In the latest episode in our series tackling big historical topics, historian Donald Wright answers listener questions on the history of Canada, from the country’s indigenous population and its contribution to the two world wars, to the story behind the maple leaf flag and the reasons why Canada didn’t join the American Revolution.
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Yesterday
Captured by Barbary corsairs: an Englishwoman's extraordinary tale
In 1756, Elizabeth Marsh set sail from Gibraltar to Britain with the intention of meeting her fiancé. Instead, she was captured by Barbary corsairs – effectively pirates operating from north Africa, carrying off their victims into slavery – and taken to a Moroccan prince. But cou ... Show More
33m 22s
Yesterday
Was Elizabeth I's reign really a 'golden age'?
As Elizabeth I entered the final chapter of her reign, questions of ageing, succession, and legacy loomed large. In this final episode of our four-part Sunday Series on the Tudor monarch, Rachel Dinning is joined by historian Nicola Tallis to explore the queen’s later years, her ... Show More
28m 57s
Mar 27
Spy, hero, rebel, traitor: the story of Roger Casement
Rory Carroll unpacks the dramatic final years of Roger Casement – an Irish diplomat and nationalist whose tangled legacy includes heroism, betrayal, and personal scandal. Carroll tells Elinor Evans about how Casement's support of Irish Home Rule in the early 20th century morphed ... Show More
40m 40s
Apr 2023
America's Top Secrets: Manhattan Project to Drone Warfare
<p>Much of American history has been redacted. Since the World War 2, the number of secrets the US government has kept has grown exponentially. There are some things they think are too dangerous for the public to know. Matthew Connelly, author of the Declassification Engine, take ... Show More
40m 1s
Apr 2023
Hudson River: America's First Art Movement
<p>English-born artist Thomas Cole emigrated to the United States in 1818. Six years later he began what is now known as the Hudson River School, which became the first art movement of the United States.. Betsy Jacks, director of the Thomas Cole National Historic Site, tells Don ... Show More
27m 50s
Feb 2024
American History Tellers
The Cold War, Prohibition, the Gold Rush, the Space Race. Every part of your life - the words you speak, the ideas you share - can be traced to our history, but how well do you really know the stories that made America? We'll take you to the events, the times and the pe ... Show More
4m 16s