Whitesmithing, or tinsmithing, is a much newer form of metalworking that developed in the late 1600s and gained popularity in the 18th and 19th centuries. Although found worldwide, whitesmithing was popular in mainland Europe and especially Britain. Whitesmiths work with thin sheets of iron or steel that were dipped in molten tin to protect the metal from …
Monthly Archives: January 2024
Join the Regimental Brewmeister
People are always welcome to come to my events and if you come in 18th Century kit, you can be part of the program or just hang out in the tent as you see fit. However, if you are truly interested in really learning the process, teaching the public, and being the brewer, you should …
UPCOMING EVENT — Colonial Brewing
Historic Rittenhouse Town6034 Wissahickon AvenuePhiladelphia, PA 19144Sat. Jan 20, 202411 am – 4 pm When not brewing, the Regimental Brewmeister will often assume the personae of David Rittenhouse who was a renowned astronomer, surveyor, and Director of the US Mint. Rittenhouse was best known for his work on the transit of Venus and solid accessible …
GOP vs Founding Fathers
Round 1 — Separation of Church and State Well folks, this is an election year. This guarantees we will disagree on many things but please heed this bit of advice – wear boots! The Republican Party likes to claim that they are “originalist” and that they know the intentions that the Founding Fathers had when …
Support Colonial Plantation by Attending an 18th Century Masquerade
COLONIAL WINTER MASQUERADESaturday, January 27, 2024 from 5 PM to 9 PM Kings Mills 6000 Pennell RdMedia, PA 19063 From the Italian, a Masquerade is an assembly of persons wearing masks and usually other disguises, the word evolved from Arabic maskharah “buffoon, to make a mockery of.” Dating back to the 14th and 15th centuries, …
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The Secular Argument for the Establishment Clause of Amendment 1
It is great to argue that the first Congress was inspired to adopt the Establishment Clause[i] by stories of Puritans and other separatist fleeing religious persecution in Europe and some mythical ideal that Americans are somehow more tolerant of other religions than their forebears but this is clearly NOT TRUE. Jews, atheists, Wiccans and Muslims …
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The OTHER Clock at Independence Hall
When you visit the Philadelphia State House (AKA Independence Hall), you will be told the story of the Liberty Bell and it multiple recastings before being hung in the tower behind the hall. You will no doubt hear the bells (now the Centennial Bell) as it chimes on the hour and of course most photos …
Basic Colonial Brewing #1 — The Importance of Beer in the 1700’s Colonial America
Today we think of beer as a luxury item, something to enjoy during our leisure times and beverage known and imbibed for its intoxicating properties. This was not always true. In fact, beer was once considered the most healthy drink to give to children and vital to survival. To understand this, you must first understand …
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Talk on Colonial Brewing
Last night we met at the Blue Ball Barn in Wilmington (Alapocas Run State Park, 1914 W Park Dr, Wilmington, DE 19803) and I gave a talk on Colonial Brewing. Attached is the presentation deck for those who either could not attend or did attend but wanted a copy. Presentation is posted here: https://colonialbrewer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/alapocas-run-state-park-colonial-brewing-talk.pdf Want to …
Historical Tidbits — Common Sense
When reenacting or acting as a historical interpreter, its good to have a few historical dates and stories to share. This series will publish a few. January 10, 1776 – Common Sense, a fifty-page pamphlet by Thomas Paine, was published. It sold over 500,000 copies in America and Europe, influencing both the authors of the …
Michael Carver -- Historical Interpreter/Reenactor 