There simply is no credible historical evidence — letters, diaries, newspaper accounts, bills of sale — that Betsy Ross, then known as Elizabeth Claypoole, either made or had a hand in designing the American flag in 1777. That said, her story is a very tenacious piece of fiction and popular American Myth that is constantly …
Continue reading “Betsy Ross DID NOT make the First Flag of the United States”
On flag day, we should address the elephant in the room. Some of these elephants get really upset when our national symbol is publicly burned. They are fools! When our flag is retired, it should be cremated. Yes – burned; never thrown out like garbage. Sure, its just a piece of cloth but this simple …
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. June 14, 1775 – The Second Continental Congress creates the Continental Army. Six companies of riflemen are then dispatched to Boston. When the American Revolutionary War broke out in …
Continue reading “Historical Tidbits — Creation of Continental Army”
In June, 1791, a private turnpike company was formed ‘for making an artificial road from the City of Philadelphia to the Borough of Lancaster’ — a distance of sixty-six miles. It was the first stone paved turnpike of substantial length in the country, and the most costly and ambitious public works project undertaken up to …
Timothy Matlack (March 28, 1736 – April 14, 1829) was a brewer and beer bottler who emerged as a popular and powerful leader in the American Revolutionary War, Secretary of Pennsylvania during the war, and a delegate to the Second Continental Congress in 1780. He became one of Pennsylvania’s most provocative and influential political figures, …
Continue reading “A Gentleman, Scholar, Soldier and a BREWER!”
Double Agent — Major John Clark John Clark was commissioned as a first lieutenant in the 1st Continental Infantry (Pennsylvania Rifles) on January 1, 1776, and was made a major of the 2nd Pennsylvania Battalion of the Flying Camp on September 14, 1776. He originally came to the attention of George Washington during the evacuation …
Continue reading “Spy vs Spy: George Washington’s and King George’s Spies (#3)”
The English term cordwainer first appears in 1100. Since this date the term cordouan, or cordovan leather, has been applied to several varieties of leather. Today cordovan leather is a vegetable tanned horse “shell,” and like the Medieval cordwain is used only for the highest quality shoes. Since the Middle Ages the title of cordwainer …
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 …
America’s Most Famous Spy — Nathan Hale In the early years of the Revolutionary War, spying was not exactly considered honorable. Nathan Hale, however, volunteered to spy on the British Army after reportedly confiding in his classmate that he longed to be useful to the American cause. He joined the Connecticut militia, becoming a First …
Continue reading “Spy vs Spy: George Washington’s and King George’s Spies (#2)”
Most of us are familiar with the Jewish practice of Kiddush (blessing over wine). We even see remnants of this traditions in our Christian bother’s traditions of Eucharist. Wine stands for life that is good, joyful, and sociable. Throughout much of history, wine was a luxury good that was only consumed on certain days. What …
Michael Carver -- Historical Interpreter/Reenactor 