207.2 - The Great Molasses Flood of 1919
In this episode, we explore the Great Molasses Flood of 1919, one of the strangest and most tragic disasters in U.S. history. On a cold January afternoon in Boston’s North End, a massive steel tank holding 2.3 million gallons of molasses burst, sending a deadly wave of syrup through the streets.
You’ll learn what molasses was being used for, why shipments kept arriving after World War I, and how Prohibition played a surprising role in the story. We’ll walk step by step through what caused the tank to fail, and how this disaster helped shape modern building inspections and safety codes.
Along the way, I explain key vocabulary like seep, debris, dense, rivets, bootleg, and up to code — so you’ll build your English while learning about U.S. history and culture.
⭐ Get the full transcript, vocabulary list, quiz, and bonus lesson on the third conditional inside the Academy.
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