History Shorts

In the summer of 1909, G. Herman Gottlieb set out through New York City carrying two baskets filled with fresh catnip. His plan was simple: sell the herb to wealthy cat owners along Fifth Avenue.
What he didn't account for was the city's stray cats.
In this episode of History Shorts, we tell the bizarre true story of how a few dropped leaves of catnip attracted dozens of feline followers, turning Gottlieb into an unwilling Pied Piper of East Harlem. As the parade of increasingly enthusiastic cats grew larger, curious onlookers gathered, traffic slowed, and police were called to intervene. Soon, a New York police precinct found itself debating a question for the ages: can a crowd of cats legally be considered a crowd?
 
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In the spring of 1881, the days of the American frontier outlaw were numbered. Captured, convicted, and awaiting execution, Billy the Kid appeared to have reached the end of the trail. But Billy had one more astonishing chapter left to write.
In this episode of History Shorts, we follow the legendary outlaw's daring escape from the courthouse jail in Lincoln. Facing the gallows, Billy seized a fleeting opportunity, overpowered his guards, and vanished into the New Mexico wilderness in one of the most dramatic jailbreaks in Old West history. For a brief moment, he was free again—sparking a final manhunt that would cement his place in American legend.
 
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In this episode, I sit down with acclaimed historian and cultural biographer David S. Reynolds to discuss his powerful new book, Two Ships: Jamestown 1619, Plymouth 1620, and the Struggle for the Soul of America.
Just months apart in 1619 and 1620, two ships landed on American shores—the White Lion, bringing the first enslaved Africans to Jamestown, Virginia, and the Mayflower, carrying the Pilgrims to Plymouth, Massachusetts. What started as nearly simultaneous arrivals became enduring symbols of America's foundational divide: one representing bondage and hierarchical Cavalier culture, the other liberty and reformist Puritan ideals.
David S. Reynolds is the author of award-winning books on Abraham Lincoln, Walt Whitman, John Brown, and Uncle Tom's Cabin. His work has been praised by figures like Henry Louis Gates Jr. and Jon Meacham.
Grab a copy of Two Ships wherever books are sold!
 
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Few places in North America inspire as much mystery as the vast wilderness of Alaska. Stretching between the cities of Anchorage, Juneau, and Utqiagvik, the region known as the "Alaska Triangle" has become the focus of countless stories involving unexplained disappearances, missing aircraft, and people who seemingly vanished without a trace.
In this episode of History Shorts, we investigate the legend of the Alaska Triangle, exploring famous cases that have fueled its reputation—from lost adventurers and missing planes to one of the most puzzling disappearances in American political history. We examine the harsh realities of Alaska's unforgiving terrain alongside the theories that have emerged to explain these mysteries, ranging from natural hazards to the paranormal.
 
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For centuries, the gladiators of Ancient Rome have been imagined as powerful men battling for glory in the arena. But hidden within the historical record is a far more surprising reality: some gladiators were women.
In this episode of History Shorts, we uncover the fascinating story of Rome's female gladiators—known as gladiatrices. Drawing on ancient writings, archaeological evidence, and surviving artwork, we explore how these women entered the arena, the reactions they provoked among Roman audiences, and why emperors eventually moved to restrict and ban their participation.
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