In the 8th Century BCE, King Hammurabi of Babylon codified the death penalty for 25 different crimes. The death penalty was also part of the 7th Century BCE Draconian Code of Athens and the 5th Century BCE Roman Law of the Twelve Tablets. Death sentences were carried out by such means as crucifixion, drowning, beating …
Continue reading “Judicial Death Penalties have always been Instruments of Terror.”
Sunday, August 25, 20241:00 – 4:00 pmRichard Wall House1 Wall Park DriveElkins Park, PA 19027 The Richard Wall House is hosting Michael Carver in his impression of the noted surveyor David Rittenhouse, to teach 18th Century surveying on August 25 from 1:00 pm to 4:00pm. The public is invited to participate in a hands-on program …
That Guy So, when I choose to represent a Continental Soldier, I carry my Brown Bess. My son has a Charleville and I could use that but I contend that the Brown Bess is the quintessential military weapon of the 18th Century British Empire. I enjoy working the crowd and explaining that men between 16 …
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 Louvre opens August 10, 1793 as a public art museum for all Frenchmen In 1546 Francis I, who was a great art collector, had a 12th Century castle …
Continue reading “Historical Tidbits — The Louvre becomes a public museum”
In my last post I talked about THAT GUY. You all know that type, the know-it-all who wants to show off by starting an argument with the presenter over something the presenter knows WAY more about. These guys come looking for a axe fight only to discover that … “wait, they all HAVE axes in …
Continue reading “Why would an American Soldier carry a Brown Bess Musket?”
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. August 6, 1777 Battle of Oriskany and St. Leger The Battle of Oriskany occurred on August 6, 1777, when the local Tryon County Militia attempted to come to the …
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. August 2, 1776 – Fifty-five members of the second Continental Congress met in Philadelphia to formally sign the Declaration of Independence. Benjamin Franklin is oft quoted as having said …
So, in my guise as “David Rittenhouse” for Historic Philadelphia, I meet all sorts. One prevalent of the query, however, “why, if you are part of British North America do you not speak with an accent?” I find this interesting for two reasons. Firstly, what was the accent in 1770? It clearly was NOT what …
In the mid-18th century, the most pressing issue in chemistry and physics was to determine what exactly happens when something burns. The prevailing theory was that flammable materials contained a substance called “phlogiston” (from the Greek word for burn) that was released during combustion. The theory held that when a candle burned, for example, phlogiston …
Continue reading “Phlogiston and Fire — The Isolation of Oxygen”
So, I was in Center City the other day as a pre-revolutionary “loyal subject of the crown” when a group of school kids, who being teenagers know everything…, when one of them starts snarking in a cockney accent that I don’t talk like a Britton. Let’s set the record straight. People from Philadelphia, DON’T speak …
Michael Carver -- Historical Interpreter/Reenactor 