During the American War of Independence, the inhabitants of New York City, formerly New Amsterdam), celebrated the tradition of Sinterklaas as symbol of the city’s non-English past. In the 1770s the New York Gazetteer noted that the feast day of “St. a Claus” was celebrated “by the descendants of the ancient Dutch families, with their usual festivities.” Sinterklaas is …
Author Archives: Michael Carver
Historical Tidbits — Washington resigns as Commander in Chief
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. December 23, 1783 Washington resigns as Commander in Chief “Having now finished the work assigned to me, I retire from the great theatre of action; and bidding an affectionate …
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Debtors’ Prison
Well, Tis the Season when many of you are in a Dickens of a mood so let’s talk about 18th Century debtors in England. Prior to the Bankruptcy Act (1869), missing even a small debt payment could lead to decades of imprisonment. If you are familiar with Charles Dickens’ novel Little Dorrit, originally published as …
Britain’s Failed Attempt at Peace Talks
Stunned by Britain’s defeat at Saratoga and fearing that its former colonies would enter into an alliance with France, Lord North reversed direction in early 1778 and proposed to Parliament that Britain send a peace commission with powers to negotiate with the Continental Congress. Parliament approved the “Royal Instructions to the Peace Commission” on 16 …
How to Survey Land with 18th Century Tools – Measuring Elevations
Measuring how high a hill rises or whether a field is level involves the following equipment: A Jacobs Staff — a stick or pole with length markings. A set of chaining pins – markers that can be placed in the ground A Gunter’s Chain – a steel chain of 100 links exactly 66 feet long …
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Louisiana Purchase finalized 12/20/1803
On December 12, 1803 the United States completed the purchase of the Louisiana Territory from Frans for $15 million. This territory encompassed 530,000,000 acres of territory. As the United States spread across the Appalachians, the Mississippi River became an increasingly important conduit for the produce of America’s West (which at that time referred to the …
The Scourge of Slavery (#12) — How the Liberty Bell got its name
Every year millions of people come to Philadelphia to see the “Liberty Bell.” This large bell was commissioned in 1751 by the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly to hang in the new State House in Philadelphia. At the time it was commissioned, there was no thought about Independence. Philadelphia was the third most important city in the …
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Historical Tidbits — Retreats across the Delaware
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. December 19, 1776 The Second Night of Hanukkah at Valley Forge On December 19, 1777 General Washington and his Continental Army arrived at Valley Forge. Many of the …
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UPCOMING EVENT — A Talk on Colonial Brewing
Alapocas Run and Wilmington State ParksBlue Ball Barn1914 W Park Dr, Wilmington, DE 19803January 10, 20246:30 pm – 8:00 pm This program will be a little different from our ordinary brewing demos. I am going to not start a fire and we have plenty of beer that has been previously brewed. At the Blue Ball Barn, I …
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UPCOMING EVENT — Colonial Brewing
Historic Rittenhouse Town6034 Wissahickon AvenuePhiladelphia, PA 19144Sat. Jan 20, 202411 am – 4 pm When not brewing, the Regimental Brewmeister will often assume the personae of David Rittenhouse who was a renowned astronomer, surveyor, and Director of the US Mint. Rittenhouse was best known for his work on the transit of Venus and solid accessible …
