WRFH/Radio Free Hillsdale 101.7 FM - This Week in History with Michaela and Gavin: June 9-15

Episode Date: June 12, 2024

This is our first episode and we will be here all summer keeping you up to date with a weeks worth of historic trivia ranging from world history to pop culture! Stick around for the end of the episode to see whether Gavin or Michaela wins our "Guess That Year" portion of the show. Do you know what year South Africa hosted the World Cup? 

Welcome to This Week in History with Michaela and Gavin. The show where we highlight historical events from world American and pop cultural history. Okay, so we're starting with world history, right? World history. World history. Okay, so my first date, June 10, 1940, Italy, under the rule of Benito Mussolini, declares war against France and Great Britain entering World War II. I will say I was like really, really sad when I studied history.

growing up as a little girl in, you know, elementary school. And I learned about World War II. And I learned about Italy. I love Italy. And I learned that they were the bad guys. And that they were really bad at being the bad guys. It just crushed me. I was like, they are great people.

How could they be bad? So sad. Apparently he has like, I just saw this recently. You know how like Hitler's kids or like his relatives decided we're going to like cut off the bloodline? We're like we're not going to have kids or anything. I literally didn't know that. That's like something that they've done.

That's a thing. Oh my. So like. So that the bloodline. line doesn't continue. Understandable. Apparently, Benito Mussolini has like a granddaughter who's in like politics. Oh my goodness. She's going to become the next female leader of Italy.

The next big one, yep. That is crazy. All right, Gavin, what do you have? Well, mine goes a little bit further back to June 15th, 1215. So the Magna Carta was sealed by King John of England. He put a seal on the Magna Carta at Runny Mead, granting rights to his barons and laying the foundation for constitutional governance. Let's go.

That's great. This is like, I think, I think last week was the signing of it, but I think the ceiling is pretty important because it's showing that like the king is giving up some of his power. Is the ceiling? Is that like with his signet ring? Do you think they did that? I think so. It's like a big. Like waxed or whatever.

Probably. So good. I wonder if they broke the seal at some point. That'd be sad. Yeah. Maybe it's still there. Does that mean it's not official? Like, do we lose all our rights if they break the seal?

All of America crumbles if they break the seal. That would be really. tough honestly. All right, my next one is June 11th, 1509. Oh, I love this one. Harry the 8th went his first wife, Catherine of Aragorn. And I just found it really funny because then on the site that I found this, it just proceeded to tell the whole story of Henry the 8th and all of his wives. And it reminded me of the song, again, going back to elementary school where I had to like memorize some song about all of his wives and their heads getting chopped off and all this stuff. It was crazy. Did you have like that weird like rhyming like beheaded?

Like divorce, beheaded, died. Yeah. A horse beheaded survived or something? Yes. Is that it? That's it. Well, look at me. But it's like a fancy song.

I could not sing it now. I don't remember it. But yeah, that's basically what it is. Similar, similar thing. To marriage. Speaking of beheaded. Oh, beheaded. Okay.

Execution of Louis the 16th's wife, Marie Antoinette on June 13th, 1793. Former Queen of France faced trial and was eventually. executed during the Friends Revolution. That was a big deal. One of many who went to the guillotine. Was she the one who said let them eat cake? Yeah, but I don't think she actually said that. That was just like a rumor.

Yeah. It sounds cool. But she definitely was disconnected, that's for sure. She had like, um, at their palace. She had like a fake, it would look like the Disneyland equivalent of like a peasant village, like that she made for herself so she could like live as a peasant. But it wasn't actually peasants. Just because?

Just because. Wow. Because she didn't want to be too fancy. She didn't want to be... Some humility. So she had a huge fake village built. That is crazy. She was executed after her husband, right?

After the king? I think that's right. I feel like definitely they got to him first. Bigger issue. Probably. We don't like you. And then they just executed half their population or whatever after that. They really did.

That was a crazy. The French Revolution really just went chaotic. They got the guillotine and You're like, we've got to try this out. I'm not sure if it works. Let's try it again. Keep going. That's how you do things in science.

You test them over and over again. Repeated process, yeah. Oh, my gosh. Okay, my last day is June 12, 1987. So in more recent history, kind of crazy, kind of in our parents' like lives. 1980, yeah. 1987. It was one of the most famous Cold War speeches.

It was when President Ronald Reagan went to the Soviet Union and challenged the leader of Mikhail, I'm not going to say it right. Gorbachev. Gorbachev, thank you. The leader of Mikhail Gorbachev to tear down this wall, the wall, the Berlin wall that was there since World War II dividing East and Western Berlin, and it kind of was a symbolic representation of the end of the communist era. Jeez.

Can you imagine living through the Cold War? My mom would talk about, like, cold war drills where they would, like, go into their desks kind of like a fire drill or a tornado drill or whatever, but it was like for a nuclear war. That's insane. Isn't that crazy? It's such like a weird like thing to be looming over your head all the time. You're like, well, at any moment we could get blown up.

Yeah. I wonder how that changes like your outlook on life. I'm not going to, I'm not going to lie. I literally remember the day that my dad explained that concept to me and I was really young. And let me just say that my outlook on life really changed. And it was a really tough night. It was hard to sleep. It was not fun.

Man. Apparently we have a piece of the Berlin Wall. Do we actually? In like right in front of the heritage room. Like there's like oh like hillsdale has it Yeah, Hillsdale is not my family I was there so I just picked up a piece My parents were there

Yeah yeah It's like it's like this little like it's like a The size of like a I don't even know like a grape tomato Have you seen it? Yeah it's just like on display Dude how does how come no one talks about that It's you know like right next to the library

You hear more about the 20 the heritage room right? Yeah The 27 Eagles everyone talks about the 27 Eagles We should talk about the fact that we have the Berlin Wall Literally that's crazy Allegedly it just A piece of cement. So who actually knows what it is?

Oh my goodness. All those rumors at Hillside. Okay, give us your last day. My last one is kind of a sad one. Kind of a sad note. Nero commits suicide in June 9th, June 9th, 68 AD, ending his 13-year rule. And he was the first emperor to commit suicide.

It was because classic reason to leave power because the senators were like staging a coup. And so the emperor was kind of run out of town. And then he committed suicide. It was so dangerous to be a political leader back then. All those Roman empires who just like got killed and aren't empires. Emperors who got killed and committed suicide. Like as long as the senators like you, you're good. But the minute they don't like you, then you're gone.

Did it say how old he was? Wasn't he like really young? 30 years old. Wow. Wow. Yeah. He was young considering. 30 years old.

Who's in his 20s? No. When he was raining. Yeah. He was like. Oh my gosh. Geez, man. Isn't that wild?

People are mad at him? Crazy. What are we doing? Why are we persecuting Christians? Jeez old. Get our lives together. Okay. That's a wonderful segue.

Turn it to American history. What we all know and love. So my first date that I have, this is actually kind of also a very sad note. This was before the founding of America, but it was on continental territory. at Massachusetts Bay Colony. It was the first conviction for the Salem Witch Trials, which is really tough. In 1692, let's see, what was her name? Bridget Bishop was the first person to be hanged during the Salem Witch Trials.

Did you study the Salem Witch Trials? I did, but I feel like I'm still not clear on like what actually went on. Like, were they actually witches? Or were they just like bad people? Like, I don't know. I don't know. It's confusing. And I think there was a lot of, I could be wrong about this,

but I think like there was corruption going on. But then there was a lot of like panic. Okay. It seemed like there was like false conviction. And people like just kind of, you're a witch, you're a witch. Yeah. I don't know. It was crazy.

Right. What do you have, Gavin? Fast forward to America becoming a country. That's great. The second continental Congress approved the formation of the Continental Army on June 14th, 1775. Hey, that's awesome. Yeah. I placed the legislation placed the militia forces, then fighting outside Boston under federal control.

These troops form the nucleus of the army. The date is still celebrated as the birthday of the U.S. Army. So pretty exciting. And of course, our guy, George Washington, was in charge of them. So what's your second one? Okay. So my second one, we're just moving progressively forward. June 14th, 1811, the American author, Harriet Beecher Stowe.

She wrote Uncle Tom's Cabin. and she was the one President Lincoln took her hand and said so you're the little woman who wrote that little, not the little woman, no. He said, you're the woman who wrote that little novel that started this great war, something along those lines. Wow. Have you read Uncle Tom's

Adam? I have not. Oh, it is so good. Have you read it? Yes. It's a tearjerker. Like, what's the premise? It's basically, yeah, it's the story of a slave and then a slave owner, but it's like a slave in all of his family and they kind of, you have very different

episodes because they all get separated. Oh, geez. And you kind of fall all of them. Gotcha. So it was just kind of bringing to light, like, what was going on. Yeah. It's really, really moving. And it's just filled with scripture.

I loved it. Oh, really? I read it for Dr. Berzer's class, which was one of the best classes I've ever taken. He's great. Dr. Berzer. Shout him out. Love him. Wow.

That's a good one. Yeah. All right. Give me yours. Oh, going back a little bit, back to the Revolution. Oh, you ruined it. Sorry. No.

Battle of Bunker Hill June 17th, 1775 This was technically Actually I want to know if you know it was this a win or a loss for America I remember studying this I had to look this up wasn't it three days long I think and it was kind of a draw But also it was the closest thing that they'd come to a victory

And so the British were like very morally defeated Yeah because they had they had like twice as many casualties as America. So technically they won and we like retreated. But okay. It was a theoret victory. That's what I call it.

Wow. Yeah. So. That's fancy. I didn't know that. I always like, you know, people always say like, Bunker Hill was a great battle. And then I can never remember who actually won.

So now we know. Now we know. Yep. Bunker Hill. All right. So my last one, we're moving forward, past the revolution.

June 13th, 1866, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the 14th Amendment. So immediately following the end of the Civil War and this granted civil rights to all the freed slaves

that President Lincoln had freed in his emancipation proclamation. Let's go. That's a good one. That is a good historic moment. Yeah, a big win for rights and for a big loss for slavery. All good things.

All very good. All right, what's your last one? My last one is something that I feel like everyone has to learn when they're at Hillsdale if you take Constitution is one of the like the foundational like cases in the Supreme Court and it's Marbury versus Madison and a decision uh was effectively implemented establishing the principle of judicial review in the United States and so that's really

important because it kind of gave the Supreme Court like the authority to do stuff because there was like kind of a vacuum of like who gets to do this and who gets to have the authority of judicial review and the Supreme Court's like that's ours thank you very much we'll take that. Nice. But it's cool. It's like reminds you that like a lot of our government, although it's in the Constitution, is like also built on precedent. Yeah. It's just how things were done the first time. And so we honor them. And that's why we still learn about it. So June 13th, 1804. Wow. That's a really good date. And I think one that most people don't know. You're currently listening to This Week in History with Michaela and Gavin on Redew Free Hillsdale

101.7 FM. All right. Next up. The most important dates of the day, the pop culture. Pop culture dates. Oh, Gavin, do I have one for you? Okay. Okay, June 11th, 2002. The reality TV show, American Idol debuted. Oh, boy. Did you watch American Idol?

I was more of a voice guy. No. Really? Okay, it's okay. The voice is good. I don't know when it aired. But American Idol, I never got into it until actually someone I knew. Oh, really?

Like, went pretty far on the show. Whoa. I knew him, like, by name. I didn't really know that well. But that's still like more than most people can say. I got into it. It was pretty great. I'm not,

I don't watch it anymore. Just remember like some of the judges on that show being like really nice and then Harry Connick Jr. being like really mean. Wow. It's so good. I love it when that happens. It is funny.

Everyone needs that dose of like reality sometimes. That's so true. You got to laugh. laugh at yourself. Laugh it yourself and prove yourself. All right. Gellin was yours. All right.

Another TV show. David Letterman's final episode on NBC's late night. aired on June 13th, 1993. Wow. Yeah, I never, obviously, wasn't around to see that, but I know my parents watched a lot of David Letterman, and he was kind of like the Jimmy Fallon, right? He's kind of the Jimmy Fallon of, you know, the 70s and 80s.

Wow. Okay, my second pop culture date is that in 1993, June 11, 1993, Jurassic Park, directed by Steven Spielberg, and it brought in a record of $502 million. Isn't that insane? Wow. Yeah, that is a lot of money. It's a lot of money.

I know, actually, I've never seen that. Have you? I haven't either. I feel like I need to see those. Wow, maybe we're lame. Yeah. We're just in the studio. I love Spielberg.

You know, I love, you know, E.T. No, he has great, yeah. All those movies are great. But I feel like, and they're like revolutionary too, right? With the CGI and all the stuff. And I just never see them. Oops, I wasn't around. So, you know, you can't blame me.

I had a boss who gave me a hard time for not watching Jurassic Park and so then I was just kind of like turned off all together. I was like, well now I'm not gonna do it. You just remind me every day that I haven't seen these. So that's a doy. Kind of tough. All right, what's yours? Okay, another movie.

Disney Cars was released in theaters. I love cars. June 9th, 2006. So good. Great movie. I think, in my opinion, the golden age of Disney, Pixar releases was like 2003 to 2009. Good movie. Okay, speaking of something that's good, it's not a movie.

Well, actually, it is a movie. now, but it also was a musical. June 16th, 1902, the Wizard of Oz opened in Chicago, Illinois. So, have you seen that? I haven't. You know what?

I've seen the veggie tales version. Wait, which one's that one? I know what that is. I forget what it's called. I know what you're talking about. Oh, what is it called? Veggie Tales.

It's, yes. Wizard of Oz. They're like on a farm. It's basically. Wonderful wizard of Haas. Of Haas. It's based off of the prodigal sun. Oh, that makes sense.

It is also the Wizard of Oz. This is still this week in history with Michaela and Gavin on Radio Free Hillsdale, 101.7 FM. All right. What time is it now? It's guess that year time. Oh, boy. Yeah, this is part of the show where we give each other what happened on that date, and then we have to give the other person the date.

as an answer. This was the year that Alexander the Great died in Babylon. So way back. Yeah. Definitely we're working in BC for sure. Well done. Two points. In Babylon?

Yeah. I'm trying to think of any other reference dates, I know. That's tough. I want to say like 200-something. You're, I mean, you're decently close. It's 300 something. 300 something, okay. 350.

Lower. Well, VC makes it confusing. Oh, okay. So like earlier or later? Later, but... Closer to Jesus or further away from Jesus? Closer to Jesus, but the date gets less. 320.

Yeah, 323. Okay, that's good enough. Good job. That'll get you... You got real, you did process of elimination. there. Yeah, but the thing is I guessed. Oh, well.

You got there. Very important date, you know. That was the only thing that stopped him from conquering was his death because he was on a role. And like Hellenization and all of that happened. The whole world was a great. Big deal. We owe a lot of, yeah.

We owe a lot to him as Westerners. Yeah. Okay, a little bit more recent. Okay. That's great. South Africa hosts the FIFA World Cup for the first time. Oh, boy. Okay, FIFA World Cup for the first time.

Do you watch soccer or the World Cup? I watched it a couple years ago when it was happening. Okay. So it's not those a little bit earlier. Thanks. It happens every four years. It happens. Yes.

It is in our lifetime. It is in our lifetime. Okay. It happens every four years. The last one was 2022. 2022. Mm-hmm. So that four years.

So technically you just guess four years backwards at some point. You'll get it right. And it's in our lifetime. Yeah. So 20. Yep. We're going to go with a nice round 2010. Yeah.

Really? Let's go. 2010 South African World Cup. You know who won? South Africa. No, no. Dang it. They went out pretty early.

But no, Spain, Spain won. Spain won. They beat the Netherlands. Wow. So, very important day. Didn't France win a couple? Yeah, they won 2018. Okay.

And then they lost to Argentina the last time. Oh, Messi. Finally won. Tough. Oh, Messi. Yes, I remember him. You know that name. I do know that name.

Messy or Ronaldo, that's the question. messy messy okay I think yeah yeah that's right it's you few okay

it's on air I gotta make sure keep my reputation okay this one's kind of interesting this date is the day that Ben Franklin

flew a kite in a thunderstorm and then discovered like the electrical charge through electricity that classic story so what year was that

before the revolution well done yep so 17 17 161. Go a decade earlier. 1751. 1752.

I thought 50. You're pretty close. Okay. Yeah. I heard you say almost 50. Like I could tell. I could tell it was coming and then you went up. But it's okay.

You got there. Wow. That's good for him. He did that. Isn't that kind of crazy? Yeah. It seems so funny. Imagine if someone was doing that now.

I know. And it like something's like weird like that. And then it led to like a great discovery in science. And everyone praises it. And he was like, wow, that's awesome. Awesome. That's a weirdo who stands out in the rain with a kite. He's so great.

All right. Give me one. Good. Let's go. Okay. Ooh. Okay. This is going to, I don't think, I don't know why you would know this.

But the first predecessor of the bicycle is demonstrated. Like a predecessor to the bicycle? Yeah. So like early versions of the bicycle. Oh my gosh. Okay. Well, they had bicycles during, I think, for a very long time. Let's start with a century maybe

Let's start Hmm Oh my goodness I'm trying to think of a time when they didn't have bicycles Let's say 17th century Is it earlier? Or sorry, is it later than that?

17th century so that's like 1600s No, a little later Like a little bit later Is in like a couple hundred years Like 1800s? Yes, 1800s Okay 1845

A little bit earlier. 1838. Still early. Dang it. 1826. The teens. I'm doing so good. 1817.

1870. Really? Wow. Hey. So the first predecessor of the bicycle, June 11th, 1817. Wow. Holy cow, we're 26 minutes. That's okay.

We can cut some stuff. Yeah, that's true. And we both have one more. That's it? Yes. Okay. All right, so my last date. Oh, I almost gave it to you.

Whoops, sorry, no. This is the day in the year, but you don't have to give me the day. Just the year. The Napoleon Barnaparte and his army invaded Russia. I'm going to look at my, the Maria-in-Tunette date. Yeah, that's smart. Okay, so that was. June 13, 1793.

Mm-hmm. So it's going to get 1800s. Good job. 18. 35. Too late. Too late. Okay.

Oh, wow. Okay. That makes sense. Yeah. So 18, 16. 1812. 12. Okay.

You're close. Yeah. Close enough. There you go. All right. Well, this has been this week in history with Michaela and Gavin on Radio Free Hillsdale 101.7 FM. And we will see you next week.

Thanks for joining, guys. Bye.