Join me this week as I recount the unbelievable true story of Joan of Arc, the 16 year old peasant girl who dressed in mens clothing and led French armies to victory in the 1420s. Something like this happening today seems near impossible, but in the 15th century when women had few rights, it was inconceivable. So how did a teenage girl with no military training come to lead successfully soldiers in battle? And what about the voices? Was Joan of Arc really sent by God to save France?

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Sources:

• History.com "Joan of Arc is burned at the stake for heresy"
• History.com "Hundred Years War"
• History Extra "The real Joan of Arc"
• Wikipedia "Joan of Arc"
• jeanne-darc.info

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This week is all about the history of salt! Yes, salt. You've probably never given it much thought. It sits in a salt shaker on your kitchen counter, spice rack, or cabinet. You can buy a pound of it for 76 cents at Walmart right now. But, believe it or not, salt was once an extremely valuable commodity. Whole civilizations rose up over salt. Trade routes were established. People became very wealthy. Salt allowed for the preservation of food which allowed humans to travel over long distances. It has invaluable medicinal properties. And, at it's most basic level, salt keeps humans bodies alive. Salt has impacted human history arguably more than any other substance on Earth. Join me to learn how!

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• Join the Patreon (patreon.com/historyfixpodcast)
• Buy some merch
• Buy Me a Coffee
• Venmo @Shea-LaFountaine

Sources:

• Time Magazine "A Brief History of Salt"
• National Library of Medicine "A history of salt"
• Wikipedia "History of Salt"
• National Geographic "The Development of Agriculture"
• Antiquity Journal "The earliest salt production in the world..."
• History Cooperative "The History of Salt in Ancient Civilizations"
• University of Hawaii "Weird Science: Salt is Essential to Life"

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Varina Howell Davis, wife of Jefferson Davis and First Lady of the Confederacy played the part well. She was educated, graceful, the picture of antebellum perfection. She hosted elegant soirees at the Confederate white house in Richmond, Virginia and managed a household of around 20 workers, black and white, enslaved and free. But Varina, when examined closely, was not what she seemed. In writing, she referred to herself as a “half-breed” born of the North and of the South. Her political loyalties were suspect as she found herself torn between both causes. And her dark skin and hair. What was that about? People whispered behind closed doors. Was the First Lady of the Confederacy… could she possibly be… Black? Let’s fix that.

Support the show!

• Join the Patreon (patreon.com/historyfixpodcast)
• Buy some merch
• Buy Me a Coffee
• Venmo @Shea-LaFountaine

Sources:

• Encyclopedia Virginia "Varina Davis"
• Washington Post "Jim Limber: the myth of Jefferson Davis' adopted Black son"
• Clark University "The Forefathers of the English People"

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