I just got a call from Randell Spankman with “news.” It seems that the City Tavern has permanently closed. For over 26 years, Chef Staub has delighted us with not only culinary treasures from the 18th Century but also history. Today is a sad day for anyone who enjoys a little food, drink, and talk …
Author Archives: Michael Carver
The Electoral College is Not an Evil Institution!
There is a lot of discussion today about the Electoral College and the seemingly inefficient nature of our county’s approach to electing its president. After all, the compromises that led to creation of this body are responsible for four of our nation’s worst presidents being put in office without winning the popular vote. Donald J. …
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Who Voted in Early America?
After declaring independence on July 4, 1776, each former English colony wrote a state constitution. About half the states attempted to reform their voting procedures. The trend in these states was to do away with the freehold requirement (holding title to property) in favor of granting all taxpaying, free, adult males the right to vote. Since …
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. October 27, 1795 – PINCKNEY’S TREATY established the border between Spanish Florida and the United States, an issue that had been in dispute at the time of the Treaty …
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. October 27, 1787 – The first of 85 Federalist Papers would be published. These essays, written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay, presented the argument for abandoning …
Building Community Engagement and Teaching
For the last twelve years of so, I have been involved in various organizations[1] around Philadelphia whose mission is to teach various aspects of the history of the American Revolution (1765 – 1790) to the general public through interactive, living history presentations. Our goal is to transform history from dry facts in a history book …
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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. October 26, 1774 – The First Continental Congress convenes at Carpenters Hall in Philadelphia to discuss how to best respond to a series of taxes and governmental usurpations enacted …
Bonhomme Richard Spice Ale
Bonhomme Richard was originally a merchant ship built at L’Orient for the French East India Company in 1765. Her design allowed her to be quickly transformed into a man-of-war in case of necessity to support the navy. She made two voyages to China, the first in 1766 and the second in 1769, was transferred briefly …
Continuing to Do the Same Thing and Expecting Different Results is INSANITY!
I promise back will get back to the history of beer in November but EVERY time I try to watch a program on television or review an article on the internet, I seem to be bombarded by the orange orangutan’s advertisements claiming the world will be unsafe if we elect anyone who will reform policing …
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Supreme Court doesn’t mean the BEST judges, just the top court.
As Congress makes all possible haste and takes every conceivable shortcut to nominate Amy Coney Barrett, it is important to remember that the Supreme Court has a long history of BAD judges being appointed. Take James Wilson, a signatory to the Declaration of Independence, who spent some time in a debtors’ prison while still serving …
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Michael Carver -- Historical Interpreter/Reenactor 