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. July 11, 1780 French Fleet arrives at Newport Approximately 5,000 – 6,000 French soldiers commanded by Rochambeau arrived at Newport, Rhode Island. The code name given by the French government …
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An orrery is a mechanical model of the Solar System that illustrates or predicts the relative positions and motions of the planets and moons. The first orrery that was a planetarium of the modern era was produced in 1704, and one was presented to Charles Boyle (who penned the Ideal Gas Law), the 4th Earl …
Perhaps it has something to do with the week I am spending in Texas or perhaps it is the fall-out from having watched The Serpent Queen on STARZ but my mind is stuck on “Bloody Mary.” I’m absolutely talking about the cocktail (I need 3 right now) but also the first Queen of England to …
David Rittenhouse moved to Philadelphia in 1770, where he set up shop on the corner of Seventh and Mulberry (now Arch) streets and later became the city surveyor of Philadelphia. Rittenhouse was contracted as a surveyor for Great Britain in 1763. His first public service was a boundary survey for William Penn in 1763-64 to …
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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. July 9, 1790 – RESIDENCE ACT was passed by Congress creating a new national capital on the Potomac River in a site selected by President George Washington and carved …
Private ownership of land in the British colonies of North America, provided self-sufficiency for many and extravagant wealth for a few. The idea of land as property came from England and accurate descriptions of property and its boundaries are essential. For this reason, surveyors were essential not just in the newly acquired lands of North …
Continue reading “The Problem of True North vs Compass North”
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. Last week, we celebrated Ceasar Rodney’s infamous ride to Philadelphia so that he could vote for independence in July 2. We take it for granted that Delaware was a …
Continue reading “Historical Tidbits — DELAWARE WANTED FREEDOM FROM BOTH ENGLAND AND PENNSYLVANIA”
When the U.S. Mint opened in Philadelphia, coins were made of copper, silver, and gold, in accordance with the Coinage Act of 1792. Because these coins were made of precious metal, their value was directly related to the amount of metal they contained. Unfortunately, these coins were also vulnerable to a practice known as “clipping.” Clipping …
Continue reading “Ruffles have Ridges … and so do US Coins!”
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. July 8, 1776 — The citizens of Philadelphia were summoned to the State House Yard by the bells of the city. At noon, Colonel John Nixon publicly read the …
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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. July 8, 1780 American and French forces join at Dobbs Ferry Expédition Particulière was the code name given by the French government for the plan to sail French land …
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Michael Carver -- Historical Interpreter/Reenactor 