Der Vollkommene Deutsche Jäger (The perfect German hunter) describes a game called Fuchsprellen or “fox tossing.” Fox Tossing was a competitive sport mostly practiced by members of the upper classes. The sport was held on a closed patch of land where people threw live foxes and other animals up high using slings, with a person …
Continue reading “There was no SPCA in the 18th Century – Fox Tossing”
Recently there has been a lot of unjustified animosity against Islam and its followers. As we enter the month of Ramadan, the month when our Muslim brothers celebrate Muhammad’s revelation of the first verses the Quran, it is important to remember that when the fledgling United States most needed allies and friends, the nation that …
Continue reading “Our Nation’s Oldest Friend is in the Arabic-speaking Muslim world”
I have two brewing events in May (Morgan Log House on May 4 & Pennypacker Mills on May 18-19) and I desperately need assistant brewers. This program is growing and we have a solid following. If you are interested in learning the brewing process as it was practiced in 1777, if you enjoy teaching the …
Add excitement and authentic color to your special event, or create one for your site, with Philadelphia’s best Colonial Brewer and tradesman. Whether it is a reenactment, motion picture, a tavern night for a private event, or other endeavor, I can bring can bring a real sense of authenticity and fun to your event and …
Continue reading “Hire the Regimental Brewmeister for your Event or Site”
Tolerance implies no lack of commitment to one’s own beliefs. Rather it condemns the oppression or persecution of others. John F Kennedy As Americans we focus a lot on our Constitutional Freedoms. Frankly, we are far more enthralled with these than most of the rest of the world for in the time since our Revolution, …
Continue reading “Freedom Means NOTHING Unless You Also Embrace Tolerance”
Today Americans boast a whoppingly deplorable literacy rate of about 86% depending on how you measure literacy. Compare this to Colonial New England where, discounting slaves, women, indentured servants, and indians, in a time when books, newpapers, and magazines were largely unobtainable, the literacy rate was almost 60%*. Today with telephones, television, radio, and various …
Let’s start this article out with an absolute disclaimer. THIS IS NOT A COLONIAL BEVERAGE, it’s a very modern 21st Century invention but still fun. You won’t see the Regimental Brewmeister serving this or making it at demonstrations but sometimes we drink this at home. Most of us associate hops with beer, and unfortunately beer …
William Wickham was Britain’s first Master Spy and head of the British Secret Service. Wickham was also the focus of a massive government scandal and Parliamentary investigation when it was found that millions of pounds in taxpayer’s money had been funneled to Wickham and then disappeared without a trace. In Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen …
In 1727, Benjamin Franklin and several friends established a “club of mutual improvement” called the Junto which met in a Philadelphia alehouse each Friday evening. There they held lively discussions of politics, morals and philosophy. Eventually, they left this ale-infused atmosphere for a quieter meeting place in the home of one of the wealthier members. …
Continue reading “Not the First Library but Perhaps the Best”
So, I took my wife to DC to view the Cherry Blossoms. We were a bit early as they look like peak blooming will be late this week, but the phenomenon is not to be missed. Spectacular! Cherries have a special place in American History. We’ve all heard the story of George Washington who as …
Michael Carver -- Historical Interpreter/Reenactor 