People began using pencils in Europe in the early 17th century. Graphite was discovered in England’s Lake District and it was soon discovered that this mineral made marks on paper and other surfaces that could be easily rubbed away. Early pencils were often a bit of graphite held in some sort of holder that allowed …
Continue reading “NO, We Didn’t All Write with Quills in the 18th Century. Some Used Pencils.”
In 1768, through careful observation and lots of computations, the Royal Society was able to compute the distance of the Earth from the Sun. Armed with this information, and using Newtons universal law of gravitation (1687), it should be possible to understand the behavior of the planets. There remained, however, just one problem. How much …
Continue reading “In 1797 Henry Cavendish Used Small Metal Spheres to Weigh the Earth”
Insurrections often are propagated upon misinformation. So too are the most recent band of domestic terrorist who like to hide behind our most sacred American institutions. In this series, I want to explore the Bill of Rights and why some of the hype and hyperbole thrown around by the extremist is not just wrong but …
Spying for his Freedom — James Armistead “Lafayette” James Armistead was an enslaved African American who served the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War under the Marquis de Lafayette. Acting as a double agent, he reported the activities of Benedict Arnold after he had defected to the British, and of Lord Charles Cornwallis during …
Continue reading “Spy vs Spy: George Washington’s and King George’s Spies (#5)”
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. Forty Fort was a stronghold built by settlers from Westmoreland County, Connecticut, on the Susquehanna River in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. During the American Revolutionary War, both Connecticut and Pennsylvania …
June 29, 202410 AM – 10 PMDaniel Boone Homestead400 Daniel Boone RdBirdsboro, PA 19508 Perhaps you are an accomplished homebrewer and you want to appreciate the challenges faced by brewers in the 18th Century who brewed good beer without all the instrumentation and modern equipment we rely on, perhaps you are a history buff and …
Add excitement and authentic color to your special event, or create one for your site, with Philadelphia’s best Colonial Brewer and tradesman. Whether it is a reenactment, motion picture, a tavern night for a private event, or other endeavor, I can bring can bring a real sense of authenticity and fun to your event and …
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I will be in Independence National Park all day on June 1st, 13th, 15th, 19th and 27th as part of the “Once upon a Nation” program run by Historic Philadelphia. I am portraying David Rittenhouse and will be happy to discuss Solar observations in the 18th Century, the US Mint, and any other revolutionary issues you …
A Master of Disguise — Sarah Fulton As a member of the Daughters of Liberty, Sarah Fulton became involved in protests and the planning of the Boston Tea Party. Sarah is credited with disguising the Sons of Liberty as Native Americans. After the protest, the men returned to Fulton’s home, where she helped remove face …
Continue reading “Spy vs Spy: George Washington’s and King George’s Spies (#4)”
Actually, tradition calls for us to fold the flag into the shape of a tri-cornered hat, the kind worn by George Washington and other soldiers who served in the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. While the troops carried a variety of flags during that war, the tradition of folding the flag in the manner …
Continue reading “Why Do We Fold the American Flag into a Triangle?”
Michael Carver -- Historical Interpreter/Reenactor 