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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You can listen to 207.2 - The Great Molasses Flood of 1919 online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

207.2 - The Great Molasses Flood of 1919 is an episode from American English Podcast by Shana Thompson.

This episode is 26:31 long.

This episode was published on Mar 4, 2026.

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