History books are filled with glorification of exploits on the battlefield and we have all heard the story of Alexander Hamilton bristling at the role of Aide-du-Camp and demanding his opportunity to prove himself in the field. The reality of military operations, however, is very different. Much of the real WORK of a military commander …
Category Archives: Ideas
The Elephant in the Room
Okay, unless you are not paying attention you should be concerned about COVID-19 and the upcoming events at Fort Mifflin. We have not reached the point where canceling or rescheduling this event is necessary but we are taking certain safety precautions and will appreciate your compliance with the following: If you are ill, stay home. …
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. The Battle of Golden Hill was a clash between British soldiers and the Sons of Liberty in the American colonies that occurred on January 19, 1770, in New York City. Along with the Boston Massacre and the Gaspée Affair, the event …
“Beer” Recipe — Black Cider
One of the biggest atrocities of the Revolutionary War was committed not by our enemies the British or even the Hessians, it was committed within our hallowed halls and ultimately enshrined in the Constitution and that atrocity was slavery. Eighteenth Century white men all felt that they were morally and intellectually superior to men of …
What Language is that written in? Understanding 18th Century Handwriting
Several years ago, I was giving tours at Independence Hall when one of the guests approached me outside Congress Hall to ask questions about the Articles of Confederations (BTW, volunteers love to be asked questions, that’s why we do this so don’t hold back. If you ask us a question that we don’t know the …
Continue reading “What Language is that written in? Understanding 18th Century Handwriting”
How to Survey Land with 18th Century Tools — Using the Sector
The sector and the related proportional compasses (proportional dividers) were developed in the second half of the 16th century. There are several inventors, most of them from Italy but most people attribute its development to Galileo Galilei. The sector consists of two arms connected by a pivot joint. For example, linear, trigonometric, and logarithmic scales …
Continue reading “How to Survey Land with 18th Century Tools — Using the Sector”
Healthcare in America
There is a lot of talk during the current pandemic about healthcare and hospitals. 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 …
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 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 …
The Elephant in the Room
Okay, unless you are not paying attention you should be concerned about COVID-19 and the upcoming events at Fort Mifflin. We have not reached the point where canceling or rescheduling this event is necessary but we are taking certain safety precautions and will appreciate your compliance with the following: If you are ill, stay home. …
Both Political Parties are Evil!
To really understand the distain for political factions and organized parties that the Founding Fathers had, you need only look to the wording of the US Constitution as it describes the election of the President and Vice President. When they were drafting the Constitution, they knew that the most likely winner and runner-up would be …
Michael Carver -- Historical Interpreter/Reenactor 