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Happy Friday, dudes.
Yesterday was Thanksgiving which means two things. A nap on the couch and the Detroit Lions taking over your television. Since the Lions have basically become a holiday tradition, today we are breaking down how that happened in the first place.
Let’s get into it.
🗓️ Today in History
November 28th, 1893 – First National Election With Women Voters
On November 28, 1893, women in New Zealand voted in a national election for the first time. It was the first country in the world to grant women full voting rights, and the milestone came after years of petitions, organizing, and public pressure led by activists like Kate Sheppard. Their movement built so much momentum that lawmakers could no longer ignore it, and when the law passed earlier that year, it sent a message across the world that political equality was possible.
The turnout on election day was enormous and thousands of women lined up to cast ballots for the first time in their lives. Newspapers around the globe took note, and the event pushed other nations to face their own resistance to women’s rights. New Zealand’s decision reshaped the global conversation on democracy and made the country a symbol of political progress. Today it stands as one of the most important moments in the history of voting rights.
Women in Auckland lining up to vote for the first time in history
❓ Trivia
Which country was the first to grant women the right to run for national office?
P.S. We’re now breaking down the answers at the end of each edition, so you get a little more insight.
Sports Stuff
How the Detroit Lions Became America's Thanksgiving Team
Every Thanksgiving, somewhere between the parade and the pie, millions of Americans tune in to watch the Detroit Lions play football. It's tradition. It's comforting. And for most of the past 90 years, it's been a slow march toward disappointment.
But how did this become a thing? Why does a team that's historically struggled (putting it nicely) own the most coveted spot on the NFL calendar? Turns out, it all started with a scrappy businessman who needed butts in seats.
The Birth of a Tradition (1934)
The Lions weren't always the Lions. They were originally the Portsmouth Spartans, a small market Ohio team that relocated to Detroit in 1934. Enter George A. Richards, the team's new owner and a radio magnate who knew a thing or two about publicity stunts.
Richards was staring down empty stands and a city that didn't care about his football team. So he cooked up a plan: host a Thanksgiving game and broadcast it nationally on his radio network. The opponent? The undefeated Chicago Bears, the biggest draw in football at the time.
It worked. Over 26,000 fans packed into University of Detroit Stadium (the Lions didn't even have their own field yet). Sure, Detroit lost 19 to 16, but the game was a massive success. Richards had found his golden goose.
George A. Richards
Why It Actually Stuck
Most publicity stunts flame out after one or two years. The Thanksgiving game could have easily joined the graveyard of forgotten promotions. But it didn't. Why?
First, the NFL was smart enough to see the value. By the 1950s, the league made the Lions' Thanksgiving game an official fixture. Detroit got a guaranteed national audience every single year, which was huge for a mid market team.
Second, TV happened. When the games started airing on television in the 1950s and '60s, the tradition exploded. Suddenly, it wasn't just about going to the game. It was about gathering around the living room, loosening your belt, and watching football while your uncle argued about politics. The Lions became part of the fabric of Thanksgiving itself.
Third, consistency matters. The Lions have played on Thanksgiving every year since 1934 except for a brief pause during World War II (1939 to 1944). That kind of commitment creates muscle memory for an entire nation.
The Dallas Addition
In 1966, the Cowboys saw what the Lions were doing and wanted in. Dallas has hosted a Thanksgiving game every year since, giving us the double header we know today. In 2006, the NFL added a third primetime game with a rotating host, but let's be honest, those first two slots are the real show.
The Losing Legacy
Now, about that whole "losing" thing. The Lions are 38 wins, 45 losses, and 2 ties on Thanksgiving. Not great! They've also never won a Super Bowl and have only three playoff wins since 1957. But somehow, that makes the tradition even more American. We keep showing up, keep believing, keep getting hurt. It's beautiful in a tragic sort of way.
Why We Still Love It
The Lions on Thanksgiving isn't about winning. It's about ritual. It's about knowing that no matter what chaos is happening in your life, you can count on Detroit taking the field while you're deciding whether to go back for thirds.
Plus, every few years, the Lions are actually good, which makes it exciting. And when they're bad? Well, at least you have pie.
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🍽️ Last Bite
🎰 Trivia Breakdown
Finland made history in 1906 when it became the first country to allow women to both vote in national elections and run for national office. At the time Finland was still part of the Russian Empire, but strong grassroots movements and widespread public pressure pushed lawmakers to overhaul the political system. The old system was replaced with a new parliament elected by universal suffrage, which meant women were included as full political participants rather than spectators. It was a dramatic shift during an era when most of the world still refused to consider women as voters, let alone candidates.
The results showed how groundbreaking the change truly was. In the very first election under the new system, held in 1907, nineteen women were elected to parliament. That made Finland the first country in the world where women held national legislative seats. The move inspired political reform across Europe and set Finland apart as a leader in democratic rights. It remains one of the most important early victories in the global history of women’s political representation.
What’d you think of today’s edition? 👇
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