In this final episode of season three, we review Origin: A Genetic History of the Americas by noted geneticist, Jennifer Raff. While the book is about the first peopling of the Americas, something that the study of DNA and mtDNA has drastically changed, a large portion of the book is also devoted to the development of physical anthropology and the archaeological evidence for the earliest peopling of both Americas. This book gives a graduate course in interdisciplinary studies of who the first people were, where they came from, and how they got here in a readily accessible and sympathetic style ..read more

You may have heard of Juneteenth, which just became a Virginia state holiday. But what is so special about that date? Join us as we explore the meaning behind the observance of the day, the traditions involved, and some of the music important to the day. Music: Jean Claude Hatungimana and Mark Mazzochi            Modified: Work, John Wesley, Fisk University Jubilee Singers, Alfred Garfield King, Noah Walker Ryder, and J. A Myers. Swing Low, Sweet Chariot. 1909. Audio. https://www.loc.gov/item/jukebox-128141/. Used under the Fair Use Clause ..read more

The American Colonies were often touted as a land of equality and potential, but was that really accurate? Perhaps in a sense, but not equitably across the board. In this episode, we break down the types of inequalities that were either overtly or covertly present among the disparate groups who would go on to form the United States.  Music: Zac Bell and Davis Tierney, fiddle            Jean Claude Hatungimana, drums Cover Art: Emily Noble Day Find us online at frontiermuseum.org, on Facebook, and Instagram ..read more

Alcohol, as troublesome as it can be, is a prominent drink in modern society. It tends to be a large part of social interactions. But how did that happen? In this episode, we address the rise of alcohol in history, the historic beer brewing process, and other bevvies that developed along the way. Title from The Hudribrastick Brewer Or, A Preposterous Union Between Malt and Meter. A Satyr Upon the suppos'd Author of the Republican Procession; or the Tumultuous Cavalcade, by Edward Ward, 1714 Intro and Transition Music: Zac Bell End Music: Jean Claude Hatungimana Cover Art: Emily Noble Day Find ..read more

In this final episode of season three, we review Origin: A Genetic History of the Americas by noted geneticist, Jennifer Raff. While the book is about the first peopling of the Americas, something that the study of DNA and mtDNA has drastically changed, a large portion of the book is also devoted to the development of physical anthropology and the archaeological evidence for the earliest peopling of both Americas. This book gives a graduate course in interdisciplinary studies of who the first people were, where they came from, and how they got here in a readily accessible and sympathetic style ..read more

Have you ever looked at something on your plate and wondered how it got there? In this episode, our guest, Misti Furr, talks about the movement of goods between the Americas, Africa, and Europe that had a significant impact on the world, both positively and negatively. The Columbian Exchange goes far beyond the humble potato or peanut! Intro Music: Zac Bell Exit Music: Jean Claude Hatungimana Cover Art: Emily Noble Day ..read more

N.B.- This episode contains quotes from primary sources and may contain language considered offensive today. Continuing on the topic of revolution and freedom, in this episode, we ask if the revolutionary rhetoric, the language used to discuss freedom from Britain, had any impact on slavery. Many founding fathers tended to compare British treatment of white male citizens of the colonies to slavery, yet slavery as an institution continued well into the 19th century in the newborn United States. Was there any sort of understanding of the hypocrisy involved? Did the prevailing themes of freedom a ..read more

Have you ever wondered about how some events in history could have turned out differently? In this episode, we introduce a counterfactual, or according to the Cambridge Dictionary, "a mental simulation where you think about something that happened, and then imagine an alternate ending." Just in time for the Fourth of July, our guests, Sam McGinty and Davis Tierney, discuss how the British could have won and what could have been the result. Intro Music: Zac Bell Exit Music: Jean Claude Hatungimana Cover Art: Emily Noble Day ..read more

Continuing our abolition series, Mark Mazzochi joins us to discuss the Haitian Revolution. While the revolt over slavery drastically impacted Haiti and it's economic conditions today, it had a surprising effect on the rest of the world as well. Intro Music: Zac Bell Exit Music: Jean Claude Hatungimana Cover Art: Emily Noble Day ..read more

It's finally summer and that means it's time to indulge in some vacation reading. But have you ever picked up that guilty pleasure book or the classic you swear you'll make it through this year and wondered just how novels and fictional stories came to be? In this episode, we talk about how the art of fiction has changed forms over the centuries and just how the novel developed and proliferated. We'll also talk about the chronology of each genre, and some of those will surprise you with how far back they go! Intro Music: Zac Bell Exit Music: Jean Claude Hatungimana Cover Art: Emily Noble Day ..read more