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 …
Category Archives: General history
Historical Tidbits — Common Sense
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 …
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 …
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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Historical Tidbits — 1st Encampment at Morristown
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 …
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Did Jews Participate in the American Revolution? Well here are a few stories. (Isaac Franks)
Isaac Franks, became a lieutenant colonel in the Pennsylvania militia, but that was after the war. In 1776, at the age of seventeen, he enlisted in a regiment of volunteers, arming and equipping himself at his own expense. After the Battle of Long Island, when his company retreated to New York City, he was captured …
US Marines in the American Revolution
Marines with Washington at Princeton 3 January 1777 Encouraged by his success against the Hessian garrison at Trenton on Christmas night 1776, General George Washington determined upon a further stroke. Crossing the Delaware River again on 30 December, he reoccupied Trenton. General Charles Cornwallis, who commanded a large British force occupying the town of Princeton, …
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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Did Jews Participate in the American Revolution? Well here are a few stories (Joseph Smith)
Joseph Smith enlisted in the Third Maryland Regiment at the age of twenty-three. Apparently illiterate, Smith signed his enlistment and the company payroll with his mark. Smith saw service in Pennsylvania, New Jerseys, and the South. He was wounded at Camden in 1780 and captured. He remained a prisoner until the end of the war …
The ULITMATE Role Model for the Regimental Brewmeister — Arthur Guinness
Arthur Guinness was born on September 28, 1725. His father Richard, who was land steward to the archbishop of Cashel, brewed beer for workers on the estate taught Arthur the craft of brewing. When the archbishop died in 1752, he left 100 pounds each to “his servant” Arthur and his father. Using this initial investment, …
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Michael Carver -- Historical Interpreter/Reenactor 