This 2016 episode covers a haunting story from the early 1800s. Many narratives have blossomed from the Bell Witch story, but when you really try to look at the facts, they're few and far between.

This 2016 episode covers a haunting story from the early 1800s. Many narratives have blossomed from the Bell Witch story, but when you really try to look at the facts, they're few and far between.

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

Listen to this collection of top episodes from iHeartRadio and iHeartPodcasts. 

Listen to this collection of top episodes from iHeartRadio and iHeartPodcasts.&nbsp;

Podcasts from iHeartRadio

SYMHC Classics: Bell Witch

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/8b18bd37-026a-482b-9fed-b36c002837ba/transcript

For part of its history, Nassau was a notorious hotbed of pirate activity. And it was home to a maritime criminal network known as the Flying Gang.

Research:
"Bahamas, the." The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia™, The Columbia UP, 2025. Gale OneFile: High School Edition, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A69385873/GPS?u=mlin_n_melpub&sid=bookmark-GPS&xid=7f7affa4. Accessed 8 July 2026.
Ahrens, Wolfgang P. “Naming the Bahamas Islands: History and Folk Etymology.” Names and Their Environment. Proceedings of the 25th International Congress of Onomastic Sciences, Glasgow, 25-29. August 2014. Vol. 1. Keynote Lectures. Toponomastics I. Carole Hough and Daria Izdebska (eds).  First published 2016 by University of Glasgow under Creative Commons license. https://www.gla.ac.uk/media/Media_576595_smxx.pdf
Butler, Lindley S. “North Carolina 1718: The Year of the Pirates.” The North Carolina Historical Review, Vol. 95, No. 2 (APRIL 2018). Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/45184933
Cartwright, Mark. "Benjamin Hornigold." World History Encyclopedia, 09 Sep 2021, https://www.worldhistory.org/Benjamin_Hornigold/.
Craton, Michael. “A History of the Bahamas.” London. Collins. 1962.
Enthoven, Victor. “‘That Abominable Nest of Pirates’: St. Eustatius and the North Americans, 1680—1780. Early American Studies , Spring 2012, Vol. 10, No. 2. Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/23547669
Fox, E.T. “Jacobitism and the ‘Golden Age’ of Piracy, 1715-1725.” International Journal of Maritime History, XXII, No. 2 (December 2010), 277-303.
Hahn, Steven C. “The Atlantic Odyssey of Richard Tookerman.” Early American Studies, Summer 2017, Vol. 15, No. 3 (Summer 2017). Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.2307/90011103
Keegan, William F. “The Native Peoples of Turks and Caicos.” Florida Museum. https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/caribarch/education/tc-peoples/
Kinsella, Pat. “The real pirates of the Caribbean: your guide to Nassau's pirate republic.” History Extra. 1/20/2022. https://www.historyextra.com/period/stuart/nassau-pirate-republic-flying-gang-real-pirates-caribbean/
Lane, Kris. “Pirate Networks in the Caribbean.” From Empires of the Sea: Maritime Power Networks in World History. Brill. 2020. Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1163/j.ctv2gjx041.18
Leeson, Peter T. “An‐arrgh‐chy: The Law and Economics of Pirate Organization.” Journal of Political Economy , Vol. 115, No. 6 (December 2007). Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/526403
Moore, David D. “Captain Edward Thatch: A Brief Analysis of the Primary Source Documents Concerning the Notorious Blackbeard.” The North Carolina Historical Review, Vol. 95, No. 2 (APRIL 2018). Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/45184934
Queen Anne’s Revenge Project. “Did You Know Blackbeard’s Mentor Was a Pirate Hunter?” 3/8/2018. https://www.qaronline.org/blog/2018-03-08/did-you-know-blackbeards-mentor-was-pirate-hunter
Rediker, Marcus. “‘Under the Banner of King Death’: The Social World of Anglo-American Pirates, 1716.” The William and Mary Quarterly , Apr., 1981. https://www.jstor.org/stable/1918775
Saunders, Gail. "Rogers, Woodes (c. 1679–1732), privateer and colonial governor." Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.  January 03, 2008. Oxford University Press. Date of access 9 Jul. 2026, https://www.oxforddnb.com/view/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-24006
Sheposh, Richard. “Republic of Pirates.” EBSCO. 2023. https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/history/republic-pirates
Wilson, David. “The 1715 Plate Fleet and the Rise of the Pirates.” History Today. 6/30/2015. https://www.historytoday.com/1715-plate-fleet-and-rise-pirates
Woodard, Colin. “The republic of pirates : being the true and surprising story of the Caribbean pirates and the man who brought them down.” New York, NY : Mariner Books. 2007.

 

 

For part of its history, Nassau was a notorious hotbed of pirate activity. And it was home to a maritime criminal network known as the Flying Gang.
Research:
<ul>
<li>"Bahamas, the." The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia&trade;, The Columbia UP, 2025. Gale OneFile: High School Edition, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A69385873/GPS?u=mlin_n_melpub&amp;sid=bookmark-GPS&amp;xid=7f7affa4. Accessed 8 July 2026.</li>
<li>Ahrens, Wolfgang P. &ldquo;Naming the Bahamas Islands: History and Folk Etymology.&rdquo; Names and Their Environment. Proceedings of the 25th International Congress of Onomastic Sciences, Glasgow, 25-29. August 2014. Vol. 1. Keynote Lectures. Toponomastics I. Carole Hough and Daria Izdebska (eds).&nbsp; First published 2016 by University of Glasgow under Creative Commons license. https://www.gla.ac.uk/media/Media_576595_smxx.pdf</li>
<li>Butler, Lindley S. &ldquo;North Carolina 1718: The Year of the Pirates.&rdquo; The North Carolina Historical Review, Vol. 95, No. 2 (APRIL 2018). Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/45184933</li>
<li>Cartwright, Mark. "Benjamin Hornigold." World History Encyclopedia, 09 Sep 2021, https://www.worldhistory.org/Benjamin_Hornigold/.</li>
<li>Craton, Michael. &ldquo;A History of the Bahamas.&rdquo; London. Collins. 1962.</li>
<li>Enthoven, Victor. &ldquo;&lsquo;That Abominable Nest of Pirates&rsquo;: St. Eustatius and the North Americans, 1680&mdash;1780. Early American Studies , Spring 2012, Vol. 10, No. 2. Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/23547669</li>
<li>Fox, E.T. &ldquo;Jacobitism and the &lsquo;Golden Age&rsquo; of Piracy, 1715-1725.&rdquo; International Journal of Maritime History, XXII, No. 2 (December 2010), 277-303.</li>
<li>Hahn, Steven C. &ldquo;The Atlantic Odyssey of Richard Tookerman.&rdquo; Early American Studies, Summer 2017, Vol. 15, No. 3 (Summer 2017). Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.2307/90011103</li>
<li>Keegan, William F. &ldquo;The Native Peoples of Turks and Caicos.&rdquo; Florida Museum. https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/caribarch/education/tc-peoples/</li>
<li>Kinsella, Pat. &ldquo;The real pirates of the Caribbean: your guide to Nassau's pirate republic.&rdquo; History Extra. 1/20/2022. https://www.historyextra.com/period/stuart/nassau-pirate-republic-flying-gang-real-pirates-caribbean/</li>
<li>Lane, Kris. &ldquo;Pirate Networks in the Caribbean.&rdquo; From Empires of the Sea: Maritime Power Networks in World History. Brill. 2020. Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1163/j.ctv2gjx041.18</li>
<li>Leeson, Peter T. &ldquo;An‐arrgh‐chy: The Law and Economics of Pirate Organization.&rdquo; Journal of Political Economy , Vol. 115, No. 6 (December 2007). Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/526403</li>
<li>Moore, David D. &ldquo;Captain Edward Thatch: A Brief Analysis of the Primary Source Documents Concerning the Notorious Blackbeard.&rdquo; The North Carolina Historical Review, Vol. 95, No. 2 (APRIL 2018). Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/45184934</li>
<li>Queen Anne&rsquo;s Revenge Project. &ldquo;Did You Know Blackbeard&rsquo;s Mentor Was a Pirate Hunter?&rdquo; 3/8/2018. https://www.qaronline.org/blog/2018-03-08/did-you-know-blackbeards-mentor-was-pirate-hunter</li>
<li>Rediker, Marcus. &ldquo;&lsquo;Under the Banner of King Death&rsquo;: The Social World of Anglo-American Pirates, 1716.&rdquo; The William and Mary Quarterly , Apr., 1981. https://www.jstor.org/stable/1918775</li>
<li>Saunders, Gail. "Rogers, Woodes (c. 1679&ndash;1732), privateer and colonial governor." Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.&nbsp; January 03, 2008. Oxford University Press. Date of access 9 Jul. 2026, https://www.oxforddnb.com/view/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-24006</li>
<li>Sheposh, Richard. &ldquo;Republic of Pirates.&rdquo; EBSCO. 2023. https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/history/republic-pirates</li>
<li>Wilson, David. &ldquo;The 1715 Plate Fleet and the Rise of the Pirates.&rdquo; History Today. 6/30/2015. https://www.historytoday.com/1715-plate-fleet-and-rise-pirates</li>
<li>Woodard, Colin. &ldquo;The republic of pirates : being the true and surprising story of the Caribbean pirates and the man who brought them down.&rdquo; New York, NY : Mariner Books. 2007.</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
&nbsp;

For part of its history, Nassau was a notorious hotbed of pirate activity. And it was home to a maritime criminal network known as the Flying Gang.

The Flying Gang

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/ad62bf75-31b4-43fa-8be0-b4920128c46b/transcript

This 2023 episode covers scarlet fever, which is treatable with antibiotics. But in the middle of the 19th century, it was the leading cause of death in children in parts of the world, and today, there are several ongoing mysteries about the disease.

This 2023 episode covers scarlet fever, which is treatable with antibiotics. But in the middle of the 19th century, it was the leading cause of death in children in parts of the world, and today, there are several ongoing mysteries about the disease.

SYMHC Classics: Scarlet fever

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/9ef06fe7-594c-4025-b981-b491014727a2/transcript

Tracy shares her irritation with word use in a recent government report. There is also discussion of strangers visiting manor houses.

Tracy shares her irritation with word use in a recent government report. There is also discussion of strangers visiting manor houses.

Behind the Scenes Minis: Problematized

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/986e1ea3-3944-47f8-89de-b490016b96ef/transcript

SYMHC Classics: Bell Witch

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