In A.D. 64, a great fire consumed Rome for six days and seven nights. Some rumors speculated that Nero set the fire, and even played a fiddle as the city burned. Check out our HowStuffWorks article to learn if this is fact or fiction.

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In A.D. 64, a great fire consumed Rome for six days and seven nights. Some rumors speculated that Nero set the fire, and even played a fiddle as the city burned. Check out our HowStuffWorks article to learn if this is fact or fiction. Learn more about your ad-choices at <a href="https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com">https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com</a>

Join Holly and Tracy as they bring you the greatest and strangest Stuff You Missed In History Class in this podcast by iHeartRadio.

Stuff You Missed in History Class

In A.D. 64, a great fire consumed Rome for six days and seven nights. Some rumors speculated that Nero set the fire, and even played a fiddle as the city burned. Check out our HowStuffWorks article to learn if this is fact or fiction.

Did Nero really play the fiddle while Rome burned?

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/bc33c70e-371d-47a4-8352-ae2800a4592d/transcript

United States v. Bhagat Singh Thind was a 1923 case that hinged on what it meant to be white.

Research:
“Ozawa v. United States, 260 U.S. 178 (1922).” https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/260/178/
“United States v. Bhagat Singh Thind, 261 U.S. 204 (1923).” https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/261/204/
de la Garza, Amanda. “Doctorji: The Life. Teachings, and Legacy of Dr. Bhagat Singh Thind.” David Bhagat Thind. 2010.
Deslippe, Philip. “Bhagat Singh Thind in Jail.” SAADA. https://www.saada.org/tides/article/bhagat-singh-thind-in-jail
Deslippe, Philip. “Doctorji the Divorcé: Understanding Bhagat Singh Thind Through His Marriage to Inez Buelen.” Ethnic Studies Review 1 July 2023; 46 (1-2): 52–68. doi: https://doi.org/10.1525/esr.2023.46.1-2.52
Kanwar, Joy. “Stories from the Negative Spaces: United States v. Thind and the Narrative of (Non)Whiteness.” Mercer Law Review. Vol. 74, No. 3. 2023. https://digitalcommons.law.mercer.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3111&context=jour_mlr
Munshi, Sherally. “Remembering Thind.” Ethnic Studies Review, Vol. 46, Issue 1-2, pp. 98–116. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1525/esr.2023.46.1-2.98
Ogden, Johanna. “The Telling Case of Doctor Bhagat Singh Thind.” Oregon Historical Quarterly. Vol. 124, No. 1. 2023. https://www.ohs.org/oregon-historical-quarterly/back-issues/upload/Ogden_Baghat-Singh-Thind_OHQ-124_1_Spring-2023_web.pdf
“Bhagat Singh Thind.” Roots in the Sand. 2000. https://www.pbs.org/rootsinthesand/i_bhagat1.html
Pillai, Daksha. “United States v. Bhagat Singh Thind: Dual Legacies of a Forgotten Supreme Court Case.” Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. https://www.gilderlehrman.org/sites/default/files/file_media/38_Pillai.pdf
Qin, Amy. “In the Birthright Citizenship Hearing, a Story of Asians Fighting for Rights.” New York Times. 4/2/2026. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/02/us/politics/birthright-citizenship-asian-immigrants.html
Shankar, Arjun. “On Brown Blood Race, Caste, and the Bhagat Singh Thind Case.” Ethnic Studies Review, Vol. 46, Issue 1-2, pp. 135–155. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1525/esr.2023.46.1-2.135
Smith, Marian L. “Race, Nationality, and Reality: INS Administration of Racial Provisions in U.S. Immigration and Nationality Law Since 1898.” Prologue. Vol. 34, No. 2. Summer 2002. https://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2002/summer/immigration-law-1
South Asian American Digital Archive. “The Problem.” https://www.saada.org/explore/exhibits/theproblem
Supreme Court of the United States. “Donald J. Trump, president of the United States et al., petitioners, v. Barbara et al, Respondents.” No. 25-365. Oral arguments. Heritage Reporting Corporation. April 1, 2026. https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/25-365_l6gn.pdf
The Pluralism Project. “The Ghadar Party: Freedom for India.” Harvard University. https://pluralism.org/the-ghadar-party-freedom-for-india

United States v. Bhagat Singh Thind was a 1923 case that hinged on what it meant to be white.
Research:
<ul>
<li>&ldquo;Ozawa v. United States, 260 U.S. 178 (1922).&rdquo; https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/260/178/</li>
<li>&ldquo;United States v. Bhagat Singh Thind, 261 U.S. 204 (1923).&rdquo; https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/261/204/</li>
<li>de la Garza, Amanda. &ldquo;Doctorji: The Life. Teachings, and Legacy of Dr. Bhagat Singh Thind.&rdquo; David Bhagat Thind. 2010.</li>
<li>Deslippe, Philip. &ldquo;Bhagat Singh Thind in Jail.&rdquo; SAADA. https://www.saada.org/tides/article/bhagat-singh-thind-in-jail</li>
<li>Deslippe, Philip. &ldquo;Doctorji the Divorc&eacute;: Understanding Bhagat Singh Thind Through His Marriage to Inez Buelen.&rdquo; Ethnic Studies Review 1 July 2023; 46 (1-2): 52&ndash;68. doi: https://doi.org/10.1525/esr.2023.46.1-2.52</li>
<li>Kanwar, Joy. &ldquo;Stories from the Negative Spaces: United States v. Thind and the Narrative of (Non)Whiteness.&rdquo; Mercer Law Review. Vol. 74, No. 3. 2023. https://digitalcommons.law.mercer.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3111&amp;context=jour_mlr</li>
<li>Munshi, Sherally. &ldquo;Remembering Thind.&rdquo; Ethnic Studies Review, Vol. 46, Issue 1-2, pp. 98&ndash;116. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1525/esr.2023.46.1-2.98</li>
<li>Ogden, Johanna. &ldquo;The Telling Case of Doctor Bhagat Singh Thind.&rdquo; Oregon Historical Quarterly. Vol. 124, No. 1. 2023. https://www.ohs.org/oregon-historical-quarterly/back-issues/upload/Ogden_Baghat-Singh-Thind_OHQ-124_1_Spring-2023_web.pdf</li>
<li>&ldquo;Bhagat Singh Thind.&rdquo; Roots in the Sand. 2000. https://www.pbs.org/rootsinthesand/i_bhagat1.html</li>
<li>Pillai, Daksha. &ldquo;United States v. Bhagat Singh Thind: Dual Legacies of a Forgotten Supreme Court Case.&rdquo; Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. https://www.gilderlehrman.org/sites/default/files/file_media/38_Pillai.pdf</li>
<li>Qin, Amy. &ldquo;In the Birthright Citizenship Hearing, a Story of Asians Fighting for Rights.&rdquo; New York Times. 4/2/2026. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/02/us/politics/birthright-citizenship-asian-immigrants.html</li>
<li>Shankar, Arjun. &ldquo;On Brown Blood Race, Caste, and the Bhagat Singh Thind Case.&rdquo; Ethnic Studies Review, Vol. 46, Issue 1-2, pp. 135&ndash;155. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1525/esr.2023.46.1-2.135</li>
<li>Smith, Marian L. &ldquo;Race, Nationality, and Reality: INS Administration of Racial Provisions in U.S. Immigration and Nationality Law Since 1898.&rdquo; Prologue. Vol. 34, No. 2. Summer 2002. https://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2002/summer/immigration-law-1</li>
<li>South Asian American Digital Archive. &ldquo;The Problem.&rdquo; https://www.saada.org/explore/exhibits/theproblem</li>
<li>Supreme Court of the United States. &ldquo;Donald J. Trump, president of the United States et al., petitioners, v. Barbara et al, Respondents.&rdquo; No. 25-365. Oral arguments. Heritage Reporting Corporation. April 1, 2026. https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/25-365_l6gn.pdf</li>
<li>The Pluralism Project. &ldquo;The Ghadar Party: Freedom for India.&rdquo; Harvard University. https://pluralism.org/the-ghadar-party-freedom-for-india</li>
</ul>

United States v. Bhagat Singh Thind was a 1923 case that hinged on what it meant to be white.

United States v. Bhagat Singh Thind

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/9ef6cbd7-8332-414c-aa79-b4460061b857/transcript

This 2023 episode covers the Insular Cases, which are SCOTUS cases regarding rights of people in U.S. territories. 

This 2023 episode covers the Insular Cases, which are SCOTUS cases regarding rights of people in U.S. territories.&nbsp;

SYMHC Classics: Insular Cases

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/8843424b-9724-4b83-84c4-b44500588b82/transcript

Holly talks about how small the circle of London intellectuals was in John Graunt's time. Then there is discussion of disco balls in bathrooms.

Holly talks about how small the circle of London intellectuals was in John Graunt's time. Then there is discussion of disco balls in bathrooms.

Behind the Scenes Minis: Friends and Bubble Guns

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/ad0c5199-0e12-4dd6-ab5b-b444002478e5/transcript

Did Nero really play the fiddle while Rome burned?

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