Ridiculous History

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Francis Scott Key was Kind of a Jerk

Love it or hate it, every American recognizes the Star-Spangled Banner. The lyrics come from a poem written by a lawyer Francis Scott Key on September 14, 1814, based on his experience watching an attack of Baltimore's Fort McHenry. The story itself is pretty inspiring -- but as Ben, Noel and Max learn in today's episode... Francis Scott Key was actually kind of a jerk. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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  The Ridiculous Racist Origin of Tipping, Part Two: The Great Debate and An…

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  The Ridiculous Racist Origin of Tipping, Part One: A Gratuitous History of…

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  CLASSIC: I Modi: The Scandalous Erotic Blockbuster Banned By The Vatican

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  The Dark Side of Frank Lloyd Wright, Part Two: Mass Murder, Cults, and the…

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  The Dark Side of Frank Lloyd Wright, Part One: Professional Success and Pe…

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  CLASSIC: Patriots, Prisoners and Plants: The World of Political Body Doubl…

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  Who Took William Lilly’s Fish?

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  CLASSIC: Fort Blunder: The US Fort Mistakenly Built in Canada

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  Mastodons and 'Murica, with Lauren Vogelbaum, Part Two: A Grudge Match wit…

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  Mastodons and 'Murica, with Lauren Vogelbaum, Part One: American Degeneracy

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  CLASSIC: The Duke of Edinburgh is Literally a God in Vanuatu

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  Oof! A Lot of Baby Gear was Absolutely Ridiculous

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  A Ridiculous History of 'Soft Serve'

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  CLASSIC: The Honorary Citizens of the United States

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  Who was the real John Henry?