The Great Boston Molasses Flood

July, 1845. Dr. Smith Boughton, the man behind the mask of "Big Thunder," is sitting in a Hudson jail after a trial that ended in a hung jury.The Anti-Renters had to celebrate Independence Day with cannon fire and readings of the Declaration, but without their leader. The rebelli ...  Show more

Today, to celebrate America's 250th birthday, we have a special announcement: we are launching HISTORY This Week+ to all of our followers! (historythisweekpodcast.com/subscribe)This is something we’ve wanted to do for a while… we’ve been listening to your feedback: you don’t love ...  Show more

On January 15, 1919 a giant storage tank holding more than two million gallons of molasses collapsed, sending a deadly wave crashing into the streets of Boston’s busy North End. The flood was over in minutes, but it left death and destruction in its wake. Victims and their famili ...  Show more

In 1927, the most destructive river flood in U.S. history inundated seven states, displaced more than half a million people for months, and caused about $1 billion dollars in property damages. And like many national emergencies it exposed a stark question that the country still s ...  Show more

New Guest Expert! On this week’s Aftermath, Rebecca revisits the devastating 1931 Central China Floods with history professor Dr. Zhigou Ye. In her work, Dr. Ye touches on the transformation of China from an agricultural empire into a modernized society and the hazards that came ...  Show more

During the last week of January 1910, the citizens of Paris fought to survive a deluge of freezing water and raw sewage that covered their city. Police and fire departments were stretched to their limits rescuing trapped and injured citizens. Learn more about your ad choices. Vis ...  Show more