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 10, 1776 – Common Sense, a fifty-page pamphlet by Thomas Paine, was published. It sold over 500,000 copies in America and Europe, influencing both the authors of the …
Category Archives: General history
Soldiers at “Rest”
Only a tiny fraction of any soldier’s time was spent in combat. The vast majority of the time, the army was in camp. Camp life was exactly a time of rest and idleness. Uniforms and arms required daily attention, food had to be cooked, firewood collected, shelters built and the near endless work that caring …
The Centennial Bell
In 1876, Philadelphia city officials discussed what role the Liberty Bell should play in the nation’s Centennial festivities. Some wanted to repair it so it could sound at the Centennial Exposition being held in Philadelphia, but the idea was not adopted; the bell’s custodians concluded that it was unlikely that the metal could be made …
The OTHER Clock at Independence Hall
When you visit the Philadelphia State House (AKA Independence Hall), you will be told the story of the Liberty Bell and it multiple recastings before being hung in the tower behind the hall. You will no doubt hear the bells (now the Centennial Bell) as it chimes on the hour and of course most photos …
George Washington Elected as President
On January 7, 1789, the Congress of the United States of America, having recently adopted the Constitution, held its first presidential election. Despite having retired to his Virginia plantation after the war, the Electoral College cast a unanimous vote (69 electoral votes) for George Washington. Under the original Constitution, the electors each cast two …
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. January 6, 1777 1st Encampment at Morristown Remnants of the American forces (2,000 – 4,000 troops) after the battles of Trenton and Princeton are billeted in homes and structures …
Are you a Yankee Doodle Dandy?
We all know the song … “Yankee Doodle went to town.” They teach it to our children. Well, thankfully not! The British sang Yankee Doodle to berate the Americans during the Revolutionary War. It not the nice little dittle we all sang as kids, when you get to the later verses, it quite profane. A …
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. January 5, 1777 Battle of Princeton Preparing to crush Washington’s Army at Assunpink Creek, Cornwallis ordered reinforcements brought down to his position at Trenton. This left only a small …
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. January 17, 1773 – HMS Resolution, under the command of James Cook, became the first vessel to cross the Antarctic Circle. Want to Buy Beer from the Colonial Brewmeister? …
Re-Enactor, Interpreter, or Living Historian?
In my tagline, I use the two terms that are sometimes seen as synonyms and just as often as antonyms by the Living History community: Re-enactor and Interpreter. So, are you a re-enactor, an interpreter, or a living historian? Are you part of the exhibit, the staff, a visitor, or something else altogether? These are …
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Michael Carver -- Historical Interpreter/Reenactor 