Have To Know History

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz isn’t just a fantasy story — it may also be a hidden allegory about America in the late 1800s.

In this episode, we explore how L. Frank Baum’s 1900 novel reflects the Panic of 1893, the gold vs. silver debate, and the rise of the Populist movement.

We break down the symbolic meaning behind:

• Dorothy and ordinary Americans

• The Scarecrow and farmers

• The Tin Woodman and industrial workers

• The Cowardly Lion and ...

Long before Instagram or travel blogs, the ancient Greeks made the world’s first bucket list — the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. From the Great Pyramid of Giza to the Lighthouse of Alexandria, these incredible creations showed what humans could build with imagination, ambition, and divine inspiration.

In this episode, Mr. Freewalt takes you on a journey through the ancient Mediterranean to uncover the stories behind each Wonde...

This is Have To Know History — history you just have to know.

Rome didn’t start with marble temples and mighty emperors. According to legend, it began with a jealous king, an abandoned pair of twins, a war god, and a wolf.

In this episode, we dive into the myth of Romulus and Remus — and why the Romans needed this story.

Here’s what we explore:

• 🏛️ Rome’s not-so-glamorous real beginnings — a collection of rough shepherd tribes alon...

After the Greek city-states united to defeat the mighty Persian Empire, peace didn’t last long. Athens rose to power through the Delian League, transforming an alliance for defense into an empire of tribute, ships, and wealth. Sparta watched with growing resentment — and before long, the two greatest powers in Greece were on a collision course.

In this Have To Know History – Story Time episode, I trace how Greek victory over Persia ...

It’s one of the most famous last stands in history — 300 Spartans, a narrow mountain pass, and the might of the Persian Empire.

In this Have To Know History – Story Time episode, I retell the legendary Battle of Thermopylae, where King Leonidas and his small Greek force held the line against Xerxes’ massive invading army.

But beyond the legend lies a deeper story — strategy, sacrifice, and how this desperate stand bought precious tim...

Croesus of Lydia was the richest king in the ancient world — his wealth legendary, his confidence unshakable. But when he sought advice from the Oracle of Delphi before going to war with Persia, a single prophecy changed everything.

In this Have To Know History Story Time episode, Jason Freewalt tells the dramatic rise and fall of Croesus — from golden palaces to fiery ruin:

• The incredible wealth of the Lydian Empire

• The fateful p...

Helen of Troy — the legendary “face that launched a thousand ships.” For thousands of years, storytellers have claimed her beauty sparked the Trojan War. But was the war really fought over love, or was it about power, trade, and Mycenaean ambition?

In this episode of Have To Know History, Jason Freewalt takes you from myth to archaeology, exploring:

• The golden apple of discord and Aphrodite’s fateful bribe

• The abduction of Helen a...

BONUS STORY TIME with Mr. Freewalt

This is my own retelling of the Trojan War, inspired by Homer’s Iliad and told in one sitting — 17 minutes of dramatic storytelling that brings to life Achilles, Hector, Patroclus, Agamemnon, and the infamous Trojan Horse.

This isn’t a textbook summary — it’s my version, the way I share it with my students: engaging, fun, and packed with the legendary moments that made this one of history’s greatest...

🎶 "Ring around the rosie, pocket full of posies..." We’ve all sung it. But what if this innocent-sounding nursery rhyme is actually about one of the deadliest pandemics in human history?

In this episode of Have to Know History, we dig into the Black Death—the devastating plague that wiped out 1 in 3 Europeans in the 14th century—and explore the haunting connection (real or imagined) to the rhyme we all learned as kids. Wa...

Newlyweds jetting off for a week of sun and relaxation—it’s a tradition we call a honeymoon. But why? What do honey and the moon have to do with marriage?

In this episode of Have to Know History, Jason Freewalt explores the surprising origins of the honeymoon. From Viking mead-drinking rituals and medieval marriage customs to Victorian bridal tours and modern beach getaways, this tradition has a sweeter—and stranger—history than you...

Alexander the Great’s Dad Tried to Kill Him? 👑⚔️

Before he was Alexander the Great—the conqueror of Persia and builder of an empire that stretched to the edge of the known world—he was a teenage prince caught in a royal family full of drama. His father, Philip II of Macedonia, was a brilliant warrior and political mastermind. His mother, Olympias, was fiercely ambitious and determined to secure her son’s future.

At one infamous wedd...

A mysterious Egyptian queen wrote to the king of the Hittites with a shocking request:
“Send me one of your sons… so I can marry him.”

Who was this queen? And why would **Tutankhamun’s widow—possibly Queen Ankhesenamun—**reach out to Egypt’s sworn enemy right after his death? What happened to the Hittite prince who answered the call?

This is the tale of the Dahamunzu Affair—an ancient diplomatic scandal that nearly changed the cou...

Henry VIII, Elizabeth I & the Shocking Origins of Virginia - Walter Raleigh, the Lost Colony, and the Queen Who Never Married

Have To Know History - What do six wives, a lost colony, and a queen who never married have to do with the state of Virginia?

This fast-paced 7-minute episode unpacks how one king’s obsession with a male heir reshaped religion, rattled Europe, and led—indirectly—to the naming of Virginia. From Henry VIII’s...

What if the Minotaur myth wasn’t just a story—but a memory of something real?

In this second part of the Minotaur mini-series, we step beyond the myth and into the ruins of ancient Crete. I’ll walk you through what archaeologists have discovered at the Minoan palace of Knossos—an actual maze-like structure that might have inspired the legend. We’ll explore bull-leaping rituals, signs of human sacrifice, and one of the largest volcan...

A monster in a maze. A genius inventor. A lovestruck princess. And an angry god who shakes the earth.

This is the very first episode of Have To Know History, a podcast for anyone who loves myths, mysteries, and ancient stories that just might be true. Join Jason Freewalt as he walks you through the outrageous myth of the Minotaur—complete with cursed queens, deadly mazes, and some deeply questionable decisions from both gods and mor...