Okay, so this week I broke down and used the GPS feature of my phone and was sorely disappointed. Every time I use a terrestrial GPS, I am reminded that Magellan was such a great navigator that his crew abandoned him on the battlefield and left him to be eaten by cannibals. In 1494, Portugal …
Author Archives: Michael Carver
What, Behind the Rabbit?
Yes, I can help you find the Holy Grail. To the north there lies a cave, the cave of Caerbannog, where in carved in mystic runes upon the very living rock, the last words of Olfin Bedwee of Rheged. Make plain the last resting place of the most Holy Grail. “Follow…. “But ! … Follow only if …
Historical Tidbits — The Library of Congress
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 24, 1800The Library of Congress is formally established in the new US Capitol Building. The Library of Congress was established as the fledgling legislature of the new Republic …
Continue reading “Historical Tidbits — The Library of Congress”
Beer Recipe: Constitutional Debate Stout
Summer in Philadelphia can be hot and muggy. Not a time to be locked in a sealed room with locked doors and windows and 55 other delegates from all over the country trying to fix a system of government that was failing but in the summer of 1787 it had to be done. Something HAD …
Dangers of Business Interest in Government
By 1720, approximately 15% of all imports into England came from India and the British East India Company was responsible for almost all of this trade. Furthermore, the British East India Company grew so large and influential that by the 18th century it faced almost no competition for trade between England and India, that it …
Continue reading “Dangers of Business Interest in Government”
US Marines in the American Revolution — Whitehaven Raid
22 April 1778 Early in April 1778, Captain John Paul Jones in the 20-gun Continental sloop Ranger sailed from Brest in France for the Irish Sea. His intention was to “end the barbarous ravages perpetuated by the British in America.” To accomplish this seemingly impossible task, he proposed to descend upon an English port, destroy …
Continue reading “US Marines in the American Revolution — Whitehaven Raid”
Whose Flag is that?
Queen Elizabeth issued a Royal Charter to trade in the Indian Ocean in 1600 to the newly formed English East India Company. The EIC adopted a flag of thirteen red and white stripes with the flag of England (St George’s Cross) in the canton. This flag was chosen because many of the East India Company’s shareholders were Masons, and the …
Read the Fine Print, Keep your Powder Dry, and be Cautious of Turncoats
In the spring of 1767, Robert Clive, then a “writer” for the East India Company (EIC) planned to return to England, having earned a sizable fortune in legitimate trade of spices and textiles. Several Bengali nobles, including asked him to remain in Bengal and offered him £1 million and the EIC another £1 million if …
Continue reading “Read the Fine Print, Keep your Powder Dry, and be Cautious of Turncoats”
Loot and Plunder
One of the very first Indian words to enter the English language was LOOT, the Hindu word for plunder. To understand how this word became a common term across the British Empire in the 18th Century, take a look at the holdings of Powys Castle in Wales. Stored in great heaps in what could pass …
Fugio Pennies
The Fugio Penny, also known as the Franklin cent, was the first coin ever minted by the United States under the new US Constitution. The coin does not say “In God We Trust” or “E Pluribus Unum” on its front face. Instead, it reads “Mind Your Business.” The coin was designed by Benjamin Franklin, who most …
Michael Carver -- Historical Interpreter/Reenactor 