Empress Maria Theresa of Austria Part 2

Virginia Hall wanted to be a diplomat, but the State Department kept shutting doors in her face …and then she lost her leg in a hunting accident, which seemed like she’d reached a dead end. Never one to accept defeat, she learned how to walk again on a wooden leg nicknamed “Cuthbert,” and headed straight into the world of espionage.Once she got to France, she ran circles around the Nazi intelligence services during WW2. The Gestapo actually called her “the most dangerous Allied agent in France”; her actions, and those of her compatriots, changed the course of the war. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rosa Bonheur was a wild, animal‑obsessed kid who drew before she could read, and knew she was meant for the world of art from an extremely young age. She didn’t set out to shock anyone; she simply refused to be anything but herself, and the world eventually had to adjust to her. She famously wore trousers (with official police permission) so that she could study horses in stockyards and slaughterhouses, and in order to to venture up rugged mountain ranges to collect more inspiration. She turned that dedication to pure research into some of the most influential paintings of her time. Registration is now open for our June 2027 Field Trip to Scotland! Visit Like Minds Travel for more information and to register! We also have some openings left for our April 2027 Field Trip to Paris! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mercy Otis Warren’s life is one long argument for the idea that political courage isn’t just found on battlefields or in legislatures; it’s found in writing, in conversations, in friendships, and in the willingness to speak plainly (and loudly) when power grows dangerous. She believed deeply that liberty required constant vigilance, and that ordinary people, especially women, have a role to play in creating the nation’s conscience. Join us on our April 2027 Field Trip to Paris! For more information and to register, visit Like Minds Travel. We hope to see you there! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is one of our favorite subjects ever! In this, we've combined both parts that originally ran in 2020 to revisit Wonder Woman, mega-episode style! She was forged in the fires of the suffragist movement, and beneath her abbreviated costume beats the heart of a lion. Fighting for truth, equality, and justice, "By the Spear of Athena and the Thunderbolts of Jove!" - it's Wonder Woman! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fifty-six travelers met in the Windy City to visit some of the subjects we've covered over the years: Bertha Palmer, Frances Glessner Lee, Anne Frank, Georgia O'Keeffe, Jane Addams, and so many more. We took a good look at our favorite history hub - the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition, got up close and personal with Tiffany glass, stayed in opulent splendor at the Palmer House, and ate our weight in Chicago dogs and deep dish pizza. We've learned a lot, and made memories we'll never forget, but the most important thing the city gave us was the friends we made along the way. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices