James Barbour – Governor, Senator, Cabinet Secretary, and Diplomat
As we have seen in previous posts, in the early years of the United States men with leadership abilities tended to become prominent, thru...
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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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- Jul 20
- 7 min
The Origins of the American Picnic
“One of the pleasantest forms of entertainment is a well-arranged picnic (if only a fine day be selected), while nothing is calculated to...
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- Jun 2
- 12 min
America’s Swiss “Founding Father” – Albert Gallatin
"If any one part of the Union are suffered to oppose by force the determination of the whole, there is an end to government itself and of...
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- May 19
- 10 min
Francis Cabot Lowell and the Beginnings of American Industrial Manufacturing
The Industrialization of manufacturing in England During the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, artisans—skilled, experienced craft...
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- May 5
- 11 min
Negotiator, Lawyer, Representative, Senator, and Commissioner - Littleton Waller Tazewell.
Littleton Waller Tazewell was born in Williamsburg, Va. on December 17, 1774, almost 150 years after his first ancestor left England for...
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- Apr 21
- 15 min
Beverages of the 18th and Early 19th Centuries – Part 3 – Cocoa/Chocolate – “The Food of the Gods”
”With regard to drink, his liking was for the strongest, as it was not the flavour, but the effect, he sought for, and professed to...
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- Apr 7
- 11 min
Beverages of the 18th and Early 19th Centuries – Part 2 - Coffee
“Coffee fortifies the Stomach and Brain, promotes Digestion, allays the Head-ach, suppresses the Fumes caused by Wine, and other...
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- Mar 24
- 9 min
Beverages of the 18th and Early 19th Centuries – Part 1 - Tea
"There is more to be learned about pouring out tea and coffee, than most young ladies are willing to believe. If those decoctions are...
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- Feb 24
- 12 min
Worth its Weight in Salt - History of Salt and its Importance in Early America
Today, in 2023, we here in the United States, take salt for granted. If we need it, we just run down to the corner market and pick up a...
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- Dec 16, 2022
- 11 min
Eggnog – Origins, History, and How it Caused a Riot
Christmas is just over a week away and so; it is time once again to think about “Christmas traditions.” One of those traditions...
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- Dec 2, 2022
- 17 min
Wrestling and Pugilism – Entertainments and Self Defense in 18th and Early-19th Century America
In our last post, we talked about some of the methods that people used to defend themselves, their loved, and their property against...
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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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- 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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- 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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- 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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- 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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