Jake and Dan compete in a historical parenting advice quiz to determine who would be the better father. Enjoy this FREE Softcore History Patreon preview and Merry Christmas to all our Softies out there.Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes.

Takanakuy is an annual Christmas tradition where residents of Santo Tomás, Peru call out neighbors they believe have wronged them throughout the year to physical combat. With no court houses in this community tucked away high up in the Andes Mountains, this centuries old tradition is used to settle legal disputes or clean the slate on petty disagreesments in front of the whole town. Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes. Head to FACTORMEALS.com/softcore50 and use code softcore50 to get 50% off. That’s code softcore50 at FACTORMEALS.com/softcore50 to get 50% off!1stphorm.com/softcorehistory -- Free shipping on all orders over $75 when you use the link. Go to ghostbed.com/drinkinbros and use code DRINKINBROS for 30% off EVERYTHING (Mattresses, Adjustable Base, and more) -- plus a 101 Night Sleep Trial and Mattresses Made in America

Being executed for your crimes is never fun but throughout history, some executions have been much, MUCH worse than others. Specifically, the executions that did NOT go as planned. From beheadings that needed way too many swings of the ax and backup executioners who had no idea what they were doing to the first-ever use of the electric chair in 1890, many an execution has gone horribly wrong. We go over some of the worst.Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes. Head to FACTORMEALS.com/softcore50 and use code softcore50 to get 50% off. That’s code softcore50 at FACTORMEALS.com/softcore50 to get 50% off!Visit SIMPLISAFE.com/softcore. That’s SIMPLISAFE.com/softcore. There’s no safe like SimpliSafe.1stphorm.com/softcorehistory -- Free shipping on all orders over $75 when you use the link. Go to ghostbed.com/drinkinbros and use code DRINKINBROS for 30% off EVERYTHING (Mattresses, Adjustable Base, and more) -- plus a 101 Night Sleep Trial and Mattresses Made in America

Henry Kissinger was a pragmatic statesman above all else. Unfortunately, he was also German and, as such, his pragmatism took a lot of dark, destructive turns. His Cold War policy eschewed ideology (and any morsel of morality that might have previously existed) in favor of outcomes. The ends always justified the means to Kissinger when it came to the global stage. Also, this guy f*cked.Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes.Go to ghostbed.com/drinkinbros and use code DRINKINBROS for 30% off EVERYTHING (Mattresses, Adjustable Base, and more) -- plus a 101 Night Sleep Trial and Mattresses Made in AmericaGet 25% off your subscription and get 3 FREE personalized workouts when you go to Fitbod.me/SOFTCORE1stphorm.com/softcorehistory Free shipping on all orders over $75 when you use the link. Head to FACTORMEALScom/softcore50 and use code softcore50 to get 50% off. That’s code softcore50 at FACTORMEALS.com/softcore50 to get 50% off!

Franz Schmidt was a seasoned civil servant killer who hung, decapitated, drowned, burned alive, and crippled criminals' spirits and bodies on the breaking wheel as the head hangman in Nuremberg for 45 years during the Renaissance. He kept a diary detailing all 361 public executions he performed. Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes.1stphorm.com/softcorehistory Free shipping on all orders over $75 when you use the link. Go to ghostbed.com/drinkinbros and use code DRINKINBROS for 30% off EVERYTHING (Mattresses, Adjustable Base, and more) -- plus a 101 Night Sleep Trial and Mattresses Made in America

Osama bin Laden’s 2002 “Letter to the American People” recently went viral on TikTok because random Gen Z’ers thought the terrorist architect of 9/11 made some… pretty good points? The actual contents of the letter, however, range from insane to literally fake quotes about Jews attributed to Benjamin Franklin. We break down all the historical inaccuracies and crazy claims in the letter.Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes.1stphorm.com/softcorehistory Free shipping on all orders over $75 when you use the link. Go to ghostbed.com/drinkinbros and use code DRINKINBROS for 30% off EVERYTHING (Mattresses, Adjustable Base, and more) -- plus a 101 Night Sleep Trial and Mattresses Made in America

Learn about the mystery cults that dominated the religious landscape right before Christianity took off in the Greco-Roman world. From fraternity-style initiations to hallucinatory beverages that made you see gods and think you were dead, these cults sounded... pretty fun?Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes.Secure your appointment now with sales starting in-store and online November 6th, at indochino.com1stphorm.com/softcorehistory Free shipping on all orders over $75 when you use the link. Go to ghostbed.com/drinkinbros and use code DRINKINBROS for 30% off EVERYTHING (Mattresses, Adjustable Base, and more) -- plus a 101 Night Sleep Trial and Mattresses Made in America

For 200 years a radical group of stone cold killers high on opium and hash living in an eagle's nest fortress in Persia terrorized Muslim and Crusade leaders alike. Hasan-i Sabbah, the "Old Man in the Mountain" led an often outnumbered group of Nizari Ismalis to mulitple victories over massive armies and organized hundreds of political hits throughout the Middle East. This devout branch of Islam often knew missions were one way tickets to Allah and happily carried out their responsibilities no matter the risk or amount of time required to eliminate a target. This is the real history of the order that inspired the "Assassin's Creed" video game franchise. Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes.Head to Policygenius.com to get your free life insurance quotes and see how much you could save.Get 25% off your subscription at Fitbod.me/SOFTCORECustomize the perfect system for your home in just a few minutes at SIMPLISAFE.com/Softcore. Go today and claim a free indoor security camera plus 20% off your order with Interactive Monitoring.Go to ghostbed.com/drinkinbros and use code DRINKINBROS for 30% off EVERYTHING (Mattresses, Adjustable Base, and more) -- plus a 101 Night Sleep Trial and Mattresses Made in America

There's nothing like the thrill of the hunt, and for King James of Scotland and England, his favorite prey was witches. This is the story of the North Berwick Witch Trials in late 16th-century Scotland, which were inspired almost entirely by how awesome contemporary witch trials in Denmark and Germany seemed to King James. Hundreds of innocent people were executed but at least we got Macbeth out of it.Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes.Head to Policygenius.com to get your free life insurance quotes and see how much you could save.1stphorm.com/softcorehistory Free shipping on all orders over $75 when you use the link. Go to ghostbed.com/drinkinbros and use code DRINKINBROS for 30% off EVERYTHING (Mattresses, Adjustable Base, and more) -- plus a 101 Night Sleep Trial and Mattresses Made in America

Mary Bell was a child murderer, in that she was a literal 10-year-old child when she began murdering, and because her victims were children even younger than her. Learn about one of England's most horrifying murder cases as our hosts squirm in their seats. Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes.1stphorm.com/softcorehistory Free shipping on all orders over $75 when you use the link. Go to ghostbed.com/drinkinbros and use code DRINKINBROS for 30% off EVERYTHING (Mattresses, Adjustable Base, and more) -- plus a 101 Night Sleep Trial and Mattresses Made in America

A small Iowa town was shook to its core in the summer of 1912 after six members of a local affluent family and two of their guests were brutally murdered with an axe inside the comfort of their own home. A lengthy investigation resulted in several oddball suspects but ultimately zero convictions. The case remains unsolved. Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes. 1stphorm.com/softcorehistory Free shipping on all orders over $75 when you use the link. Go to ghostbed.com/drinkinbros and use code DRINKINBROS for 30% off EVERYTHING (Mattresses, Adjustable Base, and more) -- plus a 101 Night Sleep Trial and Mattresses Made in AmericaGo to Indochino.com and use code SOFTCORE to get 10% off any purchase of $399 or more.Get 25% off your subscription at Fitbod.me/SOFTCORE

Who does Gaza really belong to? Or Israel/Palestine in general? It's sort of hard to say since the people native to that area have basically NEVER been in charge of it. From the Bronze Age to the end of World War 2 the area we know today as Israel and/or Palestine has been ruled by everyone from the Egyptians and Alexander the Great to the Romans and the British. Basically every empire you've ever heard of. But pretty much never, ever Jews or Palestinians.Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes.

Throughout history, women accused of witchcraft have been wrongly executed. Mary Bateman, known as the Yorkshire Witch, was not one of those women. She absolutely earned her date with the hangman.Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes. Customize the perfect system for your home in just a few minutes at SIMPLISAFE.com/Softcore. Go today and claim a free indoor security camera plus 20% off your order with Interactive Monitoring.1stphorm.com/softcorehistory Free shipping on all orders over $75 when you use the link. Go to ghostbed.com/drinkinbros and use code DRINKINBROS for 30% off EVERYTHING (Mattresses, Adjustable Base, and more) -- plus a 101 Night Sleep Trial and Mattresses Made in America

Halloween Horror Month kicks off with a detailed look at how the ancient ruler of Israel King Solomon learned to summon demons, the time he got sent to horny jail by God, and the corporate hierarchy of hell. Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes.Get 25% off your subscription at Fitbod.me/SOFTCOREHead to Policygenius.com to get your free life insurance quotes and see how much you could save.Go to ghostbed.com/drinkinbros and use code DRINKINBROS for 30% off EVERYTHING (Mattresses, Adjustable Base, and more) -- plus a 101 Night Sleep Trial and Mattresses Made in America

Geronimo was seen as both the last great defender of the Native American way of life and a stubborn, savage holdout who put Apache lives in danger in the name of revenge. His life was a rollercoast ride of peaks and valleys -- constantly at odds with both the Mexican and US Governments. From North America's most wanted fugitive terrorizing Southwestern settlers to glorified parade decoration for Teddy Roosevelt's inauguration, the slow burn of Geronimo's story was ultimately a tragic and bitter existence.Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes.Head to FACTORMEALS.com/softcore50 and use code softcore50 to get 50% off. That’s code softcore50 at FACTORMEALS.com/softcore50 to get 50% off!Go to ghostbed.com/drinkinbros and use code DRINKINBROS for 30% off EVERYTHING (Mattresses, Adjustable Base, and more) -- plus a 101 Night Sleep Trial and Mattresses Made in America

Long before the first SAG strike, Hollywood’s working conditions and lack of fair pay weren't just questionable, they were INSANE. So bad, in fact, that it helped lead to the early death of Curly Howard of The Three Stooges, who was forced to film despite suffering multiple strokes and other severe health issues. The Stooges were also robbed of millions by their studio, Columbia Pictures, who refused to share with their biggest comedy stars how popular they really were.Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes.Get 25% off your subscription at Fitbod.me/SOFTCOREGo to Indochino.com and use code SOFTCORE to get 10% off any purchase of $399 or more.Head to FACTORMEALS.com/softcore50 and use code softcore50 to get 50% off. That’s code softcore50 at FACTORMEALS.com/softcore50 to get 50% off!Go to ghostbed.com/drinkinbros and use code DRINKINBROS for 30% off EVERYTHING (Mattresses, Adjustable Base, and more) -- plus a 101 Night Sleep Trial and Mattresses Made in America

This week, learn about the ancient belief system of Gnosticism, its insane creation myth, and the lion serpent that keeps us all entrapped in a material hell.Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes.Head to FACTORMEALS.com/softcore50 and use code softcore50 to get 50% off. That’s code softcore50 at FACTORMEALS.com/softcore50 to get 50% off!Go to ghostbed.com/drinkinbros and use code DRINKINBROS for 30% off EVERYTHING (Mattresses, Adjustable Base, and more) -- plus a 101 Night Sleep Trial and Mattresses Made in the USA!

From having their skin flayed off with knives to arena bears and school children ripping limbs clean off their body, sainthood typically meant dying in the most horrific and torturous ways possible. You probably didn't hear about these stories in Catholic School. Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes.Head to FACTORMEALS.com/softcore50 and use code softcore50 to get 50% off. That’s code softcore50 at FACTORMEALS.com/softcore50 to get 50% off!Go to ghostbed.com/drinkinbros and use code DRINKINBROS for 30% off EVERYTHING (Mattresses, Adjustable Base, and more) -- plus a 101 Night Sleep Trial and Mattresses Made in the USA!

The Zanj Rebellion — an African slave uprising in modern Iraq from 869 AD TO 883 AD during the reign of the Abbasid Caliphate — was a massively consequential event for arguably the world’s most powerful empire at the time and certainly for those involved in the revolt. Ever heard of it? Probably not. Nothing matters. No one will remember you.Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes.Experience the full majesty of the cannabis plant with Chill Country's organic rosin gummies, and take 20% OFF your first order at chillcountry.com/softcore --AND-- go to thcprovisions.com/softcore to get the same 20% off deal on their hats and apparel.Go to ghostbed.com/drinkinbros and use code DRINKINBROS for 30% off EVERYTHING (Mattresses, Adjustable Base, and more) -- plus a 101 Night Sleep Trial and Mattresses Made in the USA!Head to FACTORMEALS.com/softcore50 and use code softcore50 to get 50% off. That’s code softcore50 at FACTORMEALS.com/softcore50 to get 50% off!1stphorm.com/softcorehistory Free shipping on all orders over $75 when you use the link.

Armed with nothing more than sharpened sticks, thousands of Venetian tradesman would battle each other on bridges for glory and the entertainment of their fellow citizens. Learn about this violent pastime that lasted hundreds of years, and how the sport "evolved" over time.Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes.Go to ghostbed.com/drinkinbros and use code DRINKINBROS for 30% off EVERYTHING (Mattresses, Adjustable Base, and more) -- plus a 101 Night Sleep Trial and Mattresses Made in the USA!Head to FACTORMEALS.com/softcore50 and use code softcore50 to get 50% off. That’s code softcore50 at FACTORMEALS.com/softcore50 to get 50% off!1stphorm.com/softcorehistory Free shipping on all orders over $75 when you use the link.RSVP knowing you’ve got the perfect look all wedding season long from Indochino. Go to Indochino.com and use code SOFTCORE to get 10% off any purchase of $399 or more.

As Los Angeles expanded during the late 19th century, it began outgrowing its water supply. So, city officials decided to build a pipeline north and slurp up all the precious snow melt from the Sierra Nevadas bleeding Owens Valley dry. The resident farmers in the area didn't take kindly to this threat against their livelihood and conflict soon popped off with the help of an abundance of dynamite and the backing of a local (potentially mob run) bank. Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes.Look for Liquid Death’s healthy beverages on Amazon or at a store near you. AND Softcore History listeners get 20% off their first Liquid Death apparel purchase available exclusively at LiquidDeath.com/SOFTCOREGo to ghostbed.com/drinkinbros and use code DRINKINBROS for 30% off EVERYTHING (Mattresses, Adjustable Base, and more) -- plus a 101 Night Sleep Trial and Mattresses Made in the USA!Head to FACTORMEALS.com/softcore50 and use code softcore50 to get 50% off. That’s code softcore50 at FACTORMEALS.com/softcore50 to get 50% off!1stphorm.com/softcorehistory Free shipping on all orders over $75 when you use the link.

Despite it being socially acceptable (and encouraged) for men to sleep with other men, the sexual environment in Ancient Rome was absolutely NOT liberated or healthy, especially if you were poor, or a woman, or liked oral.Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes.Experience the full majesty of the cannabis plant with Chill Country's organic rosin gummies, and take 20% OFF your first order at chillcountry.com/softcore --AND-- go to thcprovisions.com/softcore to get the same 20% off deal on their hats and apparel.Go to ghostbed.com/drinkinbros and use code DRINKINBROS for 30% off EVERYTHING (Mattresses, Adjustable Base, and more) -- plus a 101 Night Sleep Trial and Mattresses Made in the USA!Head to Policygenius.com to get your free life insurance quotes and see how much you could save.Head to FACTORMEALS.com/softcore50 and use code softcore50 to get 50% off. That’s code softcore50 at FACTORMEALS.com/softcore50 to get 50% off!1stphorm.com/softcorehistory Free shipping on all orders over $75 when you use the link.

After signing the U.S. Constitution in 1787 the Founding Fathers hit the bars and left a tab for the ages. By our count, America's founders averaged about 20 drinks per man. Plus we break down some other notable party tabs throughout history, including how many pregnant leopards one Chinese emperor was forced to kill in order to serve his favorite appetizer. Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes.Get 20% off your subscription at Fitbod.me/SOFTCOREHead to Policygenius.com to get your free life insurance quotes and see how much you could save.Head to FACTORMEALS.com/softcore50 and use code softcore50 to get 50% off. That’s code softcore50 at FACTORMEALS.com/softcore50 to get 50% off!1stphorm.com/softcorehistory Free shipping on all orders over $75 when you use the link.

Hannibal Barca was a Carthaginian general during the Second Punic War against Rome and considered one of the greatest military minds of his time. He took an army of 90,000 soldiers and 40 war elephants and marched across the Pyrenees and Alps to bring the fight to the Romans and terrorized the legions for years before ultimately failing to reach the capital and slowly losing the conflcit. Even in defeat, Hannibal gained the respect of his enemies and his tactics are studied to this day.Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes.Look for Liquid Death’s healthy beverages on Amazon or at a store near you. AND Softcore History listeners get 20% off their first Liquid Death apparel purchase available exclusively at LiquidDeath.com/SOFTCOREHead to FACTORMEALS.com/softcore50 and use code softcore50 to get 50% off. That’s code softcore50 at FACTORMEALS.com/softcore50 to get 50% off!1stphorm.com/softcorehistory for free shipping on all orders over $75 when you use the link

Saving Private Ryan star Max Martini joins the show to talk about his experience filming one of the greatest historical movies of all time and we tell the stories of the unluckiest paratroopers who dropped into France the night before D-Day.WATCH The Channel now! It's in theaters in select cities (LA, New York, Dallas, New Orleans, Atlanta) or BUY IT on iTunes!Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes.Experience the full majesty of the cannabis plant with Chill Country's organic rosin gummies, and take 20% OFF your first order at chillcountry.com/softcore --AND-- go to thcprovisions.com/softcore to get the same 20% off deal on their hats and apparel.Head to FACTORMEALS.com/softcore50 and use code softcore50 to get 50% off. That’s code softcore50 at FACTORMEALS.com/softcore50 to get 50% off!1stphorm.com/softcorehistory for free shipping on all orders over $75 when you use the linkGo to ghostbed.com/drinkinbros and use code DRINKINBROS for 30% off EVERYTHING (Mattresses, Adjustable Base, and more) -- plus a 101 Night Sleep Trial and Mattresses Made in the USA!

John Wesley Hardin was a 19th-century serial killer who cosplayed as an Old West outlaw. He was a degenerate gambler with an impulsive trigger finger for anyone who disrespected him, the Republic of Texas, or the sanctity of sleep. He had plenty of run-ins with the law -- including multiple encounters with "Wild Bill" Hickok -- and had a body count the size of the Lone Star State.Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes.Experience the full majesty of the cannabis plant with Chill Country's organic rosin gummies, and take 20% OFF your first order at chillcountry.com/softcore --AND-- go to thcprovisions.com/softcore to get the same 20% off deal on their hats and apparel.1stphorm.com/softcorehistory for free shipping on all orders over $75 when you use the linkGo to ghostbed.com/drinkinbros and use code DRINKINBROS for 30% off EVERYTHING (Mattresses, Adjustable Base, and more) -- plus a 101 Night Sleep Trial and Mattresses Made in the USA!

A number of noble ideas and beliefs inspired the American Revolution. But history is layered. And full of morons. In this episode, we focus on two such morons: a banker/gambling addict whose financial ethics (and judiciousness) almost single-handedly precipitated a global banking crisis that led directly to the Boston Tea Party, and a very famous, well-meaning whistleblower who put WAY too much faith in the ability of political radicals to act reasonably.Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes.Look for Liquid Death’s healthy beverages on Amazon or at a store near you. AND Softcore History listeners get 20% off their first Liquid Death apparel purchase available exclusively at LiquidDeath.com/SOFTCORE

J. Robert Oppenheimer, the father of the atomic bomb, smoked four packs a day, enjoyed drinking cocktails made with pure ethanol, was hazed mercilessly at summer camp, and grew up loving rocks. In short, he was kind of a huge weirdo. Learn all this and more about Oppenheimer, the man who ushered in our nuclear age.Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes.Look for Liquid Death’s healthy beverages on Amazon or at a store near you. AND Softcore History listeners get 20% off their first Liquid Death apparel purchase available exclusively at LiquidDeath.com/SOFTCORE1stphorm.com/softcorehistory for free shipping on all orders over $75 when you use the linkGet 20% off your subscription at Fitbod.me/SOFTCORE.Go to ghostbed.com/drinkinbros and use code DRINKINBROS for 30% off EVERYTHING (Mattresses, Adjustable Base, and more) -- plus a 101 Night Sleep Trial and Mattresses Made in the USA!

Roy Chapman Andrews, the real-life inspiration for Indiana Jones, led a series of expeditions to the Gobi Desert in China and famously first discovered fossilized dinosaur eggs. Andrews also died almost a dozen times while fighting off bandits, a horde of poisonous snakes, and a boat-hating whale.Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes.RSVP knowing you’ve got the perfect look all wedding season long from Indochino. Go to Indochino.com and use code SOFTCORE to get 10% off any purchase of $399 or more.1stphorm.com/softcorehistory Free shipping on all orders over $75 when you use the link.

Can love really conquer all? The stunningly beautiful, 19th Century French socialite and heiress Blanche Monnier, whose mother locked her in an attic for 25 years so that she wouldn’t marry a poor man, would probably say no.Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes.1stphorm.com/softcorehistory Free shipping on all orders over $75 when you use the link.Customize the perfect system for your home in just a few minutes at SIMPLISAFE.com/Softcore. Go today and claim a free indoor security camera plus 20% off your order with Interactive Monitoring.

What happened when Andrew Carnegie and his robber baron friends made a few cosmetic adjustments to an important dam to upgrade the aesthetics of their fishing club? Just the Johnstown Flood, the most violent flood in American history.Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes.Get 25% off your subscription or try the app FREE at Fitbod.me/SOFTCOREHead to Policygenius.com to get your free life insurance quotes and see how much you could save.1stphorm.com/softcorehistory Free shipping on all orders over $75 when you use the link.

Is Brigham Young REALLY the heir to Joseph Smith? After Smith was killed in 1844 there was not one but TWO claimants to lead the Mormon Church. The other would-be Polygamy Pope was James Strang, a lawyer and self-described "cool philosopher" who claimed to have been named Smith's heir by the Latter Day Saints founder himself. And Strang (conveniently) had the legal documents to prove it! The split eventually led Strang and his followers to Beaver Island, Michigan, where things kept getting weirder.Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes.1stphorm.com/softcorehistory Free shipping on all orders over $75 when you use the link. Ghostbed.com/drinkinbros

The Catholic Church has a long and bizarre history with holy relics, but the story of The Holy Prepuce — aka baby Jesus’s circumcised foreskin — is easily the weirdest of them all. So odd that Pope Leo XIII issued a decree in 1900 that if a Catholic talked about it (or made fun of it) they could be immediately excommunicated from the Church.Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content.1stphorm.com/softcorehistory Free shipping on all orders over $75 when you use the link. Ghostbed.com/drinkinbros

Juan Pujol Garcia was a Spanish chicken farmer turned self-made spy. A fervent hater of fascism, he decided to volunteer as a spy for the Nazis and then feed them bogus info from himself and a network of totally fictional agents he said were working for him in London. He was so trusted, and the Nazis were so stupid, that he became their most important spy during the war. His influence was so great that may have given the Allies the intelligence advantage they needed to win World War 2. Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content.Customize the perfect system for your home in just a few minutes at SIMPLISAFE.com/Softcore. Go today and claim a free indoor security camera plus 20% off your order with Interactive Monitoring.1stphorm.com/softcorehistory Free shipping on all orders over $75 when you use the link. Ghostbed.com/drinkinbros

Think you'd know Latin if you heard it? Can you understand Middle English? Can you even possibly guess what ancient Aztec or Sumerian sounds like? Tune in and guess along with our hosts as they attempt (and fail miserably) to identify what dead languages are being spoken to them.For this show and 2 additional episodes every week ad free follow the link below.SUBSCRIBE to our Patreon for exclusive audio, video, and written content.

Enea Silvio Bartolomeo Piccolomini was a 15th-century smut writer who climbed all the way up the Papal ladder and became Pope Pius II, head of the Catholic Church. But his reign was during a time of major crisis for the religion. After the fall of Constantinople, with limited options to fight off the Turks, he turned to Vlad the Impaler to save Europe from Muslim rule.SUBSCRIBE to our Patreon for exclusive audio, video, and written content.

What happens when you eliminate religion during a cultural revolution? Sometimes people, looking to fulfill their spiritual needs, start worshipping mangos. From mango shrines to mango cigarettes, China under Mao went all in on worshiping mangos in the 1960s.SUBSCRIBE to our Patreon for exclusive audio, video, and written content.RSVP knowing you’ve got the perfect look all wedding season long from Indochino. Go to Indochino.com and use code SOFTCORE to get 10% off any purchase of $399 or more.Get 25% off your subscription or try the app FREE at Fitbod.me/SOFTCOREGo to ghostbed.com/drinkinbros and use code DRINKINBROS for 30% off EVERYTHING (Mattresses, Adjustable Base, and more) -- plus a 101 Night Sleep Trial and Mattresses Made in the USA!

Ramesses III took power in Egypt during the Late Bronze Age Collapse, a literal regional apocalypse caused by a horrifying invading horde known as the Sea Peoples and the fact that sun didn’t shine for about 20 years, making farming… difficult. Despite the invading horde and severe lack of food — and facing the first worker strike in human history — the guy did pretty well. But not everyone was a fan.SUBSCRIBE to our Patreon for exclusive audio, video, and written content.

The Great Molasses Flood was a disaster that occurred on January 15, 1919, in the North End neighborhood of Boston after a large storage tank of the viscous substance burst and rushed through the streets killing 21 residents and injuring 150 more.SUBSCRIBE to our Patreon for exclusive audio, video, and written content.

The guys discuss a meme floating around the internet that claims medieval peasants had more time off than modern workers. Spoiler alert! That’s not really true. Learn about peasant life this week and be thankful for your soulless corporate job. SUBSCRIBE to our Patreon for exclusive audio, video, and written content.

The history of African slaves being sent across the Atlantic is well-known, but hundreds of years before Columbus arrived in America the Chinese were importing their own African slaves to do their hard labor, attempt dangerous underwater repairs to ships, and work as “ornamental” palace attendants.SUBSCRIBE to our Patreon for exclusive audio, video, and written content.

Riots and angry mobs causing death and destruction are nothing new. In fact, the world has a long and rich history of people causing a commotion over the smallest inconveniences, impolite gestures, wrongdoings, and personal beefs. From a Roman soldier mooning a large group of Jewish pilgrims to a stadium of drunk baseball fans getting overzealous on ten-cent beer night, we cover some of the most absurd uproars in the last 2000 years.SUBSCRIBE to our Patreon for exclusive audio, video, and written content.

Washington D.C.’s upper crust decided it would be fun to tailgate Bull Run, the first major battle of the American Civil War. And, once there, they tried their hardest to armchair quarterback the Union Army. But things got a lot less fun once their side started charging at them in a panicked retreat. SUBSCRIBE to our Patreon for exclusive audio, video, and written content.

St. Patrick’s Day might seem like a bigger deal in the Northeast and Midwest but New Orleans was actually the second most frequent port of entry for Irish immigrants to the United States. They didn’t necessarily have a great time living in the Big Easy, however. SUBSCRIBE to our Patreon for exclusive audio, video, and written content.

Fifth-century Romano-British slave turned bishop, Maewyn Succat, was on a mission to convert the entire island of Ireland to Catholicism by any means necessary. From dueling pagan magicians with fire to raising dozens of dead back to life, St. Patrick took no prisoners in his conquest for God.SUBSCRIBE to our Patreon for exclusive audio, video, and written content.

This week we learn about Sergeant Stubby, a Boston Terrier who fought for the United States during World War 1. He was no mere mascot, though. He saw plenty of combat and ended up outranking his owner, all while accomplishing quite a bit more than most humans ever do in their military careers SUBSCRIBE to our Patreon for exclusive audio, video, and written content.

Like any culture or region, Islam and pre-Islamic Arabia had stories about a number of mythical creatures. One in particular, though, was codified into official existence by the Quran. They’re made of fire. You can hook up with them. They can eavesdrop on Heaven unless God shoots meteors at them. And they’ll write your poems for you. Meet the Jinn (aka genies). SUBSCRIBE to our Patreon for exclusive audio, video, and written content.

Rough-and-tumble was a free-for-all fighting style in the colonial South wherein contestants would bite, dig, and tear into each other's eye sockets and testicles all in the name of defending their honor. It makes current-day mixed martial arts look like ballet.SUBSCRIBE to our Patreon for exclusive audio, video, and written content.