POLL: Pick the Next Extra History Series! "Ol' Time Religion"

Terrorism & pirates; pogroms & Jesus' brother. There are a LOT of interesting topics for this one that cover the places where religion and history intersect. So which one would YOU like to see covered?

John Brown: America's First Terrorist?

John Brown is one of the most difficult and contradictory figures in American history. Convinced of the evils of slavery and beliving God wanted him to spark a slave revolution, his convictions were extremely modern to us, yet the extreme violence of his campaigns—beheading unarmed pro-slavery advocates—were decidedly Old Testament. Simultaneously considered a moral crusader and possibly the first American terrorist (he even took hostages, communicated with media, and built propaganda around his martyrdom) it's clear his seizing the federal armory at Harper's Ferry meant America was destined for Civil War. Join us for a discussion of partisanship, militias, attacks on the media and a contested election... nothing familiar at all!

The Russian Pogroms: Fleeing the Tsar

Between 1881 and 1905, the forces of the Russian Empire started one of their most vicious pogroms in history. With mobs rampaging through Jewish neighborhoods and Cossacks sweeping into villages, thousands of Eastern European Jews opted to leave and seek new homes abroad. Most set their sights on the United States, a country with open immigration policies and unique religious protections. But to get to a port serving America, many would have to pay shady people smugglers, illegally cross borders, and find ways to feed or house themselves on the way. In this series, we'll follow Jewish refugees across Europe, looking at how their flight changed communities across the continent, from enclaves of Jewish settlers in France to a host of new anti-immigration laws hoping to keep the desperate out. And finally, we'll talk about how their arrival reshaped American life.

The Taiping Rebellion: Jesus' Chinese Brother

Ask him, and Hong Xiuquan will tell you he's the second son of God, brother of Jesus, and on a divine mission to reshape China—and he has an army. A HUGE army. Seeking not just to replace the ruling class, Hong's religious movement the God Worshipping Society professes a Chinese syncretic version of Christianity that wants to reshape the country into a perfect Heavenly Kingdom. One he will actually get a chance to form for a time. But this kingdom is anything but heavenly—in fact, it will spark a decade-long civil war with the Qing Dynasty that kills at least 20 million people, and perhaps as many as 70 million. Come learn about a man the Qing feared so much, they cremated him and blasted his ashes out of a cannon.

Jewish Pirates: Avenging the Inquisition

When Spain and Portugal expelled their Jewish subjects in 1492, the Jewish population of Iberia experienced its worst oppression in centuries. Those that left often had little money, and those who stayed and hid risked exposure and torture by the inquisiton. But then, there were those who struck back. With many Iberian Jews active in the shipping industry, some resettled—along with expelled Iberian Muslims—in the Ottoman Empire. Others followed Columbus to the new world, settling Jamaica, and becoming instrumental in turning it over to the British. And in both places, many turned to piracy, punishing their Spanish enemies in ships named Prophet Samuel and Shield of Abraham. One, Moses Cohen Henriques, even became the only pirate in history to capture a Spanish treasure fleet. Join us for adventure (and latkes) on the high seas.

What series would you like us to air on Extra History? Cast your vote(s) below and let us know!

Friendly reminder: You can vote for as many choices as you want! This style of voting helps us see what people are most interested in without having to make tough decisions between a couple of close favorites. The poll will end at 11:59 PM PT on Friday, November 20th.

Current Schedule: Saladin --> Teddy Rosevelt --> Your Vote