Rogue History

The Unhinged Hero of the American Revolution
S3 Ep1 | 12m 1s

Was the founding father of the American Navy a pirate?

The Colonial Mean Girl Who Almost Ended America
S3 Ep2 | 11m 51s

Peggy Shippen came closer to ending the American Revolution than any general ever did.

The Founding Father They Don’t Teach You About
S3 Ep3 | 10m 41s

Thomas Peters challenged the British Empire on their broken promises to Black Loyalists.

The Indigenous Rebellion That Terrified the Colonies
S3 Ep4 | 10m 35s

After peace at Thanksgiving ended, a Wampanoag leader fought back against colonization.

The Working Class Uprising They Don’t Teach You About
S3 Ep5 | 10m 9s

How did a wealthy pacifist’s protest spark a working-class uprising?

The Free Speech Battle They Don't Teach You About
S3 Ep6 | 11m 9s

Matthew Lyon was an immigrant Congressman jailed for free speech for criticizing the President.

Spy Balloons Have A Longer, Weirder History Than You Think
S2 Ep1 | 10m 17s

A year into the Civil War, the Union Army unveiled their secret weapon: spy balloons.

Traitor or Hero? The Black Musician Spying on His Community
S2 Ep2 | 9m 9s

This musician spied on Black socialists then criticized the government for being racist.

How A Spanish Chicken Farmer Tricked Hitler
S2 Ep3 | 9m 27s

“I wanted to start a personal war with Hitler. And I wanted to fight with my imagination.”

This Gender Nonconforming Secret Agent Almost Caused a War
S2 Ep4 | 11m 2s

Chevalier d’Eon was a spy, fencer, and gender identity trailblazer who blackmailed a King.

The Misunderstood Legacy of Ninjas
S2 Ep5 | 10m 6s

Ninjas are famous in popular culture, but behind the stereotypes lie a legendary history.

These Hidden Figures Cracked an Impossible Soviet Code
S2 Ep6 | 9m 56s

A group of women mathematicians uncovered Soviet spies– but received none of the credit.

The Secret Group That Planned Insurrection Against Slavery
S2 Ep7 | 7m 37s

The largest enslaved insurrection in US history was planned for 1856– and then called off.

How The Aztec Empire Was Built By Spies
S2 Ep8 | 7m 43s

A network of traveling merchant-spies were essential to the expansion of the Aztec Empire.

What Pop Culture Gets Wrong About Pirates
S1 Ep1 | 8m 35s

Unravel the common misconceptions of pirates in pop culture.

Black Caesar: The Pirate with a Thousand Faces
S1 Ep2 | 8m 4s

Here’s why so many pirates of African descent share the name “Black Caesar.”

Anne Bonny to Zheng Yi Sao: The Notorious Women of Piracy
S1 Ep3 | 8m 20s

Explore the incredible and unsung stories of history’s most notorious women pirates.

Did Pirates Really Sing Sea Shanties? It’s Complicated
S1 Ep4 | 8m 36s

This is what pirate music actually sounded like.

Why Did Pirates Eat That? (feat. Tasting History)
S1 Ep5 | 9m 22s

When fresh food ran out, pirates found creative ways to survive long weeks at sea.

Why Did the U.S. Go to War with These Pirates?
S1 Ep6 | 9m 12s

Though often overlooked, the Barbary pirates played a huge role in U.S. and world history.

The Obscure History of Japanese Sea Lords
S1 Ep7 | 9m 29s

Sea Lords were as vital to medieval Japan as samurai, so why were they called “pirates?”

The Truth About Hunting for Pirate Treasure
S1 Ep8 | 9m 50s

One pirate’s tale of buried treasure led to generations of treasure hunting.