History

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  • War of 1812 bicentennial offers a wealth of historic sites to visit this year

    Yesteeyear
    Chris Rivait
    11 Jan 2012 | 10:15 am
    2012 marks the bicentennial of the War of 1812.  There are a lot of locations in my area in South-Western Ontario that saw many of the major battles of the war.  Historical reenactors have been feverously planning large scale reenactments of this important milestone.  The Truro Daily News list some of the best places to [...]

  • 45 Years Ago: Apollo 1 Mission Ends in Disaster

    History in the Headlines
    editor
    27 Jan 2012 | 4:06 pm
    Related MediaApollo 13 Faces Disaster - VideoThe Space Race - VideoApollo 11 Moonwalk - VideoRelated TopicsSpace ExplorationThe Space RaceApollo 13

  • Wednesday 27 January 1668/69

    Pepys' Diary
    Samuel Pepys
    27 Jan 2012 | 5:00 pm
    Up, and with Sir John Minnes in his coach to White Hall, where first we waited on the Lords of the Treasury about finishing the Victualling Contract; and there also I was put to it to make good our letter complaining against my Lord Anglesey's failing us in the payment of the moneys assigned us upon the Customs, where Mr. Fenn was, and I know will tell my Lord; but it is no matter, I am over shy already, and therefore must not fear. Then we up to a Committee of the Council for the Navy, about a business of Sir D. Gawden's relating to the Victualling, and thence I by hackney to the Temple to…

  • Waiting for God "Living In Miserable Sin"

    History in the News
    28 Jan 2012 | 4:08 am
    Your donation to Wyoming PBS ensures the continuation of the thought-provoking, informative and entertaining programs you've come to expect from us.

  • New exhibit explores Jefferson’s slave ownership

    Breaking News Feed
    hnn
    26 Jan 2012 | 4:20 pm
    WASHINGTON (AP) — Thomas Jefferson wrote "all men are created equal" to declare U.S. independence from Britain, yet he was also a lifelong slave owner who freed only nine of his more than 600 slaves during his lifetime.That contradiction between ideals and reality is at the center of a new exhibit opening Friday as the Smithsonian Institution continues developing a national black history museum. It offers a look at Jefferson's Monticello plantation in Virginia through the lives of six slave families and artifacts unearthed from where they lived.The exhibit, "Slavery at Jefferson's…
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    History in the Headlines

  • 45 Years Ago: Apollo 1 Mission Ends in Disaster

    editor
    27 Jan 2012 | 4:06 pm
    Related MediaApollo 13 Faces Disaster - VideoThe Space Race - VideoApollo 11 Moonwalk - VideoRelated TopicsSpace ExplorationThe Space RaceApollo 13

  • Native Americans Hailed From Siberian Highlands, DNA Reveals

    editor
    26 Jan 2012 | 1:43 pm
    Russia’s mountainous Altai Republic borders China, Mongolia and Kazakhstan. Inhabited since the Paleolithic, the region is barely larger than Maine but served as a vital gateway to Siberia and the cradle of widespread human lineages found across northern Eurasia. “It’s a place where people have been coming and going for thousands and thousands of years,” said study co-author Theodore Schurr, an anthropology professor at the University of Pennsylania. According to one prevailing theory, it is also the area where ancestral Native Americans lived before peopling the New World.

  • Oldest Known Dinosaur Nesting Site Was Also a Nursery

    editor
    24 Jan 2012 | 6:42 am
    Massospondylus Nesting Site   http://www.history.com/news/news/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/nesting-site-reconstruction.jpg An artist’s reconstruction of the oldest known dinosaur nesting site, located in South Africa’s Golden Gate Highlands National Park and dated to 190 million years ago. (Credit: Julius Csotonyi) la Massospondylus Embryo   http://www.history.com/news/news/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/dinosaur-embryo.jpg A Massospondylus embryo unearthed at the hatchery. Newborns of this prosauropod genus lacked teeth and stayed near their nest until they doubled in…

  • A Brief History of Penmanship on National Handwriting Day

    editor
    23 Jan 2012 | 2:58 pm
    Two young girls practice their cursive handwriting in the 1930s. (Credit: Harold M. Lambert/Lambert/Getty Images)Borrowing aspects of the Etruscan alphabet, the ancient Romans were among the first to develop a written script for transactions and correspondence. By the fifth century A.D. it included early versions of lowercase letters and sometimes flowed like modern cursive. After the Roman Empire fell, penmanship became a specialized discipline that primarily blossomed in monastic settings, specifically the medieval scriptoria that churned out Christian and classical texts across Europe.

  • The Tuskegee Airmen: 5 Fascinating Facts

    editor
    20 Jan 2012 | 4:09 pm
    Eight Tuskegee airmen pose in front of a P-40 fighter in 1942 or 1943.1. The Tuskegee airmen once shot down three German jets in a single day. On March 24, 1944, a fleet of P-51 Mustangs led by Colonel Benjamin O. Davis, commander of the Tuskegee airmen, set out on the longest escort mission their crews would fly during World War II. The 43 fighters were there to help B-17 bombers run a gauntlet of over 1,600 miles into the heart of Hitler’s Germany and back. The bombers’ target, a massive Daimler-Benz tank factory in Berlin, was heavily defended by whatever forces the Luftwaffe…
 
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    Pepys' Diary

  • Wednesday 27 January 1668/69

    Samuel Pepys
    27 Jan 2012 | 5:00 pm
    Up, and with Sir John Minnes in his coach to White Hall, where first we waited on the Lords of the Treasury about finishing the Victualling Contract; and there also I was put to it to make good our letter complaining against my Lord Anglesey's failing us in the payment of the moneys assigned us upon the Customs, where Mr. Fenn was, and I know will tell my Lord; but it is no matter, I am over shy already, and therefore must not fear. Then we up to a Committee of the Council for the Navy, about a business of Sir D. Gawden's relating to the Victualling, and thence I by hackney to the Temple to…

  • Tuesday 26 January 1668/69

    Samuel Pepys
    26 Jan 2012 | 5:00 pm
    Up, and to the office, where busy sitting all the morning. Then to the Office again, and then to White Hall, leaving my wife at Unthanke's; and I to the Secretary's chamber, where I was, by particular order, this day summoned to attend, as I find Sir D. Gawden also was. And here was the King and the Cabinet met; and, being called in, among the rest I find my Lord Privy Seale, whom I never before knew to be in so much play, as to be of the Cabinet. The business is, that the Algerines have broke the peace with us, by taking some Spaniards and goods out of an English ship, which had the Duke of…

  • Monday 25 January 1668/69

    Samuel Pepys
    25 Jan 2012 | 5:00 pm
    Up, and to the Committee of Tangier, where little done, and thence I home by my own coach, and busy after dinner at my office all the afternoon till late at night, that my eyes were tired. So home, and my wife shewed me many excellent prints of Nanteuil's and others, which W. Batelier hath, at my desire, brought me out of France, of the King, and Colbert, and others, most excellent, to my great content. But he hath also brought a great many gloves perfumed, of several sorts; but all too big by half for her, and yet she will have two or three dozen of them, which vexed me, and made me angry.

  • Sunday 24 January 1668/69

    Samuel Pepys
    24 Jan 2012 | 5:00 pm
    (Lord's day). An order brought me in bed, for the Principal Officers to attend the King at my Lord Keeper's this afternoon, it being resolved late the last night; and, by the warrant, I find my Lord Keeper did not then know the cause of it, the messenger being ordered to call upon him, to tell it him by the way, as he come to us. So I up, and to my Office to set down my Journall for yesterday, and so home, and with my wife to Church, and then home, and to dinner, and after dinner out with my wife by coach, to cozen Turner's, where she and The. gone to church, but I left my wife with Mrs. Dyke…

  • Saturday 23 January 1668/69

    Samuel Pepys
    23 Jan 2012 | 5:00 pm
    Up, and again to look after the setting things right against dinner, which I did to very good content. So to the office, where all the morning till noon, when word brought me to the Board that my Lord Sandwich was come; so I presently rose, leaving the Board ready to rise, and there I found my Lord Sandwich, Peterborough, and Sir Charles Harbord; and presently after them comes my Lord Hinchingbroke, Mr. Sidney, and Sir William Godolphin. And after greeting them, and some time spent in talk, dinner was brought up, one dish after another, but a dish at a time, but all so good; but, above all…
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    History in the News

  • Waiting for God "Living In Miserable Sin"

    28 Jan 2012 | 4:08 am
    Your donation to Wyoming PBS ensures the continuation of the thought-provoking, informative and entertaining programs you've come to expect from us.

  • Being Ex-President Can Be Lucrative Gig

    27 Jan 2012 | 11:59 pm
    That salary has increased over time. President Harry Truman left office in 1949 making $100,000. When Richard Nixon entered the White House in 1969 the salary went up to $200,000. It remained there for 30 years, until Congress doubled the presidential salary effective in 2001, when President George W. Bush took office.

  • Being ex-president can be lucrative gig

    27 Jan 2012 | 11:59 pm
    That salary has increased over time. President Harry Truman left office in 1949 making $100,000. When Richard Nixon entered the White House in 1969 the salary went up to $200,000. It remained there for 30 years, until Congress doubled the presidential salary effective in 2001, when President George W. Bush took office.

  • GOP rivals blast Obama on Hispanic-centric issues

    27 Jan 2012 | 8:49 pm
    A day after Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich fiercely attacked each other in the GOP presidential debate, they changed their focus Friday and trained their attacks on President Obama during a gathering here of Hispanic leaders.

  • AWOL Abbey

    27 Jan 2012 | 4:35 pm
    The PBS drama Downton Abbey , which follows the Crawley family in World War I-era England, has captured American audiences.
 
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    Breaking News Feed

  • New exhibit explores Jefferson’s slave ownership

    hnn
    26 Jan 2012 | 4:20 pm
    WASHINGTON (AP) — Thomas Jefferson wrote "all men are created equal" to declare U.S. independence from Britain, yet he was also a lifelong slave owner who freed only nine of his more than 600 slaves during his lifetime.That contradiction between ideals and reality is at the center of a new exhibit opening Friday as the Smithsonian Institution continues developing a national black history museum. It offers a look at Jefferson's Monticello plantation in Virginia through the lives of six slave families and artifacts unearthed from where they lived.The exhibit, "Slavery at Jefferson's…

  • Skeletons found in Dorset mass grave 'were mercenaries'

    hnn
    26 Jan 2012 | 10:10 am
    A mass grave in Dorset containing 54 decapitated skeletons was a burial ground for violent Viking mercenaries, according to a Cambridge archaeologist.The burial site at Ridgeway Hill was discovered in 2009.Archaeologists found the bodies of 54 men who had all been decapitated and placed in shallow graves with their heads piled up to one side.Carbon dating and isotype tests revealed the bodies were Scandinavian and dated from the 11th Century.... Source:  BBC News Source URL:  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dorset-16708401 Date:  1-25-12

  • Star Carr archaeologists given more than £1m in funding

    hnn
    26 Jan 2012 | 10:08 am
    Archaeologists excavating what they claim is Britain's oldest house have secured more than £1m in funding.The circular structure at Star Carr near Scarborough was found in 2008 and dates from 8,500BC.Archaeologists from the Universities of Manchester and York say the site is deteriorating due to environmental changes.The European Research Council has given them £1.23m to finish the work before information from the site is lost.... Source:  BBC News Source URL:  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-york-north-yorkshire-16721738 Date:  1-25-12

  • Cabinet of Wonders: Personal Collection of Alfred Russel Wallace

    hnn
    26 Jan 2012 | 10:04 am
    "This is why I have the best job in the world," exclaimed Cynthia Sagers, a program manager from the National Science Foundation, when given the opportunity to see, smell, and even touch the very specimens that British naturalist and field biologist Alfred Russel Wallace collected nearly two centuries ago.The bugs, butterflies, moths, shells, botanical samples and personal mementoes are a treasure trove of evidence not only of the man himself — an explorer, collector and scientist who was a contemporary of Charles Darwin — but also of his scientific theories on geographical biodiversity…

  • Underwater archaeology: Hunt for the ancient mariner

    hnn
    26 Jan 2012 | 10:03 am
    Brendan Foley peels his wetsuit to the waist and perches on the side of an inflatable boat as it skims across the sea just north of the island of Crete. At his feet are the dripping remains of a vase that moments earlier had been resting on the sea floor, its home for more than a millennium. “It's our best day so far,” he says of his dive that morning. “We've discovered two ancient shipwrecks.”Foley, a marine archaeologist at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts, and his colleagues at Greece's Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities in Athens have spent the day diving…
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    American Presidents Blog

  • Space Shuttle Challenger

    Jennie W
    27 Jan 2012 | 2:18 pm
    Tomorrow marks the anniversary of the Space Shutter Challenger diaster and this is actually I date I always remember as it is also my brother's birthday (he turned 3 in 1986, you can do the math on what he is turning tomorrow). So anyway, here is President Reagan's address on the Challanger. He was actually supposed to be giving the State of the Union, but it was postponed due to this tragedy. I like how he included the schoolchildren watching it in his speech. I didn't watch it in 1986 (at least I don't remember and honestly I would have been kindergarden so probably wasn't), but I do…

  • Termper, Temper

    Jennie W
    26 Jan 2012 | 9:02 pm
    So who had the worst temper? This article explores presidential tempers. This article explores presidential tempers and talk about how tempers have been used:There are two kinds of temper that seem to have been nearly indispensable in the Presidency. One is contrived indignation. Nothing is more valuable in politics than the ability to summon up histrionic anger on a moment’s notice. A recent example is Bill Clinton’s conveniently blowing up at Jesse Jackson near an open microphone during the 1992 campaign. The all-time Academy Award-winning performance, though, was put on in 1980…

  • State of the Union con't

    Jennie W
    25 Jan 2012 | 2:29 pm
    One more State of the Union...so here's James K. Polk's from 1846. I found this part, on the Treasury worth posting:The annual report of the Secretary of the Treasury will exhibit a detailed statement of the condition of the finances. The imports for the fiscal year ending on the 30th of June last were of the value of $121,691,797, of which the amount exported was $11,346,623, leaving the amount retained in the country for domestic consumption $110,345,174. The value of the exports for the same period was $113,488,516, of which $102,141,893 consisted of domestic productions and $11,346,623 of…

  • State of the Union

    Jennie W
    24 Jan 2012 | 1:03 pm
    The State of the Union is tonight and you can view an enhanced version here. I was listening to the radio and it was talking about shows being preempted due to this....my kids will have no idea what preemptions are! We DVR everything and we have satellite. I grew up with about 6 channels, no DVR, no cable/satellite.....they have it so soft!Anyway, I decided to pick a random State of the Union to feature here, so here's part of Harding's 1921 State of the Union:Every contemplation, it little matters in which direction one turns, magnifies the difficulty of tariff legislation, but the necessity…

  • Lincoln's Patent

    Jennie W
    20 Jan 2012 | 12:56 pm
    Did you know Lincoln held a patent? Lincoln held a patent for, "A Device for Buoying Vessels Over Shoals."The invention consisted of a set of bellows attached to the hull of a ship just below the water line. After reaching a shallow place, the bellows were filled with air that buoyed the vessel higher, making it float higher. The invention was never marketed, it was discovered that the extra weight the device added increased the probability of running onto sandbars, defeating the purpose of the invention. Abraham Lincoln whittled the model for his patent application with his own hands out of…
 
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    History on Air

  • American History Course on iTunes U

    Jason
    20 Jan 2012 | 10:25 pm
    I saw the in the app store and could not resist checking it out. After all it is free. And it seems like more and more people have iPads now. As you can see from above it’s a completely separate app you will need to download, but it is free so if you have the space go ahead and download it. That’s what it looks like and you can preview the content that will be available once you download too. Once you download it will be available in an app that looks just like iBooks. And here is a look at the content that you get for free. Share/Bookmark

  • Book Review: Lost in Shangri-La

    Jason
    2 Jun 2011 | 7:04 pm
    I recently read Lost in Shangri-La: A True Story of Survival, Adventure, and the Most Incredible Rescue Mission of World War II by Mitchell Zuckoff. This was a great history book. It has all the things I look for in a history book. Zuckoff is not a historian but a journalist so he tells a story. It is not a dry retelling of facts in chronological order. The book is about an obscure military base that is very remote. I love obscure history, I hate re-reading what I already know about with just a few new facts thrown in here and there, or worse yet someone else’s “new” observations.

  • Book Review: Guns, Germs and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies

    Jason
    12 May 2011 | 8:30 am
    I recently listened to the unabridged audio production of Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies. I can’t say that I really enjoyed this book. If you don’t mind a completely basic run through of how the three subjects have impacted human history you might be okay with this book. I however, thought this book was extremely dry and often found my mind wondering while I listened to it. I should mention that I am one of the few people who did not enjoy this book. It has a 3.94 out of 5 star rating on Goodreads with 3,186 reviews. It has similar ratings on Amazon.com, 4 stars out…

  • Producing a Podcast

    Jason
    11 May 2011 | 8:30 am
    For a long time I have wanted to write a post about what I do to produce a podcast.  For episode 119 The Thirty Years War I first did a lot of research.  I read about the war on wikipedia, then I searched the Internet for other sources.  I found Hank’s History Hour episode on the religious wars, and I found Nathan Barber’s website.  I listened to what Mr. Barber had on his website and I read the materials he had there.  Then I started writing long hand, 10 pages.  I also stopped at my local library to see what they had as far as books.  I borrowed The Thirty Years War:…

  • Podcast Review: Hank’s History Hour

    Jason
    9 May 2011 | 9:34 pm
    Hank’s History Hour is produced by Hank Nelson, who sounds like a high school student.  Don’t let that fool you though.  Hank has done a wonderful job with his podcast.  Although it doesn’t look like it has been updated in a few years.  Hopefully, Hank will pick it up again.  He is probably in college now and doesn’t have much time to do podcasts.  It seems like the podcast’s original purpose was to help his fellow students get thought their history book since he often refers to the chapters in a textbook. At the time I found Hank’s podcast I was…
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    History Net: Where History Comes Alive - World & US History Online

  • Daily Quiz for January 28, 2012

    HistoryNet Staff
    27 Jan 2012 | 6:01 pm
    The Battle of Koniggratz (Sadowa), fought during this war, was the largest European battle of the 19th century.

  • Table of Contents - April 2012 American History

    ckreiser
    27 Jan 2012 | 2:07 pm
    Click to subscribe to American History magazineFEATURES Titanic Repercussions Understanding the scope and shock value of the Titanic in terms of 9/11 by Verlyn Klinkenborg Power Play We the people have Gouverneur Morris to thank (or curse) for today's …

  • Letters From Readers - April 2012 American History

    ckreiser
    27 Jan 2012 | 2:02 pm
    Founding Fakes? Woody Holton's piece on George Washington's moral journey (February 2012) is too short to prove his thesis. It provided insight into "Father" George's early machinations, but little is presented to show that he became a moral person. What …

  • Letter From American History - April 2012

    ckreiser
    27 Jan 2012 | 2:01 pm
    Hands-On History Does a story about a pop star belong in a history magazine? That's the question some members of our staff raised when Stephen Harrigan, author of the bestselling novel The Gates of the Alamo, proposed a piece …

  • Power Play

    ckreiser
    27 Jan 2012 | 2:00 pm
    At the Constitutional Convention, Gouvernuer Morris made sure the office of the president would be independent from Congress.
 
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    About.com African-American History

  • Remembering Melvinia

    24 Jan 2012 | 5:43 pm
    Seeing the first lady take her seat in the visitor's gallery of the House of Representatives for President Obama's State of the Union address was a reminder of the history ...Read Full Post

  • The Tuskegee Airmen

    20 Jan 2012 | 11:38 am
    The new George Lucas action film "Red Tails" tells the story of the famed Tuskegee Airmen, a celebrated group of African-American fighter pilots in World War II. The very existence of the squadron was a milestone. The U.S. Army was still segregated during the war, and it took the intercession of the Roosevelt administration to authorize the training of black pilots. As they were trained at the Tuskegee Army Air Field in Alabama, they became known as the Tuskegee Airmen. Under the command of Benjamin O. Davis, an Army Air Force officer who eventually was promoted to general, the pilots battled…

  • Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

    16 Jan 2012 | 4:19 am
    As we pause to observe Martin Luther King Day, it's a good time to look back on his career. Dr. King first came to prominence as a leader of the Montgomery Bus Boycott, and his name became closely associated in the public mind with the Civil Rights Movement. His "I have a dream" speech in August 1963 is often quoted, and it stands out as a classic American oration. And his "Letter From a Birmingham Jail" is also considered a major essay of the Civil Rights Movement. Dr. King's colleague in the Civil Rights Movement, John Lewis, who is now a congressman from Georgia, remarked this morning on…

  • Langston Hughes

    12 Jan 2012 | 4:51 pm
    The author Langston Hughes was one of the most influential black writers of the 20th century. Known primarily ...Read Full Post

  • Slave Rebellions

    9 Jan 2012 | 9:58 am
    Uprisings by slaves didn't happen often. But a few notable incidents made a constant fear of slave rebellions resonate deeply in the American South. The Stono Rebellion, in 1739, was the largest slave revolt in colonial America. Slaves along the Stono River in South Carolina, some of whom had served as soldiers in Africa before being sold into slavery, planned their actions carefully. After seizing weapons, the slaves, in military formation and flying flags, tried to march south to Florida. The local militia located and attacked them, killing many. Nearly a century later, Nat Turner's…
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    african american history - Google News

  • 1978 Arts Center Celebrates Black History Month in Style - Patch.com

    28 Jan 2012 | 4:10 am
    1978 Arts Center Celebrates Black History Month in StylePatch.comCelebrating Black History Month with the art of Tesfaye Tessema and the words of Dr. Rahidah Ismaili Abubaker. 1978 Arts Center on Springfield Avenue is celebrating Black History Month in style with the art of Tesfaye Tessema and the words of Dr.

  • Celebrating Black History Month locally - The Journal News | LoHud.com

    28 Jan 2012 | 1:31 am
    Celebrating Black History Month locallyThe Journal News | LoHud.comThere are many way to celebrate African American history and culture. Here are some to consider: Crafts: Field Library Unity Quilt Project. Celebrate African-American History Month by making a collage square for the annual Field Library Unity Quilt.

  • Colonial Williamsburg celebrates Black History Month - Virginia Gazette

    28 Jan 2012 | 12:32 am
    Colonial Williamsburg celebrates Black History MonthVirginia GazetteWILLIAMSBURG - During Black History Month, Colonial Williamsburg takes guests on a journey to explore the story of a people who challenged the political and societal norms to make a better future for themselves and the next generation.

  • LLCC sets Black History Month events - The State Journal-Register

    27 Jan 2012 | 11:52 pm
    LLCC sets Black History Month eventsThe State Journal-RegisterBy Staff reports Lincoln Land Community College is celebrating Black History Month throughout February with events ranging from food and music to history and social issues. “We wanted to make sure we can include everyone on campus and touch base with a Historical society opens Black History Month exhibitMidlothian Exchangeall 2 news articles »

  • NPR host to share shocking stories of black history - Pittsburgh Post Gazette

    27 Jan 2012 | 11:39 pm
    Pittsburgh Post GazetteNPR host to share shocking stories of black historyPittsburgh Post GazetteShe plans to post some of their stories and pictures on her website in February, which is Black History Month. If you look back one generation in many African-American families, Ms. Norris said, you'll find someone who held a subservient position as a
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    History.com - This Day in History - Lead Story

  • January 28, 1986: Challenger explodes

    27 Jan 2012 | 11:00 pm
    At 11:38 a.m. EST, on January 28, 1986, the space shuttle Challenger lifts off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, and Christa McAuliffe is on her way to becoming the first ordinary U.S. civilian to travel into space. McAuliffe, a 37-year-old high school social studies teacher from New Hampshire, won a competition that earned her a place among the seven-member crew of the Challenger. She underwent months of shuttle training but then, beginning January 23, was forced to wait six long days as the Challenger's launch countdown was repeatedly delayed because of weather and technical problems. Finally,…
 
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    New York History

  • This Week's New York History Web Highlights

    Editorial Staff
    27 Jan 2012 | 2:00 pm
    War of 1812: HMS General Hunter Wreck ProfileMental Floss: President Tyler's Grandkids Still LivingBIG Map Blog: Bridges' 1807 Survey of ManhattanJake Wesley: Johnstown Boy, Young HistorianEastman Kodak: 130 Yrs in PicturesDid Teddy Roosevelt Write Obama's State of the Union?Gothamist: Sewer Tunnels Beneath BushwickDick Eastman: Education eBooks Cost JustificationEach Friday afternoon New York

  • Quebec Family History Society Goes Online

    Editorial Staff
    27 Jan 2012 | 10:54 am
    The Quebec Family History Society (QFHS) has announced the launch of its new website at www.qfhs.ca. The website features several new sections, such as Gary’s Genealogical Picks, research tips, surname interests, and a bulletin board. QFHS members researching their ancestors in Quebec will benefit from the new Jacques Gagné Church Compilations in the members’ section. Long-time member Jacques

  • This Week's Top New York History News

    Editorial Staff
    27 Jan 2012 | 5:00 am
    JFK Library Releasing Last Secret TapesBrooklyn Historic Skyscraper District UphealdManning Marable Up For US Critics AwardAncestry, Historical Society of PA Partner OnlineAHA 2013 Call for ProposalsIrish American Museum OpensSouth St Seaport Museum ReopensSeaway Trail Director Mitchell Dies2 Champlain Society Pubs DigitizedEach Friday morning New York History compiles for our readers the

  • British Assault on the Home of Pie a la Mode

    Sean Kelleher
    26 Jan 2012 | 12:00 pm
    “The British are coming” is the warning shouted in Washington County as the British TV Chef Gordon Ramsey comes to the historic Cambridge Hotel this week. Ramsey is expanding his Fox TV shows beyond cooking to remaking hotels in a new program called Hotel Hell. The concept of the show is “help fix struggling, privately owned hotels, inns and bed-and-breakfasts in destination towns across the

  • Peter Feinman: Why is the Press Indifferent to History?How Do We Communicate History?

    Peter Feinman
    26 Jan 2012 | 8:00 am
    At the recently concluded annual conference of the American Historical Association, in addition to the passionate discussions about "NO HISTORY JOBS! NO HISTORY JOBS! NO HISTORY JOBS!" featured in my previous post, there were four panels on "Historians, Journalists, and the Challenges of Getting It Right." Excerpts from a report by Rick Shenkman, publisher and editor-in-chief of the History News
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    Soldiers of the 38th

  • Private George Robert Russell

    27 Jan 2012 | 8:55 pm
    Born on 2 November 1893 in Carleton County, Ontario - son of Mrs. Mary Christine J. Russell, Ottawa, Ontario - at the time of his enlistment in 1914: trade as machinist; single; currently a member of the 43rd Regiment Duke of Cornwall's Own Rifles; no previous military service; Presbyterian; height of 5 feet 5.5 inches; chest of 36.5 inches fully expanded; dark complexion; brown eyes; black hair.Joined the Canadian Army Veterinary Corps, CEF, in Montreal, Quebec, on 30 October 1914 (number 48592) - landed in France with the Canadian Army Veterinary Corps on 7 or 9 February 1915 - transferred…

  • Private Edward Russell

    27 Jan 2012 | 8:49 pm
    Born on 15 May 1897 in Wishart, Scotland - son of Mrs. Mary Russell, Cornwall, Ontario - at the time of his enlistment in 1915: present address in Cornwall, Ontario; trade as laborer; single; no current or previous military service; Presbyterian; height of 5 feet 2 inches; chest of 34 inches fully expanded; dark complexion; blue eyes; brown hair.Joined the 154th Battalion, CEF, in Cornwall, Ontario, on 29 December 1915 (number 633032) - taken on the strength of the 38th Battalion, CEF, on 24 May 1917 - invalided sick to England on 28 January 1919.(sources: Library and Archives Canada…

  • Sergeant David Russell

    26 Jan 2012 | 8:44 pm
    Born on 19 March 1894 in Ottawa, Ontario - son of Robert Russell, Ottawa, Ontario - at the time of his enlistment in 1915: trade as railroad clerk; single; no current or previous military service; Presbyterian; height of 6 feet 0.5 inches; chest of 33 inches fully expanded; healthy complexion; blue eyes; blonde hair.Joined the 38th Battalion, CEF, in Ottawa, Ontario, on 17 February 1915 (number 410187) - served with the 38th Battalion during its period of garrison duty in Bermuda - landed in France with the 38th Battalion on 13 August 1916 - killed in action on 26 August 1917 - buried in…

  • Private Harvey Austin Rusk

    26 Jan 2012 | 8:39 pm
    Born on 11 July 1891 in Waterdown, Ontario - son of Richard Rusk, Waterdown, Ontario - at the time of his enlistment in 1916: present address in Elora, Ontario; trade as machinist; single; no current or previous military service; Presbyterian; height of 5 feet 7.5 inches; chest of 37.5 inches fully expanded; fair complexion; gray eyes; dark hair.Joined the Canadian Army Service Corps, CEF, in Elora, Ontario, on 27 March 1916 (number 928728) - taken on the strength of the 38th Battalion, CEF, on 11 or 12 July 1917 - transferred to Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, CEF, on 28…

  • Private Walter Charles Rushton

    25 Jan 2012 | 8:32 pm
    Born on 8 August 1884 in Burton-on-Trent, Stafford, England - husband of Mrs. N.J. Rushton, Ottawa, Ontario - at the time of his enlistment in 1916: present address same as wife; trade as decorator; married; no current military service; previously served with the Governor General's Foot Guards (four years); Church of England; height of 5 feet 7.5 inches; chest of 36.5 inches fully expanded; medium complexion; blue eyes; brown hair.Joined the 207th Battalion, CEF, in Ottawa, Ontario, on 15 August 1916 (number 246654) - taken on the strength of the 38th Battalion, CEF, on 10 or 11 November 1917…
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    The Virtual Dime Museum

  • The Bedford Black Sheep

    16 Jan 2012 | 8:11 am
    This post is essentially a précis of a few future posts about a Hicks cousin - yes, another one. His story involves a notorious Brooklyn gang, the New York vaudeville and burlesque scene in the 1910s, and some side trips to upstate New York and Omaha, Nebraska, too. Garrett Wilson was my grandmother Grace Hicks' second cousin. The picture of him here is a detail from a photograph showing Garry with Grace and her siblings and their goat cart, taken in 1896. Garry was 14 at the time; my grandmother was 7.  Garrett was born in 1882, the son of Franklin P. and Hannah (Van Duyne) Wilson. He…

  • Whoever Harbors Her

    11 Jan 2012 | 9:20 am
    East New York in 1857 [NYPL Digital Gallery] I found this story when I was looking up something about my Losee ancestors in an 1852 Jamaica Long Island Farmer, over at the fabulous Old Fulton NY Postcards. And I couldn't stop wondering about Emily and her family - and what the story was, and whatever happened to her: NOTICE: LEFT HOME on the 19th inst., my daughter Emily, 13 years old, small of her age, dark complexion, hair short and black eyes, had on a calico bonnet, green shawl, light blue frock, brown apron, blue quilted petticoat, black stockings, and heavy shoes just mended. Whoever…

  • The False Mother-in-Law

    5 Jan 2012 | 8:51 am
    Detail from 1928 photo Fulton/St. Felix [NYPL] Many thanks first of all to Apple at Apple's Tree for the heads-up about the newly indexed 1875 New York State Census over at FamilySearch. If you have any New York ancestors you'll want to have a look at this, too. I couldn't resist going straight over there and start looking up ancestors. I immediately ran into a couple of mysterious new people in the household of my gg grandparents, Daniel Losee Hicks and his wife Mary Ann Barnett Hicks. Mary Ann, also called Polly, was an intrepid young woman from the East End of London who came to America at…

  • The Christmas-Tree Ride

    15 Dec 2011 | 1:40 pm
    Every December, starting in 1887 (and continuing at least through the next decade), Durland's Riding Academy at Columbus Circle and 59th St.* in New York held a "Christmas-Tree Ride." Wealthy riders gathered inside the arena and showed off their equestrian skills in honor of the season. In 1894 the New York Times reported that Durland's was decorated with "flags and bunting of many colors, a profusion of wreaths of holly and evergreen, and Christmas trees...at the north end of the arena." There were red, blue and white lamps hung everywhere, too. Durland's, undecorated The evening typically…

  • The Mysteries of Mary Lupton, Part 2: Some Notes

    24 Nov 2011 | 11:34 am
    East 14th St. at 3rd Ave. [NYPL] What I have for you as a follow-up to the story of Mary Lupton's amnesia is really a series of notes for a longer piece. The people in the Lupton case are both fascinating and elusive (like so many so-called ordinary Victorians). In other words, I can tell you a little bit more - what I know so far. Mary Frances Smith was born about 1866 in New York City, on East 14th Street between 2nd and 3rd, according to one of her uncles. She was the daughter of Patrick Henry and Catherine/Kate (Plunkett) Smith, according to her marriage license. You can imagine what it…
 
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    History Is Elementary

  • A Christian Nation? Be Careful What You Preach

    24 Jan 2012 | 1:13 pm
    A good friend sent me this article theother night written by Rob Boston and published in the Pittsburg Post-Gazette.  Myfriend wanted to know my thoughts about the article.   He also wanted to know if the article wasfactual. After reading the entire piece I advised my friend thearticle was indeed factual even though it was contrary to those who happen tothink certain members of the Founding Fathers were Christians in the same sensethe Religious Right profess to be. For the mostpart while I tend to be a Conservative in political matters, I also tend topart ways with the…

  • The Architect of the Capitol

    16 Jan 2012 | 8:08 pm
    Okay, stick with me here. The architect of the U.S. Capitol doesn’t refer to the actual person whodesigned the U.S. Capitol who as it turns out wasn’t an actual architectanyway, but he was the first one to hold the “office”.   Also, the title doesn’t refer to a persononly….it refers to a Federal agency, too.Confused?Let’s wade into this slowly….The Architect of the U.S. Capital is an agency within theLegislative Branch responsible for the maintenance, operation, development andpreservation of the U.S. Capitol Complex. This means they are responsible for…

  • When Cross Curriculum Intentions Go Wrong

    9 Jan 2012 | 10:28 am
    So....little Johnny or Susie brings home a teacher prepared worksheet filled with several math problems for homework.  At some point a parent decides to check the answers or at least review  the sheet to see what type of assignment had been given.Some of the problems are troubling:1. "Each tree had 56 oranges.  If eight slaves pick them equally, then how much would each slave pick?"2. "If Frederick got two beatings per day, how many beatings did he get in one week?"Yes, I'm serious.   This actually happened recently in a Georgia classroom per  thislink.I hope you…

  • War Horse

    27 Dec 2011 | 10:48 pm
    Christmas Day I sat in a very full movie theater andexperienced a crowd so moved by what they had watched they cheered and clappedat the end of the movie.    It’s such arare occurrence.   I think I can count onone hand the times in my life where I’ve witnessed clapping after a movie, butthe particular movie I saw deserved it.  Ijust have to wonder how many of those people realized theyenjoyed a story that was originally published as juvenile fiction.Yes!   The movie War Horsewas originally published as a book for young adults in 1982 by…

  • The Official White House Christmas Card for 2011

    23 Dec 2011 | 11:05 pm
    I've been writing about the official White House Christmas card here at History Is Elementary and American Presidents Blog since 2006.  I love to look back at past administrations to see what design was chosen.Unfortunately, over the last few years the card seems to cause some type of controversy...either it causes the politically correct leaning folks to be appalled because a Bible verse is on a card that happens to be recognizing a holiday  which happens to celebrate the birthday of Jesus Christ OR the card happens to be too secular for the taste of Christians who get their…
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    O Say Can You See?

  • Forgotten early sound recordings given a voice

    NMAH
    26 Jan 2012 | 9:43 am
    Editor’s note: This blog is the second of a two-part series exploring the process of bringing early sound recordings to life for the first time in over a century. There is always something new waiting to be discovered at the Smithsonian, whether it is an artifact, a recorded sound, or an overlooked story. Over the past two years, Carl Haber and Earl Cornell of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and Peter Alyea at the Library of Congress have partnered with the National Museum of American History to coax sound recordings dating to the 1880s into telling (and singing!) their…

  • Preserving plastics

    NMAH
    25 Jan 2012 | 10:09 am
    Editor’s note: This post is the second of three submitted by students as part of a Museum Studies class co-taught by Shari Stout, Collection Manager in the Division of Work and Industry. The class, which took place in storerooms at the National Museum of American History during the Fall 2011 semester, provided hands-on experience with issues relating to the rehousing and storage of onsite collections. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle! This familiar phrase says a lot about how we think about plastics today. For many of us, the imperative to recycle is caught up with our ideas about plastics and their…

  • The Italian soul of Steve Jobs

    NMAH
    24 Jan 2012 | 9:25 am
    As far as anybody knows, Steve Jobs did not have a drop of Italian blood, even by osmosis from his adoptive parents. Yet he clearly had a strong affinity for Italy. According to Walter Isaacson’s recent biography of the Apple genius, Jobs’s attendance at the International Design Conference in Aspen in 1981 was a seminal moment, a turning point in his career. The meeting that year was devoted to the Italian style and included, among other celebrities, designer Mario Bellini, filmmaker Bernardo Bertolucci, carmaker Sergio Pininfarina, and Fiat heiress Susanna Agnelli. As a result, “I had…

  • Trilled R's and the dawn of recorded sound in America

    NMAH
    19 Jan 2012 | 12:51 pm
    Editor’s note: This blog is the first part of a two-part series exploring the process of bringing early sound recordings to life for the first time in over a century. Until recently, the oldest recorded sounds of known date which anyone could hear had been captured in 1888 on the “perfected” phonograph introduced that year by Thomas Edison. But Edison had invented his original phonograph eleven years before that, in 1877—and recorded sound itself is even older. In the 1850s, Édouard-Léon Scott de Martinville of Paris created the phonautograph, an instrument which scratched records…

  • A fascination with shoes

    NMAH
    17 Jan 2012 | 10:29 am
    Editor’s note: This post is the first of three submitted by students as part of a Museum Studies class co-taught by Shari Stout, Collection Manager in the Division of Work and Industry. The class, which took place in storerooms at the National Museum of American History during the Fall 2011 semester, provided hands-on experience with issues relating to the rehousing and storage of onsite collections. Visitors to the National Museum of American History are probably not surprised by the presence of the Star-Spangled Banner or Dorothy’s ruby slippers since these objects are easily…
 
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    About.com 19th Century History

  • The Luddites

    23 Jan 2012 | 5:04 am
    We all laugh about knowing Luddites, people who just can't handle new technology. But the actual Luddites were no joke. As machinery was introduced into the woolen trade in England 200 years ago, weavers who had been producing cloth in their cottages for generations saw a very real threat to their way of life. Improvised armies set out by night and began smashing the new machines. By the winter of 1811-1812 nighttime raids to destroy "shearing frames" became widespread in some regions of England. Taking their name from a local legend, a boy named Ned Ludd who had broken a machine, the…

  • Vintage Images: USS Monitor

    19 Jan 2012 | 3:18 pm
    In late January 1862, 150 years ago about now, workmen in Brooklyn, New York were frantically finishing one of the most innovative machines ever constructed: a warship made of iron. Newspapers originally called it the Ericsson Battery, after its inventor, Swedish-born engineer John Ericsson. The U.S. Navy had been skeptical of Ericsson's design, but after President Lincoln was impressed by a model of the proposed ship, a contract was awarded to build it. One problem was getting it built quickly, as it was known that the Confederates were building their own ironclad warship on the hull of a…

  • The Wreck of the SS Arctic

    16 Jan 2012 | 2:53 am
    News reports about the cruise ship Costa Concordia are a reminder of one of the great sea disasters, the wreck of the SS Arctic in 1854. The Arctic was a spectacular ship for its day, a large steam-powered liner with paddle wheels on its sides. It made fast Atlantic crossings and was known for its luxurious appointments. When it suffered a mid-ocean collision with another ship, panic broke out aboard the Arctic. Members of the crew took lifeboats for their own use, hundreds of passengers were left to drown in the icy north Atlantic, and not a single woman or child survived. Approximately 350…

  • Forty Acres and a Mule

    15 Jan 2012 | 5:34 am
    The phrase "forty acres and a mule" represented a promise many freed slaves believed the U.S. government had made at the end of the Civil War. There was widespread hope ...Read Full Post

  • Why It's Called a Stump Speech

    9 Jan 2012 | 4:57 am
    When we hear about a stump speech today, it means a candidate's standard, and boring, campaign speech. But in the 19th century the phrase meant something much more colorful. First of all, stump speeches got their name because candidates did literally stand atop tree stumps. Though a dictionary from the 1840s helpfully noted that stump speeches might also be delivered from atop a whiskey barrel. These were not polite political addresses like someone might hear in the cities. The characteristics of a stump speech would have included humor, boasting, and insults against opponents. Delivering a…
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    About.com 20th Century History

  • The First Man on the Moon

    25 Jan 2012 | 5:03 pm
    On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong became the first human being to walk on the moon. But how long did it take him to get to the moon? There were three men on the Apollo 11 mission; who didn't get to walk on the moon? What did Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin actually do once they landed on the moon? Find out the answers to these questions plus so much more in this article about the First Man on the Moon....Read Full Post

  • History Quote of the Week

    24 Jan 2012 | 4:50 pm
    "Pilots take no special joy in walking: pilots like flying. Pilots generally take pride in a good landing, not in getting out of the vehicle." -- Quote by astronaut Neil Armstrong, talking about his famous moonwalk ...Read Full Post

  • Jazz Musician Louis Armstrong

    19 Jan 2012 | 12:32 pm
    Often called "Satchmo," Louis Armstrong was a masterful trumpeter who played an instrumental role in the development of jazz. Beloved for his innovative style and energetic performances, Armstrong dazzled audiences for decades. Learn more about how Armstrong rose above his humble origins to become what many call "the greatest trumpet player in the world" in this biography of Louis Armstrong. (Photo by Transcendental Graphics/Getty Images)

  • Want to Write About History?

    18 Jan 2012 | 1:29 pm
    Hey, everyone! I am currently looking for a contributing writer to write features here on 20th Century History at About.com. Anyone with a passion for history and strong writing skills may apply. If you are interested, please send a cover email, resume, and writing sample to me at history1900s@about.com....Read Full Post

  • Quote on Martin Luther King Memorial to Be Fixed

    18 Jan 2012 | 12:42 pm
    As soon as the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial opened in the Fall of 2011 in Washington D.C., there was controversy over one of the quotes. On the Stone of Hope (one of the three main components of the memorial), there is a 30-foot sculpture of Martin Luther King, Jr. on one side and just to his left is a quote that reads: "I was a drum major for justice, peace and righteousness."...Read Full Post
 
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    About.com American History

  • Rutherford B. Hayes, Nineteenth President

    16 Jan 2012 | 6:33 pm
    Rutherford B. Hayes was the nineteenth president of the United States. He only served one term, March 4, 1877 to March 3, 1881. He had strong views on civil service reform that often made him unpopular, as shown by this quote, "I am not liked as a President by the politicians in office, in the press, or in Congress. But I am content to abide the judgment - the sober second thought - of the people."...Read Full Post

  • Celebrating the Life of Martin Luther King, Jr. and His Fight for Civil Rights

    15 Jan 2012 | 6:13 pm
    Every year on the third Monday of January, we celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday. His fight for civil rights and equal treatment for all people brought the plight of African Americans into the public eye. His effect on America and its people is beyond measure. One can only wonder what Martin Luther King, Jr. would think about the election of America's first African-American president. Learn more about Martin Luther King, Jr. and his fight.

  • Characteristics of the New England Colonies

    12 Jan 2012 | 4:31 am
    Colonial America is often divided into three regions to help explain the different characteristics exhibited by each area. The New England colonies included Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut and New Hampshire. This area shared many common characteristics owing both to the region's geographical aspects and the shared culture and religion of its people. Learn about these common characteristics of New England and how they affected its development and history.

  • Abraham Lincoln's Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction

    31 Dec 2011 | 12:30 pm
    In 1863, Abraham Lincoln created a Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction that applied to all Confederate lands. Its goal was to look forward to the end of the war and how the rebelling states and individuals would be allowed back into the union. Learn about this document with this article that looks at its key provisions and impact....Read Full Post

  • Presidential Assassinations and Assassination Attempts

    31 Dec 2011 | 12:02 pm
    Since the founding of the United States, four Presidents have been assassinated while in office. An additional six presidents were subject to assassination attempts. President Gerald Ford was actually subject to not just one but two assassination attempts, both by women. Learn more about each assassination and attempt on President of the United States.
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    About.com Ancient / Classical History

  • Who Invented the Stirrup?

    27 Jan 2012 | 9:22 am
    Do you think you know who invented the stirrup, when, and where? It turns out there is some controversy, although it appears to have its origin in Asia. The About.com ...Read Full Post

  • The Death of Nerva

    27 Jan 2012 | 12:50 am
    On This Day in Ancient History - January 27 -

  • Reading New Testament Greek

    26 Jan 2012 | 10:48 am
    ...Read Full Post

  • What Do We Imagine Daily Life Was Like?

    25 Jan 2012 | 12:55 am
    An occasional topic among fans of ancient Rome is "what would you bring with you on the time machine going back to ancient Rome?" For many years, my answer was ...Read Full Post

  • Guess Who

    25 Jan 2012 | 12:55 am
    PD Courtesy of WikipediaHint:1. Not Romulus and Remus2. The topic comes from Greek tragedy. Answer
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    About.com Asian History

  • Central Asian Linchpin - The Kushan Empire

    27 Jan 2012 | 5:55 pm
    Being in the middle of Central Asia can be difficult. It is such a key place, geopolitically speaking - the crossroads of all kinds of empires throughout history. Just ask the Afghans today, or at any other time over the past 2,000 years....Read Full Post

  • Such a Small Thing: The Stirrup in History

    27 Jan 2012 | 9:45 am
    Horses have played a key role in history, pretty much wherever they have had room to run (and no tsetse flies to kill them). From the steppes of Central Asia, where Genghis Khan's Mongol hordes depended upon them, to North Africa and the plains of America, nomadic humans and horses have struck fear into the hearts of settled people. On the other hand, highly organized societies have also relied on horses in warfare. Where would the knights of medieval Europe or the Japanese samurai have been without their steeds?...Read Full Post

  • Iran-Iraq War Made Interesting Bedfellows

    25 Jan 2012 | 5:57 pm
    The Iran/Iraq War of 1980-1988 made for some interesting bedfellows. Not only did the United States ally with Saddam Hussein's Iraq, in order to try to defeat the new Islamic Revolutionary government of Iran, but so did the Soviet Union. Meanwhile, China, North Korea, Libya and (can you imagine?) Israel supported Iran against Iraq....Read Full Post

  • Let Slip the Elephants of War: The First Battle of Panipat

    22 Jan 2012 | 7:48 pm
    OK, I confess. I find the concept of war elephants fascinating, even though I feel sorry for any animal drafted into war. After all, it's not like all those horses and other creatures volunteered, down through the ages....Read Full Post

  • How Wrong Was Perry about Turkey?

    22 Jan 2012 | 3:46 pm
 
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    Top 10 Lists

  • Top 10 Movie Characters Who Suffer from Dissociative Identity Disorder (Split Personality)

    Bryan Johnson
    26 Jan 2012 | 11:01 pm
    Our minds allow us to interpret what we perceive externally, yet there is still so much left unexplained about the mind itself.  If it is true we only use a fraction of our total brain capacity, what exactly is left untapped?  While a lot is yet to be uncovered, we already have a pretty impressive [...]

  • Top 10 Bizarre Early Films of Famous Directors

    TopTenz Master
    25 Jan 2012 | 11:01 pm
    Anyone who has ever watched some cheesy B-movie on SyFy, or some aspiring college kid’s weird and stilted little video, probably never would have thought anything would come of the directors responsible for those.  Well, as we’ll see, perhaps these now-famous directors shouldn’t be written off so quickly. 10. Bedhead (Robert Rodriguez) From the creator [...]

  • Top 10 British Generals, 1700 – 1945

    TopTenz Master
    24 Jan 2012 | 11:01 pm
    This list is specifically limited to the period between the beginning of the Spanish War of Succession and the end of the Second World War, and is restricted to generals who were born in the British Isles.  There are some controversial additions and the ranking is purely my own personal opinion. 10.  Henry Rawlinson – [...]

  • Top 10 Amazing (Yet Uninspiring) Achievements

    TopTenz Master
    23 Jan 2012 | 11:10 pm
    We’ve all achieved something in our lives, and some of these feats are quite amazing. Just today, for example, TopTenz sent this page to hundreds of millions of homes, and made billions of people happy when they read it aloud for the amusement of friends and family.  If you aren’t doing that now, by the [...]

  • Top 10 Most Amazing Gummies

    TopTenz Master
    22 Jan 2012 | 11:01 pm
    The most creative I have ever gotten with gummies is when I pretend that the worms are actually snakes, or I bite off pieces of the bears and pretend they’re screaming in agony.  I tend to eat them more than I create with them, is what I’m saying.  But, as it turns out, there are [...]
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    History in an Hour

  • Kaiser Wilhelm II

    Rupert Colley
    26 Jan 2012 | 6:20 pm
    Arrogant, extremely vain, and always seeking praise, Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany enjoyed a life of frivolity. His former chancellor, Otto von Bismarck, once remarked that the Kaiser would have liked every day to be his birthday. Hot head Wilhelm … Continue reading →

  • Winston Churchill’s The Dream

    Rupert Colley
    23 Jan 2012 | 6:00 pm
    In 1947 Winston Churchill wrote a short story.  The Dream reveals the spirit of the great man behind the public image of heroic soldier, journalist, statesman, wit, and prolific orator and writer. The idea of The Dream was the result … Continue reading →

  • Bloody Sunday 1905

    Rupert Colley
    21 Jan 2012 | 6:00 pm
    On Sunday, 22 January 1905, (9 January Old Style) the workers of St Petersburg organised a peaceful demonstration to demand political and constitutional reform. 150,000 demonstrators, including whole families, led by an Orthodox priest, Father Georgi Gapon, marched through the … Continue reading →

  • King George V

    Rupert Colley
    19 Jan 2012 | 6:00 pm
    Sinead Fitzgibbon summarises the life of Britain’s King George V, grandfather of Queen Elizabeth II. Grandson of Great Britain’s Queen Victoria and second son of Edward VII, Prince George Frederick Ernest Albert was born on 3 June 1865. At the … Continue reading →

  • Robert Edward Lee

    Rupert Colley
    18 Jan 2012 | 6:00 pm
    Kat Smutz summarises the life of the Confederate general, Robert E Lee, born 19 January 1807. Robert E Lee was a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point.  Soldiering ran in the family.  His father, known as … Continue reading →
 
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    Yesteeyear

  • Revealed: The handwritten prayer book love notes sent by Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn before they married

    Chris Rivait
    14 Jan 2012 | 4:15 pm
    I hope this new series from BBC is coming to Canada soon, it looks great!  Illuminations: The Private Lives of Medieval Kings looks at some personal writings of British monarchs of the Middle Ages. Paul Revoir of the Daily Mail writes about the television series and an example of a love note from Henry VIII [...]

  • Review – Inferno: The World at War (1939-45) by Max Hastings

    Chris Rivait
    12 Jan 2012 | 1:15 pm
    As a leading World War II historian, Max Hastings has taken the monumental task of looking at World War II on a personal global scale.  In Max Hastings new book,  he uses personal eyewitness accounts of the horrors of the war.  Vernon Bogdanor of the New Statesman reviewed Hastings new book (Originally titled All Hell [...]

  • War of 1812 bicentennial offers a wealth of historic sites to visit this year

    Chris Rivait
    11 Jan 2012 | 10:15 am
    2012 marks the bicentennial of the War of 1812.  There are a lot of locations in my area in South-Western Ontario that saw many of the major battles of the war.  Historical reenactors have been feverously planning large scale reenactments of this important milestone.  The Truro Daily News list some of the best places to [...]

  • Jack Daniel’s Secret: The History of the World’s Most Famous Whiskey

    Chris Rivait
    10 Jan 2012 | 4:15 pm
    There are many legends surrounding Jack Daniel and his world famous whiskey, this article from The Atlantic by Jim Stengel writes about the history behind the square bottle. The character of Jack Daniel’s, the whiskey with the iconic black-and-white label on the equally iconic square bottle, is inextricably bound up in the distinctive character of [...]

  • Remembering youngest bomber squadron commanding officer in the history of RAF

    Chris Rivait
    10 Jan 2012 | 11:15 am
    The story of David Holford’s experiences in the Royal Air Force during World War II.  Australian pilot and author of , Don Charlwood wrote to Holford’s widow saying, “He was the personification of all that was best in the Royal Air Force.”  The Grimsby Telegraph writes about how David Holford became the youngest bomber squadron [...]
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    History Of Macedonia - Ιστορία της Μακεδονίας

  • Σκληρή κριτική της αξιωματικής αντιπολίτευσης στον Γκρούεφσκι

    History
    28 Jan 2012 | 3:11 am
    Σκληρή κριτική της αξιωματικής αντιπολίτευσης στον Γκρούεφσκι 27 Ιανουαρίου 2012 Η στασιμότητα στην ενταξιακή πορεία της ΠΓΔΜ προς το ΝΑΤΟ και την Ευρωπαϊκή Ένταξη (ΕΕ) οφείλεται κυρίως σε “απερίσκεπτες“ενέργειες του πρωθυπουργού της χώρας Νίκολα Γκρούεφσκι έναντι της Ελλάδας, εκτίμησε ο αρχηγός του μεγαλύτερου…

  • Μία ιστορική διαδρομή του χρυσού στην αρχαία Ελλάδα

    History
    28 Jan 2012 | 2:50 am
      Τα μεγαλύτερα μεταλλεία εξόρυξης χρυσού παγκοσμίως λειτουργούσαν σε περιοχές της Μακεδονίας και Θράκης κατά την αρχαιότητα. Τα μεγαλύτερα μεταλλευτικά κέντρα εξόρυξης χρυσού παγκοσμίως λειτουργούσαν κατά την αρχαιότητα στην Θάσο, την περιοχή της βορειοανατολικής Καβάλας, του Παγγαίου, της Χαλκιδικής και του Εχεδώρου,…

  • FYROM : Islamic Religious Community protest against the Vevcani Carnival for abusing Islamic values

    D-Mak
    27 Jan 2012 | 10:36 am
    Photo @ Koha Struga, FYROM -  Struga’s Residents protest today against the abuse of Islamic values at the Vevcani Carnival, according to Koha. After Greece officially protested to FYROM for the insulting and provocative burning of the Greek Flag wrapped around on a coffin, FYROM’s Muslims also protest today against the misuse of Islamic values who took place in the Carnival of [...] Related posts:FYROM – The Islamic Religious Community of FYROM calls the government to stop the Islamophobic and Discriminatory Policies Ethnic Albanians group in FYROM calls protest…

  • Speech by Senator Alfonse D’Amato about Macedonia (1992)

    D-Mak
    26 Jan 2012 | 5:02 pm
    Macedonia -  Alfonse Marcello “Al” D’Amato (born August 1, 1937) is an American lawyer and former New York politician. A Republican, he served as United States Senator from New York from 1981 to 1999. In the following video he speaks about Macedonia. From The Youtube Channel of Philflash Related posts:Macedonia : Tribute to Alexander the Great [...] Related posts:Macedonia : Tribute to Alexander the Great Video απο την μεγάλη διαδήλωση του 1992 για την Μακεδονία Deca Begalci: Refugee children from Macedonia, Greece – The TRUTH…

  • Επιστολή των Παμμακεδονικών Ενώσεων προς τον Πρόεδρο Ομπάμα

    D-Mak
    26 Jan 2012 | 4:37 pm
    25 Ιανουαρίου 2012   Προς: κ Μπαράκ Ομπάμα Πρόεδρο των Ηνωμένων Πολιτειών Αμερικής 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW Washington DC, 20502 Αγαπητέ Κύριε Πρόεδρε, Τα μέλη της Παμμακεδονικής Ένωσης ΗΠΑ (μια από τις μεγαλύτερες ελληνικές οργανώσεις στις ΗΠΑ), και μέλη των Παμμακεδονικών Ενώσεων ανά την υφήλιο, προερχόμενα από τη Μακεδονία (τη βόρεια περιοχή…
 
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    Blog > WW2History.com

  • Misunderstanding Wannsee

    laurence
    17 Jan 2012 | 12:59 pm
    The Wannsee conference was held here at 56–58 Am Grossen Wannsee. Seventy years ago this month – on 20 January 1942 to be precise – one of the most infamous meetings of WW2, indeed of the 20th century, was held on the shores of the Wannsee on the outskirts of Berlin.   And, as I know from the many times that I have been asked about Wannsee, large numbers of people still think this was the moment that the Nazis’ ‘Final Solution’ was decided upon. It wasn’t. And the reasons why this mistake is often made are interesting. The fact is that the fifteen…

  • Humiliation in Singapore

    laurence
    7 Jan 2012 | 1:25 pm
    The WW2 guns of Singapore point south. I was in Singapore this week – which was an education in itself as one witnesses first hand how many of the Asian economies seem to be outstripping debt struck Europe. But I was also seeing first hand the sight of what, seventy years ago, Winston Churchill called ‘the worst disaster and largest capitulation in British history.’ On 15 February 1942, Lieutenant General Arthur Percival gave up Singapore to the Japanese. More than 60,000 British and other Commonwealth and Empire troops surrendered to an Imperial Army force of around 35,000. The…

  • Declaring war on America

    laurence
    11 Dec 2011 | 9:39 am
    Seventy years ago today Germany declared war on America. Many people are mystified by Hitler’s decision to take on the most powerful economic power in the world – especially since the German army was mired in a conflict with the Soviet Union at the time, and Hitler had no real way of ever conquering America. What were the Germans going to do, invade Manhattan? They hadn’t even been able to cross the English Channel to land on the beaches of the south coast, so what chance did they have of ever crossing the vast Atlantic? But Hitler’s thinking was not so crazy, and this…

  • Autumn Competition Result

    laurence
    30 Nov 2011 | 6:38 pm
    Congratulations to Jemma Mortimer of the Midlands who was the first subscriber to WW2History.com picked from all those who gave the correct answer to our Autumn Competition. The question we posed was: Which Nazi Gauleiter – one of the hardest of hard liners who had previously ruled with an iron hand over the Ukraine – ran to Flensburg in the final days of the war and vainly demanded a U boat to take him to South America? He died in captivity in Poland in 1986. Ms Mortimer, along with many other subscribers, correctly identified this particular Nazi as Erich Koch. A signed, hardback, first…

  • Causes of great events

    laurence
    27 Nov 2011 | 4:53 am
    Pearl Harbour – 70 years ago today the Japanese fleet were on their way to Hawaii. Historians often focus their attention on great events – the Battle for Berlin or Stalingrad or the German invasion of the Soviet Union. And we commemorate these and other anniversaries, marking the date when something of vital importance happened. But today I want to focus on the 70th anniversary of events that were about to happen. Seventy years ago this month three actions which were to be of great significance in the history of WW2 – indeed the history of the world – were all in…
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    American History Fun Facts Blog

  • Jan 27, Today in American History - January 27th

    27 Jan 2012 | 11:19 am
    1785: The first state-funded university was founded in Georgia - the University of Georgia. 1880: Thomas Edison received a patent for his incandescent lamp. 1967: Three astronauts died in a launch pad fire at Cape Canaveral, Florida. The astronauts were Virgil Grissom, Edward White II, and Roger Chafee.

  • Jan 26, Today in American History - January 26th

    26 Jan 2012 | 12:01 am
    1838: A law was passed in Tennessee, making it illegal to sell alcoholic beverages in taverns and stores.  This was the first prohibition law passed in the U.S.  1863: Union General Joseph Hooker took over command of the Union army after the dismissal of General Burnside the day before. 1934: Samuel Goldwyn bought the film rights to "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" book by L. Frank Baum.  The popular movie was released in 1939. Fun Fact: Goldwyn's original choice for Dorothy was Shirley Temple. 1961: President John F Kennedy appointed the first female…

  • Jan 25, Today in American History - January 25th

    25 Jan 2012 | 12:07 am
    1776: The first National Memorial was authorized by Congress.  Fun Fact: The memorial would honor American Revolutionary War hero Brigadier General Richard Montgomery.  Originally destined to be placed in Independence Hall in Philadelphia, the memorial ended up being placed in New York City, beneath the portico of St. Paul's Chapel.  St. Paul's was the Church that George Washington attended during his Presidency. 1863: General Ambrose Burnside was removed from his command of the Union Army of the Potomac, after serving for only two months. 1869: Pat Garrett left his life of luxury in…

  • Jan 24, Betsy Ross Flag Giveaway

    24 Jan 2012 | 4:11 pm
    A new giveaway just started on American History Fun Facts! Enter to win a 3' x 5' embroidered Betsy Ross American flag from CVSFlags.com. You can tweet about the giveaway once per day, gaining you extra bonus entries. There are several ways to enter! Visit the Betsy Ross Flag page now to submit your entries...

  • Jan 24, Today in American History - January 24th

    24 Jan 2012 | 9:22 am
    January 24th... 1781: Patriots raided Georgetown, South Carolina, capturing at least three British officers. Fun Fact: One of the Patriot commanders leading the raid was Brigadier General Francis Swamp Fox Marion. Marion was one of the inspirations for Mel Gibson's character in the movie "The Patriot" . 1848: James Marshall discovered gold at Sutter's Creek in California Gold Rush California.  Within a few months, the great gold rush had begun. 1935: The first beer sold in a can went on sale in Richmond, VA Fun Fact: The first attempt to can beer was in 1909, but it was not successful.
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    Harm's Way: A Blacksmith's Journey

  • Celebrities of the 1848 Revolution

    Claire Gebben
    27 Jan 2012 | 11:12 am
    The “1848 Revolution” in Europe was a formative political event of the mid-19th century century. Beginning in late February, 1848 with an uprising in Paris, the foment of peasants against rulers played out across the many countries, duchies, and principalities of the day. It took over a year for all of the different revolutions to be crushed, the rebels scattered in exile. Here are a few persons who went on to make a name for themselves, who were active in some part of the 1848 struggles: Richard Wagner was active in the rebellion in Dresden Robert Schumann and his wife Clara were…

  • Emigration geography

    Claire Gebben
    24 Jan 2012 | 6:17 pm
    When in Germany, I visited the Bremerhaven Auswandererhaus, where many genealogist types do research. A large number of Germans left for the Americas (New Zealand and Australia, too) via the northern ports at Hamburg and Bremerhaven. However, it’s not the route my ancestor Michael Harm took from Freinsheim in the Rhineland-Palatinate. He went through the French port at Le Havre, and he wasn’t the only one. According to Freinsheim emigration records, many of its citizens took a similar route in the 19th century. The map here was made in 1596, so it’s a far cry from 1857 when…

  • A good tome on religion in America

    Claire Gebben
    19 Jan 2012 | 2:56 pm
    I admit I’m a history geek: Snowbound in Seattle, I can’t think of a better way to spend the day than curling up by the hearth fire with a just-discovered tome: Religion in American Life: A Short History, by Butler, Wacker and Balmer (2003). Intended as an overview, the book begins with native religions and extends all the way into the Reagan and Bush eras of American conservativism. Right now I’m buried in the chapter called “Reformers and Visionaries.” For example, William Miller’s numerology (mentioned in an earlier post: Is 2012 the end of the line?)…

  • Internet clearinghouse at Alltop

    Claire Gebben
    15 Jan 2012 | 9:56 am
    I put a badge here on my blog recently, orange and gray, that says “Featured in Alltop: All the Top Stories.” I applied for the privilege to be listed there, and am proud to be included. Before you go over there, here are a few tips. At Alltop’s home page, the site appears to be another search engine, with top web sites and popular posts. That’s fine, there are some great choices there. But what I like best is the sort feature. Click on an alphabet letter in the top bar and choose your topic. For example, my blog falls under H, for History. I debated about this —…

  • A Kit Bakke groupie

    Claire Gebben
    12 Jan 2012 | 12:39 am
    Seattle author Kit Bakke wrote Miss Alcott’s E-mail (2006), a series of imagined conversations between the author and Louisa May Alcott. (Louisa May Alcott was more than a novelist, she led a life of advocacy for social reforms, as an abolitionist, a women’s rights activist, and a hospital worker.) In the novel, Kit Bakke writes to Alcott about life as a baby boomer, filling in the deceased Alcott (1832-1888) on the progress of the women’s rights movement into the 21st century. Alcott “replies” via material Bakke culled from Alcott’s journals and letters.
 
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