Short History Of...

Over 32 years of exploration, Dr David Livingstone made a name for himself as a renowned adventurer, doctor, and Christian missionary. He travelled more than 30,000 miles, and contended with disease, heartbreak, and brutal conflict on the way. His experiences also turned him into a fierce opponent of the slave trade. But despite his celebrated status, Livingstone is a flawed hero.

So how did he fight his way out of poverty to become one of the world’s most famous explorers? Why, over 200 years after his birth, is he still a source of fascination? How important was his work for the abolitionist movement? And what is his legacy today?

This is a Short History Of...Dr David Livingstone.

A Noiser production, written by Kate Harrison. With thanks to Dr Kate Simpson, director of education in the Digital Humanities Institute at the University of Sheffield, curatorial adviser for the David Livingstone Birthplace Museum in Blantyre, and the project scholar for Livingstone Online.

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In December, 1773, hundreds of angry Bostonians charged into the harbor at Griffin’s Wharf, and tossed over 300 chests of tea into the icy waters below. This lawlessness marked the culmination of what many Americans viewed as decades worth of oppression and exploitation by the British. Ultimately leading to the American War of Independence, this nonviolent protest has become one of the most pivotal moments in American history.

But what circumstances led to the Boston Tea Party? Why was tea such a significant symbol of oppression? And why is the Boston Tea Party considered to be the single most important catalyst for the American Revolution?

This is a Short History Of The Boston Tea Party.

Written by Lindsay Galvin. With thanks to Benjamin Carp, Professor of History at Brooklyn College, and author of ‘Defiance Of The Patriots: The Boston Tea Party and the Making of America’.

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The legend of Boudica has survived for two millennia, although much of her life still remains a mystery - some historians dispute whether she existed at all. For those who do believe in her, she personifies liberty, defiance, and female power, while for others, she was a barbaric, blood-thirsty warrior. But what is her real story? How does modern archaeology support Boudica’s folklore? Can we really call her a feminist icon when she slaughtered women and children? And how did her actions alter the course of English and Roman history?

This is a Short History Of Boudica.

A Noiser production, written by Jo Furniss. With thanks to Miranda Aldhouse-Green, a professor of archaeology at Cardiff University, and author of ‘Boudica Britannia’.

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Designed to be a shrine of democracy, Mount Rushmore was one of the most ambitious building projects of the 20th century, and is still visited by millions of tourists each year. But for many, its history is complicated. Carved into a site believed to be sacred for the Lakota Sioux tribe, the monument serves as a bitter reminder of the injustices and crimes committed against the Native American people. So how did this remote, hallowed spot come to be transformed into a monument intended to last as long as the pyramids? What drove the man who created it? And how is it seen today - by America, tourists, and descendants of the first tribes who lived on the Black Hills?

This is a Short History Of Mount Rushmore.

A Noiser production, written by Kate Harrison. With thanks to Dr Lindsay M Chervinsky, a presidential historian and author of books on the topic, including Making the Presidency.

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Marie Curie was an extraordinary woman who, alongside her husband Pierre, turned the scientific world on its head. Their work led to the discovery of new elements, and a previously unknown process, called radioactivity. Over the course of a 40-year career, Marie Curie faced daunting challenges - from personal choices, to devastating health issues.

But how did one woman make the journey from struggling immigrant to internationally recognised scientist? How important was her partnership with her husband? And what is the legacy of the research she began in a disused storeroom over a century ago.

This is a Short History Of Marie Curie.

A Noiser Production. Written by Kate Harrison. With thanks to Susan Quinn, biographer and author of Marie Curie: A Life.

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