Witches, Ghosts, and Monsters in 18th and Early-19th Century Native American Culture
“Spooky Season” ("spook" is a Dutch word for spirit or ghost) is once again upon us. As a result, although this blog usually only deals...
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Here is where we publish articles about the social, political and military history of American society during the Colonial and Early Republic Eras. Where we feel it is needed, we also examine the origins of the subject. From time to time, we will also publish articles regarding Living History interpretative skills.
Please let us know in the comments if you enjoy our posts.
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- Oct 7, 2022
- 15 min
Naval Stores and Ropewalks – Vital Backbones of the Maritime World
In the 18th and early 19th centuries, the strength of the economy of the British Empire and the early United States was dependent on...
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- Sep 23, 2022
- 8 min
Period Dramas and Living History: A Love-Hate Relationship That Doesn't Have to Be.
Let me begin by admitting that I have been, and still am at times, the guy in the picture above. I try to not do this, and, for the most...
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- Jul 2, 2022
- 17 min
Celebration: Patriotic Holidays in Colonial America and the Early United States
On June 17, 2021, President Biden signed legislation making Juneteenth (June 19th) our 11th Federal holiday. Of these there are four...
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- Jun 3, 2022
- 13 min
Let’s Bat that Around – The Game of Battledore and Shuttlecock
Most of us reading this article have played Badminton at one time or another. When I was growing up as a part of the Baby Boomer...
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- May 6, 2022
- 11 min
Outdoor Entertainments – Quoits, The Sport of a Virginia Gentleman.
As a child growing up in the Ohio River Valley, I remember being given a game of “quoits” to play with out in the yard. It consisted of...
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- Apr 22, 2022
- 13 min
Captured by the Spanish – The Pike Expedition – Part 2
In Part 1 of this series, we followed the Zebulon Pike Expedition from Fort Bellefontaine (near St. Louis) across the Great Plains and...
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- Apr 8, 2022
- 18 min
Exploring the New Louisiana Territory: The Pike Expedition - Part 1
As we discussed in our last post, the Louisiana Purchase came about unexpectedly, and no one was sure exactly what the United States...
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- Mar 25, 2022
- 12 min
America’s Unplanned Expansion – The Louisiana Purchase
In 1803 the United States unexpectedly added the largest increase in land area in its history. How did this come about? Why was the...
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- Mar 11, 2022
- 12 min
A Revolution in Travel – early steamboat travel in the James River and the Chesapeake Bay
For the first 180 years of the English colonies in North America, most people traveled by foot, horse, canoe, or wagon/carriage. Along...
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- Feb 11, 2022
- 13 min
Every Gentleman's Duty - Toasting in the 18th and Early 19th Century
“A Toast or Sentiment very frequently excites good humor, and revives languid conversation; often does it, when properly applied, cool...
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- Jan 28, 2022
- 10 min
The Most Popular Beverage in Early America
Throughout the late summer, fall, and early winter, apple cider (also known as cyder in the past) is everywhere. It is a mainstay of...
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- Dec 30, 2021
- 9 min
Wine in Early-19th Century America
New Year’s Eve is upon us. Although it is a time usually associated with champagne and other sparkling wines, we thought we would take...
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- Dec 17, 2021
- 11 min
Christmas Carols in the Early 19th Century
Due to our video-centered culture today, almost any adult, and many children, are familiar with the scene from Charles Dickens’ “A...
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- Dec 3, 2021
- 21 min
Personal Honor and Dueling in the Early United States
Introduction Early on the morning of July 11, 1804, Alexander Hamilton boarded a boat with his Second and a physician and set sail from...
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- Nov 19, 2021
- 13 min
An Evening Out: Etiquette for the Street, House Parties, and the Dining Room
As we pointed out when we began this series, Regency/Federal Era period etiquette is an extremely broad subject, and we cannot cover...
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- Nov 5, 2021
- 9 min
The Formal Visit and the Calling Card
In our last posting, we talked about the Etiquette of the Ballroom in late-18th and early-19th century America and how it was both...
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- Oct 21, 2021
- 20 min
Federal Era Ballroom Etiquette – It isn’t all that clear cut.
Our friends at the Regency Society of Virginia are having their annual Trafalgar Victory Ball this coming Saturday October 23, 2021, and...
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- Oct 8, 2021
- 21 min
The War of 1812 – Part 8 - Diplomacy and the Treaty of Ghent
Initial Attempts at Diplomacy Throughout the last five months, we have posted a series of articles looking at some of the causes leading...
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- Sep 24, 2021
- 14 min
The War of 1812 – Part 7 - Naval War in the Pacific
In Part 6, of this series we examined the Naval Campaign in the Atlantic, focusing on the US Navy’s smaller frigates, sloops, and brigs. ...
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