In the late 1800s, European fascination with the culture of ancient Greece, and a growing interest in physical education and fitness, led to the idea of resurrecting the Olympic Games of antiquity. A French nobleman named Pierre de Coubertin took up the cause, and under his leadership, the first international Olympiad took place in Athens in 1896.
Coubertin ... Show More
Jul 2021
The Fight for the First U.S. Olympics | Let the Games Begin | 2
<p>In 1904, St. Louis was thrust into the national spotlight, as it played host to both the World’s Fair and America’s first Olympic Games. After a bitter fight over which American city would host, Olympic founder Pierre De Coubertin had disavowed the St. Louis games entirely, pa ... Show More
35m 50s
Aug 2021
The Fight for the First U.S. Olympics | Passing the Torch | 4
<p>The 1904 St. Louis Olympics were marred by controversy and poorly organized events like the marathon. But at least they took place as scheduled. In 1916, after the outbreak of World War I, they were canceled entirely. A century later, in 2020, the Olympics faced another kind o ... Show More
38m 44s
Feb 2022
Heather L. Dichter, "Bidding for the 1968 Olympic Games: International Sport's Cold War Battle with NATO" (U Massachusetts Press, 2021)
Today we are joined by Heather Dichter, Associate Professor of Sports History and Sports Management at the International Centre for Sports History and Culture at De Montfort University. She is also the author of Bidding for the 68 Olympic Games: International Sport’s Cold War Bat ... Show More
1 h
May 2024
The Athenian Empire and the Coming of the Peloponnesian War
<p>The Peloponnesian War, the epic 30-year conflict between Athens and Sparta for control of Classical Greece, was a long time in coming. In fact, its roots went back to the Persian Wars, when Athens seized the opportunity to create an empire in the aftermath.</p><p><br></p><p>Pa ... Show More
40m 27s
Feb 2022
Apolo Ohno & Lisa Leslie: How to Be An Olympian
At their best, the Olympics symbolize our world’s potential for cooperation, honoring the common humanity that unites us across old divisions of gender, race, and geographical borders. With the 2022 Winter Olympics having drawn to a close, President Clinton sits down with two ico ... Show More
56m 10s
Apr 2023
Competition, Tyranny, and the Birth of Ancient Greece
<p>Archaic Greece went through some of the most explosive and rapid transformations of any ancient society, but why? What stands out the most is the intense strand of competition running through every aspect of society, from athletics to the economy to politics.</p><p><br></p><p> ... Show More
39m 42s