This 2021 episode covers Washington Irving, who is often associated with Halloween. But his writing had a significant influence on the way Christmas is celebrated in the U.S.

This 2021 episode covers Washington Irving, who is often associated with Halloween. But his writing had a significant influence on the way Christmas is celebrated in the U.S.

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: Washington Irving

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/9a5f297f-28d3-48db-b31f-b3b1011039d8/transcript

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. 

This 2019 episode shares how Hennig Brand discovered phosphorous by boiling pee. But he was really thought the secret to the philosopher&rsquo;s stone might be found in urine.&nbsp;

SYMHC Classics: Hennig Brand

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/84a3dbf6-2247-4540-b7d7-b3df000f036c/transcript

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.

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.

Behind the Scenes Minis: Odd Baby Train

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/e381efcf-166b-46f6-91e0-b3de017e6220/transcript

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

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&rsquo;s lamp, but is most well known for his work on locomotives and railways.
Research:
<ul>
<li>&ldquo;George Stephenson (1781-1848).&rdquo; 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.\</li>
<li>Bellis, Mary. &ldquo;George Stephenson and the Invention of the Steam Locomotive Engine.&rdquo; ThoughtCo. May 13, 2025. https://www.thoughtco.com/history-of-the-railroad-1992457</li>
<li>Bellis, Mary. &ldquo;Biography of James Watt, Inventor of the Modern Steam Engine.&rdquo; ThoughtCo. April 27, 2020. https://www.thoughtco.com/james-watt-inventor-of-the-modern-steam-engine-1992685</li>
<li>Bellis, Mary. &ldquo;Biography of Thomas Newcomen, Inventor of the Steam Engine.&rdquo; July 15, 2019. https://www.thoughtco.com/thomas-newcomen-profile-1992201</li>
<li>Bibby, Miriam. &ldquo;Rainhill Trials.&rdquo; Historic UK. https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofBritain/Rainhill-Trials/</li>
<li>Burton, Ken. &ldquo;Local History: John Blenkinsop 1783-1831.&rdquo; South Leeds Life. April 29, 2023. https://southleedslife.com/local-history-john-blenkinsop-1783-1831/</li>
<li>Cavendish, Richard. &ldquo;George Stephenson's First Steam Locomotive.&rdquo; History Today. July 7, 2014. https://www.historytoday.com/archive/george-stephensons-first-steam-locomotive</li>
<li>Institution of Civil Engineers. &ldquo;George Stephenson.&rdquo; https://www.ice.org.uk/what-is-civil-engineering/meet-the-engineers/george-stephenson</li>
<li>Network Rail. &ldquo;George Stephenson (1781&ndash;1848).&rdquo; https://www.networkrail.co.uk/who-we-are/our-history/eminent-engineers/george-stephenson-1781-1848/</li>
<li>Rolt, L.T.C. &ldquo;George and Robert Stephenson.&rdquo; Amberley Publishing. 2016.</li>
<li>&ldquo;Safety Lamps.&rdquo; Smithsonian. https://www.si.edu/spotlight/mining-lights-and-hats/safety-lamps</li>
<li>Smiles, Samuel. &ldquo;Lives of Engineers. The Locomotive. GEORGE AND ROBERT STEPHENSON.&rdquo; LONDON. JOHN MURRAY. 1879. https://www.gutenberg.org/files/27710/27710-h/27710-h.htm#footnote129</li>
<li>Stephenson Steam Railway Museum. https://www.northeastmuseums.org.uk/stephensonsteamrailway</li>
<li>Stephenson, George. &ldquo;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.&rdquo; London. Baldwin, Craddock and Joy. January 1817. Accessed online: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=SYkIAAAAQAAJ&amp;rdid=book-SYkIAAAAQAAJ&amp;rdot=1</li>
</ul>

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.

George Stephenson, Father of Railways

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/c4e3dac5-e800-4343-9cd8-b3de00f60145/transcript

SYMHC Classics: Washington Irving

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