Stuff You Missed in History Class

Despite Pierre de Coubertin's vision of the Olympics being for male athletes only, women did participate in the games starting in 1900. But the road to equal participation was long and filled with disappointments.
Research:
Barker, Philip. “Women’s Sporting Pioneer Milliat Remembered At Paris 2024.” International Society of Olympic Historians. https://isoh.org/womens-sporting-pioneer-milliat-remembered-at-paris-2024/
Branch, John. “They Called It ‘Improper’ to Have Women in the Olympics. But She Persisted.” New York Times. July 11, 2024. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/10/olympics-women-milliat.html
Camps Y Wilant, Natalie and George Hirthler. “The rationale behind Coubertin's opposition to women competing in the Olympic Games.” International Olympic Committee. https://www.olympics.com/ioc/pierre-de-coubertin/the-rationale-behind-coubertins-opposition-to-women-competing-in-the-olympic-games
Coubertin, Pierre de, et al., edited by the International Olympic Committee. “Olympism: selected writings / Pierre de Coubertin.” 2000. https://library.olympics.com/Default/doc/SYRACUSE/65192/olympism-selected-writings-pierre-de-coubertin
Gillen, Nancy. “La Vie Jamais Racontée: Alice Milliat, a French Heroine and Sporting Suffragette.” Pitch Publishing. 2024.
“Girl of 15 Is Only Woman Entrant in Olympic Games.” Democrat and Chrinicle. July 7, 1912. https://www.newspapers.com/image/135686582/?match=1&terms=helen%20preece
Leigh, Mary H., and Thérèse M. Bonin. “The Pioneering Role Of Madame Alice Milliat and the FSFI in Establishing International Trade and Field Competition for Women.” Journal of Sport History, vol. 4, no. 1, 1977, pp. 72–83. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/43611530
Lennartz, Karl, and Walter Teutenberg. “THE COUNTESS DE POURTALES - AFTER ALL THE FIRST MODERN FEMALE OLYMPIC STARTER.” International Society of Olympic Historians. https://isoh.org/wp-content/uploads/JOH-Archives/JOHv4n2e.pdf
Lough, Tom, et al. “’A possibility of a lady competitor’: Helen Preece and the 1912 Olympic modern pentathlon.” Journal of Olympic History. 2021. https://library.olympics.com/Default/doc/SYRACUSE/3156581/a-possibility-of-a-lady-competitor-helen-preece-and-the-1912-olympic-modern-pentathlon-by-tom-lough-?_lg=en-GB
McSweeney, Megan. “Women’s History Spotlight: Hélène de Pourtalès.” Sail. March 4, 2022. https://sailmagazine.com/web-exclusives/womens-history-spotlight-helene-de-pourtales/
Mallon, Bill. “The 1900 Olympic Games: Results for All Competitors in All Events, with Commentary. McFarland. 2009.
Married to Instructor at Her School.” St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Dec. 18, 1934. https://www.newspapers.com/image/139260559/?clipping_id=15003174&fcfToken=eyJhbGciOiJFUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJmcmVlLXZpZXctaWQiOjEzOTI2MDU1OSwiaWF0IjoxNzY5NDYyNzQ2LCJleHAiOjE3Njk1NDkxNDZ9.Lyc2T8nmqG9SxDg4PVDUDy6zfD_710wD6wKDLrIIC-dt72QRLBeUb8SruN75BdgtucDfcSzfYx8UgqVgqY57vw
“Paris 1900 Olympic Poster.” Qatar Museums. https://collections.qm.org.qa/en/objects/paris-1900-olympic-poster-qosm20136233
“Personalities at the Olympia Horse Show.” The Sphere (London). June 18, 1910. https://www.newspapers.com/image/1149409173/?match=1&terms=%22Helen%20Preece%22
“The Queen and the Girl Rider.” Telegraph and Argus. March 12, 1910. https://www.newspapers.com/image/1219683551/?match=1&terms=%22Helen%20Preece%22
“Sailing at the 1900 Summer Olympics (includes text of A Review of Olympic Yachting – 1900; by Ian Buchanan).” Olympedia. https://www.olympedia.org/editions/2/sports/SAL
“Sues to Have Girl Cease Using Her Name.” The Tampa Times. July 13, 1915. https://www.newspapers.com/image/325742028/?clipping_id=15002352&fcfToken=eyJhbGciOiJFUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJmcmVlLXZpZXctaWQiOjMyNTc0MjAyOCwiaWF0IjoxNzY5NDYyNzQxLCJleHAiOjE3Njk1NDkxNDF9.McrNQr7AvEveo5cVIJdb4lYPetsUxCr-RW1Nn7W70PGKwC7FacJsU23KT0eewZT8zHm55Jkblmm-lc7dUKPslw
Vuilleumier, Christophe. “The First Female Olympic Champion.” Swiss National Museum. Dec. 17, 2025. https://blog.nationalmuseum.ch/en/2021/07/the-first-female-olympic-champion/
“Winner of Polo Pony Jumping Competition.” Daily Mirror. March 15, 1909. https://www.newspapers.com/image/789742337/?match=1&terms=%22Helen%20Preece%22

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"Fumifugium" was a treatise on air pollution written in 1661. In addition to warning about the dangers of coal smoke, John Evelyn wrote this work to improve the reputation of King Charles II.
Research:
Chambers, Douglas D. C. "Evelyn, John (1620–1706), diarist and writer." Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. January 03, 2008. Oxford University Press. Date of access 13 Jan. 2026, https://www.oxforddnb.com/view/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-8996
"Evelyn, John (1620-1706)." Encyclopedia of World Biography, Gale, 1998. Gale Academic OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A148426050/GPS?u=mlin_n_melpub&sid=bookmark-GPS&xid=ab356add. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
Borunda, Alejandra. “The EPA is changing how it considers the costs and benefits of air pollution rules.” NPR. 1/13/2026. https://www.npr.org/2026/01/13/nx-s1-5675307/epa-air-regulations-health-benefits
DeWispelare, Daniel. “’Heavy Fumes of Charcoal Creep into the Brain.’” The 18th-century Common. 5/14/2018. https://www.18thcenturycommon.org/evelyn/
Hovde, Sarah. “A solution for pollution?” Folger Shakespeare Library. 4/21/2017. https://www.folger.edu/blogs/shakespeare-and-beyond/air-pollution-london-fumifugium/
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. “Pamphlet Collection: Fumifugium, by John Evelyn.” Library, Archive & Open Research Services Blog. 7/11/2022. https://blogs.lshtm.ac.uk/library/2022/11/07/pamphlet-collection-fumifugium-by-john-evelyn/
Jenner, Mark. (1995) The politics of London air : John Evelyn's 'Fumifugium' and the Restoration. The Historical Journal. pp. 535-551. ISSN: 1469-5103. https://eprints.whiterose.ac.uk/id/eprint/1550/1/jennerm1.pdf
Heidorn, K.C. “A Chronology of Important Events in the History of Air Pollution Meteorology to 1970.” Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, December 1978, Vol. 59, No. 12 (December 1978). Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/26219252
Foster, John Bellamy. “Introduction to John Evelyn’s ‘Fumifugium.’” Organization & Environment, June 1999, Vol. 12, No. 2 (June 1999). https://www.jstor.org/stable/26161864
Brimblecombe, Peter. “Interest in Air Pollution among Early Fellows of the Royal Society.” Notes and Records of the Royal Society of London, Mar., 1978, Vol. 32, No. 2 (Mar., 1978). Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/531723
Cavert, William M. “The Environmental Policy of Charles I: Coal Smoke and the English Monarchy, 1624–40.” Journal of British Studies, APRIL 2014, Vol. 53, No. 2 (APRIL 2014). Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/24701865
Darley, Gillian. “John Evelyn: Britain's First Environmentalist.” Gresham College. 11/12/2020. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOik751LhHk
Surrey Heritage. “John Evelyn (1620 – 1706).” https://www.exploringsurreyspast.org.uk/themes/people/writers/john_evelyn/
Evelyn, John. “Fumifugium.” 1661. https://archive.org/details/fumifugium00eveluoft/
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This 2019 episode shares how Hennig Brand discovered phosphorous by boiling pee. But he was really thought the secret to the philosopher’s stone might be found in urine.
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Tracy talks about amusing old illustrations of babies in utero. Holly shares anecdotes about George Stephenson's life that rarely make it into discussions of his life.
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George Stephenson started life in extremely humble circumstances, but his ingenuity and pursuit of education led him to an impressive legacy. He invented a miner’s lamp, but is most well known for his work on locomotives and railways.
Research:
“George Stephenson (1781-1848).” https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/stephenson_george.shtml#:~:text=In%201814%2C%20Stephenson%20constructed%20his%20first%20locomotive%2C,construction%20of%20the%20Stockton%20and%20Darlington%20railway.\
Bellis, Mary. “George Stephenson and the Invention of the Steam Locomotive Engine.” ThoughtCo. May 13, 2025. https://www.thoughtco.com/history-of-the-railroad-1992457
Bellis, Mary. “Biography of James Watt, Inventor of the Modern Steam Engine.” ThoughtCo. April 27, 2020. https://www.thoughtco.com/james-watt-inventor-of-the-modern-steam-engine-1992685
Bellis, Mary. “Biography of Thomas Newcomen, Inventor of the Steam Engine.” July 15, 2019. https://www.thoughtco.com/thomas-newcomen-profile-1992201
Bibby, Miriam. “Rainhill Trials.” Historic UK. https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofBritain/Rainhill-Trials/
Burton, Ken. “Local History: John Blenkinsop 1783-1831.” South Leeds Life. April 29, 2023. https://southleedslife.com/local-history-john-blenkinsop-1783-1831/
Cavendish, Richard. “George Stephenson's First Steam Locomotive.” History Today. July 7, 2014. https://www.historytoday.com/archive/george-stephensons-first-steam-locomotive
Institution of Civil Engineers. “George Stephenson.” https://www.ice.org.uk/what-is-civil-engineering/meet-the-engineers/george-stephenson
Network Rail. “George Stephenson (1781–1848).” https://www.networkrail.co.uk/who-we-are/our-history/eminent-engineers/george-stephenson-1781-1848/
Rolt, L.T.C. “George and Robert Stephenson.” Amberley Publishing. 2016.
“Safety Lamps.” Smithsonian. https://www.si.edu/spotlight/mining-lights-and-hats/safety-lamps
Smiles, Samuel. “Lives of Engineers. The Locomotive. GEORGE AND ROBERT STEPHENSON.” LONDON. JOHN MURRAY. 1879. https://www.gutenberg.org/files/27710/27710-h/27710-h.htm#footnote129
Stephenson Steam Railway Museum. https://www.northeastmuseums.org.uk/stephensonsteamrailway
Stephenson, George. “A description of the safety lamp, invented by George Stephenson. To which is added, an account of the lamp constructed by sir H. Davy. [With] A collection of all the letters which have appeared in the Newcastle papers, with other documents, relating to the safety lamps.” London. Baldwin, Craddock and Joy. January 1817. Accessed online: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=SYkIAAAAQAAJ&rdid=book-SYkIAAAAQAAJ&rdot=1
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