Aug 21, 2022 – Industrial Nails and Nail Guns – Arsenal For Democracy Ep. 438

Bill and Rachel look at the history of industrialization of nail fastener production in the United States and its profound effects on the economy, and then talk about nail guns.

Links and notes for ep. 438 (PDF): http://arsenalfordemocracy.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/AFD-Ep-438-Links-and-Notes-The-Industrial-Nail-and-Nail-Guns.pdf

Theme music by Stunt Bird.

Aug 14, 2022 – Fire Alarm Telegraphy and the Great Boston Fire of 1872 – Arsenal For Democracy Ep. 437

Bill and Rachel look at the intersection of modern, Second Industrial Revolution cities and the old scourge of urban fires through the lens of the Great Boston Fire of 1872.

Links and notes for ep. 437 (PDF): http://arsenalfordemocracy.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/AFD-Ep-437-Links-and-Notes-Fire-Alarm-Telegraphy-and-the-Great-Boston-Fire-of-1872.pdf

Theme music by Stunt Bird.

July 10, 2022 – Western Union – Arsenal For Democracy Ep. 434

Bill and Rachel explore how Western Union went from the first nationwide US telegraph monopoly to putting the first US commercial communication satellite into space and becoming the global remittance leader.

Links and notes for ep. 434 (PDF): http://arsenalfordemocracy.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/AFD-Ep-434-Links-and-Notes-Western-Union.pdf

Theme music by Stunt Bird. Special outro cited in notes.

Apr 10, 2022 – US Urban Electrification and Streetcars – Arsenal For Democracy Ep. 421

Bill and Rachel continue the story of US electrification with a look at the indelible role of electric streetcars in powering US cities almost overnight in the 1890s.

Links and notes for ep. 421 (PDF): http://arsenalfordemocracy.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/AFD-Ep-421-Links-and-Notes-US-Urban-Electrification-and-Streetcars-Bill_Rachel-Recording-Apr-10-2022.pdf

Theme music by Stunt Bird.

Apr 3, 2022 – From Electrochemistry to Electromagnetism – Arsenal For Democracy Ep. 420

Bill and Rachel finally start looking at the history of US electrification beginning with the early little battery systems and then moving into early electromagnetic dynamos.

Links and notes for ep. 420 (PDF): http://arsenalfordemocracy.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/AFD-Ep-420-Links-and-Notes-From-Electrochemistry-to-Electromagnetism.pdf

Theme music by Stunt Bird.

[Unlocked] The Transatlantic Telegraph Cable – Arsenal For Democracy Ep. 367

Unlocked from our Patreon for a vacation week. Bill and Rachel found the most amazing, still-active web 1.0 history website, and now we can tell you all about the sweeping implications of the transatlantic telegraph cable of 1866. (Originally released April 2021.)

Links and notes for Ep. 367 (PDF): http://arsenalfordemocracy.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Bonus-AFD-Ep-367-Links-and-Notes-The-Transatlantic-Telegraph-Cable.pdf

Theme music by Stunt Bird.

[Preview] Apr 19, 2021 – The Transatlantic Telegraph Cable – Arsenal For Democracy Ep. 367

Full episode on Patreon. Bill and Rachel found the most amazing, still-active web 1.0 history website, and now we can tell you all about the sweeping implications of the transatlantic telegraph cable of 1866.