logo
episode-header-image
Nov 2024
34m 13s

Why did France give us a Statue of Liber...

iHeartPodcasts and Kaleidoscope
About this episode

Look, we love Lady Liberty as much as the next patriot. But why on Earth did France give America a massive and exoribitant gift that wasn't on our registry? Will and Mango dig into the bizarre Parisian dinner party that led to the idea, the mathematical word problem of a way the statue was built, why it competed with a walrus for early tourists' attention, and why Brigham Young, Ulysses S. Grant and Gustave Eiffel from Eiffel Tower fame all have more to do with it than you'd think!  

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Up next
Yesterday
Why Does Rocking Put Babies to Sleep?
Babies! We’ve all been one, and some of us have them. But did you know that baby talk serves an important purpose? Or that babies can fake tears to get attention? Today Mango and producer Gabe dig into some big science about tiny humans. Plus: What are zusers and bofels? Only a w ... Show More
39m 36s
Aug 22
What Are the Greatest Things We Didn't Know About Brazil?
When's the best time to surf the Amazon? Can Brazilian termites help you make a better pizza? And did you pay too much for that venomous snake? (Spoiler alert: You probably did.) Today Will and Mango are uncovering some little-known facts about the big, beautiful country of Brazi ... Show More
34m 51s
Aug 19
9 Head-Spinning Facts About Carousels
Grab your riding crop and hold on tight, because today we’re taking a spin through the history of merry-go-rounds! Why do British carousels rotate in the opposite direction from the rest? Which future U.S. president had a summer job sanding ponies? And what’s the connection betwe ... Show More
19m 43s
Recommended Episodes
Feb 2024
Gustave Eiffel | The Eiffel Tower
The Eiffel Tower was by far the largest structure built for the 1889 World’s Fair in Paris. Eiffel was an entrepreneur and he had two engineers working with him to plan the iron tower, but not everyone was on board with the design. Audiences today may be surprised to hear that ma ... Show More
7m 37s
Apr 2025
Pourquoi La Liberté guidant le peuple n’est pas un tableau sur la Révolution de 1789 ?
À première vue, La Liberté guidant le peuple d’Eugène Delacroix semble tout droit sortie de la Révolution française de 1789 : une femme aux seins nus brandit le drapeau tricolore, une foule en armes avance sur des cadavres, et l’ambiance est à l’insurrection. Beaucoup s’imaginent ... Show More
2m 25s
Nov 2024
Ten things (besides bread) that the French call a 'baguette'
What's a baguette? A long loaf of bread, surely. WRONG! A baguette can be one of 15 different things. Here's how I found out - and a few baguette-related language facts to impress your French friends.  Featuring, ever-so-briefly, the voice of Véronique from France with Véro.  Thi ... Show More
7m 50s
Aug 2024
#181 The Statue of Liberty arrives in NYC
📖 Episode Transcripts in Link Below ⬇️ Today, we’re going to explore the fascinating story of the Statue of Liberty—an enduring symbol of freedom and democracy. Specifically, we’ll focus on the momentous day when this colossal statue first arrived in New York City. https://patre ... Show More
5m 14s
Aug 20
Connais-tu vraiment la Tour Eiffel ?
La Tour Eiffel, construite en 1889 par Gustave Eiffel, est l'un des monuments les plus célèbres du monde. Haute de 324 mètres, elle a été critiquée à ses débuts, mais est rapidement devenue un symbole de la France. Utilisée comme antenne radio et pour des expériences scientifique ... Show More
5m 29s
Jun 2024
The Statue of Liberty 2024
Today we bring you our traditional Fourth of July holiday coverage of the life and times of the Statue of Liberty, from her conception at a dinner party in France to the symbol of hope she has become for the world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoi ... Show More
1h 56m
Jul 2024
Pourquoi la France a-t-elle vendu la Louisiane aux États-Unis ?
La vente de la Louisiane par la France aux États-Unis en 1803, connue sous le nom de la "Louisiana Purchase", est un événement majeur de l'histoire américaine et française. Plusieurs facteurs stratégiques, économiques et politiques ont conduit à cette transaction. Contexte Histor ... Show More
2m 21s
Mar 2025
How to plan a trip to Paris: tips for seeing “The Big Five”
For this season finale, we’re on a private boat on the Seine River with Marie and Bertrand from My Private Paris. They explain how best to plan a visit to the big five, the Louvre, Notre Dame, the Musee d’Orsay, the Eiffel Tower, and the Seine. My Private Paris is a local deluxe ... Show More
29m 46s
Jul 2024
Quel est le plus célèbre canular d'extrême droite ?
Les hommes politiques ont beau s'occuper d'affaires sérieuses, ils peuvent faire montre, du moins beaucoup d'entre eux, d'un sens de l'humour développé. Ils sont même parfois capables de mystifier leurs collègues. Certains n'hésitent pas à monter des canulars. L'un des plus célèb ... Show More
1m 57s
Dec 2023
Pourquoi la danseuse Lucienne Beuze fut-elle surnommée "grille d'égout" ?
durée : 00:03:36 - Le Pourquoi du comment : histoire - par : Gérard Noiriel - À la fin du 19e siècle, Paris devint, non sans faire scandale, la capitale mondiale d'un "French cancan" dansé uniquement par des femmes. La première reine du "French cancan", Lucienne Beuze, connut la ... Show More
3m 36s