History Ignited
Winner of the 2025 Webby People’s Voice Award for Best Kids and Family Podcast, History Ignited has one mission: teach kids history, prevent repeats. Hosted by 9-year-old Caroline, 11-year-old Andrew, and their parents Amy and Dave, each 5–8 minute episode brings an event from Billy Joel’s We Didn’t Start the Fire to life with fun, accurate storytelling and a quick joke at the end. Perfect for curious kids, parents, and classrooms.
History Ignited
The Children of Thalidomide: A Medical Tragedy
Here is a podcast episode description for your episode, "The Children of Thalidomide: A Medical Tragedy," tailored for your History Ignited podcast:
Episode Description:
"Children of thalidomide." It’s one of the most sobering lines in Billy Joel’s history-spanning anthem, We Didn’t Start the Fire. But what is the story behind this medical catastrophe that shook the world in the late 1950s and early 1960s?
In this episode of History Ignited, we dive into the dark history of Thalidomide—a drug once marketed as a "wonder cure" for morning sickness that led to thousands of children being born with severe limb deformities and other health complications.
We explore:
- The Global Crisis: How the drug was developed in West Germany and distributed to over 40 countries.
- The FDA Hero: The story of Dr. Frances Kelsey, the medical officer who stood her ground against pharmaceutical pressure to keep Thalidomide out of the United States.
- The Aftermath: The lasting impact on the survivors, known as "Thalidomide Babies," and how the tragedy revolutionized drug safety regulations and the way we test medicine today.
Join us as we break down the history behind the lyrics and honor the resilience of those affected by this avoidable tragedy.
Thanks for tuning in to History Ignited! 🎙️ We break down the history that shaped our world, one lyric at a time.
𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗛𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗜𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱! 🎙️
We break down history’s most fascinating moments, making complex topics fun and easy to explore. Don’t forget to comment with your ideas — we might feature them in our next episode! 🎉
𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘂𝘀:
• Website: historyignited.com
• Instagram: @HistoryIgnitedPodcast
• Facebook: History Ignited Podcast
• Apple Podcasts: Subscribe here
• YouTube: History Ignited Channel
🔔 Subscribe and click the bell for more exciting episodes!
𝗗𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀 𝘂𝗽𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝗽𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗱𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗕𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗝𝗼𝗲𝗹’𝘀 “𝗪𝗲 𝗗𝗶𝗱𝗻’𝘁 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝗲” 𝗮𝘀 𝘄𝗲 𝘂𝗻𝗿𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗰 𝗺𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗵𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆! See you next time!
Amy Tenney Curren
Co-host
Andrew Tenney Curren
Co-host
Caroline Tenney Curren
Co-host
Dave Curren
Co-hostPodcasts we love
Check out these other fine podcasts recommended by us, not an algorithm.
Culture Kids
Culture Kids Productions
Tumble Science Podcast for Kids
Tumble Media