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. July 11, 1780 Washington meets with Rochambeau in Hartford France supported the American war effort with money and material and formally joined as an ally in 1778. The French …
Author Archives: Michael Carver
Historical Tidbits
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. July 11, 1780 French Fleet arrives at Newport Approximately 5,000 – 6,000 French soldiers commanded by Rochambeau arrived at Newport, Rhode Island. The code name given by the French government …
The Evil Gerrymander
In March 1812, the Boston Gazette ran a political cartoon depicting “a new species of monster”: “The Gerry-mander.” The forked-tongue creature was shaped like a contorted Massachusetts voting district that the state’s Jeffersonian Republicans had drawn to benefit their own party. Governor (and future vice president) Elbridge Gerry signed off on his party’s redistricting plan …
Slavery
The acquisition of indentured servants and slaves began with the earliest days of the settling of America. Before 1680, the most common form of bound labor was the white indentured servant. Up to two-thirds of the English migrants who came to Virginia between 1630 and 1680 arrived in servile status. In return for the cost …
Sharpening your Knife with a Whetstone
First off, put some lubricant on your stone. You need to use a lubricant when sharpening your tools because doing it dry will generate enough heat that it will actually warp the blade. Typically, you should use mineral oil as a lubricating agent because it can effectively reduce the heat produced by friction, but if …
Historical Tidbits
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. July 9, 1790 – RESIDENCE ACT was passed by Congress creating a new national capital on the Potomac River in a site selected by President George Washington and carved …
Historical Tidbits
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. July 8, 1776 — The citizens of Philadelphia were summoned to the State House Yard by the bells of the city. At noon, Colonel John Nixon publicly read the …
Historical Tidbits
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. July 8, 1780 American and French forces join at Dobbs Ferry Expédition Particulière was the code name given by the French government for the plan to sail French land …
Beer Recipe: Act of Parliament — Small Beer
In the days before proper sanitation, drinking water could be very dangerous. There are many waterborne parasites (like the amoebas that cause dysentery) and pathogens (like cholera) and as people formed settlements and cities, these diseases were easily spread. Fear of drinking the water was so strong that in 1620 when Puritan settlers arrived in …
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Historical Tidbits
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. July 6, 1768– The Vice Admiralty Court Act — gave Royal naval courts, rather than colonial courts, jurisdiction over all matters concerning customs violations and smuggling. The Vice-Admiralty Court …
