I have all these 18th C portraits that cycle through my PC desktop wallpapers. I am not sure why but today, this one caught my attention. Let me draw your attention to his hands… While this hand gesture is often seen as a victory sign (“V for Victory”), with the palm outward, and still today …
Category Archives: General history
Historical Tidbits — Battle of Moore’s Creek Bridge
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. February 27, 1776 Battle of Moore’s Creek Bridge The royal governor of North Carolina, Josiah Martin, began to muster the Loyalist militia in order to suppress the unrest including …
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Historical Tidbits — Battle of Moore’s Creek Bridge
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. February 27, 1776 Battle of Moore’s Creek Bridge The royal governor of North Carolina, Josiah Martin, began to muster the Loyalist militia in order to suppress the unrest including …
Continue reading “Historical Tidbits — Battle of Moore’s Creek Bridge”
The Cockroach of the Sea
A lot of people consider lobster to be a culinary delicacy. In 17th century colonial America, however, it wasn’t exactly desirable. The seafood was mostly fed to those with little say in their diets, such as prisoners and indentured servants working off their contracts. Seen as the cockroach of the sea, 17th century European settlers …
Historical Tidbits — Marbury vs Madison
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. February 24, 1801 Marbury vs Madison Politics in 1800 were contentious. Thomas Jefferson and his political party, the Democratic-Republicans, had soundly beaten John Adams, a Federalist, in the …
Happy Birthday General Washington
General Washington had the first public celebration of his birthday done by his wife, Martha, at the encampment at Valley Forge in the winter of 1778. The next official acknowledgement of Washington’s birthday would not occur for fifty-four years. At the recommendation of Henry Clay of the Senate and Philemon Thomas of the House, Congress …
Civilized Men Drink Their Beer from Glasses — and for good reasons!
Valentines Day(2/14) 1873, Joe Johnson of Lockport, New York was celebrating his good fortune. His friend and brewery owner John Gibson agreed to Johnson fulfilling a dream by spending a night in the brewery. It was a ill-conceived celebration; his body was found, head hanging down into a wooden, open-tank of beer. His glee over …
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Help Wanted
I am making the final arrangements for Tavern Night at Rittenhouse Town and need to recruit one or two people to join me for the event. Tasks will be tending bar (mostly prepared drinks but occasional Ale Flip or Smoking Bishop) and teaching 18th Century games (especially Whist). I have the bar and tavern games, …
Kick off the new year with Historic Rittenhouse Town!
Tavern NightSaturday, February 8th Historic Rittenhouse Town Join Historic Rittenhouse Town for Tavern Night! Come join us as the buildings and grounds of our historic 18th-century homestead are transformed into a tavern from the 1770s, where the simple pleasures of good food, drink, and fellowship collide. Tavern Night will feature an evening of storytelling and …
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Supply Chain Issues? — The Bread Famine in 18th-century France.
Yesterday, I was dismayed at the lack of stocking in my local Giant supermarket. Voltaire once remarked that Parisians required only “the comic opera and white bread.” But bread has also played a dark role in French history and, namely, the French Revolution. The storming of the medieval fortress of Bastille on July 14, 1789 …
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Michael Carver -- Historical Interpreter/Reenactor 