In 1848, Henry Brown was a Virginia slave with a wife and three children. When the plantation owner sold Brown’s wife and children to another slave owner, and Brown could do nothing to stop it, he began to plan his escape to Philadelphia. While many American slaves viewed the Underground Railroad as a means to …
Author Archives: Michael Carver
Historical Tidbits — Give me Liberty or Give me Death!
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. March 23, 1775 – Patrick Henry addressed the Virginia Legislature with a rousing speech – “I know not what course others may take; but as for me, Give me …
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Give me LIBERTY or give me DEATH!
Patrick Henry was a Virginia-born lawyer and skilled orator who was unreservedly passionate about American freedom. The outspoken Henry delivered his fiery “Liberty or Death” speech on March 23, 1775, famously concluding with a challenge: “I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!” Henry’s …
THE BILL OF RIGHTS: A BRIEF HISTORY #9
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 …
Cannonball Tavern is March 25
Fort Mifflin Come to Fort Mifflin on March 25th when we transform the Soldier’s Barracks into the Cannonball Tavern, complete with authentic beverages and hearty tavern fare. Enjoy 18th century tavern games, the warm glow of a cozy fire, lively toasting, music and the company of civilians and soldiers of the era. This is a …
Our Nation’s Oldest Friend is in the Arabic-speaking Muslim world
Recently there has been a lot of unjustified animosity against Islam and its followers. As we enter the month of Ramadan, the month when our Muslim brothers celebrate Muhammad’s revelation of the first verses the Quran, it is important to remember that when the fledgling United States most needed allies and friends, the nation that …
Continue reading “Our Nation’s Oldest Friend is in the Arabic-speaking Muslim world”
Historical Tidbits — STAMP ACT
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. March 22, 1765 STAMP ACT The Stamp Act of 1765 was the first internal tax levied directly on American colonists by the British Parliament. The act, which imposed …
Bring Documents to your Reenactments!
Today Americans boast a whoppingly deplorable literacy rate of about 86% depending on how you measure literacy. Compare this to Colonial New England where, discounting slaves, women, indentured servants, and indians, in a time when books, newpapers, and magazines were largely unobtainable, the literacy rate was almost 60%*. Today with telephones, television, radio, and various …
Precedent for the Stamp Act
We are all familiar with The Stamp Act of 1765 which was a tax on all paper documents levied on American colonists in order to pay off debt from the Seven Years’ War (1756-63). Coming in the midst of economic hardship in the colonies, the Stamp Act aroused vehement resistance. Parliament pushed forward with the …
Cannonball Tavern is March 25
Fort Mifflin Come to Fort Mifflin on March 25th when we transform the Soldier’s Barracks into the Cannonball Tavern, complete with authentic beverages and hearty tavern fare. Enjoy 18th century tavern games, the warm glow of a cozy fire, lively toasting, music and the company of civilians and soldiers of the era. This is a …
Michael Carver -- Historical Interpreter/Reenactor 