Why Were There Still Stories of Blackface in 2019?
One of the minor themes of 2019 was the revelation that various prominent white politicians had once worn blackface. The question is: why?
When and Where Did Abraham Lincoln Write the Gettysburg Address?
Theories abound. Historian William H. Lambert considers the origin of the address and the mythology surrounding its composition.
When Death Was Women’s Business
In the 19th century, women called "watchers" tended to the dying and the dead.
Jarena Lee, The First Woman African American Autobiographer
Jarena Lee was the first female preacher in the African Methodist Episcopal Church. In 1836, she published her autobiography.
Why Are U.S. Borders Straight Lines?
The ever-shifting curve of shoreline and river is no match for the infinite, idealized straight line.
Before Rush Limbaugh, There Was Boake Carter
When Boake Carter opened his mouth, he whipped up tempers and tempests. But who was he?
George Washington’s “Yelp Reviews”
Staying at inns allowed Washington to examine the state of the infrastructure for traveling in the new federal Republic. The only problem was, he hated it.
How Benjamin Franklin’s Almanac Appealed to the Common Man
Why did Benjamin Franklin become an American patriot when he was such a loyal son of the Crown for so long?
Taxation Without Money
The Stamp Act of 1765, which inspired the “taxation without representation” cry, imposed taxes that outraged specific groups of people.
Paper Money Rebellion
The Currency Act of 1764 returned the restrictions of 1751: banning colonists from printing their own legal tender bills.