Conflicted: A History Podcast
Untangling history’s greatest controversies. Every month, we take a hard look at the historical conflicts that raise difficult questions, stoke controversy, and send our moral compasses spinning.
40 Hours to Freedom: The Invention of the Weekend
Where does the two-day weekend come from? In this standalone episode of Conflicted, we trace the historical trajectory of that oasis of leisure and free time we call “the weekend”. From its mystical beginnings in the religions of antiquity to its hard-fought development in Gilded Age America, we’ll untangle the surprising origins of everyone’s favorite part of the week.
SOURCES:
Hunnicutt, Benjamin. Free Time: The Forgotten American Dream. 2013.
Onstad, Katrina. The Weekend Effect. 2017.
Loomis, Erik. A History of America in Ten Strikes. 2018.
Murolo, Priscilla. Chitty, A.B. From the Folks Who Brought You the Weekend. 2001.
Green, James. Death in Haymarket. 2006.
Brecher, Jeremy. STRIKE! 1972.
Zinn, Howard. A People’s History of the United States. 1980.
Thomas, Gordan. Morgan-Witts, Max. The Day the Bubble Burst. 1979.
BBC. (2019, September 5). Who invented the weekend? BBC Bitesize.
Miller Center of Public Affairs, University of Virginia. “Presidential Speeches: Downloadable Data.” Accessed Feb 19, 2023. data.millercenter.org
Captivating History. The Industrial Revolution. 2020.
Grossman, Jonathan. “Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938: Maximum Struggle for a Minimum Wage.” Monthly Labor Review 101, no. 6 (1978): 22–30. http://www.jstor.org/stable/41840777.
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Podcast Episodes
The Third Temple: Yom Kippur War Part 1
The Yom Kippur War of 1973 has been described as the greatest military intelligence failure since Pearl Harbor. This is the story of how a vengeful surprise attack almost destroyed the nation of Israel. Told through the…
Showdown at the Ikedaya Inn: Samurai Secret Police
On June 5th, 1864, the Shogun’s secret police raced against time to foil a sweeping terrorist plot in Kyoto. The ensuing bloodbath would have far-reaching consequences for the future of Japan. SOURCES: Hillsborough, Romu…
Pardon My French: The Marquis de Sade
The Marquis De Sade was a pariah in his time, a monster on the page, and a genius in death. But what crimes did the namesake of “sadism” actually commit? Where did his real-life appetites end…and his literary fantasies b…
McNamara's Boys: Lost Innocence in Vietnam
How the US government deliberately sent thousands of mentally-disabled men into combat during the Vietnam War. A bonus episode and companion to Episode 12: "The Good Guys". SOURCES: Gregory, Hamilton. McNamara's Folly: T…
The Good Guys: My Lai Massacre, Vietnam
The 1968 My Lai Massacre shocked Americans, but the true nature of the Vietnam War went far beyond anything the public could’ve imagined. This is the story of the war within the War, between the soldiers who brutalized V…
I Must Not Burn: The Bombing of Dresden 1945
In 1945, the German city of Dresden was consumed in a firestorm engineered by the Allies. Many consider it to be a war crime. Others, a necessary evil. SOURCES Taylor, Frederick. Dresden: Tuesday, February 13th, 1945. 20…
Roadies For Nero: An Epilogue
A bonus episode concerning the Praetorian Guard's musical and murderous relationship with Rome's fabulous fifth Emperor, Nero. An epilogue to E10: "Kingbreakers" SOURCES: Strauss, Barry. Ten Caesars: Roman Emperors from…
Kingbreakers: The Praetorian Guard
The story of Rome through the eyes of the infamous Praetorian Guard, feared bodyguards who wielded the power and leverage to make – or break – the Emperors they swore to protect. SOURCES: Strauss, Barry. Ten Caesars: Rom…
Pax Mongolica: Genghis Khan & Kublai Khan
Genghis Khan and the Mongols killed millions, but were they actually woke AF? Let's tackle the surprisingly progressive (yet blood-drenched) legacy of one of history's most mysterious empires. SOURCES: Weatherford, Jack.…
Hate Thy Neighbor: Northern Ireland and the Troubles
Car bombs, hitmen, and hunger strikes. How "The Troubles" tore Northern Ireland apart. SOURCES: Toolis, Kevin. Rebel Hearts. 1995 McKittrick, David. Making Sense of the Troubles. 2000 Coogan, Tim Pat. The Troubles: Irela…
