower (formerly Sears Tower), Lake Michigan, iconic downtown Marshall Fields location, State Street, Michigan Avenue, Millennium Park, The Bean (Cloud Gate), Lake Shore Drive, Wrigley Field, and other Chicago landmarks 1:08:36 - Windy City, Second City, and other nicknames for Chicago 1:12:40 - Related and recommended resources

Dr. Paul Reeve, Simmons Chair of Mormon Studies at the University of Utah, joins host Adam Camac to discuss the origins and history of Mormonism in Utah, how life in Utah has been shaped by Mormonism, and how the influence of Mormonism can be seen in Utah today.  The show notes page for this episode can be found at placesandprofiles.com/19.   1:32 - The founding of Mormonism, Mormonism as it developed in upstate New York, the origins of Mormonism and how Mormonism came about, Joseph Smith 3:48 - What the Second Great Awakening was and how it was connected to the founding of Mormonism 7:09 - Whether the terms Mormonism, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and LDS Church are all the same or if there are differences and distinctions between these terms 11:10 - The LDS Church and its place in Christianity, why some outsiders view it as a non-Christian cult while others view it as a Christian faith 16:39 - What caused early followers of the LDS Church to leave Upstate New York, go to Illinois, and then later settle in Utah and start spreading their religion across the American West 25:11 - Polygamy and its connection to the LDS Church, how views on polygamy have changed within the LDS Church over the years 34:10 - Brigham Young, who he was, and what his legacy is 38:03 - Utah War or Mormon War of 1857-1858, Mountain Meadows Massacre 44:36 - Members of the LDS Church getting married and having kids at younger ages, the health code for followers of the LDS Church 50:50 - Role of mission trips and proselytization efforts and how they factor into the LDS mission and the lives of LDS Church members 53:46 - The connection between the LDS Church and the Republican Party, how the Republican Party changed from previously being the anti-Mormon party of the 1800s to being extremely popular among Mormons today, why so many LDS Church members vote for Republican candidates, why LDS Church members tend to prefer more moderate Republican candidates 1:01:59 - Statistics that demonstrate how common LDS membership is in Utah and neighboring states in the American West and how influential and significant the LDS Church is in Utah in the present day 1:04:49 - Mormons in other states in the American West besides Utah, what leadership within the LDS Church looks like, who Russell M. Nelson (the current leader of the LDS Church) is 1:09:25 - Why people who become president of the LDS Church tend to be older than leaders in a lot of other areas of society 1:11:22 - Related and recommended resources  

Rachel Helvering, Executive Director of The President James K. Polk Home and Museum, joins host Adam Camac to discuss the life and legacy of President James K. Polk.  The show notes page for this episode can be found at placesandprofiles.com/18.   1:20 - The guest’s background and connection to President James K. Polk, why the guest has an interest in President Polk 2:41 - Early life and family background of President Polk, his upbringing, how he initially finds his way into politics 6:14 - How President Polk’s wife Sarah compliments him and how she is able to later help her husband’s political career 8:34 - Polk’s political career prior to becoming president 11:39 - Relationship between Andrew Jackson and James K. Polk, how Jackson served as a mentor to Polk, what this relationship meant in the context of the Democratic Party at the time 14:14 - Polk’s time as Governor of Tennessee 16:30 - Polk’s pivot to his unlikely 1844 presidential campaign 18:35 - Polk’s unlikely path to surprising victories for the Democratic nomination and in the general election, the role the issue of Texas annexation played in Polk’s victory 22:15 - How the boundaries of the United States changed during Polk’s presidency with Texas, Oregon, and the Mexican Cession 25:56 - Polk’s approach to slavery as a politician, Polk’s personal connections to slavery 28:59 - What to know about the four years of Polk’s presidency 32:57 - How Sarah Polk transformed the position of First Lady and made it into what it is today, how unusual and different she was as First Lady 35:56 - How the stature of the United States on the global stage changed and how the United States was viewed from abroad during Polk’s presidency 38:01 - How historians in general view Polk’s presidency and how they compare him to other presidents 40:21 - Why Polk died so quickly after leaving the White House, goals he might have had that he never had the opportunity to achieve after leaving office, what happened to Sarah during the remaining 42 years of her life after her husband passed away 45:15 - Anything we missed about the Polks and their significance 46:14 - Recommended and related resources  

Dr. Bill Barry, former NASA Chief Historian, joins host Adam Camac to discuss the history of NASA and the US space program, including the Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, and Space Shuttle programs.  The future of NASA and of space travel is also discussed.  The show notes page for this episode can be found at placesandprofiles.com/17.   1:12 - Space research in the US before NASA, the establishment of NASA 8:07 - How the Soviets launching Sputnik 1 helped lead to the establishment of NASA and how the larger space race between the United States and the Soviet Union factored into what NASA did at the time 19:16 - Alan Shepard, John Glenn, and the Mercury 7 astronauts 27:35 - Project Gemini and its significance 30:52 - Apollo program: tragedies (Apollo 1 deaths) versus tremendous successes (the first men walking on the Moon during Apollo 11) 48:27 - The later years of the Apollo program, how NASA’s goals and priorities changed after the Apollo program, the beginning of the Space Shuttle 59:20 - The legacy of the Space Shuttle, the Challenger and Columbia disasters, accomplishments of the Space Shuttle program 1:06:21 - Rivalry and collaboration over time between the United States and the Soviet Union or Russia 1:21:06 - SpaceX and Blue Origin, increasing role of private companies in US space travel and exploration, potentially returning to the Moon and going to Mars, the Artemis Program and efforts to build the Orion spacecraft, the future of space travel and exploration, NASA’s role in the coming decades 1:30:14 - Recommended resources

Chris Merritt, an archaeologist who is Utah’s historic preservation officer, joins host Adam Camac to discuss the legacy of Chinese railroad workers on the transcontinental railroad in Utah and what we are learning about their work through archaeological investigation.  The show notes page for this episode can be found at placesandprofiles.com/16.   1:28 - Overview of the work of the guest (Chris Merritt) and his interest in the legacy of Chinese railroad workers on the transcontinental railroad in Utah 5:00 - The influence of the US Civil War on the construction of the transcontinental railroad, China in the 1860s, Utah in the 1860s 12:05 - Who the Chinese immigrants were who came to work on the railroad, background of these workers, their experiences after actually coming to Utah and starting to work on the railroad 19:07 - Recognition, if any, for the Chinese workers when the golden spike was driven into the ground on May 10, 1869 at Promontory Summit, Utah 22:23 - The area of Utah the railroad used to go through, the ghost town of Terrace, Utah 31:05 - Stories from Chinese railroad workers dealing with the maintenance of the railroad, how the Chinese Exclusion Act coming into law in 1882 affected these railroad workers 38:56 - Violence and attacks faced by Chinese railroad workers 43:21 - Artifacts and objects found in the fields during excavation projects in Terrace and other sites in Utah where Chinese railroad workers once lived 51:11 - Descendents of the Chinese railroad workers in Utah and the guest’s interactions with them 53:55 - Recommended resources, additional information about the contributions of Chinese railroad workers to the history of the United States

Kainoa Daines, Senior Director, Destination Education at the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau, joins host Adam Camac to discuss Hawaiian history and culture with a focus on Maui.  The show notes page for this episode can be found at placesandprofiles.com/15.   1:32 - Brief overview of Hawaii, key figures, key historical events, and unique characteristics 5:22 - Hawaii as an independent kingdom before joining the US and how that period of time shaped Hawaii and eventually came to an end 18:19 - Pineapples, the Dole family, and Pearl Harbor 31:05 - The role of the Hawaiian language in Hawaii today 38:43 - The diversity of Hawaii and how it has shaped Hawaii into the place it is today 44:38 - What makes Maui unique and what to know about Maui 54:13 - What to know about Maui’s culture, key issues facing Maui 58:44 - The meaning and spirit of aloha 1:04:07 - Resources, being a mindful traveler

John Dinges, Professor Emeritus of International Journalism at Columbia University and author of "The Condor Years: How Pinochet and His Allies Brought Terrorism to Three Continents" and "Death and the Revolution," joins host Adam Camac to discuss the illegality, torture, secret prisons, and tragedies of Operation Condor in Chile and across South America.  We also discuss Salvador Allende, Augusto Pinochet, the 1973 Chilean coup, CIA involvement in Operation Condor and across the Southern Cone of South America, and Peronism and the legacy of the Peron family in Argentina, among other topics.  The show notes page for this episode can be found at placesandprofiles.com/14.   1:45 - What was Operation Condor? 3:38 - Personal background of the guest (John Dinges) and his interest in Operation Condor 8:02 - The illegality of Operation Condor 12:11 - The use of secret prisons during Operation Condor 17:01 - The use of torture during Operation Condor 22:33 - 1973 Chilean coup 30:44 - CIA involvement in Operation Condor in Chile and across the Southern Cone of South America 36:32 - Involvement of the Pentagon in Operation Condor 43:02 - Operation Condor in South America Outside of Argentina and Chile 48:01 - How Peronism and the legacy of the Peron family factored into Operation Condor 54:43 - Efforts at justice, investigations, and accountability in the aftermath of Operation Condor 1:01:40 - Related readings and resources

Geoff Schumacher, vice president of exhibits and programs at the Mob Museum, joins host Adam Camac to discuss key figures, issues, and events from the history of Las Vegas.  The show notes page for this episode can be found at placesandprofiles.com/13.

Tony Payan, director of the Center for the United States and Mexico at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, joins host Adam Camac to discuss key figures and issues in Mexican politics in recent decades, key issues in US-Mexico relations and how relations have been affected by Mexican politics, and the 2024 Mexican presidential election.  The show notes page for this episode can be found at placesandprofiles.com/12.

Jeevan Vasagar, author of "Lion City: Singapore and the Invention of Modern Asia," joins host Adam Camac to discuss key events in the development of Singapore, how Singapore became so successful economically, and some of the issues and challenges faced by modern Singapore.  The show notes page for this episode can be found at placesandprofiles.com/11.

Robert Mann, author of "Kingfish U: Huey Long and LSU," joins host Adam Camac to discuss the life and legacy of Huey Long and his influence on the state of Louisiana and in particular on LSU.  The show notes page for this episode can be found at placesandprofiles.com/10.

Jeremy Black, author of over 100 books, including "A Brief History of the British Monarchy," joins host Adam Camac to discuss the history of the British monarchy and the role of the British monarchy today.  The show notes page for this episode can be found at placesandprofiles.com/9.

Patrick Novecosky, author of "100 Ways John Paul II Changed the World," joins host Adam Camac to discuss the life and legacy of Pope St. John Paul II.  The show notes page for this episode can be found at placesandprofiles.com/8.

Daniel Allen Butler, author of "Unsinkable: The Full Story of the RMS Titanic," joins host Adam Camac to discuss the real story of the Titanic.  The show notes page for this episode can be found at placesandprofiles.com/7.

Dr. Randolph Head, co-author of “A Concise History of Switzerland”, joins host Adam Camac to discuss key events in the historical and cultural development of Switzerland and some of the issues and challenges faced by modern Switzerland.  The show notes page for this episode can be found at placesandprofiles.com/6.

Dr. Michael Seth, professor at James Madison University, joins host Adam Camac to discuss key figures, events, and characteristics from the history of Korea.  The show notes page for this episode can be found at placesandprofiles.com/5.

Dr. Sarah Morris, assistant professor at West Virginia University, joins host Adam Camac to discuss the significance of the song "Country Roads" to the state of West Virginia and the global impact of "Country Roads."  The show notes page for this episode can be found at placesandprofiles.com/4.

Larry O'Dell, State Historian with the Oklahoma Historical Society, joins host Adam Camac to discuss key figures and events in the historical and cultural development of Oklahoma.  The show notes page for this episode can be found at placesandprofiles.com/3.