On February 24, 1775, Rittenhouse delivered a lecture on the history of astronomy to the American Philosophical Society, in which he linked the structure of nature to the rights of man, liberty and self-government. Rittenhouse also used the occasion to decry slavery. So impressed were those in attendance that the American Philosophical Society commissioned the …
Author Archives: Michael Carver
Historical Tidbits — Marbury vs Madison
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. February 24, 1801 Marbury vs Madison Politics in 1800 were contentious. Thomas Jefferson and his political party, the Democratic-Republicans, had soundly beaten John Adams, a Federalist, in the …
Historical Tidbits — The United States Buys Florida for $5MM
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. February 22, 1819 The United States Buys Florida for $5MM On February 22, 1819, Spain ceded Florida to the United States under the terms of the Adams-Onís Treaty. …
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Historical Tidbits — Pennsylvania Statehouse cornerstone laid
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. February 22, 1732 Pennsylvania Statehouse cornerstone laid Construction of Independence Hall, then known as the Pennsylvania State House would begin in 1732. The construction of the building was …
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Happy Birthday General Washington
General Washington had the first public celebration of his birthday done by his wife, Martha, at the encampment at Valley Forge in the winter of 1778. The next official acknowledgement of Washington’s birthday would not occur for fifty-four years. At the recommendation of Henry Clay of the Senate and Philemon Thomas of the House, Congress …
Fort Mifflin Rumbustion
Okay, like the other spirits at Fort Mifflin, we cannot definitively tell whether this rum exists. Some people have had very close and memorable encounters but there are true deniers as well. This is a robust concoction distilled in the manner similar to how John Hancock would have made bootleg rum. Rumbustion is rumpus uproar, …
My kind of Retirement
Shortly after departing the presidency in March of 1797, George Washington set out on an entirely new endeavor. He opened a whiskey distillery at Mount Vernon. Encouraged by his farm manager, James Anderson, Washington set out to simplify his farming operations. Always keen to enterprises that might earn him extra income, Washington was intrigued by …
18th Century Parlor Games
Just like today, people of the 18th Century enjoyed parlor and tavern games, often gambling. At most Living History events, there are long periods between major events. One of the best ways, asside from giving talks and meeting the public, to pass the time is with a game. There are two primary types of parlor …
THE BILL OF RIGHTS: A BRIEF HISTORY #10
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 …
Making Food Safe but Easy to Ship to Soldiers
In the late 18th century, the French army was looking for a way to keep food edible long enough to get it to soldiers on the front lines throughout Europe and beyond. Napoleon’s government offered 12,000 francs to anyone who could develop a proper food preservation system. In 1795, Nicolas Appert, a French chef, candymaker, …
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