Healthcare and Medicinal Plants in Early North America
Editor’s note: The information in this article is strictly for educational purposes and is not a recommendation for the use of any of...
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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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- Aug 10
- 14 min
Where There's Smoke, There's Barbecue
Man has grilled meat over open flames since he first discovered how to make fire. As a result, outdoor cooking has been a part of every...
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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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- 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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- 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...
187 views0 comments
- 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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- 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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- 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 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...
3,587 views0 comments
- 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...
147 views0 comments
- 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...
316 views0 comments
- Mar 13, 2021
- 13 min
Lotteries as Public Finance
These days, when we want to fund building a public project such as roads, bridges, schools, etc., governments usually to look to issuing...
230 views0 comments
- Jan 18, 2021
- 15 min
EDUCATION IN VIRGINIA DURING THE COLONIAL ERA AND THE EARLY REPUBLIC
Throughout 2020 and into the new year, our ideas of what education should look like here in Virginia have been challenged by the effects...
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- Jan 4, 2021
- 17 min
Let Us Share a Bowl Together – Punch, the Forerunner of the Modern Cocktail
“A merry Christmas, Bob!” said Scrooge, with an earnestness that could not be mistaken, as he clapped him on the back. “A merrier...
429 views0 comments
- Oct 23, 2020
- 9 min
The Unconquered Lord of the Card Room: Whist-its history and play
In life, as in whist, hope nothing from the way cards may be dealt to you. Play the cards, whatever they be, to the best of your skill....
857 views1 comment
- Sep 25, 2020
- 15 min
All the World's a Stage: Theatre in Colonial and Early America
Publisher’s Note: I originally authored this article in 2015 for another blog that I was writing for at the time. I have since rewritten...
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- Sep 11, 2020
- 17 min
“There we were entertained with scenes romantic and delightful beyond the power of description"
The Amusement Parks of Early America; Pleasure Gardens in America and their roots in England Before we begin our discussion of Pleasure...
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