James McNeill Whistler, the famous artist, first thought of becoming a cavalryman, and went to West Point to do his officer training. He was a terrible horseman and could not stay on his horse; he was often seen hanging from the beast’s neck on many occasions. One day, after a bad fall that left him […]
I came across an article about the lemons and other citrus fruits in the ancient Roman world. According to research done by an Israeli archaeobotanist, the citron was the first citrus fruit to make it to the western Mediterranean around the third or second century B.C. (probably through Persia). The lemon? That had to wait […]
No doubt the Norman Barons that had conquered England with Duke William, in 1066, would at some time have turned their ambitions onto the lands that lay across the Irish Sea. As it turned out, there was no need for such aggressive action; they were invited. It was a decision that the Irish would later […]
William II Canynges (probably born about 1399) was the son of a renowned Mayor of Bristol. A city mayor during the 15th century had to be a very wealthy man indeed. The honour that the city had bestowed on him often resulted in a year-long parade of ceremonies. Additionally, a very strong personality was essential […]
There was one survivor from that fateful day on the 25th June 1876, when Lt.- Col George “General” Armstrong Custer led five troops of the 7th Cavalry in his fatal attack on Chief Sitting Bull’s combined Sioux and Cheyenne encampment at the Little Big Horn. Two days later, when General Terry’s force arrived at the […]
The storming of the Capitol by people who attended President Trump’s political rally on January 6 was a jolting event. Never in the past have we seen such a sight when our nation’s Capitol was overwhelmed with protestors, and it was particularly surprising given that political violence like this had by-and-large been confined to the […]
When history is written at the end of the twenty-first century, the year 2020 will probably be one of the most significant years of the first half. The global COVID-19 Pandemic This was obviously the main event this year, and it was a complete game-changer. It was the kind of once-in-a-century event that not only […]
Older generation historians structured their monographs around great man themes. Today’s generation of historians focus less on significant actors in history, and more on cultural and ideological based themes. Is this a step forward or backward in historical method practice? Or are there times when both are appropriate?
I was looking for reaction to Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol from his contemporaries when I came upon a collection of the author’s other Christmas works. The work, Household Words: Christmas Stories, 1851-1858, was a compilation of short stories and reflections that Dickens had authored over the years. Among them are stories such as “What […]
