In 1727, Benjamin Franklin and several friends established a “club of mutual improvement” called the Junto which met in a Philadelphia alehouse each Friday evening. There they held lively discussions of politics, morals and philosophy. Eventually, they left this ale-infused atmosphere for a quieter meeting place in the home of one of the wealthier members. …
Continue reading “Not the First Library but Perhaps the Best”
April 7, 2024 @ Richard Wall HouseDiscuss Science and see gear1:00 – 4:00pm and April 8, 2024 @ Historic Rittenhouse TownActually SEE THE ECLIPSE! 1:00 – 4:00pm A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun in such a manner that the Moon’s shadow sweeps over Earth’s surface. This shadow consists …
Continue reading “UPCOMING EVENT — Observing the Solar Eclipse with David Rittenhouse”
So, I took my wife to DC to view the Cherry Blossoms. We were a bit early as they look like peak blooming will be late this week, but the phenomenon is not to be missed. Spectacular! Cherries have a special place in American History. We’ve all heard the story of George Washington who as …
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. April 2, 1792 Congress establishes the US Mint in Philadelphia. On April 2, 1792 Congress passed the Coinage Act, establishing the first national mint in the United States. In …
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During the Battle of Long Island in August 1776, Washington, then commander-in-chief of the Continental Army, was repeatedly surprised by the British. He only escaped the destruction of his army thanks to fog, adverse winds that blocked the British fleet from cutting him off and the caution of British commander William Howe. Fresh off his …
What do you call someone who’s fallen for a prank? In most English-speaking places, you’d probably just call them gullible. But in France, you might use the term poisson d’avril (“April fish.”) The centuries-old name is linked to a 1508 poem by Renaissance composer and writer Eloy d’Amerval, who used the phrase to describe the …
In my last post, I picked on Boston because, well its Boston. But stupid laws are not a Massachusetts thing. Let’s look a little closer to home. Here are a few from Pennsylvania: It is illegal to catch a fish by any body part other than the mouth. There’s also a law forbidding the use …
The origins behind April Fool’s Day are a little sketchy but it is generally understood that it started back in 1582. That was the year that France switched from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian but communication was slow and unreliable so, not everyone switched at the same time. As a consequence, many priests didn’t …
April 7, 2024 @ Richard Wall HouseDiscuss Science and see gear1:00 – 4:00pm and April 8, 2024 @ Historic Rittenhouse TownActually SEE THE ECLIPSE! 1:00 – 4:00pm A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun in such a manner that the Moon’s shadow sweeps over Earth’s surface. This shadow consists …
Continue reading “UPCOMING EVENT — Observing the Solar Eclipse with David Rittenhouse”
“Air and Exercise” = being whipped with a Cat-o-Nine-Tails. Prior to the arrival of Baron Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben, American officers often imitated their British peers. In a rather startling example, George Washington once lobbied congress for permission to allow 500 lashes — “Air and Exercise”– as punishment to maintain discipline the Continental soldiers! Congress …
Continue reading “Beer Recipe: Air and Exercise — Rattleskull”
Michael Carver -- Historical Interpreter/Reenactor 