“We the People of the United States” is perhaps the most famous phrase in the Constitution – and it wasn’t penned by James Madison like the most of the Constitution. We owe this enigmatic phrase to an equally enigmatic delegate to the Constitutional Convention — Gouverneur Morris, the author of the Preamble to the US Constitution. …
Author Archives: Michael Carver
What are these newfangled “Cocktails?”
A cocktail is an alcoholic drink that combines one or more spirits with other ingredients, such as bitters, juices, syrups, or tonic water. Concocting one can be as simple as blending gin and tonic water over ice and adding a wedge of lime, or it can be a splashier, more involved affair, such as the Ale Flip. The …
Historical Tidbits — Treaty of Paris
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. January 14, 1784 – Congress formally accepts the terms of the Treaty of Paris, ending American participation in the Revolutionary War. George III will not sign this treaty for …
Healthcare in America
All during the political campaigns of let last dozen or so years, we have argued and fought over how we should manage and administer healthcare in our country. Lots of ink has been spilled on the merits and problems of public versus private medicine. Few people really consider how we got to the place that …
GOP vs Founding Fathers
Round 3 — Government Regulation and the Free Market Well folks, this is an election year. This guarantees we will disagree on many things but please heed this bit of advice – wear boots! The Republican Party likes to claim that they are “originalist” and that they know the intentions that the Founding Fathers had …
The Blacksmith
The blacksmith is a craftsman who fabricates objects out of iron by hot and cold forging on an anvil. The blacksmith’s essential equipment consists of a forge, an open furnace for heating metal ore and metal for working and forming. in which smelted iron is heated so that it can be worked easily; an anvil, …
The Holiday of Hansel
Handsel Monday, the first Monday after January 1, was an old 18th century Scottish tradition where masters would give their servants presents and give them the day off. Sweet! “Handsel” is a Middle English word meaning good luck or good omen. The handsel present was typically money, meaning even the poorest servant had a little extra cash …
Open your purse on Plough Monday
Plough Monday (the first Monday after Epiphany or January 6) marks the traditional start of the English agricultural year. It is often celebrated with some unorthodox partying/fundraising. A boy dressed as an old woman (called the “Bessy”) and man dressed as an animal (called the “Fool”), accompanied by roving musicians, drag a plough from house to house to …
GOP vs Founding Fathers
Round 2 — Lower Taxes Republicans tout that the want less government and lower taxes and they are willing to cut a few social programs and even essential services like in order to lower taxes, but so be it. They argue that we should put our trust in people, not in government pushing issues of …
The Whitesmith
Whitesmithing, or tinsmithing, is a much newer form of metalworking that developed in the late 1600s and gained popularity in the 18th and 19th centuries. Although found worldwide, whitesmithing was popular in mainland Europe and especially Britain. Whitesmiths work with thin sheets of iron or steel that were dipped in molten tin to protect the metal from …
Michael Carver -- Historical Interpreter/Reenactor 